Silly Season 2020 F1

Hulkenberg = Wurz

 

Haas confirming F1 is just a marketing play, doesn’t really want to win. Disappointing...

 

Let's be realistic; many teams know they can't win.
Private teams are up against constructors with huge resources.
Gene Haas has been honest about it from the start: the F1 venture is a 10-year advertising campaign for his automated tool business to obtain worldwide exposure.

 

Agreed, was just hoping he would grab some different drivers when they were available.

 

Haas is hilarious. He's using a team that doesn't make anything to advertise things that make things.

 

Who know's ?
Maybe hulkenberg wanted too much money and didn't realize drivers market is difficult nowadays.
Haas and Steiner aren't idiots and i am sure they have their logics.

 

If the cars are just moving billboards, and the car only capable of midpack at best, why pay big-ish money for someone when they can get a cheap but capable one, or even a pay driver

 

That would make sense..thing is, Romain tends to be a bit "expensive" on repairs

 

Haas is smart. Why is Gunther Steiner so available during race broadcasts? Because it's marketing the brand. Exposure. TV time.

Grosjean is really cheap for a veteran. Not sure if his contract requires any brand ambassador time,... but he might be a good person to have available.

It's about the marketing for Haas.

No reward for taking Hulk a 3x Grosjean money.

 

I've read somewhere that Haas made an offer to Hulkenberg but he said "nope". Maybe he asked for more money or still has some hope for a seat at Red Bull or Ferrari. At worst, if everything fails, maybe he still can make some cash at Williams before quitting F1.

 

This wouldn't surprise me. Hulkenberg was earning €4M at Renault.
I guess he wouldn't take a huge pay cut to match Grosjean who is only on €1.6M.

 

Gunther said no formal offer was made to Hulk,also that money was not a factor ..they wanted continuity in the team to develop the car.

I like the idea of Kimi+ Hulk at Alfa, Gio seems to be going nowhere fast, but Ferrari would also have to agree to let Gio go.

Hulk and Vasseur go back a long way.

 

Guenther Steiner would say that, of course, to explain his decision.
Drivers' agents are in regular contact with team principals, nothing formal.

 

+1

 

Hulk was offered a one year contract from Renault I believe but turned it down wanting a two year deal. I bet he's regretting that decision..

 

Lost all respect for Haas

 

After 3 years in the arena, Gene Haas has now taken a cynical view about F1.
He said once that he has now accepted that only 2 or 3 teams can win in the present system.
The rest are just the minnows needed to fill up the grid.
It was a shock for him apparently to realise that, coming from NASCAR culture where things are different.
He will probably fulfill his plans and pack up after a few more years.

 

I think Hulk has been too long in F1.

 

So word is Mclaren to get Mercedes engines again. Good for them and should propel them forwards.

My question: Mercedes didn't want RBR as customer (too strong).

surely, if you intend on staying in F1, you don't want Mclaren as a customer either? My guess is this forms the path for the Mercedes exit, perhaps as soon as 2021 and remain on only as engine supplier as they did before.

 

Mclaren Mercedes confirmed now

 

Mercedes was associated with McLaren in the past; Red Bull has always been in the enemy camp.

 

I couldn't be more pleased !!!

 

heads-up..............

FORMULA 1 2020:

MERC: Hamilton & Bottas
FER: Vettel & Leclerc
RBR: Verstappen & [Albon TBC]
McL: Sainz & Norris
REN: Ricciardo & Ocon
RP: Perez & Stroll
STR: Kvyat & [Gasly TBC]
Haas: Grosjean and Magnussen
Alfa Romeo: Raikkonen & Giovinazzi
Williams: Russell & [Latifi TBC]

 

Too bad for HULK. The music has, save for Red Bull, stopped.