Rosberg throws in the towel!!

[VectraMan]

They do HAVE a very large amount of cash, they pay Lewis something like £30m a year.

I think Ferrari would want a lot more than that to release their star driver to their main rival.

[d000hg]

I think Ferrari would want a lot more than that to release their star driver to their main rival.

He's not been great this year though. About on a par with Kimi who is really only supposed to be a safe pair of hands. And it looks unlikely they'll turn it around next year so maybe they could loan him for a year

But yeah, Ferrari are the other one for who money is not really a consideration. Think Alonso might be a player?

[malvolio]

They do HAVE a very large amount of cash, they pay Lewis something like £30m a year.

I thought they ended up bottom after Sauber squeaked 2 points in the penultimate race?

Mercedes seem to prefer established drivers, let the other teams develop the drivers for them. So I rather a expect a big-name signing for both the driving and press side of things. Although I don't know how they feel about two #1 drivers fighting.

The only drivers who have no reason car-wise to want the seat are Red Bull as they're expected to be challenging next year, but they could throw money at either Red Bull driver as both are great.

Vettel has not looked too happy and Ferrari are in a bad place going into next year so that could be a shout considering Alonso and Lewis have history.

Hate to contradict but Wehrlein was in a far inferior car to the whole damned field, including Sauber and Renault. He also won the German DTM championship which is fiercely competitive. He wouldn't have a Mercedes F1 contract is he wasn't good enough.

[d000hg]

Yes and a works team like Mercedes want him to get seasoned in F1 by pushing him into a customer team for a bit. Manor => Mercedes would be daft IMO. He's very good by all accounts but too big a step if they want two top drivers rather than Lewis and a support act.

[ASB]

Max V is already 11/4 for next years championship. The rule changes for next year will suit his style. And Hamiltons. Toto is big buddys with Jos V. So them both in the same team would be incredibly interesting. Somewhat unlikely though.

[ShandyDrinker]

Max V is already 11/4 for next years championship. The rule changes for next year will suit his style. And Hamiltons. Toto is big buddys with Jos V. So them both in the same team would be incredibly interesting. Somewhat unlikely though.

I think Max and Lewis would be an interesting pairing. Max won't give a toss about Lewis' status, similar to the way Lewis treated Fernando at McLaren.

I think luck has played more in the world championships over the last 6 years a few times. In 2010 it should have been Alonso or Webber but Vettel stole it. In 2014 Rosberg should arguably have at least challenged it but was stuffed due to reliability in Singapore (broken wiring loom) and Abu Dhabi.

I'd love to see Alonso with Hamilton again. Give Alonso one last shot at the Championship as the 2 he has belie his true capability as the one driver who arguably gets the most out of what is often an inferior car.

[PurpleGorilla]

I think Max and Lewis would be an interesting pairing. Max won't give a toss about Lewis' status, similar to the way Lewis treated Fernando at McLaren.

I think luck has played more in the world championships over the last 6 years a few times. In 2010 it should have been Alonso or Webber but Vettel stole it. In 2014 Rosberg should arguably have at least challenged it but was stuffed due to reliability in Singapore (broken wiring loom) and Abu Dhabi.

I'd love to see Alonso with Hamilton again. Give Alonso one last shot at the Championship as the 2 he has belie his true capability as the one driver who arguably gets the most out of what is often an inferior car.

I agree, Alonso would be a great choice.

[centurian]

I think he knows that deep down, he just can't beat Lewis on an equal footing. He never once came out on top in wheel to wheel action in 4 years - not once.

He got very lucky this year with Lewis's terrible reliability problems - and even then, it still went down to the wire.

Fair play to him though - he drove his car to the best of his ability and didn't crack under the pressure.

So better to check out now as a champion and finish on a high.

[VectraMan]

I think he knows that deep down, he just can't beat Lewis on an equal footing. He never once came out on top in wheel to wheel action in 4 years - not once.

That's possibly true, but there were lots of times he came out on top simply by being ahead and Hamilton being unable to catch or pass him. And Hamilton only had one DNF due to reliability (in a race which Rosberg didn't win after being hit by Vettel in the first corner). The luck argument is a bit dumb.

[centurian]

That's possibly true, but there were lots of times he came out on top simply by being ahead and Hamilton being unable to catch or pass him. And Hamilton only had one DNF due to reliability (in a race which Rosberg didn't win after being hit by Vettel in the first corner). The luck argument is a bit dumb.

And the other 2 engine failures in qualifying put him down the field. He lost at least 35-40 points through reliability.

And if he had finished in front of Rosberg in those races - the championship would have been over by the start of October.

Rosberg got lucky - although he grabbed the opportunity with both hands.