[Rumours] 2022 Silly Season

[crmalcolm]

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/85268...placement.html

Russell and Bottas to swap seats in 2022?

[Skam85]

Reporter nobody has ever heard of on a dubious news site: "I can't name my source but..."

Sceptical is an understatement.

[alan1302]

Originally Posted by Skam85

Reporter nobody has ever heard of on a dubious news site: "I can't name my source but..."

Sceptical is an understatement.

Reasonably well known commentator to be fair:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexey_Popov

[wnut]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/85268...placement.html

Russell and Bottas to swap seats in 2022?

I share Skam's scepticism, but I do hope that this rumour is true.
Mercedes are in an awkward position with Russell, he needs to find a top car, and I am sure that the opposition must have him on their radar.

Max is also available at the end of the year, but I think he will stay at RBR, could Russell be drafted as a number 2?

[E.B]

Originally Posted by wnut

Max is also available at the end of the year, but I think he will stay at RBR, could Russell be drafted as a number 2?

Russell is young hungry and talented, would Max have Russell on board and would Russell sign as a #2?

I also thought Max was contracted to RBR until end 2023, having signed an extension I think last year.

As for Bottas swapping with Russell and returning Williams I had the same thought last week on another forum. Be a logical swap, but.....

[2 litre Touring Car Star]

The only reason why Russell needs a top car is to wallpaper all his deficiencies.

Has not yet scored a point at Williams despite an out of shape Kubica being able to. Had he not scored points in the best car in the field on that one occasion, he'd have been beaten by Latifi in the standings last year. Absolutely howled by an easy move on Bottas when points were on the line at Imola.

Overrated and would be heavily exposed as Hamilton's teammate. Many ahead of him.

[chillibowl]

I cant say i disagree. If i was Merc, I would be trying to make a deal with Mclaren to take Lando but with the new formula next year, i feel like everyone stays where they are.

Unless Bottas does something that makes staying at Merc impossible that is.

[Richard C]

I saw this "news" item the other day. It's clearly a slow news day when this type of rumor gets print. Lets wait for more credible sources.

Richard

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by 2 litre Touring Car Star

The only reason why Russell needs a top car is to wallpaper all his deficiencies.

Has not yet scored a point at Williams despite an out of shape Kubica being able to. Had he not scored points in the best car in the field on that one occasion, he'd have been beaten by Latifi in the standings last year. Absolutely howled by an easy move on Bottas when points were on the line at Imola.

Overrated and would be heavily exposed as Hamilton's teammate. Many ahead of him.

Man you have a serious dislike of Russell, don't you....?

[karting]

Bottas confirmed via Saubers Twitter account

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by karting

Bottas confirmed via Saubers Twitter account

Is this it? Wow, what a grand announcement......

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Is this it? Wow, what a grand announcement......

You’d think their home GP would be appropriate to announce it

[Adam43]

Is he related to Nadia from Rentaghost?

[bathurst77]

Lulu retires as king.
Merc to make deal with Mclaren and Williams
Russell to merc
Bottas to Maclaren
2nd merc seat who ever wins the norris/dannyR comp.

2022 or 3
merc Russell and norris/danny
Macca bottas and norris/danny
williams Latifi plus newbie or byebye latifi.. two newbies

All talking out of my hat of course

[bathurst77]

williams works out how to get maximum tv coverage!

Pastor Maldinardo and Mazzaspin in each car
Guaranteed lots of TV as they spin, crash get lapped and baulk other drivers every weekend!
Sponsiors love it.. lots of exposure.
Major motor insurance company and parts companies as sponsors

[P38 in workshop]

A question-is this thread for reporting rumours seen elsewhere or for starting our own?My own feeling is that next year we will be seeing fewer former world champions on the grid as their younger team-mates are putting them in the shade.Another interesting consideration will be whether the cost cap will mean there will be less need for seat buyers of questionable talent.

[steve_r]

Originally Posted by P38 in workshop

.Another interesting consideration will be whether the cost cap will mean there will be less need for seat buyers of questionable talent.

Seat buyers have now actually started buying entire teams, hence Team Stroll, Team Mazepin, and who knows what is next for Williams.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by P38 in workshop

A question-is this thread for reporting rumours seen elsewhere or for starting our own?

I guess either - and threads can take their own course, I don't have a hard-over view one way or the other.

I started the thread because I saw the story running on a few news feeds, and noticed that a 2022 thread had not already been created. I tagged it 'rumours', and expect that once the rumour train has run its course, we'll see a 2022 launch thread and then race specific threads through the season?

The only thing I personally would prefer (although I have no control over) is that when rumours are presented, a source is also provided if available. That way, we can all make a judgement on the credibility of the rumour.

