2008 Line-Up (Rumour Mill)

"Whatever happens it will be a difficult season," he added.

Toyota!
 
Yep, that's Toyota allright...
 
BMW: Glock has a contract with us
02 November 2007

Timo Glock is expected to replace Ralf Schumacher at the Toyota Formula 1 team many rumours in the paddock said towards the end of the 2007 Formula 1 season. But according to BMW Glock has an ongoing contract with the team and they are not ready yet to let him go.

BMW Sauber F1 boss Mario Theissen explained to Bild: "We have invested in Glock for many years and are ready to continue this investment. He still has a contract with us."

But what Theissen surprised the most is that another contract was submitted at the CRB (the FIA commission that keeps an eye on all the drivers' contracts). "We have been informed by the CRB that another contract was submitted that conflicts with our current contract. We do not know the details of that contract but we are interestedly awaiting for CRB's decision."

Source

That rules out one possible driver for Toyota.
 
Now we know Alonso is leaving McLaren. Question is... where is he going? I'm thinking of 4 alternatives, with 2 different engine suppliers:
Renault or Red Bull
Williams or Toyota

What do you think? Rumours are mounting about a move to Red Bull.
 
I would love Alonso go to a non competitive team and then get whipped by his team-mate again. That would be hilarious.
 
Now we know Alonso is leaving McLaren. Question is... where is he going? I'm thinking of 4 alternatives, with 2 different engine suppliers:
Renault or Red Bull
Williams or Toyota

What do you think? Rumours are mounting about a move to Red Bull.
Red Bull...I don't think so. Renault is the more likely option.
 
I must say I am very surprised!!! I really thought all the "Alonso leaving McLaren" stories would blow over and Alonso would come to his senses.

Not sure whether I am happy about it or not. Certainly spices up the '08 driver market!!!!! I am glad however that it ended amicably.
 
I must say I am very surprised!!! I really thought all the "Alonso leaving McLaren" stories would blow over and Alonso would come to his senses.

Not sure whether I am happy about it or not. Certainly spices up the '08 driver market!!!!! I am glad however that it ended amicably.

Apparently Alonso didn't want to leave

The news that Fernando Alonso won't be racing for McLaren had been expected for weeks and yet it still reportedly came as a shock to the Spaniard.

McLaren announced on Friday afternoon that they had parted ways with Alonso by mutual consent, having realised that the relationship wasn't working and never would work.

And while the confirmation of the divorce wasn't a surprise to most in the F1 paddock, the Times claims that Alonso never saw it coming.

The newspaper reports that the Spaniard had been 'called to the McLaren headquarters in Woking, Surrey, for what he thought would be negotiations to save his future with the team.

'But he was effectively dismissed by Ron Dennis, McLaren's team principal, who tore up his contract for what amounted to disloyalty.'

The report also said that team boss Ron Dennis had made his decision to drop the double World Champion long before this week's meeting even took place.

'A statement issued by McLaren claimed the decision to split was by mutual consent. But it appears Dennis had decided long before the meeting that Alonso's place was no longer tenable.'
 
Alonso offered return to Renault

Renault chief Flavio Briatore has offered Fernando Alonso a deal to return to the team which helped him win the 2005 and 2006 world titles.
Alonso has left McLaren and speculation suggests he could move to a team for a year before a switch to Ferrari.

But Briatore says Renault are not prepared to be an interim measure.

"I have presented a project for the future to Fernando," Briatore told Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport's website.

"If his desires coincide with ours, it can happen.

"I know how much he can still give Renault. But an agreement for one year would have no sense with an outlook projected for a period of time."

Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen are currently the drivers at Renault, who finished third behind Ferrari and BMW in the constructor standings last season.


Hamilton earmarks McLaren targets

Lewis Hamilton is tipping one of three drivers to be his team-mate at McLaren after Fernando Alonso's departure.
When asked who would be alongside him next season, he said: "(Nico) Rosberg, (Adrian) Sutil or (Heikki) Kovalainen.

"The most important thing is that he is a team player," added the Briton, whose sensational first season in F1 led to him falling out with Spaniard Alonso.

The double world champion left McLaren on Friday after agreeing a release from the last two years of his deal.

German Rosberg, the son of Finland's 1982 world champion Keke, is under contract with Williams but is seen as the favourite to replace Alonso.

