Formula 1

[TheAussieDigger]

either them or Pirelli

Michelin wont for the same reason they didnt go up for the sole tyre supplier in the first place

[Brusilov]

Pirelli have already announced that they are not interested.

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,189...677235,00.html

[Musthavename]

Mercedes have bought out the Brawn team.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8362295.stm

The team will be rebranded as Mercedes Grand Prix. McLaren will also buy back the 40% stake (by 2011) Mercedes has in their team, but Mercedes will continue to supply free engines for 6 years. It's also said that Mercedes have no interest in keeping Button on, and that he'll likely move to McLaren instead, with the Mercedes drivers being Rosberg with almost certainty, and likely Heidfeld as a teammate.

[Khazrak]

this kind of puts Kimi out of a ride =(

[TheAussieDigger]

Raikkonen is probably another contender to be Rosberg's teammate.
no one really knows Kimi's actual view on things though

[Brusilov]

The rumor is that Jenson Button will sign for McLaren for 2010. I would think that the McLaren may just be the best car on the grid in 2010 as well.

Kimi is being paid in full by Ferrari for 2010 anyway - I am sure that he will find something to do with his time.

[King Nud]

the reports are that Button has agreed a 3-year deal worth £6million a year with McLaren Mercedes.

Rosberg is confirmed at MercedesGP and Nick Heidfeld is expected to join him, to make an all german line up for mercedes.

[UnitedIreland]

Well the F1 rumor mill is churning out gold at the minute. Apparently, Jenson was forced out of Brawn/Mercedes to make way for.....wait for it.....Seven times F1 World Champion Michael Schumacher. Also, there seems to be some weight behind this. Firstly, Schumacher, Brawn and co were seen having a heavy conversation at the last GP. Also, Schumacher recenty got his Ferrari contract changed so that he ISN'T committed to Ferrari's F1 operation, only their Roadcars!!!

[Juvenal]

Yes, I have seen this rumour also.

However I find it difficult to believe that Schumacher would do such a thing. He has everything to lose and nothing to gain.

There are other F1 drivers I could believe would have come back just for the enjoyment of it (such as the late great James Hunt), but Schumacher was so focussed on winning at any cost that anything short of another World Championship would be a painful failure for him.

Would he really take a gamble like that?

[Roman_Wolf]

I doubt Shumi would come back. As it's been stated before, he's got not nothing to gain from this. And in case of failure, he'd be risking his legend status.

[Khazrak]

agreed.

But im very surprised that Kimi doesnt have a ride.

[Musthavename]

It's mainly just because Kimi was getting overpaid as hell as Ferrari. His redundancy package is effectivly way beyond what any team'll pay. McLaren could've, but even then, their offer was less than what he'd have earnt otherwise, and Jenson cheap in comparison, albeit an inferior driver.

[Brusilov]

I think the offer to Kimi is the full amount if he is not in F1 or half if he is.

The problem for Jenson is that he has spent most of his career in average cars. 2009 was the first year that he had a very good F1 car.

He is a very smooth driver and a lot will depend upon the type of car that McLaren produce for 2010. After all Lewis Hamilton is known for being heavy on his tyres compared to the team mates he has been teamed with so far.

I like the story from his first visit to Spa in a Williams. He complained that the 100 metre braking board was at the wrong place. No one else had complained (so maybe they were using something else as a brake mark) but it was found that the board was at 125 metres....

[Khazrak]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor...s-report_N.htm

looks like Schumacher is coming back next year

[Roman_Wolf]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor...s-report_N.htm

looks like Schumacher is coming back next year

I sure hope not. I was a huge Shumi fan back in the days, but returning would be a huge mistake. He is risking a lot for nothing.

[TheAussieDigger]

its not nothing if he wins the championship again, but i agree, he shouldnt

hes had his fair share of wins, he should let some young talent prosper and develop

even though the driver would be a not so young Nick Heidfeld if its not Schumi

[Roman_Wolf]

its not nothing if he wins the championship again

Ok good point, but what I meant is that it's highly unlikely he'll win the championship. I believe he'll even hardly win a race. He's a F1 legend and all, but I believe he's too old for this.

[King Nud]

i think that his reputation as a legend is so huge that he would have to be spectacularly bad to hurt his rep.

And surely even a half as good Schumi will be able to rival some of these young drivers?

[DAVIDE]

Wasnt Schumi a permanent neck injuried as he claimed to be when he refused ferrari? off course this year the car's was not so competitive.. this makes of Schumi an hyphocrite and opportunist..

dont kill me guys please

[Reidy]

I think he still has the injury. The reason it ruled out any comeback for ferrari earlier this year was because he would have had just a few weeks to try to fix it, which would not have been sufficient time for him to race safely. This time, though, shumi will have the whole winter to receive treatment, so it will be much easier for him to get fit to race by the start of the season.

And on him taking up a place on the grid... afaik he's going to race for one of the new teams right? In which case pairing him with an inexperienced rookie would be both good for the new driver, and the new team. Otherwise they'd end up backing up the grid like most new teams do.