[BTCC frog]

I wish all these journalists would just give Bottas a break. He really isn't doing a bad job. It makes sense to me that Mercedes would want Russell in the second car, but only because he has more potential for the future, and could possibly be their number one driver once Hamilton retires. Bottas isn't good enough to be number one at Mercedes, but is certainly good enough to be number two, and I am sure that, if paired with Russell this year, Bottas would come out on top (although not ahead of Verstappen, of course). This year, Bottas has still been a solid number two for Mercedes, with the exception of a shocking drive in Imola. It seems as though the Mercedes and the Red Bull are close to equal cars, so Bottas should be coming third every time, and capitalising with a second place when Red Bull struggle, which hasn't really happened yet. This year, he has finished third in every race that he has finished, and would have been second in Monaco. He also stayed close enough in Spain to stop Verstappen pitting, although he was unhelpful when Hamilton tried to pass him. Bottas has certainly done better than Perez this year, and the points table, which has him behind Lando Norris, does not tell the whole story.

So I think it probably is time for Mercedes to replace Bottas with Russell (at the end of the year, certainly not midseason), but because they need to look to the future, not because Bottas is doing badly. I suspect that Bottas struggles with media pressure, and that he would do better if journalists stopped having a go at him. He would surely thrive in a midfield team, so if this rumour is true and Mercedes drop him, the likes of Alpine and Aston Martin should attempt to sign him. I hope he at least ends up at Williams and isn't forced out of the sport altogether.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by BTCC frog

It makes sense to me that Mercedes would want Russell in the second car, but only because he has more potential for the future, and could possibly be their number one driver once Hamilton retires.

I think part of Russell's thinking will be considering how long Hamilton will remain the Mercedes #1. Prior to Monaco, 2021 was the best start to a season of Hamilton's entire career - so it could be a few years yet.

If the Williams increases to be competitive, and Russell is content to develop for a couple more years - he might decide to stay where he is. Particularly as new regulations come into play.

At the moment, there seems to be a bit of a stand-off between drivers and teams - with a lot of drivers sat on contracts that expire this year.

With only half of the grid holding a 2022 contract at the moment, there is a lot to play out I feel.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by P38 in workshop

A question-is this thread for reporting rumours seen elsewhere or for starting our own?

As if we are ever able to remain on topic in any thread!

Originally Posted by P38 in workshop

My own feeling is that next year we will be seeing fewer former world champions on the grid as their younger team-mates are putting them in the shade.

I don't know the answer, but how many of the current former WDC are in a one year contract situation? I guess it also depends upon how much they are being paid. Alonso is very rusty and/or beyond his sell by date. I am not sure which. Not sure what is going on with Vettel and if he can get his Mojo back or not. Lets see how rest of season works out for Alonso and Vettel. I would hate to see Kimi leave.

Originally Posted by P38 in workshop

Another interesting consideration will be whether the cost cap will mean there will be less need for seat buyers of questionable talent.

From a salary perspective marketing, the top three team personnel (i.e. team boss, technical director, etc. type of people) plus the two drivers is not included in the base cost caps system. They are working on an additional cost cap system to address drivers. I have no idea where they are with that. I think $30 million per team was being proposed.

In the end, budget and funding are two different things. So pay drivers is part of the funding equation and it seem it will be hard for ALL teams to be funded up to the minimum allowed by the cost capped system (clearly teams like Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull will need to reduce their budgets)

So I absolutely expect using drivers as a source of funds for the underfunded teams to continue. The only way that will change is if a wealth of sponsors materialize that allows teams to be relatively easily fully funded. If/when that ever happens, then there will be less of a desire to use your drivers as funding and it will be less of a question of "getting the best PAY driver" (right balance between how much they bring vs. their skill as a driver... and how desperate you are as a team for funding!) and more about "getting the best driver you can afford to pay"

Richard

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

As if we are ever able to remain on topic in any thread!

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

I don't know the answer, but how many of the current former WDC are in a one year contract situation? I guess it also depends upon how much they are being paid. Alonso is very rusty and/or beyond his sell by date. I am not sure which. Not sure what is going on with Vettel and if he can get his Mojo back or not. Lets see how rest of season works out for Alonso and Vettel. I would hate to see Kimi leave.

Vettel and Alonso are the only WDCs on the grid with 2022 contracts (that we know about in public).

Mercedes seems to be where the big decisions will be made in terms of the 2022 grid. Hamilton, Bottas, Russell and Ocon all have contracts up at the end of 2021. After last years issues - a new Hamilton contract will probably be 2yr + options. Mid-year changes are something Wolff seems to object to, so that doesn't seem to be an option unless necessary.

Another factor that may be playing on Russell's mind is the outcome of the last two Mercedes juniors - Ocon, as mentioned previously, and Wehrlein have both not reached the main F1 team, so he might feel he has to grasp the chance if it presents itself because it might be one-time opportunity.

Could Mercedes also play a holding game to see how Frederik Vesti's results pan out? Or will Guanyu Zhou still have an influence on the 2022 grid?

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/85268...placement.html

Russell and Bottas to swap seats in 2022?

He is already 58 points behind World Champion Max Verstappen.

A definite 'pinch of salt' article, I think.....

[S griffin]

Interesting times ahead. Ocon is letting Alpine sort out contract talks, while Perez will have to wait till August for talks about continuing with Red Bull