Sebas will not see a red cockpit. Success in American open-wheel does not necessarily translate to success in F1, and Ferrari knows that. Piquet is a backmarker. Ferrari won't be interested. Senna or Pantano are more likely.

Massa is almost certainly out for the season, if not his career. If the Renault ban stands, I can see Alonso with an out on his contract (due to lack of team performance) -- or breaking it -- to drive for Ferrari starting at Valencia. It has already been rumored there will be a Monza announcement about his switch to Ferrari.

 

They have time to think about it since there's a month before the next race.

Read somewhere that Schumacher doesn't have a Superlicence anymore but that's probably a simple fix. I think the main thing that would stop Schu from sitting in is he'd not want to look foolish. After all, if the big multi world champion comes back to great expectations and doesn't do well it won't matter whether it's because of the car or his abilities, he'll still leave again under a "has been" cloud. I figure he'd do better than that, but I bet the scenario is on his mind if he's even considering it.

If Renault lose their appeal and have to sit out the Valencia race, both the FIA and Bernie would love to see Fred in a red car if only to get the Valencia organizers off their respective backs for banning Renault and thus affecting ticket sales (remember the Spaniard racing in Spain connection). Yes, he probably has an out clause in his contract based on car performance, but he might also have a clause that says they have to give him a race seat for EVERY race, which might allow him to go just for Valencia if not the rest of the season. Even if Massa is out beyond Valencia (likely), it would give them a chance to "test" Fred and then put someone else in the seat from Valencia on.

I'd say they'd just go with Gene, but they have a habit of overlooking their test/reserve drivers, plus Ferrari are known for doing the unexpected, even when it seems like it's just for the media attention. Whatever they do though they'll not likely trade good performance expectations for spectacle alone.

Fun to speculate when my own money isn't on the line.

 

You're almost talking yourself into Schumacher! Yes, there's a rift (at least I've heard it, too), but he knows the car, he knows the tracks, and he knows something about driving...

Who else?

 

Great news (except for the part about his eye):

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/270720...ator-coma.html

 

I would love to see Schuey back in the Ferrari racing in Valencia, but it won't happen.

I think it will be one of the test drivers, probably Gene. I mean that is one major reason why the test drivers take the job in the first place. I think Gene has filled in before for Ferrari, hasn't he?

 

I think he might have filled in for an injurred Rubens or Irvine. I'm not sure though. And it only would have been for a race or two.

If he could fit in the car, alex Wurz would be a good stand-in. He seems like a super nice guy with a great attitude. He's always just seemed to have an average or worse car. He was great fun to watch race when he was younger. But I think he kind of lost the fire after being a test driver at Mclaren for so long. His podium in Canada a few years ago with a rear wing end-plate missing was awesome!

There are also test/reserve drivers, that have F1 experience on other teams to think about.

Christian Klien. He was quick on occasions. He was having a good race in Monaco in Red Bull before his car let him down. Coulthard was nice enough to collect his third place for him though, lol. That was when they were sponsored by the Superman movie and DC wore a cape on the podium.

Pedro De La Rosa for Mclaren always seemed to pretty consistently bring home points when he had to stand in for someone.

I think I already mentioned Liuzzi.

The great thing about going with some of these reserve guys or young guys, is that you could pay them peanuts to drive. They just want to get into a race seat and show the world what they can do.

 

Looking better:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/280720...l-10-days.html

 

There's so much speculation about who it will be that it seems like someone should start a pool. Actually, I'm sure people are already betting on it somewhere.

 

BMW is quitting F1, at the end of 2009.

Bernie took F1 out of North America, BMW and Honda's largest markets. I wonder much of that is too blame for their decisions to quit.

 

I bet those are factors, but I wonder if they'd be dropping out if they were doing as well as everyone expected before the season started. Of course the FIA weenies pounced immediately on the opportunity to put out a neener neener statement claiming it's because they opposed the cost cutting measures.....

 

Looks like Schumacher is jumping in:

Schumacher to make F1 return in Spain

 

That is crazy...

...and awesome

Alright!!!

First Lance comes back and now Schuey!

My sporting heros are back!

Is BMW going back to Sauber?

I guess Kubica is available now. Hint...Ferrari?

 

I think Schumi returning is pretty lame and hope he fails miserably. But then it all falls right in line with F1 being a big joke anymore. What a circus it has become, all of it.

Here's to BMW's success in sports- and touring-car racing. I can't wait to see the RLR M3 GTRs again at Petit Le Mans.

 

The Silly Season, wooo hoooooo!

I think Kubica, who I believe is managed by Flavio, could replace Alonso at Renault. I think he might also replace Nico at Williams. That's the thing that sucks when you pull out of the series, you kind of hang your drivers out to dry.

I think Nick could end up at one of the other new teams. That is the good thing about 3 new teams in line to race next year. Plenty of places for familiar faces to go, as well as new faces to come into the sport.

