Italian press says Valterii Bottas has signed with Ferrari for 2016

What would be worse though would be buying out Bottas' contract one year in advance to replace Kimi only for him to do worse than what Raikkonen is currently doing. Better yet if Kimi then goes to another car (williams?) and beats us. What kind of idiots would Ferrari look like?

 

Kimi needs to go, yes.

But I want the best possible candidate in that seat and that would be the Hulk.

I dont understand Ferrari why they havent hired him two years ago

 

I vote hulk as well.

But 2 german drivers on the same italian team? I think the tifosi will pop a vein...

 

I'm sorry to say, I just don't get this "love affair" with the Hulk. I've said before, to me he's become another journeyman; Put him in the Merc, sure he'd win. But so would almost all of them right now.

I'm starting to feel the same about Bottles; Decent jockey, maybe a decent #2, but no more than that; After all, if some here are to believed, the *worst* driver in the history of F1 is regularly beating him in the same car these days......

They'd both do "OK", but better than Kimi? I'm not so sure.

Young Max may be the real deal, but it's way too early for him yet IMO.

Keep Kimi next season & see what shakes out - Bottles does well, he's a free agent, no silly money to buy him out. Hulk does well, put him onboard. Or, someone else may emerge.

I just think they'd be jumping from the frying pan into the fire going with any of these guys right now - Better the devil you know in most cases.

Cheers,
Ian

 

Too. Damn. Sensible.

This is Silly Season, Ian, not Sensible Season.

 

Sensible and F1 - oil and water lol Nice post!

 

If Ferrari DOES NOT keep Kimi for another year think of how much F'Chat BS we would all be deprived of!
Here's my solution ... offer Kimi a 1 yr contract for about $7M; take it or collect your gold horse cufflinks as you leave Maranello.

 

I think I am with you on that one. People get too exited about Hulkenberg, I find.

To me, he could be like Frentzen and Heifeld before him, a driver that promises a lot, but don't deliver much.

 

Car at minimum is 90%, spend $ on the the techies.

 

Wrong.

Spend $ on buying the dominant engine and the rest on the car and driver

 

This

Didn't work well for Mclaren last year...

 

I suggest paying him based on the points he collects. That might get him trying a little.
Pete

 

Sebastian says that he would like Kimi to stay, this because the atmosphere between them is friendly; and Kimi says that he would like to stay...

Raikkonen hasn't lost it, says Ferrari Formula 1 team-mate Vettel - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com
Kimi Raikkonen says he wants to stay with Ferrari in F1 in 2016 - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com

Rgds

 

UK press this moring say Button if he can negotiate a release from Mclaren....Not a done deal but no doubt Button would be a huge asset for Williams and he would fit in well there. Article also says Williams are being paid GBP 9 Million for Bottas so perhaps some of that might secure Button from Ron......Really hope this happens.

 

UK press this moring say Button if he can negotiate a release from Mclaren....Not a done deal but no doubt Button would be a huge asset for Williams and he would fit in well there. Article also says Williams are being paid GBP 9 Million for Bottas so perhaps some of that might secure Button from Ron......Really hope this happens.

 

I would be happy, because I do like the guy, but from a Williams point of view this does not make much sense, does it?
Jenson will be 36 in January, he is the oldest guy on the grid bar Kimi (who will be 36 also but already this october)
Felipe will be 35 next year, so with a 36 year old driver and a 35 one, the Williams team would look like some "retirement home".
Not that I believe that a driver is automatically "too old to be fast" at 35 or 36, but it would make more sense to put a young tiger behind the wheel, wouldn't it?

Rgds

 

Because they needed Raikkonen to make Vettel want to come to Ferrari iMO. That worked pretty well

 

Button doesn't have a contract next year I think.

 

You think Seb is afraid of the Hulk?

If so all the more reason to hire him

 

For sure Raikkonen being Seb's best friend helped him come to Ferrari, that's the main reason why they re-hired him

I think the Hulk would be more problematic to Vettel (and probably faster) than Bottas

 

Btw, again voices of Grosjean. No, puhleeeeeze!!!

I would much prefer Perez, rather.

 

Ah ok, tks.

Yup, for sure.

 

Please give me a reason for this. Yes the Hulk has a good resume BEFORE F1, but it appears he has not been able to transfer this to F1 and has become another steerer.
Pete

 

Buying out Bottas contract is ridiculous. The guy is not that good to warrant that. If they want to do that, just keep Kimi one more year and grab Bottas in 2016.

They need to go for the Hulk, though. Best choice IMO

Could not agree more.

 

You have always been a Hulkenburg detractor (we have argued about this before), so no surprise there. If you can't see his talent you must be blind. I have no doubt he would do better than Kimi and would be cheaper, so what is Ferrari waiting for?

Alonso rates him as one of the best...all you need to know