Italian press says Valterii Bottas has signed with Ferrari for 2016

Hell yes.

Seb will eat Botox for breakfast. I thought he was the next best thing but this season he looks pedestrian compared to Massa

 

+1 You lost the room on that one but I got it.

 

Jenks, right?

Cheers,
Ian

 

Exactly. I remember the photo in R&T Ampersand showing Jenks sans barbe.

 

That's why I don't like the signing of bottas if true. Not a fan, I would have taken Ricci or the hulk...

 

Same here.

Not beating Massa in the rain of Silverstone showed that Botox doesnt have it

 

Otoh he listened when told not to attack Massa which will turn handy at Fezza

 

An amazing, if somewhat eccentric, fellow.

 

His beard finished up in a frame on the wall in the bar at Brands Hatch

 

+1

 

Would make sense. Given that the team stated publicly they consider Kimi 'as fast' as Vettel. Not sounding like the option for Kimi has been denied.



Kimi Raikkonen as fast as F1 team-mate Sebastian Vettel - Ferrari
By Ian Parkes Wednesday, July 22nd 2015, 13:49 GMT -- http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/120055

Kimi Raikkonen, Sebastian Vettel, F1 2015

Kimi Raikkonen is as fast as Ferrari Formula 1 team-mate Sebastian Vettel but the German makes fewer mistakes, according to the team's technical director James Allison.

Allison can only recall Vettel making one error this season, when he ran wide at the final corner on lap 36 of the Bahrain Grand Prix, damaging his front wing and forcing an unscheduled stop.

Raikkonen has had a tougher time of things, particularly in qualifying, resulting in the fact he is 59 points adrift of Vettel heading into this weekend's race in Hungary.

Ferrari has sympathy for Raikkonen

Asked by Italian publication Autosprint to assess Raikkonen's season, Allison said: "There's no speed difference between he and Sebastian.

"Sometimes Kimi is quicker, other times it's Seb.

"The difference is Sebastian never, or almost never, makes mistakes.

"This year only in Bahrain have we seen after all, that he can make mistakes.

"But besides that weekend, he has practically never made any errors. Kimi instead, especially in qualifying, has had a few more slip-ups.

"I'd say the same thing if Kimi was here, and I think he would accept it.

"Sometimes you just need a small mistake to ruin a weekend, but the speed is there. Kimi knows that too."

 

Sauber has confirmed same drivers for 2016 so who would replace Bottas? A Macca youngster? Vandoorne/Magnussen?

I think Kimi will stay

 

Looks like a possibility. I hope so, as it gives me a few extra chances to see him race for Ferrari one more time.

 

What has Sauber got to do with Bottas anyway? He is not planing on downgrading

 

We kept Massa for so long when he didn't perform and nobody wanted him, now that Kimi is at least doing a better job than Massa used to and is liked by so many, why replace him?

 

Nasr was supposed to take his place at Williams but he won't for at least one more year, which fits nicely with Bottas honouring his current contract and going to Ferrari for free in 2017

 

Bottas has small contract; Kimi has huge one.

Bottas is 25; Kimi is 35.

 

Yeah but Williams want almost 20 millions to release Bottas early. One more year for Kimi would be cheaper

 

True, but over time it will be cheaper...like within 2 years. Maybe they think Bottas can have a really long career at Ferrari. If so, it makes a lot of sense I think. I love Kimi, but even in top form, his career has to be close to over at 35.

 

Not to beat a dead horse, but IMO 90% of the equation is car; 10% driver. I think that Red Bull has the right approach: spend the budget on the car not the drivers. I would let Kimi go and sign a driver who is relatively unencumbered and inexpensive. And fast. I would go for The Hulk, Ricciardo, perhaps even Kvyat or Verstappen.

 

Ah, tks.

Nasr will be the next super star and bring victories to Williams

 

Keeping a non performing Massa for all those years was horrible and not rationally explicable. It would be great if Ferrari has learned from that enormous mistake

 

+1

Although I will say it seems as though Massa has had a resurgence. I wouldn't be surprised a bit if he could beat Kimi in equal cars this year. Kimi has to go.