...

For NIck the situation is the other way round than for Mercedes. His priorty should be like:


1. Mercedes
2. Sauber


3 is not necessary and for most he will definitively avoid sitting out 2010. THis means that if Mercedes does not make decision before Sauber gives Nick the ultimatum to sign, then Nick will drive for Sauber no matter how competitive Mercedes might be.

Renault has four bidder meaning that Kubica is most likely to stay there. Merc's chance is then to buy him out.

If Mercedes does no pay money to get Kubica in, This should mean that If Mercedes were to opt for competitive race team, they should sign Nick immediately.



In anycases Mercedes can be serious about Michael Schumacher's come back then all of these are not necessary...

Sauber have to deal with the setback of re-designing the rear of the car (suspension, diffuser etc..) around the new engine-gearbox package, and they also need to re-optimize the front to work with the new rear.
Nick has already stated that as far as he's concerned, the Mercedes seat is the "dream" seat for him. So it's clear where his priority is.

Not sure how tough will be for Sauber to do this, but for Brawn their situation the last year cam out not too bad.


The question is if Mercedes do get Michael or not...

Not the same thing.
Brawn had their own gearbox and rear suspension already designed and they could keep it, despite the Mercedes engine.
Sauber have to re-design their rear suspension as the Ferrari gearbox certainly has different pick-up points. Also the shape of the gearbox will force them to change whatever diffuser they had designed around a BMW gearbox. And the front aero will have to change as well to mate to the changes at the back.

Michael should stay retired in my opinion.
Rosberg and Nick deserve a chance and I hope and believe they will surpirise us all.
Hardly anybody gave Button and Rubens credit, yet they were capable enough to bring both the WDC and WCC.

Good post

Sauber has more time, so in a way these two are not to be compared. SO I take you crit.



Seconded.


BTW I am now wondering if Kimi was NOT the better option for Mercedes to Nick? I mean this has been questioned on the threadS for many many times, but...

On the contrary, Nick can finally get his chance and see how it pans out... This is a gamble.

I think it's pretty clear Kimi was not an option. Or better said, Kimi was never really available.
Water under the bridge as far as I'm concerned.

Mercedes to confirm second driver within two weeks.

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2009/12/08/...thin-two-weeks/

Any links except your imagination? Both drove well and both had to fight. Nick's second 41-laps stint on softs was exceptional and I very much doubt there are many drivers on the grid who could've managed it. Not Kubica with his agressive driving style, IMHO. You believe that Mario said: "Don't attack, dear Nick"? Heidfeld was heavy and on worn tyres, Robert much shorter and with fresh tyres. Conclusion? Yes, they could've fought against each other. Nick could've done a Vettel /in Australia/ but he's too experienced, mature, responsible and resonable guy. He did what was needed in that moment even if it hurt him and, besides, I think that he hoped his advantage had been big enough and Kubica wouldn't have regained lost seconds.

Oh dear, that's a case of bad proof reading by GPupdate methinks, they've now corrected the story, note the small change that makes all the difference...;)


http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2009/12/08/...time-says-haug/

Jean-Louis Moncet says that the second driver will be chosen by by Daimler-Benz and Ross Brawn between the 14th and 18th of December.

Nick Fry said that they will choose from 4 drivers one for the second seat, and that the nationality isn't any factor, Stuttgart wanted one German driver, and they have one.
4 drivers??? Hmm...
Nick Heidfeld - that is sure.
Robert Kubica?
Michael Schumacher???
But who is the 4th? JV? I don't have any idea...

Maybe Kovi?

But for sure Rob, Nick and MS are the other three.

I think it's quite simply, they think of Anthony Davidson. He is young, experienced, so why not? He can prepare well in the winter.

I think the fourth is more likely to be Trulli or Fisichella, rather than someone like Davidson who has flitted in and out of the sport.

Yep, it is clear Nick is hanging out for Mercedes, and fair enough.

But sooner or later he'll have to make a decision to avoid being left on the sidelines.

I doubt he wants to go through the trauma of 2005 again, when he was made to wait until seconds before the press conference announcing the drivers to find out it was him with a seat.

Davidson has been testing F1 cars for BAR/Honda/Brawn since 2002. He could very likely be one of the 4 candidates.

But he hasn't driven an F1 car in anger since, what, May 2008?

Or did he test for Honda after Aguri folded?

Anyway, he's done nothing this year aside from the Aston Martin Le Mans drive.

A great shame, he's a wasted talent.

So Merc should give him a go.

Yes, he tested for Honda, and he tested for BrawnGP as well this season. He would be fit.

Davidson was one of the top candidate before the Honda exit for Rubens' seat.

So, Brawn GP's money from FOM is officially granted!

Nah, Heidfeld is a much better bet. Or Trulli, or Fisichella.

Davidson has potential but has yet to prove it.

The other chaps have.

Please re-watch the race with open mind and open eyes.

My guess - the 4 are Michael Schumacher, Robert Kubica, Nick Heidfeld and Paul di Resta.

It's also my guess:)

But who has the highiest priority?
I would say it is Kubica, if he is on the market again.
If no, then it is a tough choice. Schumi or Heidi? I would sign Nick, but MSC is also very tempting and brings a lot of money and attention.
Then di Resta.

The post appertaining to Renault, has been moved to the relevant thread.

They all bring different things.

Schumacher: Pro: Brings massive exposure, incredibly heritage and huge technical ability. Con: Expensive, and has he still got it?