He finished ninth in the 2007 drivers' championship, while Finland's Kovalainen took seventh, boosted by his second place in the Japanese GP.

Renault chief Flavio Briatore said on Saturday that he has offered Alonso a deal to return to the team where he won the 2005 and 2006 titles.

Sutil, another German, is a friend of Hamilton's. He drove for F1 minnows Spyker in 2007 but is highly rated.

Spyker were sold to Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya in October and will become Force India F1 next season.

Mallya said recently: "I am very happy with Adrian Sutil and I've told team boss Colin Kolles that we need to keep him."

McLaren are determined to pick the right man to partner Hamilton after he and Alonso's feuding contributed to the duo losing out in the drivers' title race to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen by one point.

Speaking at a Mercedes 'Stars and Cars' event in Stuttgart, Hamilton, 22, added of Rosberg, Sutil and Kovaleinen: "They are all fantastic drivers.

"I know all of them quite well, and if I could choose I honestly don't know who I would pick."
 
Latest rumours are Alonso and Ross Brawn heading to Red Bull. Now they could send Webber to McLaren then, which would be cool.....but I had a better idea.

David Coulthard goes back to McLaren, it is most likely his last season. He can assist Hamilton in set-up and race-craft in an Alex Wurz kind of role. Gets along very very well with the McLaren team, and they can give him "equal treatment" because he won't be as fast as Hamilton. Hamilton continues his F1 education, Coulthard gets a competitive car for his last year and McLaren gets a stable team structure.

As for Red Bull, what a team. Ross Brawn running the show, Adrian Newey designed car and Alonso and Webber driving the cars!!!!
 
As for Red Bull, what a team. Ross Brawn running the show, Adrian Newey designed car and Alonso and Webber driving the cars!!!!

That would never work. Webber would possibly be faster than Alonso so we would get the whole cry baby routine again. Alonso needs to be with someone who is clearly slower than him, he has a superiority complex or something.
 
^^^I know, I want to see Webber crush him hahahah
 
Williams warn McLaren off Rosberg

Lewis Hamilton's hopes of having good friend Nico Rosberg alongside him at McLaren next season appear to have been dashed after Williams issued a hands-off warning over the German.

Hamilton yesterday named Rosberg as one of three drivers he believes are competing to replace Fernando Alonso at McLaren next season - and has indicated his fellow 22-year-old would be his preferred option as team-mate.

But Williams director Patrick Head said in the Mail on Sunday: "Nico is contracted to our team for 2008 and we have an option for his services for 2009.

"We are planning to go into next season with Nico as our lead driver, and we would not entertain any approach from McLaren for Nico.

"McLaren are a team in a position to offer very large salaries, but our aim is to be looking to strengthen Williams."

Hamilton named Rosberg, son of 1982 world champion Keke, on a potential shortlist which also included Adrian Sutil or Heikki Kovalainen.

The latter would appear easiest to secure, with Alonso having been offered a deal by the Finn's Renault team for 2008.

However, Head has a controversial suggestion of his own.

"What about McLaren bringing Michael Schumacher out of retirement?

"Michael's still fit - and probably bored.

"I suspect he has found sitting on the pit wall dull."

source

Schumacher to McLaren, imagine that! :blink:
 
Wow...than I wouldn't have any idea who to support...it won't happen though...Schumi won;t drive anything except a Ferrari...
 
That's just one guy's opinion, I don't think there is any solid evidence at the moment that would suggest MS is will out from retirement, let alone drive for McLaren when he does.
 
I don't think Ron and Michael get on well enough to make that work. Not a big fan of Michaels (I utterly respect his skill though), so I hope it doesn't happen.

Mika just announced full retirement from racing (or maybe he's calling a bluff to give us a surprise for next season?).

At the moment the two people I am most interested in are Mark Webber and Heikki Kovalainen. If Alonso is to go to one of their employers, those would be the drivers I would be most happy to see a switch with.

Sutil, to me, is still an unknown quantity and, that said, he is really young, so I don't know how willing McLaren are to risk two youngsters in the team.

David Coulthard is also a good idea, as you proposed Necx0, but a single season affair is kinda iffy, on that front, in my opinion.

LOL What if they get Ralf Schumacher... that would suck :\
 
Ralf Schumacher is a good driver. When he can actually be bothered to try that is.
 
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