DRIVER BIDSDefending champion Alan Jones has one offer. It's good money for one year at Williams.
1-95 Williams
96-100 Time to call it a day
4!
Jones doesn't hesitate and signs with Williams.
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1978 champion Mario Andretti has a 2-year offer to continue at Lotus.
1-95 Lotus
96-100 Return to USA is too tempting
52!
Andretti signs an extension with Lotus.
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Despite finishing third in 1980 standings, Carlos Reutemann was overlooked by Williams. Tyrrell is the only teams after the Argentinean but with a decent 2-year offer.
1-75 Tyrrell
76-100 Not interested in midfield scraps
57!
Tyrrell gets a very capable number 1.
-
Jacques Laffite is furniture at Ligier. He has a 3-year extension offer.
1-95 Bien sûr
96-100 Sportscars are nice too
41!
Of course Laffite signs with Ligier.
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Former British F3 star Andrea de Cesaris débuted with Alfa Romeo in 1980. Will he continue with the Italian side or join Williams' development squad that offers better salary but a seat at Osella?
1-55 Alfa Romeo
56-100 Williams YDP
42!
de Cesaris considers Williams but prefers the better seat at Alfa.
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Alain Prost is highly sought after. Brabham, McLaren, Renault and Ligier have matching offers for the Frenchman but Ligier's is nominally for the #2 seat.
1-30 Brabham
31-70 Renault
71-85 McLaren
86-100 Ligier
47!
Renault sign the promising young star.
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Nelson Piquet has an offer from McLaren and a slightly better one from Brabham.
1-65 Brabham
66-100 McLaren
15!
Piquet is unimpressed by McLaren's poor 1980 season and signs with Brabham on a 3-year deal.
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John Watson is McLaren's last effort at signing a #1 driver and the Northern Irisman has no other offers.
1-95 McLaren
96-100 Time for a sabbatical
8!
McLaren finally signs a driver.
-
McLaren are looking at Gilles Villeneuve to partner Watson but Ferrari has made a significantly better offer for the Canadian.
1-90 Ferrari
91-100 McLaren
89!
Villeneuve really considers his options but signs with Ferrari in the end.
-
Elio de Angelis finds himself in a tuogh spot. 6 teams are left vying for his attention and services.
1-27 Lotus
28-49 Williams
50-65 Alfa Romeo
66-81 Brabham
82-95 McLaren
96-100 March
29!
Williams completes their driver line-up with Elio de Angelis.
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1980 European F2 championship runner-up Derek Warwick is looking to graduate to F1, he has an offer from his former team Toleman and a slighly worse 1-year offer from Tyrrell.
1-45 Toleman
55-100 Tyrrell
94!
No question, Ken Tyrrell lures the promising Englishman to complete his line-up.
-
Didier Pironi has one offer left on his table and it's from Ligier.
1-97 Where do I sign?
98-100 Don't feel like it
26!
Pironi completes Ligier's line-up.
-
Mike Thackwell has an offer to be Williams' first YDP signing. He will be placed at March should he accept.
1-90 Alan Jones' seat is virtually mine already
91-100 I guess a better offer will come eventually
72!
Thackwell will be known as a Williams junior for the next three years.
-
Riccardo Patrese has received five offers: irresistible ones from Alfa Romeo and Ferrari and a couple unimpressive ones from the British teams.
1-47 Alfa Romeo
48-89 Ferrari
90-94 Arrows
95-99 Toleman
100 Ensign
7!
Money talks and Ferrari has to look elsewhere.
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Patrick Tambay is Ferrari's next choice for their #2 seat but March, Toleman and Theodore are also after the talented Frenchman.
1-86 Ferrari
87-96 March
97-98 Toleman
99-100 Theodore
83!
Tambay considers March's money but can't resist Maranello's call.
-
March turns their attention to former Renault ace Jean-Pierre Jabouille who would no doubt please their French engine and tyres suppliers Matra and Michelin.
1-95 MMM team
96-100 Testing duties for Renault are more interesting
17!
Jabouille will be March's #1 for 1981.
-
Keke Rosberg is coming off a strong season with minnows Fittipaldi. Lotus, Brabham and Renault are after the Finnish driver. Lotus however is offering serious money for him.
1-75 Lotus
76-90 Brabham
91-100 Renault
46!
Rosberg will partner Andretti at Lotus.
-
McLaren are looking for Nigel Mansell to partner John Watson but newcomers Toleman are offering #1 status for Nige.
1-95 McLaren
96-99 Toleman
100 Testing duties at Lotus or something
-
Former European and Italian F3 champion Piercarlo Ghinzani is next driver Williams want to induct to their junior team. He has a chance of joining either ATS or Osella for 1981 should he accept Williams' offer.
1-35 Williams and ATS
36-85 Osella
86-100 Future with Williams seems uncertain, I'll wait for better offers
91!
Ghinzani turns down Williams and waits for better offers
-
Fabi receives similar offer that Ghinzani got but his only option for 1981 is at Osella.
1-85 Osella #1
86-100 Not too keen with the 3-year marriage to Williams
63!
Fabi joins Williams on a 3-year deal and Osella for 1981
-
Williams' YDP is stacked but they're not finished. Stefan Johansson is next in line. He would be placed at Ensign. Ensign is also ready to offer Johansson a deal should he turn down Williams.
54 Williams YDP and Ensign
28 Williams is too stacked, I prefer to sign to Ensign on my own terms
18 Not interested
55!
Johansson snubs Williams' junior squad but signs with Ensign regardless.
-
Rinse and repeat: Eddie Cheever is William's next target but he has no guaranteed seat. Toleman offers better, money and #1 status and most importantly a guaranteed driving seat.
1-92 Hell yeah!
93-100 Williams please, help me get a better seat?
56!
Cheever is Toleman's first signing.
-
Marc Surer has offers from Theodore, Arrows and Renault.
1-85 Renault
86-98 Two year deal at Arrows is nice job security
99-100 Theodore is a welcome challenge
77!
Surer completes Renault's line-up.
-
Irishman Derek Daly has offers from Toleman and Theodore. Toleman has slightly better terms.
1-50 Toleman
51-90 Theodore
91-100 Not interested in backmarkers
-
Highly rated Italian Michele Alboreto has one offer remaining but it's from Brabham!
1-95 Brabham
96-100 I make generally bad decisions in my life
19!
Alboreto will be Piquet's apprentice.
-
Reigning European F2 champion Brian Henton is sought after by Arrows.
1-95 Arrows
96-100 F2 for life
33!
Henton is Arrows' #1.
-
Williams continues their YDP shenanigans. Héctor Rebaque is their next target with a seat at ATS looming.
1-20 Yeah sure
21-100 I could probably buy ATS if I wanted to drive there so no thanks
76!
Rebaque is not impressed by ATS and Williams' YDP.
-
Similar story with Salazar: Williams junior squad and a potential seat at ATS.
1-65 Yeah sure
66-100 It's not for me
3!
Salazar is delighted to sign with Williams
-
Fittipaldi are bidding for Dutchmen Huub Rothengatter and Michael Bleekemolen.
1-90 Ja!
91-100 Nee!
4 & 84!
Both men sign to make Fittipaldi truly orange.
-
F2 race winner Siegfried Stohr is rumoured to drive Arrows' #2 car.
1-90 The rumours are true
91-100 F2 is a better level for now
50!
Stohr completes Arrows' line-up.
-
That leaves Osella and Theodore with a seat to fill.I am expecting bids from them soon so we can continue with the season.
You can find updated entry list in the wiki:
https://formularejects.com/wiki/1981_CarloSpace_F1_season