Kubica: Pro: Most probably quicker than Rosberg. A winner. Huge natural speed. Con: Mercedes will have to wait until late to discover if they get him.

Heidfeld: Pro: Incredibly reliable points scorer. Stays out of trouble. Excellent development driver. German. Con: About the same level as Rosberg perhaps at a time when the team needs a proper number one?

Di Resta: Pro: Potential. Beat Vettel in F3. Con: Zero F1 experience. Have tin-tops blunted his edge?

Does he really need anymore money? Surely he has enough now.

So as Kimi. Besides, Schumacher has Weber next to him. He wil negotiate till the last penny out of Mercedes' poket falles out.
It is a risky business for Michael to start racing, in case if...

If Schuey was a flop it would destroy the image of the brand new MercedesGP. Everybody remembers to him what he did with Ferrari, but at 41 Rosberg would be faster than him.

I don't think that Kubica would be quicker than Rosberg. Nico could use his intelligence (I don't say Kubica is not intelligent!) to beat him.
It seems you are not convinced by Nico's performances so far, but despite I'm a huge fan of Jenson, I think Nico can fill JB's empty role, he can be the leader of the team and maybe he will be quicker than Jens. Who knows? The most important thing is a good car.

Nick is the most underrated driver in the F1 at the moment. It would be so nice to see him as spraying his champagne from the top of the podium.

And after Fry's interview we can rule out Paul di Resta. I'm very sad, but that's the reality. But sooner or later he will be a Mercedes-driver.

I think the jury is still out on Nico.

But fair play, we'll soon know how good he is because whoever he is teamed with will surely be a much better yard stick than Kazuki Nakajima.

The Kazuki Nakajima? The tied 76th greatest F1 driver ever? He eats a Rosberg for breakfast.

Fixed for you.

Nick Fry: "The reaction we've got from most of the other teams is positive,"

Which teams didn't respond positively, I wonder? The word "most" is not the same as "all", so there were some teams that didn't approve of this. I wonder if Macca were perhaps a bit bitter and didn't approve the name change. I can only see them as having an agenda against merc. Then again, they are still using Merc engines until...uhm...2012 is it? (my memory, when on the spot, fails me yet again). Only speculatioin, offcourse.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80522

Bild reporting that Schumacher has been offered seven million Euro to drive for Mercedes. I mean, it's Bild so anything they say is inadmissible, but you never know - for all the crap they run, you're think that sooner or later they'd get something right. The Spanish tabloids reported Alonso as signing for Ferrari month before he did, while the British did the same with Button a week before he joined McLaren. That doesn't make them right given tha their stories consisted of "Driver X has just signed for Team Y", but the story is actually pretty reasonable by tabloid standards: they're reporting that an offer has been made to Schumacher, not that Schumacher has already signed.

Of course, it could just be a Get Out of Jail Free card, stoping short of reporting Schumacher as having joined in the event that he doesn't.

Isn't this also where this budget cap is about ?? Less spending...

I don't see why one would pay millions for a Schumacher to get into that car.

There's no budget cap - the idea has been abandoned for months. And even if it was in place, driver salaries would be immune from it.

Ralfie?


Get paid millions and swap 450 hp for 750 hp. Sounds nice. Drives for an existing Mercedes works pilot, a very nice gesture. Good stuff.


It's not so unrealistic. JVi is making a come back for Lotus after all. "Schumacher puts Mercedes on German GP Pole" does it really matter which one?

Actually, Lotus apparently have a shortlist of four drivers in mind. Jarno Trulli is the only person confirmed to be on tht list, but it's also known tha Villeneuve isn't.

Fry already said they want an experienced driver and a rookie is highly unlikely, so I think we can rule out Di Resta.

I'm still not sure if Kubica is worth his hype, I have yet to see anything exceptional from him, to be honest. So to me at least he is still a question mark and I would put that among his "cons".

Schumi is definetly proven, but yeah, that was 3 years ago and before. Has he still got it? That's the 1 million dollar question.

I have the impression that Heidfeld is the last option for Mercedes (poor Nick). He is good, but not great. German, but uninspiring. There was an interview I have read recently with Hans Hermann, who was a Merc factory F1 driver in the 50s-60s and when they asked him about Heidfeld he was like: "Heidfeld? No please!" Granted, it's just his opinion - even if he is good friends with Norbert Haug -, but kind of telling about Heidfeld's reputation even in his own country. I find it sad because I rate him, but of course if the choice is between Schumi and him, there's no question which one Merc would take first, even if it's a risky choice because of MS's age etc. But at least he would give the exposure, hype etc.

If we take the pragmatic view that neither Schumi or Robert will be coming to the team, Heidfeld does seem in the box seat. However I would prefer they snatch Jarno Trulli on a 1 year deal to lead the team, while Nico develops into team leader for 2011, with Webber coming in to see out his career in DC-esque fashion.

If that's true - there no question why Kimi dumped them.

I am starting to think that Schu might make a return after all.

Fauzy is confirmed on the list with Trulli and possibly de la Rosa is one of the other two people.

You don't say it ?!

BBC's Andrew Benson seems to have some evidence that it is really going to happen.

Not excited about this at all
The guy is undeniably talented and experienced, but I've never been able to warm to him. It's going to be difficult.

Benson just did the worst thing he possibly could have done: he credited Eddie Jordan with calling it. Even if Jordan was absolutely right, that doesn't change the fact that it's incredibly unlikely that he'll let the world forget about it any time ever.

Quick question. What will they call the new car? Wxxx, as per usual mercedes designation?

Thanks!