Silly Season and Pay - 2023/2024

[Everso Biggyballies]

Bottom post of the previous page:

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz’s father – Carlos Sainz Sr, was seen meeting with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and Helmut Marko at the first day of testing in Bahrain.

Carlos is actually probing more teams. I hope he will land something, and as a form of payback gives Ferrari major hedache.

Go Carlos!

Thats no surprise, given Senior is part of Junior's management. ANy driver coming to the end of his contract will explore all options and opportunities. It was due to Senior's involvement with Audi (as a works driver on their Dakar programme) that made the initial contact re Junior and Audi / Sauber from 2025. Obviously approaches by Carlos will have been made to Mercedes and Red Bull as well. Im sure others are also contacting those same teams. Nothing unusual with talking to many, some more seriously than others. Then when the options and offers, duration of contract etc are on the table.... it becomes one of decision as to the best racing opportunity and of course reward and conditions. Its a standard process I am sure we have all faced in our working careers, be it a labouring job through to that of an elite professional sportsman.

I am sure Carlos Jnr, given his ability and marketability, will have multiple offers and he will have little trouble in finalising a new opportunity, challenge, and chapter in his career in the not to distant future.

[Aty]

I think only two seats would be on the same level to one he leaves behind. Mercedes, and RBR. Everything else will be a step down. Still, better than premature retirement. Actually afer those two, I am not sure I would like any choices down behind. Definitely NOT AM, and Renault is significantly down on power, unable to do anything about it due to restrictive rules.

[DoubleFart]

Sainz has been there and done that at Renault. No chance of him returning any time soon imo.

It's Red Bull, Mercedes or Sauber imo. No other move is likely.

[Star]

Okay, colour me officially on the fence about this. I would love to see Seb drive again but not if he's only going to come back and make up the numbers or whatever. I know he's friends with Toto Wolff, so....

Plus if Ralf Schumacher is saying it then it has to be true, right?

Six-time race winner Ralf Schumacher “has heard that Sebastian Vettel wants to drive again”, claiming he could make up for George Russell’s lack of “charisma” to spearhead the Mercedes team.

Mercedes has a major vacancy to fill looking ahead to 2025, with their seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton having confirmed that he will make the move to Ferrari at that point.

Naturally, a host of drivers are being linked with the soon-to-be-vacant Mercedes seat, such as Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz, Esteban Ocon and Mercedes’ star junior prospect Andrea Kimi Antonelli. But, another name bubbling away in these conversations is Vettel.
Could Sebastian Vettel make shock F1 comeback with Mercedes?

Four-time World Champion Vettel retired from Formula 1 following the 2022 campaign, though when it comes to the idea of one day returning to the grid, he has left that door open.

Younger than F1 veterans Alonso and Hamilton at 36, age would not make a Vettel comeback impossible, but does he have the motivation? According to his compatriot Schumacher, the answer is yes.

“I’ve heard that Sebastian Vettel wants to drive again,” Schumacher told Sky Germany.

“Of course, you have to close a gap now. You saw what happened on the stock market after Lewis Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari, that triggered something.”
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And Schumacher believes that Vettel could be exactly what Mercedes need to fill the Hamilton-shaped void, as he doubts Russell is up to that challenge.

Hamilton is arguably the most marketable driver on the F1 grid and statistically the most successful of all-time, and Schumacher does not believe Russell has the “charisma” to step up and be that marketing juggernaut of the Mercedes team.

But, he proposes that 53-time grands prix winner Vettel would be up to the task, an iconic German racing figure and team joining forces.

“Whether George Russell has the charisma to replace Lewis Hamilton worldwide in terms of marketing or a Sebastian Vettel as a German driver at Mercedes, is probably a bit too big for him,” Schumacher suggested.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff recently commented on the Vettel speculation, revealing that while they are in “regular” contact, the topic of returning to Formula 1 as a Mercedes driver does not come up.

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com in the aftermath of Hamilton’s shock Ferrari move being announced, Wolff said of Vettel: “I think he made the decision to not race anymore. We are talking on a regular basis.

“We’ve also talked yesterday, but it wasn’t about driving for us in the future.”

Vettel had a two-season stint with Aston Martin before calling time on his career after the 2022 season.

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ralf-schu ... peculation

[Ruslan]

Ralf Schumacher does not have a very good track record for some of his comments. I sometimes think he is headline hunting. He also has a very German bias. Not sure I would take much of what he is saying seriously. Nico Rosberg does a much better job of commenting on F1, but doesn't grab the headlines like Ralf Schumacher.

From a more practical point of view, who are you going to pick to carry your team through 2026: a 36-year old Vettel, a 29-yar old Sainz, a 27-year old Ocon, a 27-year old Abon or the latest boy wonder? I think Vettel has had his day and Mercedes kind of has the pick of the litter.

