2009 Line-Up Rumour Mill

I think if Coulthard quits Formula 1 (or is forced out)....it will be into retirement from racing. He's got a ton of money, a hot wife, and a really nice lifestyle. I think that would be rather ruined by the NASCAR way of life. Plus, I've always seen him as going into the more administrative or broadcast oriented side of F1 after he stops racing. He is already well set up for both with appearances on ITV and as a leader of the F1 drivers association. So yeah, NASCAR is unlikely, if you ask me.

JH
 
I think Coulthard wont be in F1 next year, maybe he'll take Max's job. He's always talking to the media and telling everyone what he thinks.
 
I hope he is but I can see him not having a drive as red bull may want a younger "hot prospect". He wouldn't do NASCAR I would have thought though. Broadcasting and relaxing in his hotel and promoting his range of male grooming products I would guess ;).
 
What about Le mans? It's a trend now, F1 guys going to Le mans.

But ya, I want him to retire and join the BBC team.
 
Kubica would welcome Alonso at BMW
Tuesday 10th June 2008

Robert Kubica has done little to deny rumours Fernando Alonso is heading to BMW, saying he would have "fun" with the former Champ as his team-mate.

Having recently denied that he has signed a contract with Ferrari for 2010, Alonso is now being linked to BMW who clinched their maiden grand prix victory in Canada last Sunday.

According to reports Alonso has a get-out clause in his Renault contract that allows him to leave the team based on their performance. And the rumours say he's set to use it.

Asked about the possibility of Alonso replacing Nick Heidfeld at BMW next season, Kubica did little to calm the rumours.

"I would have no problem with that. I get along with him very well," he told Spanish newspaper El Pais.

"I do not know what the future holds but, if we do both drive for BMW, we would have a lot of fun.

"We appreciate each other as drivers, but also as people. You know with him that when he says something, it is what he really thinks.

"He is not someone who thinks too much about his image, or says something for marketing or just to look good."

Source

First Ferrari, now he's being linked to BMW, although it has to be said the BMW rumours have been bubbling away for several months now. Still can't see why they'd bother with someone such as Alonso, unless it means that Kubica is going to Ferrari when Raikkonen retires at the end of 2009? I expect BMW are doing everything they possibly can to secure Kubica's services beyond 2008. Heidfeld is not up to scratch, but he's a solid number two (most complimentive thing I can think of to say about him) and Mario Theissen is not an idiot who would hire a driver that would upset the balance of his team.
 
Ferrari was never going to happen. This is entirely possible...
 
Kubica and Alonso would form a great team but it would probably ruin their friendship :p
 
First Ferrari, now he's being linked to BMW, although it has to be said the BMW rumours have been bubbling away for several months now. Still can't see why they'd bother with someone such as Alonso, unless it means that Kubica is going to Ferrari when Raikkonen retires at the end of 2009? I expect BMW are doing everything they possibly can to secure Kubica's services beyond 2008. Heidfeld is not up to scratch, but he's a solid number two (most complimentive thing I can think of to say about him) and Mario Theissen is not an idiot who would hire a driver that would upset the balance of his team.

QFT - Alonso is damaged goods, I can't see why any of the top teams would want to touch him. I could however see him going to the likes of Toyota.
 
Alonso knows that he can't act like a prick anymore so any more running his mouth he's done in F1..
 
I would love to see Alonso driving for BMW.

Actually, I'm starting to like Alonso again, he is certainly driving well this season, putting a car on the top 8 list consistently
 
He sure is a great driver. I just don't like his attitude when somebady beats him. He just gets pissed instead of driving faster.
 
QFT - Alonso is damaged goods, I can't see why any of the top teams would want to touch him. I could however see him going to the likes of Toyota.

Because he's still one of the best drivers. Maybe the best. And we'll never know what exactly happened at McLaren last year... but it couldn't be only Alonso's fault.

I don't think he would have similar problems once again.
 
^ How long did it take for him to start whinging again this year about the Renault and talking about moving to other teams? Not long. That shows his mentality - he's shown he can be a very negative influence in a team. A top team able to attract the best talent will consider all factors of a driver - and I don't think Alonso's speed is enough to offset his other behaviours sufficiently for one of those teams to consider him.

An upper-mid-field team would view him differently of course.
 
Another podium from DC will secure him a drive for next year now I expect.
 
^ How long did it take for him to start whinging again this year about the Renault and talking about moving to other teams? Not long. That shows his mentality - he's shown he can be a very negative influence in a team. A top team able to attract the best talent will consider all factors of a driver - and I don't think Alonso's speed is enough to offset his other behaviours sufficiently for one of those teams to consider him.

An upper-mid-field team would view him differently of course.

Moving to other teams was an issue even before he signed his contract with Renault. Everyone knows he was looking for a team which would offer him a one-year deal. He was talking to Red Bull, Toyota, perhaps even Honda and Williams. Renault offered him a two-year contract which (apparently) allows him to leave after 2008. So Renault already knew in December that Alonso could leave if the car is not good enough - it's not that he started whining and threatening to leave the team in the middle of the season.

Anyway, about his "whinging": I remember reading an interview with a Renault team member (probably Pat Symonds but I may be wrong) last year, talking about Alonso. He said that one of the best things about Alonso is that he's not afraid to critizise the team if he feels something should be done better. There are several drivers, he said, who don't dare to say bad things about the car because they're afraid of losing their seats. A driver who can spot a problem and suggests things should be improved is a great motivation to a team; after all, it's the driver who drives the car and there are things which computers and engineers can't feel if they don't drive at 300 km/h.
Symonds said that Alonso's criticisms helped the team a lot in 2005 and 06 and he wished some of his former drivers had been similar.

I'm not saying Alonso is a saint, he has done and said things that I don't like but I don't think he's as bad as many people claim...
 
^ There's a world of difference between being constructive and helping the team identify faults in the car, and having a whinge in public and threatening to leave the team after a few races. One is constructive, the other just pisses the team off and makes you look like you can't handle a bit of adversity and a challenge. When did we hear Schumacher criticising Ferrari in the way Alonso has mouthed-off about McLaren & Renault?

I'm all for drivers being outspoken :)heart: JPM for instance), but not having a childish spit-the-dummy tantrum like Alonso's done in the past.
 
Davidson might secure the primary tester role again, which is better than nothing.

Ah but I forgot about Wurz. Could Honda hire to primary testers? With the limited testing regulations, that would make it very hard for either one to get seat time.
 
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Davidson is back as Wurz has decided to take part in a little weekend social event called LeMans.
 
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