Alonso's Hypothetical Replacement

[Rollo]

Assuming Alonso quits, jumps, is pushed (can you hear the drums Fernando?), or is otherwise deposed from his seat at McLaren next year. AND Assuming that all contract negotiations could be carried out instantaneously, without saga or angst...

Who would you like to see in the second McLaren?

Personally I'd like to give Mark Webber a go.
I seriously doubt that he has the potential to be the World Champion ever, and given the stock of machinery he's had in the past he's been unable to win a GP. I reckon that given a top drive he could possibly score maybe a few GP wins, and would make a sound No.2 driver in much the same way the Gerhard Berger did under Senna or Patrese did for Piquet.

Any others? Let your imagination run riot!

[Roamy]

well they won't hire a threat so just go the the almost drivers. NH would be my bet - Then BMW pulls the pin on Vettel's deal - problem solved

[Hawkmoon]

I think you can forget about any driver that is currently contracted to any other team. So, no Webber, Button or Rosberg.

Of the off-contract guys you can rule out:
Schumacher - performance not up to scratch
Fisichella & Liuzzi - Italians and Dennis doesn't like Italian drivers
Sato - Honda man and the only reason Super Aguri exists
Davidson - I don't think two Englishmen will appeal to the sponsors, sorry, "partners"
Yamamoto - yeah, right

I can't really see Renault and McLaren trading Alonso for Kovalainen. Too much animosity between Dennis and Briatore. It's also doubtful that Renault will put up the kind of cash that McLaren are paying Alonso. Can anybody see Alonso taking a drastic pay cut?

So that leaves De La Rossa, Paffett and Piquet Jnr. Piquet is probably out of the question due to lack of experience and the Briatore thing. Paffett lost out last year so McLaren might not think he's up to it. De La Rosa has experience and is no threat to Hamilton but did he burn any bridges during Stepney-gate?

If we take it as a given that Alonso is gone then the only person I can see filling the No. 2 McLaren is De La Rosa. That's fine by me as I don't think he can hold a candle to the Ferrari drivers.

[Valve Bounce]

I have it on good authority (which I cannot disclose for fear of causing extreme confusion) that Rosberg will be the chosen one. This will open up the way for a driver with oodles of sponsorship and other monies to flood Franks already brimming coffers.

If I am proven wrong, then choose another option.

[Rollo]

I think you can forget about any driver that is currently contracted to any other team. So, no Webber, Button or Rosberg.

Why? Especially considering I asked you to ignore the restrictions...


AND Assuming that all contract negotiations could be carried out instantaneously, without saga or angst...

I want to know who you'd all actually like there, not merely what's possible :D

[Valve Bounce]

Like it or not, it's going to be Rosberg. You heard it from me first, don't forget!!

[W8&C]

Hi!

Rosberg: after Wurz leaving Williams it would not be very clever to give him away too. To much inconsistency even for Sir Frank.

Heidfeld: he is happy with BMW, so no chance to get him

Kubica: has not shown very much this year ... and I don´t like him (o.k., thats not a criterion)

Schumacher: who?
Fisichella: what?
Trulli: :D ! sorry Pino, won´t happen.
Massa: still too inconsistent for his money

Vettel & Sutil: both are not experienced enough to drive together with an „almost rookie“. Its one or two years to early for them. Would be possible if Alonso gets a job as test driver at McLaren :) (something I would really like to see after this years antics).

Kovalainen: possible (especially if he swaps seat with Alonso) but still risky to combine him with LH, who even isn´t too experienced.

Button: would like him to drive a decent car, but two Brits wouldn´t make the sponsors happy. So not very likely.

Webber: sorry mates from down under, I don´t rate him very high and guess RD sees it the same way.


So at the end I see Kovalainen to get the second seat.



It's also doubtful that Renault will put up the kind of cash that McLaren are paying Alonso. Can anybody see Alonso taking a drastic pay cut?With all his antics and "strange" behavior and being beaten fair and square by a rookie in the same machinery his price has already lowered a lot.

[Valve Bounce]

You left out Elvis!!

[Hawkmoon]

Why? Especially considering I asked you to ignore the restrictions...



