Rumoured/possible driver moves which did not happen?

[Michael Ferner]

Bottom post of the previous page:

I'd like to add an interesting one. Hakkinen to Williams in, was it, 2006?

1993.

[kals]

I'd like to add an interesting one. Hakkinen to Williams in, was it, 2006?

1993.

Both actually. There was a chance for Mika to come out of retirement either to join Williams or McLaren.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Raikkonen to Red Bull in 2014. Horner said recently how it was near enough a done deal for Raikkonen to join Vettel when Webber finished, but a rookie test at Silverstone saw Danny Ric shine and compare admirably against Vettel. At the British GP is was all Raikkonen, although Kimi denied it and spoke of options he had.... remember Kimi promising to let the press know as soon as anything was signed - +just to stop you lot asking me the same bloody questions none stop.the test was after the GP. Danny got the gig and Kimi went to Ferrari.

Horner also said Kimi wafe demand was not an issue.

From Autosport at the time:

Red Bull: Raikkonen salary not a factor
By AutoSport
26/07/2013 at 03:12Updated
0
Kimi Raikkonen's potentially larger wage bill will not be a factor when Red Bull chooses between the Finn and Daniel Ricciardo, says team boss Christian Horner.
2007 Formula 1 world champion Raikkonen and Toro Rosso driver Ricciardo are going head to head for the Red Bull seat made available by Mark Webber's 2014 sportscar move.

Analysis: how Red Bull will decide second seat

Although Ricciardo is likely to be a significantly cheaper signing, Horner said this was "not really an element in our-decision-making" when asked by AUTOSPORT if the financial aspect was important.

"Of course, finances are always a factor but you can also contrast that with the difference between first and second or second and third or fourth is a significant amount in the constructors' world championship so the financial element of it, if you don't make the right decision, it's going to impact you anyway if you are not scoring points," he said.

Ricciardo was given the chance to audition for Red Bull at the recent Silverstone young driver test.

Company chief Dietrich Mateschitz said earlier this week that Ricciardo had made a strong impression, and Horner agreed that the long-time Red Bull protege had "strengthened his case".

Horner also confirmed that a decision was not far away.

"We will take the summer break to reflect and then after the summer break [the announcement] will be at Spa or Monza but it's certainly not going to be later than that," he said.

[kals]

While scouring Autosport.com/AtlasF1 for information on Luciano Burti and Jaguar in 2001 I stumbled upon this:

Button linked to Ferrari deal

Monday, April 30th 2001, 15:16 GMT

Jenson Button has been linked to a £24 million, three-year-deal that would see the youngster move to the Ferrari Formula 1 team.

According to reports in Britain's News of the World, the Italian team's growing frustration with its star driver Michael Schumacher's refusal to discuss a contract which expires at the end of next year has led to investigations into potential alternatives, of which Jenson Button is number one.

"The team has been highly impressed by Jenson," said a Ferrari insider, "and [Ferrari president] Luca di Montezemelo has labelled him as a star of the future. Things are in the balance because Michael has a contract until the end of next year, but we do not know what he wants to do and we cannot afford to wait."

Button has had a lacklustre 2001 season so far, struggling with an uncompetitive Benetton and finished second to last and three laps down in Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix. He admitted that it is every driver's dream to drive for the Prancing Horse.

"Any driver would love to drive for Ferrari," said Button, "because they are the world champions. They are the best team at the moment, but I am not going to talk about my future."

He is in the first of a two-year stint at Benetton, but remains under contract to Williams until the end of 2003. With Sir Frank's current driver line-up of San Marino Grand Prix winner Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya, who finished second in Spain, delivering the goods, Button may become surplus to requirements.

While the 21-year-old's management admitted that it was involved in talks, Dave Roberston would not confirm it was with Ferrari.

"Top teams talk to top drivers," said Robertson. "Jenson would love to drive for Ferrari one day but I cannot tell you who we are talking to."

Williams gave Button his break in F1 last year and will undoubtedly be key to a potential move to Ferrari, but he has clearly stated that he is in no hurry to decide the future of his protege. Button's loyalty could also be a factor.

"Jenson is extremely loyal," added Robertson. "He has a great relationship with Frank, even if he has moved to another team this season. Frank gave him his F1 break and if it was a choice between Ferrari and Frank, I'm sure he would do what Frank wanted."

