Kovalainen or Paffett at McLaren

"Word on the track" suggests a deal is done to swap Alonso for Kovalainen....why not just dump Aloso and his lacky De La Rosa and install Paffett - Norbert are you listening?

 

Because Flav needs to get rid of either Piquet or Kovalainen and Paffett is still hoping his Prodrive seat happens

 

Too bad for Nico, but a fantastic break for Kovalainen. If he doesn't deliver next to LH in the McLaren his career will be over.

 

that deal doesn't make much sense to me. Why would renault get rid of a driver they have been nurturing instead of releasing Fisi? Don't tell me that they are getting rid of both drivers and bringing in Piquet Jr. to drive alongside Alonso. I don't think much of Heikki but I think even less of Piquet Jr.

 

It makes sense to me:

- get rid of Fisi for good
- get rid of Heikki with a potential pullback option (loan)
- get Alonso and Piquet into the cockpit

I'm doubtful about Piquet as well, but I'm not overwhelmed by Heikki, so it wouldn't be a big risk. All depends on what the contract with McLaren will be.

 

There is no way McLaren would agree to give a seat to a driver with a pullback option.

 

Didn't Michael Andretti have that option and actually got pulled back? By his wife?

 

Pulled back? I would have used the term "brought down"

 

Paffett deserves as much chance as Nakajima,Bourdais,Vettel or Kubica - even more so than Piquet Jnr.

'08 - how it should look......

Ferrari - Raikkonen and Massa
McLaren - Lewis and Paffett
Renault - Alonso and Kovalainen
Williams - Rosberg and ? (Marc Gene?)
Toro Rosso - Bourdais and Vettel
BMW - Heidfeld and Kubica
Honda Button and Barrichello (with more straightline speed!)
Red Bull - Coulthard and ? (just make sure its not Danica Patrick!)
Toyota - Trulli and ? (Fizzi?)
Spyker - Sutil and ? (Karthikeyan with Indian backing?)

Webber and R Schumacher out

 

I think Renault would do almost anything to get Alonso back - even if that means giving up their wunderkind (who hasn't performed up to snuff). I mean, it's like trading the Mondial you are trying to get up to driving condition for a brand new 599 - who wouldn't?

As for Piquet, well Flav knows that Alonso can deliver, so he needs a #2 in that 2nd seat. Fisi is not the guy they need. Piquet Jr. may be. Heiki may not be too thrilled with being designated #2 after proving himself as #1 so far this year, so him going to Mac is probably a dream for him, and an easy out for Flavio. Also, trading someone who're pretty good like Heiki, means he will have to ante up less cash than if he just wanted to take Alonso without giving anything back.

Thats if it's true. It may not be

 

+1

Paffett did well in testing fro McLaren last year and a lot of folks thought he would get the seat ahead of Hamilton. I would love to see him get an F1 shot, perhpas with proDrive if they get their act together?

Williams: I think Fisi would get the seat ahead of Marc Gene or maybe Nakajima.
Red Bull: Webber has the second seat, he is not going anywhere.
Toyota: I believe Timo Glock is going to be announced for that seat shortly

Ralf's only shot is ProDrive, at a much reduced salary.

The big question is: who gets the McLaren seat?

 

Fishchella would be a mess in a Toyota. He just lacks the talent. He is not fast and he is not good. He needs to retire and stop trying to hang onto the F1 teat like Coulthard (but DC is doing it well, coming from a great team and a great career. Fisi does not have that background).

And McLaren should axe DLR like a frickin' thanksgiving turkey.

 

What is Paffett's history, other than as a test driver forMcLaren? I don't know anything about him. I still think McLaren should try and get Webber...

 

Fisi is, and always has been a 2nd driver of decent, but not superior ability, but he did have some wins with Renault. I see him kind of as an older (career almost over), version of Massa....

 

Possibly because Fisi makes a decent #2 while Kovaleinen might be nearly as quick as Alonso - shades of 2007 season perhaps. If Briatore wants to give Alonso a proper #1 slot then this is the way it has to be.

 

Fisi is like tripe that has been sitting in the sun for a week.

Not very good in it's prime, and really stinking lately.

 

I think that is highly unlikely based on Heikki's performance relative to Fisi.

 

Heikki has been smoking Fisi lately. You think Fisi would have been capable of that 2nd place at Fuji? Heikki drove a hell of a race, and held off Kimi with his superior Ferrari, no way in hell Fisi could have pulled that off. Remember Flav getting on the radio and yelling at Fisi to pass Trulli at Bahrain? Also, consider the fact that Heikki will improve with time. I could honestly see Heiki being a match for Alonso, if he were to return to Renault next year.

 

I've heard there are talks of Ralphy at Super Aguri

 

2005 DTM champion.

 

Hey, hey, hey now...no need to get personal (LOL)

Of course I'd keep the Mondial vs the brand new 599...just like Renault will keep Kovaleinen over Alonso.

 

I agree that he will be much closer to Alonso than Fisi was. Unfortunately for Heikki, Alonso will make damn sure he is the contractual #1 after what he went through this year. I'm sure he realized that he isn't another Senna and needs the team to give him #1 status rather than rely on his own speed to earn it.

 

Well not so much against the Mondial but more about trading a car that is not ideal (i.e. being fixed up) in favor of the top of the heap!

 

Fisi has been yelled at numerous times on the radio.

Given the # of times it's happened, and his meek and broken-man response (or lack thereof), it speaks volumes to his talent, his team's view of his talent, and his own view of his talent. That and the fact that he's essentially begging for another year in F1 tells it all.

I also think Heiki could be a great talent in years to come. Lets face it - this year's Renault sucks compared to the previous one. I would be very interested to see how Alonso compares to Heiki in the same car, same support, same everything. No way would Fernando be a WDC contender in that Renault, and Heiki may give him a run for his money.

 

+1

It's funny too, because Fisi was considered to be a prospect in the late 90's. Talk about a nose dive.