planetf1.com

The way I got it: Sainz said he will never drive for STR again, RBR indicated he's only on loan. So if Ricciardo or Verstappen leave for 2019, then Sainz will be at RBR for 2019, but he's not coming back to STR.

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Go Vandoorne - Verstappen - Vettel!

Yeah that's the situation now. If you remember way back in the Canada press conference Sainz said he probably wouldn't be driving for STR in 2018. Red Bull came out, gave him a dressing down and reminded him he had a contract and said he would definitely be driving an STR in 2018.

My impression is that it was Renault that got what they wanted, did Sainz know about the Honda deal with STR months before it happened?

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 12th

Wins: Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: 2nd Canada 2015, 3rd Monza 2016, Hungary 2016 and Barcelona 2015

Yes he only comes back to race for RBR.

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 12th

Wins: Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: 2nd Canada 2015, 3rd Monza 2016, Hungary 2016 and Barcelona 2015

https://www.autosport.com/f2/news/13246 ... r-up-in-f2
Have you seen this? Not the part about Norris and Russell potentially being teammates next year but the part about Lance Stroll's father vetoing Norris at Prema? This seems bizarre to me. I don't want to get out the tin foil hat but...

Also on a totally tangential note: has there been any news on Alonso re-signing?

This is being discussed in the feeder series thread.

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 12th

Wins: Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: 2nd Canada 2015, 3rd Monza 2016, Hungary 2016 and Barcelona 2015

^^ Tnx

Alonso extends his stay at McLaren:
http://www.crash.net/f1/news/885112/1/mclaren-confirms-alonso-for-f1-2018

Made possible only cause of Renault engine.

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Feel The Fourth

McLaren could have a Papaya Orange livery next year:
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-could-switch-to-papaya-livery-in-2018-968309/

We all want it back in F1.

_________________
Feel The Fourth

It's weird that McLaren is going back to orange just as tons of that color is showing up in the stands from Max fans.

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{Insert clever sig line here}

The fans want it and it appears Zak Brown is listening

_________________
I don't rely entirely on God

I rely on Prost



FA#14

Sauber plans to announce its lineup during the next grand prix weekend in ABu Dhabi:
http://readmotorsport.com/2017/11/11/sauber-aims-announce-2018-line-abu-dhabi/

Am sure Leclerc will get the seat along Ericsson.

As for Williams, they're not in a hurry to announce the lineup even though we know Massa for sure is retiring. They're with their hands full when it comes to options, most notably Kubica, who will get another running at the post race tyre test in Abu Dhabi:
https://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/360826/

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Feel The Fourth

The speed with which they plan announce this suggests you are right. If Ericcson's position was under threat then I imagine Sauber would be waiting to see who Williams signed and pick up the best leftover.

It's Ericsson or Giovinazzi for the 2nd seat.

As per a French Channel Canal +, Kubica is set to join Williams for 2018:
http://www.thenews.pl/1/5/Artykul/334782,Polish-F1-racer-to-join-Williams-report

Don't know how credible it is but this seems the most likely.

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Feel The Fourth

Toro Rosso are soon expected to confirm Hartley & Gasly:
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/toro-rosso-set-to-confirm-gasly-and-hartley-for-2018-978533/

No surprises here.

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Feel The Fourth

If true I wish all the best for Kubica but going forward how do we judge his performance against Stroll who is possibly the slowest driver in F1?

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 12th

Wins: Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: 2nd Canada 2015, 3rd Monza 2016, Hungary 2016 and Barcelona 2015

Would be embarrassing for Lance to get thumped by Kubica.

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Should I grow a beard?

https://twitter.com/grandepremio/status ... 1910262784
http://grandepremio.uol.com.br/f1/notic ... ir-de-2018

Source: Grande Prêmio (Brazilian site)

Please, please, please be true!

Already specified this in another thread, though the source was different:
http://forum.planet-f1.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14280&start=1280#p726427

Aka Silly Season 2018 thread.

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Feel The Fourth

So not official then.

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Go Vandoorne - Verstappen - Vettel!

The Brazilian site is spot on and they confirmed, rather than predicted, that Kubica signed with Williams.

As a journalist myself, I stand by their info.

I'm not convinced. I can't help but think that if it were official, Williams wouldn't have announced that Kubica was going to drive in the Abu Dhabi tyre test, not without confirming that he was going to race for them in 2018. Maybe that test is just to absolutely satisfy them that he's the right guy, or clear whatever lingering doubts they appear to have. But I don't feel like they're going to confirm it until after that test.

