2021 Silly Season Thread

[DoubleFart]

Bottom post of the previous page:

So the grid is looking like:

Mercedes - Hamilton & Bottas
Red Bull - Verstappen & Albon/Hulkenberg
Mclaren - Ricciardo & Norris
Renault - Alonso & Ocon
Ferrari - Leclerc & Sainz
Aston Martin - Vettel & Stroll
Haas - Mazepin & Illot/Shwartzman
Williams - Russell & Perez
Alfa Romeo - Schumacher & Raikkonen
Toro Rosso - Gasly & Tsunoda

Drop Albon for Hulk and i'm in!

[Ruslan]

If Albon is booted, he might well move back down to Toro Rosso.

So permutations appear to be:

Red Bull: Verstappen & Albon
Toro Rosso: Gasly & Tsunoda
Williams: Perez & Latifi (this is the rumor)
Test Driver: George Russell (at Mercedes)

Or

Red Bull: Verstappen & Hulkenberg
Toro Rosso: Gasly & Albon/Tsunoda
Williams: Perez & Latifi
Test Driver: George Russell (at Mercedes)

Or

Red Bull: Versappen & Perez
Toro Rosso: Gasly & Albon/Tsunoda
Williams: Russell & Latifi

Now, dumping Russell and keeping Latifi sounds absurb, but sometimes Formula One follows the golden rule ("He who has the gold, rules!").

The other 7 teams are set I think (although exactly who Haas is going to pick is up in the air).

[Star]

So the grid is looking like:

Mercedes - Hamilton & Bottas
Red Bull - Verstappen & Albon/Hulkenberg
Mclaren - Ricciardo & Norris
Renault - Alonso & Ocon
Ferrari - Leclerc & Sainz
Aston Martin - Vettel & Stroll
Haas - Mazepin & Illot/Shwartzman
Williams - Russell & Perez
Alfa Romeo - Schumacher & Raikkonen
Toro Rosso - Gasly & Tsunoda

Drop Albon for Hulk and i'm in!

Oh I'm in for Hulkenberg being back on the grid too.

I have no idea who Mazepin, Illot, Shwartzman & Tsunoda are I've never heard of any of them

Seeing the name Schumacher back on the list gave me a funny feeling after all these years.

[Ruslan]

I have no idea who Mazepin, Illot, Schwartzman & Tsunoda are I've never heard of any of them

Mazepin = Russian pay driver with a very rich father. He has been around for a while. Don’t know if there is any reason to believe he will be anything other than just another pay driver.

Ilott = Don’t know much about him but gather he is there on merit.

Tsunoda = a very good Japanese driver and very fast. Some people are saying he is faster than Schumacher Jr.

Shwartzman = a Russian driver who is there on merit. Rumored to be very fast also.

Schumacher = my fear is that he will be just another son of a famous driver. While a few have been exceptional (Hill, Villeneuve, Rosberg), most are not. We shall see, but I think there is more buzz about Tsunoda and Shwartzman.

[Star]

I have no idea who Mazepin, Illot, Schwartzman & Tsunoda are I've never heard of any of them

Mazepin = Russian pay driver with a very rich father. He has been around for a while. Don’t know if there is any reason to believe he will be anything other than just another pay driver.

Ilott = Don’t know much about him but gather he is there on merit.

Tsunoda = a very good Japanese driver and very fast. Some people are saying he is faster than Schumacher Jr.

Shwartzman = a Russian driver who is there on merit. Rumored to be very fast also.

Schumacher = my fear is that he will be just another son of a famous driver. While a few have been exceptional (Hill, Villeneuve, Rosberg), most are not. We shall see, but I think there is more buzz about Tsunoda and Shwartzman.

Thanks for explaining Ruslan. I don't keep track of upcoming drivers anymore like I used to. I barely keep up with the races these days to be honest.

[Ruslan]

Thanks for explaining Ruslan. I don't keep track of upcoming drivers anymore like I used to. I barely keep up with the races these days to be honest.

I don't either. I am hoping that someone here who does pipes up.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Thanks for explaining Ruslan. I don't keep track of upcoming drivers anymore like I used to. I barely keep up with the races these days to be honest.

I don't either. I am hoping that someone here who does pipes up.

Mazepin was at one time recently said to be looking at buying Haas presumably to buy somewhere for his son to fit in.... ie doing a Stroll. IIRC Mazepin was one of the other parties sniffing around Force India when they were in the process of going a-up when Stroll bought them. To be more specific he is the one who challenged the administrator of Force India for improper actions and practices when setting up the Stroll sale, in an attempt to stall/stop the sale so he could buy it.

Illott and Shwartzman are both Ferrari Academy drivers, along with Schumacher. Illott was also meant to be doing an FP1 drive (for Haas) in Germany as was Schu for Alfa, but the weather scuppered that. Shwartzman was meant to have been having his FP1 session at Abu Dhabi with either Haas or Alfa (to be decided by Ferrari) but that is now likely to be on hold because the other two are probably higher up the ladder on experience that Shwartzman.

The talk going around is that if Gio does not do something spectacular in the remains of the season he will be out of Alfa in favour of Schumacher (Ferrari decide who drives in one of the Alfa seats as part of their "collaboration")

[Star]

Thanks for explaining @Everso Biggyballies

I am guessing they will find a space for those postponed FP1 drives for the guys somewhere. As I say it will feel odd to see the name Schumacher back on the timing screens if/when young Mick gets a drive. Makes you feel old too when you see drivers coming in who are the sons of others you watched years before, like when Max first got a drive.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Thanks for explaining @Everso Biggyballies

I am guessing they will find a space for those postponed FP1 drives for the guys somewhere. As I say it will feel odd to see the name Schumacher back on the timing screens if/when young Mick gets a drive. Makes you feel old too when you see drivers coming in who are the sons of others you watched years before, like when Max first got a drive.

