Dj_bereta wrote:CoopsII wrote:IceG wrote:Just musing. I wonder if the prevarication over Jenson Button is because Alonso is walking away and they need a quality driver to lead the team next year so are trying to tempt Button to stay?
I think if Alonso was leaving F1 we'd know by now. There are no other decent seats available so he has nothing to gain by playing coy and secretive.
Alonso can gamble if Red Bull leaves F1:
http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/24100/ ... f1-punditsIf Red Bull get out of F1, sure Mercedes and Ferrari will put a third car to fill the field. Sure Alonso will be one of the options for Mercedes in the third car. A race winning car that the Spaniard wants so much.
Well, we have heard Ron Dennis claim that he is keen to keep Button on, a decision which may be motivated by his links with Honda at a time when the relationship between Honda and McLaren is likely to be strained.
As for Alonso, though, he is in a difficult situation - there are few teams which could afford his salary and provide him with a competitive car, such that he does not really seem to have any options. In all honesty, he probably has few options than either sticking with McLaren and hoping that Honda can make a major recovery or bailing out early and moving to another series, such as the WEC, where he could cut a competitive deal with a major manufacturer.
AndreaModa wrote:No chance of third cars, not in the present financial climate. What do Ferrari and Mercedes get out of it for fielding a third car? An even bigger bill for running the team (extra personnel, equipment, organisation, etc) and for a driver who won't be as good as either team's first drivers (Hamilton, Vettel) except maybe Alonso, but why would either take him on in a third car to potentially disrupt an environment within the team that benefits both Mercedes and Ferrari? They both have two top drivers capable of podiums and victories - why upset that balance, or spend a ton of money running a kid who will inevitably add little to what they already have.
And how would the other teams feel if this third car was eligible for points? I highly doubt it would be, which is therefore even less favourable for Mercedes or Ferrari to field the extra car.
In short, won't happen unless we end up with a grid of about 10-12 cars which all being well, won't happen either.
The whole mechanics of third cars currently seem to be very much up in the air - it kind of feels like one of those situations where most parties really seem to hope that they don't end up in a situation where they ever have to run third cars.
Now, whilst I imagine that Bernie would try to move heaven and earth to get Alonso into a third Mercedes if that were to pass - he would probably bank on a prize fight between Alonso and Hamilton really drawing in the crowds - Mercedes have always seemed rather ambivalent at best towards the idea of third cars, and seem to prefer to have more manufacturers rather than fewer.