The Official F1 2009 Thread

[TDE30]

Trey - proofread your post. :-)

Macca and Silver Arrows will be:

McLaren
Hamilton and Button or Heidfeld

Silver Arrows
Rosberg and Button or Heidfeld.


Kimi can go drink and play in rally cars.

Heidfeld has a chance at being a second driver for McLaren?!?! Since when? That "Silver Arrows" name is also news to me as well, this article was referring to them as McLaren GP. Either name sounds kind of odd IMO. McLaren/McLaren GP is too RBR/STR-esque, and McLaren/Silver Arrows seems redundant.

Oh well, I'm still a Heidfeld fan, if he can make a move up the ladder, then I'm all for it.

[Dave]

I think you are confused, Mr. Ely.

Silver Arrows = Mercedes GP (nee Brawn GP).

Mercedes bought Brawn - your post(s) seem to suggest Mclaren bought them.

[Dave]

"This will be an international team for Mercedes-Benz is a global player. If you look back in our history we have very often been criticised for not having a German driver, so we were always open and we took the driver decision always together with McLaren. This will be the same in the future. We want to have the best ones and we definitely do not want to have the pure German team - it's an international Silver Arrows team and we want to have the best drivers in the car," Norbert Haug, in charge of 'co-ordinating' the new-look team, insisted to Autosport.

[TDE30]

Oh Jeezus. So, McLaren-Mercedes will still exist next season, but this is just a side venture with Mercedes? In effect, Mercedes is competing with themselves? I finally get what you are saying, it just seems odd for Mercedes to buy a team when they already have one. I guess this is sort of like RBR/STR, correct?

[Dave]

No. Read the damn articles, Trey.

Mercedes owns 40% of McLaren now. McLaren is buying back that interest.

Mercedes is buying 75.1% of Brawn.

Brawn is now the Mercedes Works team. (McLaren never really was). McLaren is now just a customer team using MBZ engines.

[TDE30]

Okay. I was just reading this before you posted that, so it makes sense now. It's an interesting move, it seems that Mercedes was so convinced with Brawn's success this season that they figured they'd have better luck by making them their works team.

Thanks for clearing it up. If I still don't seem to understand it, just let me figure it out in 2010.

[racingsnake]

i think button will stay put he may not get the money he wants but they gave him the car that got him the title!

[E30Kaiser]

I like how Brawn was basically saying the Mercedes buyout wasn't going to happen literally up until the day of. So it seems there will be 4 silver cars on the grid next year. I wonder if Red Bull can have Mercedes power now since the only thing holding them back before was a McLaren veto vote, and McLaren is no longer at the top of Mercedes long term plans so....Red Bull-Mercedes 2010!

[quickervicar]

I wouldn't be surprised if the McLaren pewter livery is gone next year. Any ideas on the new colorscheme?

[Hick]

I wouldn't be surprised if the McLaren pewter livery is gone next year. Any ideas on the new colorscheme?

F1.com says Mclaren is keeping the name and color scheme

[Dave]

And now its official:

McLaren lands Button.

And with Glock to Manor, you definitely gotta figure Heidfeld goes to Mercedes. Heidfeld was the favorite anyway.

Montagny is the favorite for the #2 Renault seat.

Looks like there may be no Finns in 2010 unless Kovi takes a seat at Force India or one of the new teams.

[quickervicar]

F1.com says Mclaren is keeping the name and color scheme

But was that before or after Mercedes released a Photoshopped Silver Arrows Brawn?

Dave--you say it's official but I'm only seeing one source for the deal. (The Guardian)

[z31maniac]

And now its official:

McLaren lands Button.

And with Glock to Manor, you definitely gotta figure Heidfeld goes to Mercedes. Heidfeld was the favorite anyway.

Montagny is the favorite for the #2 Renault seat.

Looks like there may be no Finns in 2010 unless Kovi takes a seat at Force India or one of the new teams.

I wonder how Lord Anthony is going to handle Button being in the paddock with his prized son. :roll:

[Dave]

But was that before or after Mercedes released a Photoshopped Silver Arrows Brawn?

Dave--you say it's official but I'm only seeing one source for the deal. (The Guardian)

True. Planet F1 - headline makes it sound like a done deal, but in the story they solely rely on Guardian. Other sources say deal is "close to being done".

So maybe its not 100% official, but sounds like its happening. Even if MercGP was offering him the 8m he wants, its only for one year, and after next year then what are his options? He may be better off with a lower pay rate but three years guaranteed. 6m is decent - Kubica only got 3.5.

[quickervicar]

I wasn't doubting it--just looking for a press release. I'll continue to wait, I guess.