[Aty]

What are odds that Sainz may sit on the bench next season? For some unexplained reason I have sinking feeling that stars aren't aligned in his favor. I think he knows that too. After news broke the cover, he said he will announce shortly to where he will be moving, yet in past couple of days former is now "I need more time". I feel really sorry for him. In my mind he deserves better treatment. He might appear at Sauber, but timing is all wrong. They aren't ready to support his talent.

[Ruslan]

What are odds that Sainz may sit on the bench next season? For some unexplained reason I have sinking feeling that stars aren't aligned in his favor. I think he knows that too. After news broke the cover, he said he will announce shortly to where he will be moving, yet in past couple of days former is now "I need more time". I feel really sorry for him. In my mind he deserves better treatment. He might appear at Sauber, but timing is all wrong. They aren't ready to support his talent.

I am thinking the same thing. He does not want to go to Red Bull. Now sure how good of a ride Audi is and he is probably not the first choice for Mercedes. My sense is that everyone knows he is very good, but they don't really see him as a team leader (unlike a Verstappen, Hamilton, Alonso or LeClerc). So he may be better off sitting out a year and seeing what is available for 2026. I suspect the Audi ride will always be there.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Vettel himself has said he would like to do some driving but not in terms of a 24 race F1 calendar. He has got used to spending much more time with his family and has seen what he missed whilst away for so much of the year in F1.

I believe he was also talking more in terms of Sportscar racing where it is possible to pick and choose events (ie Le Mans) plus the full WEC season is only something like 8 events. Lets not forget his commitment to sustainable fuels. WEC uses fully sustainable fuel already.... F1 it is still 2 years away for 2026 when the new engines and regulations come in to effect.

[Michael Ferner]

WHAT? Are you really suggesting F1 teams are not hot on the heels of the guy who won two races in ten years?

[Aty]

WHAT? Are you really suggesting F1 teams are not hot on the heels of the guy who won two races in ten years?

Sad as it is, but no explanation, no excuses, no understanding of context. Ferari went instead after a driver who won probably two races in ten years on personal merit. Rest should be credited to Mercedes.

[Aty]

Ralf:

Speaking to Sky Sports Germany over the course of the pre-season test in Bahrain last week, Schumacher said: “I’ve heard that Sebastian Vettel wants to drive again. “Of course, you have to close a gap now. You saw what happened on the stock market after Lewis Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari, that triggered something,” he added.

I don't want to get my hope high. I am assuming it's the Mercedes seat only. He is not alone who is eyeing it..

[Michael Ferner]

WHAT? Are you really suggesting F1 teams are not hot on the heels of the guy who won two races in ten years?

Sad as it is, but no explanation, no excuses, no understanding of context. Ferari went instead after a driver who won probably two races in ten years on personal merit. Rest should be credited to Mercedes.

Yes, hard to imagine what they see in Hamilton that they don't see in Sainz!

[Aty]

Alpine

Alpine’s unsettled 12 months have continued with the announcement that Technical Director Matt Harman and head of Aerodynamics Dirk de Beer have left the team, with Alpine announcing a subsequent technical re-shuffle.

Following the Bahrain Grand Prix – which saw Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly start from the very back of the grid, with neither driver managing to score points in the new-concept A524 – it was announced that Harman and De Beer would leave the team.

...and a few others left the team.

[Ruslan]

With Andreas Seidl in place at Audi, does this mean that Sainz is sure to follow? They worked together when they were both at McLaren.

[Aty]

With Andreas Seidl in place at Audi, does this mean that Sainz is sure to follow? They worked together when they were both at McLaren.

Carlos hasn't confirmed where he is going. My guess is that he would probably like two or three years with RBR and/or Mercedes before he embarks on his journey with Andreas. I think Audi might not be able to make any admirable headlines before 2028. They will suppliy money and PU, but who is the Pierre Waché alike at Sauber? It may not be completely fair from me, but I am still having some doubts about James Key who is there at the technical helm at the moment. His performance at RBR and McLaren...

[Ruslan]

With Andreas Seidl in place at Audi, does this mean that Sainz is sure to follow? They worked together when they were both at McLaren.

Carlos hasn't confirmed where he is going. My guess is that he would probably like two or three years with RBR and/or Mercedes before he embarks on his journey with Andreas. I think Audi might not be able to make any admirable headlines before 2028. They will suppliy money and PU, but who is the Pierre Waché alike at Sauber? It may not be completely fair from me, but I am still having some doubts about James Key who is there at the technical helm at the moment. His performance at RBR and McLaren...

He should probably lock in his seat with Audi now. The only other seat available is Mercedes or the second Red Bull seat. I don't think he wants to be in the latter and there are probably at least three candidates in the line ahead of him for the Mercedes seat (Max, Ocon and Albon). Now, it would be worthwhile to go to Red Bull if Max leaves, but I think there is a very low chance that Max will leave.