https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/dec/11/lewis-hamilton-f1-mercedes-toto-wolff-williams-valtteri-bottas?
In two short videos posted by Hamilton on Instagram on Sunday night, the 31-year-old revealed he had held a meeting in Wolff’s kitchen, where the pair are seen sitting alongside each other.
“We just had an amazing meeting,” Hamilton said. “I just wanted to send on a message to let you know that we are going to be the strongest partnership next year and we look forward to fighting for this championship again.”
Sounds like Bottas foregone conclusion.
Maybe Toto will step down as part of Bottas' management...
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/38282791
Lowe leaving is a blow but they are getting James Ellison to replace him.
If I were in Hamiltons shoes, I'll not sign a new contract until midway in the season
http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/10697528/williams-open-talks-with-felipe-massa-as-potential-valtteri-bottas-replacement
Latest:
Felipe Massa could return to F1 with Williams less than a month after leaving the team and retiring from the sport, Sky Sports has learnt.
Massa is in talks with Williams as a potential replacement for former team-mate Valtteri Bottas.
A source close to Massa has told Sky Sports the Brazilian was still undecided on his plans for 2017.
But it is understood Williams have opened talks with Massa about rehiring him for 2017 to partner rookie Lance Stroll.
I guess re-signing Massa for one-year makes sense as well, 2018 Williams will have many options.
On the subject of one-year deals, does anyone think Mercedes will only offer Bottas one-year with view to extend depending on performance or as a stop-gap with other top drivers available from 2018 (namely Vettel & Alonso)?
Only problem with having Alonso & Vettel as teammates is they will undoubtedly cause disharmony.
Kimi's final season at Ferrari next season surely?
Sainz to replace Kimi at Ferrari (Gasly Toro Rosso 2018)?
Grosjean at Ferrari?
Ricciardo and Verstappen will stay at Red Bull indefinitely, rule changes play into Red Bull's hands and I very much expect they'll be the team challenging closer than ever to Mercedes next season and beyond.
Who knows what gains McLaren Honda can make next season actually, could be the dark horses in potential three way title challenge which would be great.
That will make Alonso extend contract there.
Bottas joining Mercedes leaves me disappointed. Was hoping for some serious competition and a lot of inter team shenanigans.
comment by ManUtdDaredevil (U9612)
posted 2 hours, 1 minute ago
Bottas joining Mercedes leaves me disappointed. Was hoping for some serious competition and a lot of inter team shenanigans.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
you wont get the shenanigans with Bottas thats for sure he is very professional and is prob the main reason why Merc have went for him. The other main reason is that he is a very reliable driver, he will 100% keep Lewis honest and i think a few maybe surprised to find out how quick he is. I think he will perform better than Rosberg
At least if other teams in the mix for victories on consistent basis, we'll start to Mercedes splitting strategies. Bored of Mercs identical strategies.
Identical strategies unless they want to put Rosberg into the lead (Austria)!
comment by King 'arry (U7920)
posted 2 hours, 25 minutes ago
Identical strategies unless they want to put Rosberg into the lead (Austria)!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Even Case Stoner called them out on that one. They tried to rig that race in Nicos favour
http://www.grandprix247.com/2016/12/18/massa-to-return-allowing-bottas-to-got-to-mercedes/
Auto Bild reports that Hamilton is not keen to have Pascal Wehrlein as his teammate, because having the the young German in the team reminds him too much of the situation at 2007 at McLaren where Hamilton teamed up alongside Fernando Alonso.
Furthermore Wehrlein has proven to be very fast during his stints testing for Mercedes, and he has also clocked up more mileage in testing of the wider 2017 Pirelli tyres than any other driver.
The report goes even further and suggests that Hamilton is lying when he says he does not care who his teammate is next year, because the triple World Champion has vetoed Wehrlein’s promotion according to Auto Bild.
So, German newspaper claims young German driver being held down by driver who almost prevented German world drivers' champion.
