SAVE PRIVATE KIMI!! now on change.org

[vekkuli]

Deja-vu!!! And so there's no Finn in top Team next Season.

Er... what about Valtteri Bottas???

Or is Mercedes already no longer a "top team"?

The History repeats Itself.

[JamesB]

Deja-vu!!! And so there's no Finn in top Team next Season.

Er... what about Valtteri Bottas???

Or is Mercedes already no longer a "top team"?

Yes, yes, yes... Valtteri's approach seems to lead him to be that invisible sometimes!!
Discussion on Fernando will go on and on.
He certainly lacks something, like him or not. It's not just about being a moppertraker or not, is being in with results. It did work for others.
I strongly recommend this read:
http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/237 ... so-le-mans

Alonso has "cornered himself", and probably been also victim of certain circumstancies. Surely not always happen in F1 that one of the top teams (or a used-to-be) is stuck to their promotion schedule so they don't need an experienced star. Or that the three best teams are so for such a long period. Nevertheless, after what he had in Ferrari, the reasons of not going to Mercedes are 99% his responsibility.
A bit like Pedrosa: OK, different guys, different talents, but combining huge driving ability with serious shortcomings that end up in hard-to-believe winless spells.
That said, seeing him at Ferrari would be better than watching KImi collect 7th places, and Fernando fighting him for them.
Place Alonso in a Ferrari or a Mercedes and 80% probably F1 will be funnier, no doubt.

[gp-models]

Wish to see a guy like Nico Hülkenberg in this cockpit, experienced, good working on set ups, quick, has everything which they need! But Ferrari has to open the wallet a bit more to get him, and maybe Vettel did not want such a strong driver beside him. Too much other stuff in the back to make this happen i guess...

[daveyman]

If Kimi does go I just don't see Leclerc getting the drive yet. In all the years I've followed this sport the only driver I really remember Ferrari taking a punt on was Jean Alesi, and he looked a pretty sure thing when they signed him. Vettel isn't going to want an absolute top liner alongside him, like Ricciardo. Ferrari are either going to have to break their tradition and sign a young driver or stick with Kimi for another year.

[JamesB]

Davey, you're quite right on that. Lot of "Academy" fuzz but, even if there was sad Bianchi's case, I never believed them too much on this.
Anyway, yes Alesi and Tambay were gambles (Patrick in tricky circumstancies)... but then you also have Johansson... and even Berger was chosen before wnning a GP. Also Irvine was a bit of a shot in the dark, IMHO. Even Massa was a brave choice.
But yes, youngsters...
Not sure who I'd like to see there.. it's also what'd happen with rest of the grid. Hamilton there and Alonso taking his place at Mercedes would be great, for instance.
Given that races are parades, some fights within the teams would be good.
OK, Ric and Max sometimes go a bit too far, but damn they're friggin fun to watch!

[jaydar]

Hopefully Kimi's third place will make whatever decision Ferrari must make that much harder!!

This will kill Arrivebene, he might have to say something positive about Kimi which he usually only does with the side of his hand.

Joe.

[acer709]

I bet the fan who wanted to swap hats at the GP wth Kimi is not too bothered!

[lezdep]

I have not seen any official announcement so far. So, farewell could be a bit premature.

[JamesB]

I have not seen any official announcement so far. So, farewell could be a bit premature.

Yeah, Sergey, apparently that's it
I'll change the title later
In fact, it all seems a trick by motorionline.com pobably eve without it coming from within the team.
As I said, they are not particularly reliable: a bit like when some spanish press points at "inminent" Alonso being hired at Ferrari, Merceds, or even both.

They got uncovered with a "Lecrerc astounds and Kimi struggles, and Ferrari needs to race with TWO drivers" they wrote after qualifying. They look not much objective...

[stubeck]

Deja-vu!!! And so there's no Finn in top Team next Season.

Er... what about Valtteri Bottas???

Or is Mercedes already no longer a "top team"?

Yes, yes, yes... Valtteri's approach seems to lead him to be that invisible sometimes!!
Discussion on Fernando will go on and on.
He certainly lacks something, like him or not. It's not just about being a moppertraker or not, is being in with results. It did work for others.
I strongly recommend this read:
http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/237 ... so-le-mans

Alonso has "cornered himself", and probably been also victim of certain circumstancies. Surely not always happen in F1 that one of the top teams (or a used-to-be) is stuck to their promotion schedule so they don't need an experienced star. Or that the three best teams are so for such a long period. Nevertheless, after what he had in Ferrari, the reasons of not going to Mercedes are 99% his responsibility.
A bit like Pedrosa: OK, different guys, different talents, but combining huge driving ability with serious shortcomings that end up in hard-to-believe winless spells.
That said, seeing him at Ferrari would be better than watching KImi collect 7th places, and Fernando fighting him for them.
Place Alonso in a Ferrari or a Mercedes and 80% probably F1 will be funnier, no doubt.

I really liked the article. While Alonso is clearly a great driver, if not the greatest of the 2005-2009 time frame, he also always talks about how great he is, and the press eats it up! I've never seen him talk about how good his car is, and he actually blocked me on twitter for asking a journalist whether he had ever praised his car!

It was pretty clear that when he quit Ferrari his only options were to be chosen by a top team or he would be done. Mercedes and Red Bull didn't want him in 2015, so his career depended on McLaren getting lucky with Honda. When that didn't happen, he was always going to be in the situation he's in now.

I suspect he'll go full time WEC after this season and do the Indy 500 until he wins so he can get the triple crown. I doubt he'll do a full IndyCar season because it would hurt his legacy if he doesn't immediately win.