[morini]

So, he's thought about it, I think "any" driver would of course, still only two more years to wait Forza

Being serious for a moment, I can honestly see Hamilton in Red in 2021 and genuinely hope it happens. I still couldn't bring myself to support Ferrari, but I'd love to see a Brit win WDC's with three different teams.

[PapaofGags]

Being serious for a moment, I can honestly see Hamilton in Red in 2021 and genuinely hope it happens. I still couldn't bring myself to support Ferrari, but I'd love to see a Brit win WDC's with three different teams.
[/quote]

Morini, me too, a Brit winning in three different cars, wow could you imagine? would be so proud.

[forzaferrari]

Bottas signs 1 +1 year deal with Mercedes

[Purple-banana]

*feigns surprise*

[NeilP]

Well its a statement of the obvious but that firmly and complete closes the door at Mercedes for Danny Ricciardo not that he was expected to sign there. I so wanted him and Hamilton in the same team.

So all we need now is Ferrari to announce either Leclerc or Raikkonen for next year, Red Bull to resign Ricciardo and there are your 2019 World Championship constructors contenders all done.

I like Bottas and as I have previous said all these drivers are amazing to get to F1 but he is just a better Kimi I could not take anyone serious if they told me he was a genuine WDC contender.

[morini]

Well its a statement of the obvious but that firmly and complete closes the door at Mercedes for Danny Ricciardo not that he was expected to sign there. I so wanted him and Hamilton in the same team.

So all we need now is Ferrari to announce either Leclerc or Raikkonen for next year, Red Bull to resign Ricciardo and there are your 2019 World Championship constructors contenders all done.

I like Bottas and as I have previous said all these drivers are amazing to get to F1 but he is just a better Kimi I could not take anyone serious if they told me he was a genuine WDC contender.

We all agree that and DR / LH combo would be a brilliant, explosive prospect and I too am sad it isn't going to happen. I think you underestimate Bottas though, he's not the complete driver yet, but we've seen flashes of speed from the guy that show he ain't no slouch and he has most of the tools. He's missing some race craft and maybe a bit of confidence. I make no secret of the fact I rate him highly and it's small margins we are talking about. But then again, small margins are the difference between wining and losing in this sport. Also, he's up against one of the best, that can be a good and bad thing. He's already too far back this season, so I kind of expect he will play a supporting role this year. However, he's gaining experience and there is no reason he can't be a contender next year.

I should be president of the VB fan club

[forzaferrari]

Get well soon Niki...

Three-time Formula 1 world champion Niki Lauda underwent successful lung transplant surgery in Vienna, Austria on Thursday.
Lauda, 69, is a non-executive chairman of the Mercedes Formula 1 team, and owns a percentage of the reigning F1 world champions. He was reportedly taken ill while on holiday in Ibiza recently, and flew to Vienna for treatment for a “severe cough”.
Lauda suffered lung injuries in his fiery crash in the 1976 German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring that almost cost him his life. He inhaled toxic gases and flames in the crash’s aftermath, but made an amazing recovery to return to the sport just three races later.
A statement from the Vienna General Hospital said: “Due to a severe affection of the lungs, Niki Lauda had to undergo a lung transplantation at the AKH Vienna today. The transplantation was done successfully by Walter Klepetko, head of thoracic surgery, and Konrad Hotzenecker.

“We kindly ask for your understanding that the family won't give any official statements and we ask to protect the privacy of the Lauda family.”

[morini]

Wow, that's pretty major surgery. Imagine quite a long recuperation for that? GWS Niki.

[LotusLover]

To be fair he has done well to get this far, good luck to him

[forzaferrari]

The doctors who operated on three-time F1 world champion Niki Lauda say he is making good progress in a Vienna hospital after his lung transplant on Thursday...

Lauda underwent surgery in Austria after falling ill while on holiday in Ibiza. He was flown by private jet to AKH Vienna hospital, where he remains in intensive care while he recovers.
One of the doctors who operated on him, Walter Klepetko, told Austrian broadcaster ORF: “Everything is currently going very well and we are very satisfied.”
Klepetko, who is the hospital’s head of thoracic surgery, said the usual recovery period is two to three weeks, but admitted that 69-year-old Lauda’s recovery period will be “a longer time” due to his age. The hospital performs 120 lung transplants a year.
One aspect of the Lauda’s situation that Klepetko did clarify was that his fiery accident at the Nurburgring in 1976 had no bearing on the decision to replace his lungs.
“One can absolutely assume that lung transplantation is not a late consequence of the fire accident,” he said.