Could be true. Probably not.
In general, I suspect Lewis is more bothered about who his teammate is than he is letting on. He should be. Besides Heikki, he's always had at best equal terms with his teammate and (arguably) it has cost him two titles in the past: namely 2007 (Monaco, Hungary qualy) and this year.
I strongly suspect the Mercedes will not be the best car next season, so he will need every point he can get. Nearly every other champion I can think of since the late eighties after Prost left McLaren has had favourable terms, so why not? He just needs to be a bit more honest about it.
Bild is talking ballacks
Williams rejected him as well because of his inexperience. I do not believe Hamilton does not care who his team mate is, everydriver does.
If Verstappen was joining Mercedes, he would be very concerned.
Wehrlein is nothing special
comment by Chelseamf™®© (U1677)
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/dec/11/lewis-hamilton-f1-mercedes-toto-wolff-williams-valtteri-bottas?
Sounds like Bottas foregone conclusion.
Maybe Toto will step down as part of Bottas' management...
----------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.grandprixtimes.com/news/id/13471
"Wolff has also agreed to sever management ties to Bottas as part of the agreement as it could be seen as unfair if one of Mercedes' drivers is managed by the team boss."
There we go.
So he'll (Toto) just get his share of the signing on bonus that he negotiated and part ways. Noble .
On a serious note, I am very happy for Bottas. Now we just need Hulkenberg to get a decent drive. Massa's return would seem to reduce the chances of agreeing a minimum driver weight...
https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/mercedes-amg-f1/amg-f1-news/amg-f1-video/exclusive-first-interview-with-valtteri-bottas-our-new-driver/
Done.
One-year deal. Mercedes keeping options open.
Sign in if you want to comment
0h my....
Page 2 of 2
posted on 11/12/16
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/dec/11/lewis-hamilton-f1-mercedes-toto-wolff-williams-valtteri-bottas?
In two short videos posted by Hamilton on Instagram on Sunday night, the 31-year-old revealed he had held a meeting in Wolff’s kitchen, where the pair are seen sitting alongside each other.
“We just had an amazing meeting,” Hamilton said. “I just wanted to send on a message to let you know that we are going to be the strongest partnership next year and we look forward to fighting for this championship again.”
Sounds like Bottas foregone conclusion.
Maybe Toto will step down as part of Bottas' management...
posted on 11/12/16
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/38282791
posted on 12/12/16
Lowe leaving is a blow but they are getting James Ellison to replace him.
If I were in Hamiltons shoes, I'll not sign a new contract until midway in the season
posted on 16/12/16
http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/10697528/williams-open-talks-with-felipe-massa-as-potential-valtteri-bottas-replacement
Latest:
Felipe Massa could return to F1 with Williams less than a month after leaving the team and retiring from the sport, Sky Sports has learnt.
Massa is in talks with Williams as a potential replacement for former team-mate Valtteri Bottas.
A source close to Massa has told Sky Sports the Brazilian was still undecided on his plans for 2017.
But it is understood Williams have opened talks with Massa about rehiring him for 2017 to partner rookie Lance Stroll.
posted on 16/12/16
I guess re-signing Massa for one-year makes sense as well, 2018 Williams will have many options.
On the subject of one-year deals, does anyone think Mercedes will only offer Bottas one-year with view to extend depending on performance or as a stop-gap with other top drivers available from 2018 (namely Vettel & Alonso)?
Only problem with having Alonso & Vettel as teammates is they will undoubtedly cause disharmony.
Kimi's final season at Ferrari next season surely?
Sainz to replace Kimi at Ferrari (Gasly Toro Rosso 2018)?
Grosjean at Ferrari?
Ricciardo and Verstappen will stay at Red Bull indefinitely, rule changes play into Red Bull's hands and I very much expect they'll be the team challenging closer than ever to Mercedes next season and beyond.
posted on 16/12/16
Who knows what gains McLaren Honda can make next season actually, could be the dark horses in potential three way title challenge which would be great.