I'm curious to see how MS does. I never liked him when he was in the sport. I knew he was a great driver and conceded that, but he wasn't sporting at all and always had a smug douche-bagginess about him. I think it will be exciting, because he's not at the front of the field but he'll be trying desperately to get there.

 

Sorry you guys aren't happy--I'm personally thrilled. And think of it--3 world champs on the track at the same time (2 next race). What could be better?

I hope this doesn't mean that Alonso will go to Ferrari, but with Kimi going out, sooner or later, and Massa a big if, sooner or later, it doesn't look good. They're going to have to figure out a real good, but definitely subservient replacement. And that's what I hate about it.

I'd much rather see Kubica instead. Even Heidfeld. He might surprise everyone with a better ride.

As for Michael being a douche-bag, I dunno. Granted there were some bad incidents, but no worse than Alonso holding his own teammate back in the pits. Team orders had to have been at the heart of some of these maneuvers. And you can be a little smug if you're the best.

BTW, bet you didn't know that he's probably the most generous of all of them, with a long history of donations and work for a variety of organizations. At the time of the tsunami, for example, he immediately donated $10,000,000--more than many countries. There's more at the end of this article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Schumacher

 

You mean like when Schumi tried to deliberately crash Villeneuve out of a race, and got DSQ'd for an entire season for it, or parking his car during Monaco qualifying to block Alonso's flying lap?

Come on, we all know Schumi is known for being very aggressive and not always being a good sportsman about it. Ferrari was his perfect team. Win whatever the cost.

 

I never said that he was a racing saint. You can't tell me that Monaco bit wasn't team orders, though. It was just poorly executed.

 

I don't think Schuey always behaved well either. His way of slashing across at the starts was annoying too. I admire the totality of his career. There are so many great moments etched in my mind that demonstrated his greatness. The ironic thing is that he did not need to do some of the crap he tried to get away with. Some things esp. early in his career with stupid penalties assess against him, he had to try extra hard to overcome. Even if you don't like him, this is going to be interesting.

 

Given the fact that Ferrari was beginning to compete with current top teams Red Bull and Brawn, Schumi's return might be an interesting thing to watch. Let's see if he has still some tricks to teach to Kimi, Jenson and co

 

What could be better? 4 World Champions! Oh....wait. We will have four.

I don't think it will change anything for who is in the car next year. Ferrari are pretty practical when it comes to substitutions for injuries. They aren't going to take a risk on someone inexperienced possibly not bringing the car home in one piece. And they want somone to bring it home in the points. MS is known for doing this, even in 98? and 2005 when the red team was uncompetitive.

They're the same way when it comes to contracts for drivers coming into the team. Schumi, Kimi, Massa and (if reports are accurate) Alonso all signed deals as much as a season in advance before even joining the team.

Alonso holding Ham-bone in the pits wasn't dangerous. The time MS wrecked Damon Hill to win the championship. The nearly identical stunt to steal the championship from JV. The numerous times he tangled with DC. He even ran his own brother off the road in spectacular fashion. The crap he's pulled doesn't even compare. Plus, it's easy to be the "best" when you've got the FIA in your corner.

 

Well now, looks like Ferrari will have some choices to make at the end of the season! Either Bob or Nick would make a good replacement for Phil if he can't come back in full form.

Train wreck.

 

That is an apt description for Formula 1 these days.

 

You do realize, of course, that you are referring to events from the mid to late '90's, don't you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Schumacher

And again, who is to know what role team orders played, since they don't exist. A mean, sinister, and unethical streak? "Normal" competitiveness? Team orders? All of the above? None of the above? Brain damage? Who knows.

At most there are 1/2 dozen races where there were questionable tactics, created by whatever force(s), out of 249 starts. That makes him the most horrid racer on the planet?

Could be. Could also be a rebirth of sorts, with a reshuffling of teams, drivers, and machinery. I'd love to have a crystal ball to see what will happen when Bernie leaves. He will, eventually, after all. Will he take F1 with him? Doubt it, although it WILL probably change.

F1 started in 1950. Bernie got it in the '70's. He'll probably be gone by 2010, or the teams will form their own series. Then we'll really have a chance to see.

 

Just illustrating a pattern of vehicular assault when the best thing you can come up with against Alonso is he blocked Ham in the pits after he didn't adhere to team orders. No biggie.

It'll be exciting though. I would think though that he'll try to be humble, kind of like Lance Armstrong (humble for Lance anyway) was this year at the Tour. Furthermore, I think he'll end up playing a supporting role to Kimi. That would be the smart thing to do from a team standpoint. But who knows. Since this season is wasted, they may well just go and try to get whatever they can and turn both guys loose. That'll be good fun to watch.

 

I doubt that...supporting Kimi for what? His boredom with F1 until he finishes out his contract and goes to WRC? Schumi will go for wins if he can. Ferrari is likely to give Schumi the better equipment and support.