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I think it all started falling like Dominoes. Once Hamilton and Bottas resigned with Mercedes that closed the door on Ricciardo moving. He is now basically stuck with Red Bull. That in turn closed the door on a possible Sainz to Red Bull opportunity.
The relationship between Renault and Red Bull is not a good one (shock) so Sainz's future is up in the air. Red Bull have not said they will release him and Renault cannot sign him for next season until they do so. Renault do not want to wait and see in case it screws up other opportunities for them. Jody is correct in saying that Ocon was once affiliated with Renault, he is French is quite possibly (but who knows contractually) available and would be a great signing.
That leaves very few opportunities for Sainz with so many other doors closed McLarens is one that is as they say wide open! If Alonso does stay there is also the friendship between the two of them to take into consideration. Brown has already stated he has no problem with two drivers of the same nationality in the team.
(This post was last modified: 23-07-2018, 11:02 AM by
NeilP.)
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Sainz is the biggest loser out of all this then. Shame, as I had high hopes for him. He hasn't done team Muppet a lot of favours so far though, it has to said!
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(23-07-2018, 11:06 AM)morini Wrote: Sainz is the biggest loser out of all this then. Shame, as I had high hopes for him. He hasn't done team Muppet a lot of favours so far though, it has to said!
I think so. Rumours are that the team have already sidelined Sainz somewhat internally. They tried prizing him away from Red Bull around Monaco apparently and Red Bull said not on your life!!! Yet at the same time Sainz was informed if Daniel Ricciardo did move on from Red Bull that it'd be Gasly who'd be promoted. Sainz has said he doesn't want to go back to Toro Rosso. So he has few options remaining. Sirotkin will be kept at Williams, unless Mercedes stump up more cash to bring in Wehrlein, and apparently Russell to Williams is now looking like a thing, despite him being lined up for Force India, that teams woes are causing all the pain. Sainz literally has options or possibilities with Sauber or McLaren at this juncture. I feel like he's been shafted somewhat. Perhaps Spanish drivers are just cursed. I mean not just Alonso, Pedro De la Rosa was also highly unlucky in his his career as well, although never a WDC contender, and there have been others who've seemingly not had the rub of the green.
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(23-07-2018, 10:36 AM)morini Wrote: Tell me more about Sainz to McLaren? First time I've heard that rumour and I'm wondering why on earth he would want to do that? Surely he'd prefer to stay with a works team? Or s it a case Renault don't rate him, maybe?
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sainz-want...e-of-team/
Hello bud just been looking at this about Carlos.
"When a man holds you round the throat, I don't think he has come to apologise"
Ayrton Senna on Nigel Mansell, SPA 1987.
(This post was last modified: 23-07-2018, 08:12 PM by
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(23-07-2018, 12:35 PM)PapaofGags Wrote: hello bud just been looking at this about Carlos.
Hmm..., I'd prefer him to stay with Renault, but that looks unlikely given Jody's post earlier.
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I would like to see Sainz at Renault next year. He's had a tough time of it lately, but I do rate him, he managed to get under Verstappen's skin when they were at Toro Rosso together, and he had a good record against him. Just feel like he needs to find his home.
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Kubica to make F1 return in Belgium? Ocon to McLaren?
Now this is interesting.
Sky F1 expert Mark Hughes has beautifully summarised a bonkers driver market in his latest Motorsport Magazine column, and claims the falling dominoes could lead to Robert Kubica returning to F1 with Williams at next weekend's Belgian GP!
"Carlos Sainz's signing for McLaren as Fernando Alonso's replacement for 2019 puts another piece in the driver market jigsaw," he writes. "But we may be about to see some pieces being moved by the very next race at Spa, with Lance Stroll quite possibly switching to Force India and his place being taken at Williamse by Robert Kubica."
Time for an explainer.
Mark reports that Toto Wolff was concerned about Force India's financial woes and so lined up a McLaren seat for Esteban Ocon for the second half of the season with a view to a 2019 drive.
That was then quashed after Ocon agreed a deal with Renault for next season, with Wolff then approaching McLaren about putting Sainz in the car early, but that was then aborted after Daniel Ricciardo surprised everybody, Renault included, by signing for the French team.
Meanwhile, the buyer of Force India was the Lawrence Stroll-led consortium, and Lawrence now has the possibility of moving his son Lance from Williams to the much-more competitive Force India team for the second half of the season. Hence putting Ocon's current drive under threat again!
"If Lance Stroll does make the switch (with appropriate compensation to Williams), then Robert Kubica is in line to stand in at Williams - and we'd finally get to see that little fairy tale come true," Hughes continues.
"All of which still leaves Ocon without a confirmed 2019 drive. May we yet see him in a McLaren, as Wolff originally tried to make happen for Hungary?"
"You live more for 5 minutes going fast on a bike than other people do in all of their life"....Marco Simoncelli
Interesting, I am kind of hoping SVD still gets a chance myself, I know he hasn’t shown too much but who does under FA shadow? Surely he is better than Stroll but it’s a crazy market and sometimes you think a hot property is going to do the business but fails to deliver, Ocon is a good driver with strong potential also so, so would be harsh on him to lose out. Ericsson is wasting a seat plus it’s the wrong side of the garage I guess
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• forzaferrari
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(17-08-2018, 11:39 AM)LotusLover Wrote: Interesting, I am kind of hoping SVD still gets a chance myself, I know he hasn’t shown too much but who does under FA shadow? Surely he is better than Stroll but it’s a crazy market and sometimes you think a hot property is going to do the business but fails to deliver, Ocon is a good driver with strong potential also so, so would be harsh on him to lose out. Ericsson is wasting a seat plus it’s the wrong side of the garage I guess
Now that Sainz Jr is confirmed at McLarel that could spell the end for SVD. Particularly as Stoffel was a Ron Dennis prodigy and probably feels marginalised at McLaren anyway. I can easily see Ocon taking SVD's spot I'm afraid.
Shame, because he showed a lot of promise in lower categories. Not everyone can make it in F1, it's a tough sport.
When I look fast, I'm not smooth and I am going slowly. And when I look slow, I am smooth and going fast.
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(17-08-2018, 12:28 PM)The Professor Wrote: Now that Sainz Jr is confirmed at McLarel that could spell the end for SVD. Particularly as Stoffel was a Ron Dennis prodigy and probably feels marginalised at McLaren anyway. I can easily see Ocon taking SVD's spot I'm afraid.
Shame, because he showed a lot of promise in lower categories. Not everyone can make it in F1, it's a tough sport.
Not so sure Professor, that would mean a lack of continuity at McLaren, which I don't remember any team doing . . . . oh wait, Williams just did that, and took 2 new drivers,
but hey who knows
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