I want to know who you'd all actually like there, not merely what's possible :D

Sorry, my bad.

Who would I like to drive for McLaren? Is Yuiji Ide available? :D

[ioan]

I want to know who you'd all actually like there, not merely what's possible :D

Ronald McDonald?! :p :

[jens]

Who would I like to see there?

Hmm, haven't thought about my preference thoroughly about that matter. Actually I wouldn't mind Rosberg, Sutil, Glock, Paffett, R. Schumacher ( :bulb :) and probably some other guys driving for McLaren. Kovalainen IMO suits more to Renault and I'd like to see him continuing there... but not with #2 status.

If current contracts don't count, then Jarno Trulli! :D

[F1MAN2007]

I would bet on Rosoberg. But Sir Frank said that selling Rosberg means selling his team. So I don't see him in Mc.

I would wish to see Sebastien Vettel in Mclaren for next year. If he can bring an average car in top 4, I wonder what he could do with a fastest car on grid?

[Sleeper]

Autosport are reporting this week that McLaren are trying to get a streight swap, Alonso for Kovaleinen, for next year. Would make for an interesting line-up at McLaren, Hamilton and Kovy.

[Dave B]

Who I'd like to see in a McLaren: Button or Webber.

Who I think it will be: Rosberg.

But, I'm still sticking with my crazy prediction that Alonso will stay at McLaren.

[rabf1]

I would like to see Button at MaC so we can finally find out whether Button is really any good or not.

[Easy Drifter]

Milka Duno?

[Bradley]

Barichello ...

[Madmonk]

Keep in mind, Alonso's set up and development work were crucial to Hamilton's early season pace. McLaren needs to find a technical driver of that calibre to replace him. This requirement indicates someone with a couple years of experience and a technical mind. I say they go for Pedro De La Rosa or Nico Rosberg.

Otherwise, I have my wish list:

David Coulthard - He might be a good fit for McLaren (AGAIN) after this year of turmoil. Very few drivers know the McLaren team any better.

Marco Andretti - Not enough experience to be in F1, but they said the same thing about Kimi Raikkonen.

Takuma Sato - I really think Taku could be winning races if he wasn't strapped into a Super Aguri car.

Robert Doornbos - Just to annoy the heck out of Sebastien Bourdais.

Nigel Mansell - Why the hell not?

[truefan72]

Keep in mind, Alonso's set up and development work were crucial to Hamilton's early season pace. McLaren needs to find a technical driver of that calibre to replace him. This requirement indicates someone with a couple years of experience and a technical mind. I say they go for Pedro De La Rosa or Nico Rosberg.



I think that theory has been proven to be askew. LH has done a fine job off setting up his own cars nad has performed quite well thank you.

It's going to be either Heike or Rosberg, and looking more likely to be Heike at this point. I don't see Renault keeping two strong drivers on staff. It's not what Alonso wants.

2008
LH and HK at McClaren
FA and GF at Renault

NPJr to Toyota
Nakajima to Williams

I also think that there is a 50/50 chance of DC retireing this winter,
as will RB at Honda who will probably face some competition in winter testing from Davidson and be outclassed. Being offered the Super Aguri seat, he will choose to retire.

[longisland]

Mika

[ShiftingGears]

Webber.

Alonso and Webber are quite good friends with each other so I'd wonder how they'd go as a team. Probably not well :p :

[Schultz]

I just wonder why Webber all of the sudden went quiet when officially questioned about Hamiltons role in the Vettel incident after previously criticising him in the media. Maybe, just maybe, he is in negotiations with Mclaren! :D Plus, it's not as if he isn't already associated with some of the big wigs at Mercedes. Although i'm not sure what his relationship is like with them following the CLK-GTR incident.

[Schultz]

Webber.

Alonso and Webber are quite good friends with each other so I'd wonder how they'd go as a team. Probably not well :p :

As a team where? Certainly not Mclaren :P

[Tazio]

JPM Flashes back into the Mclaren scene, with its new principal Eddie Izzard
While RD is faded on Thorazine in a quiet country setting (generally referred to as an asylum)
No one noticed that the FIA monitor at the Brazilian GP dropped a couple hits of acid in his Earl Grey.
RD was escorted away from the track after putting his arm around a stack Bridgestone’s (soft compound) while whispering in its grooves
"Lewis it's ours to win!"