[John]

While scouring Autosport.com/AtlasF1 for information on Luciano Burti and Jaguar in 2001

Naturally, as we all do from time to time.

[kals]

While scouring Autosport.com/AtlasF1 for information on Luciano Burti and Jaguar in 2001

Naturally, as we all do from time to time.

Exactly.

[Vassago]

Something in a bit different direction, Greg Sacks lost the Slim Fast sponsorship two weeks after being caught driving under influence and subsequently lost the Hendrick drive for 1991. In the meantime Rob Moroso was killed in the infamous drink driving crash. So if Moroso doesn't get killed, Sacks probably stays with Hendrick as doesn't become the mocking target all the way thru the 90s. 1990 was his best season (32nd in points) considering it was a part-time schedule. He finished 30th & 31st in two other seasons but he ran all races in both of them.

[John]

Might have been posted before, but in the latest issue of Motor Sport, John Barnard revealed that Senna asked for his advice regarding whether or not accepting a deal to race for Benetton in 1991 would be wise.

JB adviced against it, saying that the team was still a few years away from contention in the championship.

[PTRACER]

Might have been posted before, but in the latest issue of Motor Sport, John Barnard revealed that Senna asked for his advice regarding whether or not accepting a deal to race for Benetton in 1991 would be wise.

JB adviced against it, saying that the team was still a few years away from contention in the championship.

That's pretty interesting and JB hit the nail on the head. Shame that Schumacher could only win the championship by crashing into Hill in '94 and then with an illegal car in '95.

[kals]

and then with an illegal car in '95.

How was the 1995 Benetton illegal? I think you may be confusing that with the questionable legality of the 1994 car, with the the team removing the refueling filter and the 'Option 13' aka traction control which was supposedly never used.

[John]

and then with an illegal car in '95.

How was the 1995 Benetton illegal? I think you may be confusing that with the questionable legality of the 1994 car, with the the team removing the refueling filter and the 'Option 13' aka traction control which was supposedly never used.

I think "supposedly" is the key word here.

For what it's worth: https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opin ... suspicions

[kals]

and then with an illegal car in '95.

How was the 1995 Benetton illegal? I think you may be confusing that with the questionable legality of the 1994 car, with the the team removing the refueling filter and the 'Option 13' aka traction control which was supposedly never used.

I think "supposedly" is the key word here.

For what it's worth: https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opin ... suspicions

Yup. There's also an F1Racing interview with Pat Symonds around 10 years ago where he confirms that the car was legal but wasn't in the spirit of the regulations.

Let me see if I can find the article.

[erwin greven]

I can remember a story about the supposed traction control, where a system measured the difference between the engine revelations and the airspeed of the air intake.

[kals]

I found this interesting article written by Richard Williams from back in 1994 - https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/mot ... 46564.html

When the inspectors got into the Benetton computers, they discovered a hidden programme, and it was dynamite: a programme called Launch Control, which allowed Schumacher to make perfect starts merely by flooring the throttle, the computer then taking over to ensure that the car reached the first corner with no wasteful wheelspin. Legal in 1993 but outlawed by the new regulations, the programme was still there - although now it had been concealed. To find it you had to call up the software's menu of programmes, scroll down beyond the bottom line, select an apparently blank line, press a secret key - and, hey presto, without anything showing on the screen, Launch Control was ready for action.

Brawn's claim that the system had not been used during the 1994 season could neither be proved nor disproved; the FIA's decision to publicise their findings suggested that they had their suspicions. After all, if Launch Control was now redundant, why had it had been left sitting in the software? Because, the Benetton people said, the task of isolating and removing it was one of impossible complexity. (The concealment, they added, was simply to prevent somebody switching it on by mistake.)

'That's enough to make me believe they were cheating,' one computer specialist with another team told me last week. 'Look, we purged our own software of all the illegal systems during the winter. I did it myself. It took me two days. That's all. Perfectly straightforward. And the fact that they disguised it was very suspicious.'

[DoubleFart]

When was Option 13 revealed to the world then as that suggests it was during the season. Did it have any kind of visible effect on their starts?

[kals]

When was Option 13 revealed to the world then as that suggests it was during the season. Did it have any kind of visible effect on their starts?

This one certainly raised eyebrows