_________________
Cheering for: Leclerc, Hulkenberg, Vandoorne
Pick 10 | 1 win, 10 podiums
2017: 6th | 2016: 8th | 2015: 2nd | 2014: 15th | 2013: 17th | 2012: 11th

The reason I pointed to this thread is because it contains news about drivers who'll be racing in 2018.

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Feel The Fourth

I understand. This forum changed its rules and I wasn't aware for which I'm sorry. I have posted quite a few breaking news about driver changes (was only ever wrong in one when I posted about Raikkonen to Mercedes in 2012) and it was never merged with this thread.

No sweat. Coming to the main point, Kubica returning will be such a great news. Williams also wouldn't want to look at any other option besides him.

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Feel The Fourth

And you know that... how, exactly? For all we know, he's struggling with long-run consistency, or struggling with his fitness levels, or there are other issues with which he has yet to convince Williams. If Williams can get Robert Kubica as he was prior to his accident then yes, I agree that they shouldn't need to look at any other option. But right now, it seems like they're hesitating to make a decision, instead feeling the need to give him further running. Perhaps that's because they have the best empty seat available and therefore are in no rush at all, but it does make me wonder a little bit if they remain unconvinced.

_________________
Cheering for: Leclerc, Hulkenberg, Vandoorne
Pick 10 | 1 win, 10 podiums
2017: 6th | 2016: 8th | 2015: 2nd | 2014: 15th | 2013: 17th | 2012: 11th

I would add the Massa/Brazil thing into the equation. Hold off until that was all out of the way

_________________
I don't rely entirely on God

I rely on Prost



FA#14

Maybe, and perhaps when it is made official that Kubica will be driving in the Abu Dhabi tyre test, it'll come off the back of him being confirmed for 2018. And maybe it is all just Williams taking their time because they can. But based on the information we have right now, this delay plus their need to give him further running leaves me unconvinced they're convinced about him.

_________________
Cheering for: Leclerc, Hulkenberg, Vandoorne
Pick 10 | 1 win, 10 podiums
2017: 6th | 2016: 8th | 2015: 2nd | 2014: 15th | 2013: 17th | 2012: 11th

Either way it will be a gigantic leap of faith to hire a driver that hasn't raced single seaters since 2010 and give him a seat in F1.

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Go Vandoorne - Verstappen - Vettel!

I am sure the deal would have some caveats, like fitness tests, etc. Maybe they have lined up some other tests with older cars to test his ability to perform over a full GP distance.

Apparently it was Kubica stalling on signing the contract, he's basically been offered the drive because of the sponsorship he his bringing to the team, his pride was hurting because he didn't want to be seen as a pay driver, it's something that he has criticised in the past.

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 12th

Wins: Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: 2nd Canada 2015, 3rd Monza 2016, Hungary 2016 and Barcelona 2015

No doubt and they already have done some tests in older cars. But there's also the thing of actually racing. Doing laps on your own is one thing, doing it in a pack of 19 drivers is something else. Especially when most of the racing he has done has been while alone on track (ERC/WRC2/WRC).

He was also supposed to run in LMP1 in 2017, and in an F-E event as well. Both failed to materialize.

_________________
Go Vandoorne - Verstappen - Vettel!

he's been given an amazing opportunity to resurrect his F1 career. Frankly, any team looking to take on a driver with his relatively little recent racing experience is taking a massive gamble. You can't blame them for wanting to ensure they get some safety net for it

I think you have misread my post, it was Kubica that was stalling.

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 12th

Wins: Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: 2nd Canada 2015, 3rd Monza 2016, Hungary 2016 and Barcelona 2015

No I understood what you said. I wasn't criticising your post, just pointing out that Kubica can't really afford pride at this stage of his career and he should consider himself lucky that any team is willing to take what is after all a bit of a gamble on him

Oh so the Williams safety net is receiving money from Kubica?

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 12th

Wins: Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: 2nd Canada 2015, 3rd Monza 2016, Hungary 2016 and Barcelona 2015

gives them some mitigation for the risk, sure. They're the ones with the most to lose potentially

That makes sense.

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 12th

Wins: Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: 2nd Canada 2015, 3rd Monza 2016, Hungary 2016 and Barcelona 2015