[Eki]

You left out Elvis!!
Not unless McLaren is bought by Cadillac and painted pink.

http://www.elvispresleynews.com/images/cadillac.jpg

[ArrowsFA1]

Nigel Mansell - Why the hell not?
:laugh:

Leo and Greg are looking for a drive... :eek:

[rohanweb]

Bring in either David Coulthard or even big-McLaren Daddy Mika Hakkinen to partner Lewis Hamilton ;)

[Buzz Lightyear]

opps.. wrong thread.

[Mauri A]

[quote="truefan72"]I think that theory has been proven to be askew. LH has done a fine job off setting up his own cars nad has performed quite well thank you.

It's going to be either Heike or Rosberg, and looking more likely to be Heike
Who in bh is Heike?

[Ari]

Rosberg.... no shadow of doubt with that one.

I'd love for Webber to get a ride but, like Williams, he's now fallen in love with Red Bull and appears to have no intentions of leaving.

[mstillhere]

Fisichella & Liuzzi - Italians and Dennis doesn't like Italian drivers


You seem to be very assertive with this statement. Would you like to share with the very few of us in this forum (pretty much me) where you are actually getting this information from? Do you have a link or a statement where RD is saying that or you are just saying that in the McLAren history?

PS: For the record McLAren and RD have nothing against Italian drivers

[wmcot]

I think FA will stay at McLaren, but he will have his personal "inspector" with him at all times. Seeing this, LH will want his own inspector. McLaren will then hire Mike Coughlan as LH's inspector and Nigel Stepney will be appointed as FA's inspector! ;)

[osg]

Robert Doornbos - Just to annoy the heck out of Sebastien Bourdais.

hahahahahahaha.... Robert could pull alongside on the straight at China for example..... wave, then accelerate away!!!! No need for "blocking" as Bourdais puts it.... just driving into the distance. that would be funny as hell!!!

[Mintexmemory]

Rosberg is unlikely to be released by Frank and would he want to be No2 to LH, because that will be the arrangement next year IMHO. Can't see RD ever going for this democracy thing ever again :) .
Thinking further outside the box I think RD will go for a totally fresh face
Bourdais rather than Doornbos
Dario F (not exactly fresh but competent)
Wheldon?
My personal favourite and heavily Merc favoured - Nico Hulkenberg
I'd love to see Mika back for a year or 2 but I think his heart really isn't in it.
Don't assume it will be someone currently driving or testing in F1

[Hawkmoon]

You seem to be very assertive with this statement. Would you like to share with the very few of us in this forum (pretty much me) where you are actually getting this information from? Do you have a link or a statement where RD is saying that or you are just saying that in the McLAren history?

PS: For the record McLAren and RD have nothing against Italian drivers

It comes from the fact that Andrea De Cesaris wrecked so many McLarens in the early '80's that Ron Dennis reportedly vowed to never hire another Italian driver. To this day McLaren have never had another Italian drive race for them.

This could be an urban myth. Maybe someone who's been watching the sport for longer than I could confirm or bust this myth?

[jso1985]

Ronald McDonald?! :p :

so you want Ron Dennis to drive his cars? :p : :eek:

seriously, I think it will be Rosberg or Kovalainen(specially if Alonso returns to Renault)
But I can always dream Glock will get the drive :D

[Rusty Spanner]

Assuming Alonso quits, jumps, is pushed (can you hear the drums Fernando?)

Those aren't drums. It's Fernando hammering on the door trying to escape. (Obviously this door is a little more sturdy than the motorhome one he smashed off its hinges.)

[Rusty Spanner]

Can't see RD ever going for this democracy thing ever again :) .

RD won't back down on giving his drivers equal status. The principal is far to deeply ingrained in the team, and rightly so. The strong deep dislike RD and many others in the sport had for the way Ferrari/Schumacher went about things wasn't an act or game of politics.