€€€€ talks

Another weekend moaning from superbrat Hamilton. Away from that, Rosberg on pole.

Merc have lodged a formal protest against Vertsappen's move on Hamilton.

Again I ask it is definitely worth watching the race highlights this afternoon?

I didn't watch it live.

 

Merc have withdrawn their protest. Common sense prevails.

Strong rumours of Renault possibly signing Nico Hulkenberg for next year. We'll see what happens there.

 

 

 

I really like Hulk so wouldn't be opposed. Rumours of Ocon to join him as well. I'd prefer KMag-Hulk as a duo personally.

I think it will be a KMag and Ocon partnership for next year at Renault.

 

Can't see Hulkenberg moving to Renault from Force India.

I can. It's a manufacturer backed team with cash. Reality is that Renault have a chance of being champions again, Force India never will. They lack the money and engine parity with the factory Merc team

Indeed, if Force India do get 4th place in the championship this year then you imagine that will be their peak unless they get taken over by a manufacturer in the future (e.g. the Aston Martin rumours). With Hulkenberg coming to the final years of his career, this Renault opportunity is his last chance to get a team that could offer regular podiums and the odd win if they do pick up from next year onwards with the rule changes. Of course Renault may not achieve super results as quick as Hulkenberg will hope, but this is Hulkenberg's last chance to get into a potential race-winning team as none of the other factory teams will take him.

 

I imagine Perez has stuck with Force India in the hope of Ferrari taking him in 2018. Force India do absolutely incredible things on their budget, but 4th in the championship this year is going to be their F1 peak.

I don't think FI's budget is a million miles off what Renault took a double WC on a decade ago. F1 budgets have risen in general since 05/06 but it could be achievable without spending Merc/Ferrari/RBR levels of money. The key difference has to be the engine. There's no doubt that FI has a superb chassis and some very creative thinkers that could take you to a WC (just look at the nostrils!) but they're a Merc customer team and Merc themselves will admit that there isn't engine parity. The physical block, the fuels, the oils et al are the same, but the software in the factory cars gives better performance than the customer programmes.

 

To win FI either need to be fully backed as an effective works operation, a la McLaren-Honda, buy from an OEM that will allow parity, aka Renault and probably Honda, or be taken over fully by an OEM. None of this is especially likely in the near future, so a move for Hulk makes sense imo.

 

If you go back to when Renault purchased Benetton at the start of the 2000 championship you had two "transition" years before Renault would even put branding on the car then they went 4-4-3-1-1-3-4-8-5 until the sell off as a result of crash gate. When they initially entered F1 in the 70's they did: Did Not Score-12-6-4-3-3-2-5-7-Withdraw. History says this is a manufacturer that will win races and be in the fight for the WC, if Hulk wants to do that, this is his best chance.

 

-- Ryan, on the Aston rumour - Have you heard if AM will build an Engine. What I was reading over the winter break, before they sponsored RBR, was that it was likely to be a rebadging of Merc engines still leaving FI in the non-parity dilemma.

No I think you are right in that it would've been a rebrand - so lots more money - but ultimately the same team underneath with Mercedes engines, at least for the forseeable. The fact Mercedes owns a little of Aston Martin (apparently 5%) may have put Force India ahead of the likes of Williams in Mercedes' affections but you are right in that they still wouldn't have had the engine parity.

 

I'd definitely be interested in Hulkenberg/Ocon for Renault and Perez/Wehrlein for Force India next year, two great pairings of an experienced leader with upcoming talent.

Yeah it's 5% and Aston could eventually end up a full part of the Daimler brand I reckon. They'd benefit from the stability. They're not known for being flush with cash having spent decades staving off bankruptcy and then spent years losing money as part of the Ford Group.

 

I wouldn't put huge amounts of stock in that share holding. The partnership is slightly more advanced than the one Merc-AMG has with Pagani because it includes a couple of electronics but that's about it. Daimler and Renault have a smaller shareholding in each other in % terms (1.55% in each other, Nissan and Daimler have the same cross shareholding relationship as the deal is 3.1% of Renault-Nissan for 3.1% of Daimler, which gives Renault the upper hand in the relationship given their 43% stake in Nissan) but it's worth infinitely more and they work on many projects together worth billions of Euros.

 

It's a strange relationship but it's why Ocon was the Renault reserve and why a Hulk/Ocon pairing isn't unrealistic.

I think it will be a KMag and Ocon partnership for next year at Renault.

 

Can't see Hulkenberg moving to Renault from Force India.

I was wrong and Silas was right :P

 

He has agreed a deal to move to Renault for next year and for 2018, possibly a third-year extension for 2019. I hope this move works for him. I do wonder who will get the Force India drive now, could be Ocon possibly.

 

 

I thought that an announcement was imminent after Hulks tweet this morning where he posted a screenshot from BildSport with the Bundesliga fixtures and didn't crop out the massive headline saying he was moving to Renault for €20m a year

 

 

I am thrilled with this news!! A few years ago when there was rumours he might move to Lotus I was really hoping they'd be true. I think he's a great driver, I've been a fan for a while and I can't wait for next year so I can back him as my teams lead driver.

Renault have just formally confirmed with a statement Hülkenberg has joined the team

Interesting move from the Hulk there! Renault signalling strong intentions though pinching a driver of his calibre, guessing Palmer will be sadly dropped then. Be interesting to see who takes the vacant Force India seat.

Kyvat remains at Toro Rosso for another year. Bit surprised by that.

 

Bottas and Stroll at Williams for next year.

Kyat still having a drive is a miracle. Especially as he just tagged Perez in the opening lap because he's a bloody moron

Maybe Toro Rosso will come to regret that.