Bundesautobahn
Active Member
With only a few races done there are already lot's of rumours about next year's line-up.
#1
Jun.20 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen could depart Ferrari as soon as the end of this season, according to reports.
Germany's Auto-Bild-Motorsport said the beleaguered Maranello based team has already commenced its search for the Finn's successor, after failing to live up to his reputation and newfound status as the highest earning F1 racer following his switch from McLaren for 2007.
Not only is the 27-year-old struggling to keep up with Felipe Massa in the other F2007, Ferrari bosses are apparently also concerned about Kimi's lack of focus and rookie errors -- such as failing to get his car quickly off the line.
Part of the Auto-Bild-Motorsport rumour is that newly retired Michael Schumacher is the obvious choice to replace Raikkonen, but paddock rumblings have also hinted at McLaren's disgruntled Fernando Alonso or Williams' impressive Nico Rosberg to fill the seat.
The speculation may also be related to new gossip this week that says Toyota could be eyeing Raikkonen as a replacement for Ralf Schumacher next year and beyond.
Ferrari is now coming under intense pressure from the notorious and influential Italian media, with La Gazzetta dello Sport headlining this week that the trip to North America was a "total failure" for the Prancing Horse.
Regarding Raikkonen, meanwhile, the sports daily wrote: "Hopes that he is Michael Schumacher's heir are gradually fading.
"Australia aside, Kimi has never been brilliant in a Ferrari."
#2:
Jun.19 (GMM) Marc Gene could be set to return to the formula one grid next year.
The 33-year-old Spaniard is currently a secondary test driver for Maranello based Ferrari, which has been speculatively linked with supplying a complete car and gearbox to a customer team in 2008.
Spanish newspaper Marca reports that Faenza based Scuderia Toro Rosso, co-owned by Gerhard Berger and Dietrich Mateschitz and already powered by Ferrari engines, could get Gene as part of the deal for Ferrari's race-winning F2007 racer.
Gene, so unoccupied by Ferrari this year that he races sports cars for Peugeot, drove for STR's predecessor Minardi in 1999 and 2000, and last appeared on a grand prix grid while substituting for Williams' injured Ralf Schumacher in 2003 and 2004.
Marca said the negotiations between Ferrari and Toro Rosso are "on the verge" of being finalised.
#3:
Jun.19 (GMM) Honda and its drivers have decided to field an unchanged lineup for the 2008 season, according to emerging reports.
The Austrian daily newspaper 'Osterreich' claims that Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello are staying put at least for another year, despite failing to score a single point so far with the uncompetitive RA107 car.
Barrichello's extended stay for 2008 involves a new contract, while Button penned a long term deal two years ago.
'Osterreich' says the news is bad for Christian Klien, who had been hoping to use his test berth this year to spring back onto the grid, especially amid rumours that Barrichello might retire.
But it is being suggested that former Jaguar and Red Bull racer Klien, who is 24, could be in talks with Toyota about 2008, with F1's other Japanese squad unlikely to renew Ralf Schumacher's expiring contract.
Klien's current deal only covers the 2007 season.
His manager-father Johannes Klien is also understood to have explored the options at Honda-powered Super Aguri, but sources report that both Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson are likely to stay.
#4:
Jun.20 (GMM) Flavio Briatore has vehemently denied reports that Renault's Finnish Heikki Kovalainen could be offloaded to Williams in the coming weeks.
Paddock rumours at Indianapolis last weekend suggested that the French squad's team boss was so dissatisfied with Kovalainen's form this year that he wanted to replace him as soon as possible with test driver Nelson Piquet Jr.
"In formula one, too much is always spoken," Briatore said in an interview with the Spanish newspaper 'As'.
He insisted: "The truth is that I have never talked with Frank Williams about drivers or had dinner with him.
"We have made our decisions and we stick with them. With Heikki, we chose for the future."
Briatore said 25-year-old Kovalainen has shown clear signs of improvement in the past few races and partly blames himself for the Finn's rusty start to 2007.
"He drove a great race in Montreal. Obviously, he is working with the team to understand some of the errors he has made but we have to be careful, give him every support and try to improve our car."
Briatore said Lewis Hamilton's impressive start to his formula one career shows that a good car is crucial for any rookie.
"With the (2006) R26 Kova tested a champion car but at the beginning of this season we were initially just 15th.
"He has had a difficult car, whereas Hamilton's (McLaren) has been perfect.
"On the other hand Lewis raced in GP2 in 2006 and Kovalainen not at all. That could have been our error that we have paid for.
"I am never content if we do not win, but at the moment it is not possible because of the machine, not because of the drivers."
Briatore said: "The potential of Heikki and Giancarlo is quite good.
"Kovalainen has to prove it still and Fisichella has done a very good job for the car. We must work with them to improve -- without pressure."
Your thoughts on this, anything to add, bad idea to let Schumacher return? Anyway share your thoughts about it here.