The problem with finding them drives before Abu Dhabi is that one of the events is Imola, and only a 2 day meeting (ie no Friday Practice for them to drive in), followed by events the drivers have not been to at least not for many years, so the main drivers need the mileage to get the right feedback, set up etc. Then there is Bahrain (double header?) which is also the final races of the F2 claendar and so they will all be focused on the F2 and not need distractions of running in FP1 in an F1 car, leaving only Abu Dhabi

I believe there is rookie testing after that meeting so if they do not all get to do practice at Abu Dhabi then they have the rookie day after.

Re sons of drivers how do you think I feel having got that T shirt with Damon Hill nearly 30 years ago, having watched his Father race in the early seventies!

[Everso Biggyballies]

Forgot to mention that re the Alfa Romeo FDA seat in 2021 the rumours of Schu v Gio have led to rumours Gio was on the out..... however the latest rumours suggest. that given Gio's recent form improvement, he is now the fave to retain the Ferrari chosen side of the team. As for the other seat it is getting stronger that Kimi will continue.

However now Schu has been linked with Haas who it seems will go for a clean sweep, clearing out both Grosjean and KMag.
Apparently Steiner and Mazepin Snr have been spending a lot of time chatting to each other, and given Mazepin's fat wallet dont be surprised to see him sponsoring the team with his son driving. Personally the thought of two rookies is way to risky, and I would prefer to see a Hulk/Perez as a guiding light to mentor the newbie in the other seat. Probably Perez given his Mexican money.

Of course that does not take into account the Perez to Williams rumours doing the rounds. Im not really sure how strong the rumours connecting him to Williams are, but they would like his money. Of course both Latifi and Russell are under contract for 2021, Latifi will a lot of money with him, with George their as part of his Mercedes connection. There is a potential loophole that could be exploited given the change of team ownership and what contractual effect that might have.

And then of course there is Alpha Tauri, who are keen to promote Matsuda, presumably at the expense of Kvyat. Complicating that decision is of course Albons place in the senior team.... will RBR keep Albon or go for Hulk/Perez.

Lots of questions and options, even balls in the air.

[Ruslan]

Re sons of drivers how do you think I feel having got that T shirt with Damon Hill nearly 30 years ago, having watched his Father race in the early seventies!

Well, in Indy Cars we have grandsons racing. Three generations of Andrettis

[Star]

Re sons of drivers how do you think I feel having got that T shirt with Damon Hill nearly 30 years ago, having watched his Father race in the early seventies!

I guess you feel ancient

My ex husband was a Damon Hill fan too. I recall Graham Hill but I wasn't watching F1 then, I was only a kid and it didn't interest me back then but my dad used to watch it from time to time.

Re sons of drivers how do you think I feel having got that T shirt with Damon Hill nearly 30 years ago, having watched his Father race in the early seventies!

Well, in Indy Cars we have grandsons racing. Three generations of Andrettis

Oh no, not grandsons!! I can't cope with grandsons Mind you, Damon did have a couple of sons as I recall so...............

[Ruslan]

Oh no, not grandsons!! I can't cope with grandsons Mind you, Damon did have a couple of sons as I recall so...............

Well, I don't think Marco has had any kids yet (nor has Jarret, grandson of Aldo), so we may not see racing great grandsons or great granddaughters in our lifetime. It seems like the dynasty is taking a breather.

[MonteCristo]

Mind you, Michael Andretti does have like three sons - Marco being the oldest of them. The others might have a shot of producing a driving great-grandson as well.

And just look at the Fittipaldi family... And I think there are a stack of Piquets as well.

[Star]

Thanks for explaining @Everso Biggyballies

I am guessing they will find a space for those postponed FP1 drives for the guys somewhere. As I say it will feel odd to see the name Schumacher back on the timing screens if/when young Mick gets a drive. Makes you feel old too when you see drivers coming in who are the sons of others you watched years before, like when Max first got a drive.

The problem with finding them drives before Abu Dhabi is that one of the events is Imola, and only a 2 day meeting (ie no Friday Practice for them to drive in), followed by events the drivers have not been to at least not for many years, so the main drivers need the mileage to get the right feedback, set up etc. Then there is Bahrain (double header?) which is also the final races of the F2 claendar and so they will all be focused on the F2 and not need distractions of running in FP1 in an F1 car, leaving only Abu Dhabi

I believe there is rookie testing after that meeting so if they do not all get to do practice at Abu Dhabi then they have the rookie day after.

Re sons of drivers how do you think I feel having got that T shirt with Damon Hill nearly 30 years ago, having watched his Father race in the early seventies!

I hope the young hopefuls do get their chance in the cars, as you say they will be having a rookie day so that's something. It's not quite the same as being in the car amongst the big boys is it? It's good but the FP1 scenario would be a better experience for them I imagine. So in that regard it will be a shame if they can't find a space for that to happen for them.

[Ruslan]

Well, the rumors are now placing Mazepin and Schumacher at Haas, while Raikkonen and Giovanazzi stay at Alfa. If that is true, then there is no place for Illot or Shwartzman this year. Looks like Grosjean and Magnussen are gone from F1. We still wait to hear about Perez and Hulkenberg (and Albon).