That will make Alonso extend contract there.
posted on 16/12/16
Bottas joining Mercedes leaves me disappointed. Was hoping for some serious competition and a lot of inter team shenanigans.
posted on 16/12/16
comment by ManUtdDaredevil (U9612)
posted 2 hours, 1 minute ago
Bottas joining Mercedes leaves me disappointed. Was hoping for some serious competition and a lot of inter team shenanigans.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
you wont get the shenanigans with Bottas thats for sure he is very professional and is prob the main reason why Merc have went for him. The other main reason is that he is a very reliable driver, he will 100% keep Lewis honest and i think a few maybe surprised to find out how quick he is. I think he will perform better than Rosberg
posted on 17/12/16
At least if other teams in the mix for victories on consistent basis, we'll start to Mercedes splitting strategies. Bored of Mercs identical strategies.
posted on 17/12/16
Identical strategies unless they want to put Rosberg into the lead (Austria)!
posted on 17/12/16
comment by King 'arry (U7920)
posted 2 hours, 25 minutes ago
Identical strategies unless they want to put Rosberg into the lead (Austria)!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Even Case Stoner called them out on that one. They tried to rig that race in Nicos favour
posted on 20/12/16
http://www.grandprix247.com/2016/12/18/massa-to-return-allowing-bottas-to-got-to-mercedes/
Auto Bild reports that Hamilton is not keen to have Pascal Wehrlein as his teammate, because having the the young German in the team reminds him too much of the situation at 2007 at McLaren where Hamilton teamed up alongside Fernando Alonso.
Furthermore Wehrlein has proven to be very fast during his stints testing for Mercedes, and he has also clocked up more mileage in testing of the wider 2017 Pirelli tyres than any other driver.
The report goes even further and suggests that Hamilton is lying when he says he does not care who his teammate is next year, because the triple World Champion has vetoed Wehrlein’s promotion according to Auto Bild.
posted on 20/12/16
So, German newspaper claims young German driver being held down by driver who almost prevented German world drivers' champion.
Could be true. Probably not.
In general, I suspect Lewis is more bothered about who his teammate is than he is letting on. He should be. Besides Heikki, he's always had at best equal terms with his teammate and (arguably) it has cost him two titles in the past: namely 2007 (Monaco, Hungary qualy) and this year.
I strongly suspect the Mercedes will not be the best car next season, so he will need every point he can get. Nearly every other champion I can think of since the late eighties after Prost left McLaren has had favourable terms, so why not? He just needs to be a bit more honest about it.
posted on 21/12/16
Bild is talking ballacks
Williams rejected him as well because of his inexperience. I do not believe Hamilton does not care who his team mate is, everydriver does.
If Verstappen was joining Mercedes, he would be very concerned.
Wehrlein is nothing special
posted on 21/12/16
comment by Chelseamf™®© (U1677)
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/dec/11/lewis-hamilton-f1-mercedes-toto-wolff-williams-valtteri-bottas?
Sounds like Bottas foregone conclusion.
Maybe Toto will step down as part of Bottas' management...
----------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.grandprixtimes.com/news/id/13471
"Wolff has also agreed to sever management ties to Bottas as part of the agreement as it could be seen as unfair if one of Mercedes' drivers is managed by the team boss."
There we go.
posted on 21/12/16
So he'll (Toto) just get his share of the signing on bonus that he negotiated and part ways. Noble .
On a serious note, I am very happy for Bottas. Now we just need Hulkenberg to get a decent drive. Massa's return would seem to reduce the chances of agreeing a minimum driver weight...
posted on 16/1/17
https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/mercedes-amg-f1/amg-f1-news/amg-f1-video/exclusive-first-interview-with-valtteri-bottas-our-new-driver/
Done.
posted on 16/1/17
One-year deal. Mercedes keeping options open.
Page 2 of 2