Please note that this season's (main) developments still belong in the general 2007 topic.
#1
Jun.20 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen could depart Ferrari as soon as the end of this season, according to reports.
Germany's Auto-Bild-Motorsport said the beleaguered Maranello based team has already commenced its search for the Finn's successor, after failing to live up to his reputation and newfound status as the highest earning F1 racer following his switch from McLaren for 2007.
Not only is the 27-year-old struggling to keep up with Felipe Massa in the other F2007, Ferrari bosses are apparently also concerned about Kimi's lack of focus and rookie errors -- such as failing to get his car quickly off the line.
Part of the Auto-Bild-Motorsport rumour is that newly retired Michael Schumacher is the obvious choice to replace Raikkonen, but paddock rumblings have also hinted at McLaren's disgruntled Fernando Alonso or Williams' impressive Nico Rosberg to fill the seat.
The speculation may also be related to new gossip this week that says Toyota could be eyeing Raikkonen as a replacement for Ralf Schumacher next year and beyond.
Ferrari is now coming under intense pressure from the notorious and influential Italian media, with La Gazzetta dello Sport headlining this week that the trip to North America was a "total failure" for the Prancing Horse.
Regarding Raikkonen, meanwhile, the sports daily wrote: "Hopes that he is Michael Schumacher's heir are gradually fading.
"Australia aside, Kimi has never been brilliant in a Ferrari."
#2:
Jun.19 (GMM) Marc Gene could be set to return to the formula one grid next year.
The 33-year-old Spaniard is currently a secondary test driver for Maranello based Ferrari, which has been speculatively linked with supplying a complete car and gearbox to a customer team in 2008.
Spanish newspaper Marca reports that Faenza based Scuderia Toro Rosso, co-owned by Gerhard Berger and Dietrich Mateschitz and already powered by Ferrari engines, could get Gene as part of the deal for Ferrari's race-winning F2007 racer.
Gene, so unoccupied by Ferrari this year that he races sports cars for Peugeot, drove for STR's predecessor Minardi in 1999 and 2000, and last appeared on a grand prix grid while substituting for Williams' injured Ralf Schumacher in 2003 and 2004.
Marca said the negotiations between Ferrari and Toro Rosso are "on the verge" of being finalised.
#3:
Jun.19 (GMM) Honda and its drivers have decided to field an unchanged lineup for the 2008 season, according to emerging reports.
The Austrian daily newspaper 'Osterreich' claims that Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello are staying put at least for another year, despite failing to score a single point so far with the uncompetitive RA107 car.
Barrichello's extended stay for 2008 involves a new contract, while Button penned a long term deal two years ago.
'Osterreich' says the news is bad for Christian Klien, who had been hoping to use his test berth this year to spring back onto the grid, especially amid rumours that Barrichello might retire.
But it is being suggested that former Jaguar and Red Bull racer Klien, who is 24, could be in talks with Toyota about 2008, with F1's other Japanese squad unlikely to renew Ralf Schumacher's expiring contract.
Klien's current deal only covers the 2007 season.
His manager-father Johannes Klien is also understood to have explored the options at Honda-powered Super Aguri, but sources report that both Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson are likely to stay.
#4:
Jun.20 (GMM) Flavio Briatore has vehemently denied reports that Renault's Finnish Heikki Kovalainen could be offloaded to Williams in the coming weeks.
Paddock rumours at Indianapolis last weekend suggested that the French squad's team boss was so dissatisfied with Kovalainen's form this year that he wanted to replace him as soon as possible with test driver Nelson Piquet Jr.
"In formula one, too much is always spoken," Briatore said in an interview with the Spanish newspaper 'As'.
He insisted: "The truth is that I have never talked with Frank Williams about drivers or had dinner with him.
"We have made our decisions and we stick with them. With Heikki, we chose for the future."
Briatore said 25-year-old Kovalainen has shown clear signs of improvement in the past few races and partly blames himself for the Finn's rusty start to 2007.
"He drove a great race in Montreal. Obviously, he is working with the team to understand some of the errors he has made but we have to be careful, give him every support and try to improve our car."
Briatore said Lewis Hamilton's impressive start to his formula one career shows that a good car is crucial for any rookie.
"With the (2006) R26 Kova tested a champion car but at the beginning of this season we were initially just 15th.
"He has had a difficult car, whereas Hamilton's (McLaren) has been perfect.
"On the other hand Lewis raced in GP2 in 2006 and Kovalainen not at all. That could have been our error that we have paid for.
"I am never content if we do not win, but at the moment it is not possible because of the machine, not because of the drivers."
Briatore said: "The potential of Heikki and Giancarlo is quite good.
"Kovalainen has to prove it still and Fisichella has done a very good job for the car. We must work with them to improve -- without pressure."
Your thoughts on this, anything to add, bad idea to let Schumacher return? Anyway share your thoughts about it here.
Please note that this season's (main) developments still belong in the general 2007 topic.