hollowhawk412 said:And what can you even say about this kind of mess... anything goes at this point... but the main thing is
Fernando Alonso is out...
McLaren want Rosberg to replace Alonso`
October 4, 2007
Word on the street is McLaren have already set their sights on Nico Rosberg to take over from Fernando Alonso next season.
The Spaniard is almost certain to depart the team at the end of the current campaign after his relationship with the Woking-based outfit collapsed.
Since McLaren needs someone to partner Lewis Hamilton, The Daily Mail is claiming that Williams' own golden boy, Rosberg, is Ron Dennis' number one choice.
'He fits the bill: his German nationality makes him the perfect replacement for McLaren's engine suppliers Mercedes. Nicknamed 'Britney' by fellow drivers, he is also highly marketable.'
That said, the paper mentions one snag: his dad, Keke, might not be too thrilled about his son—who’s still finding his feet in his second Formula One season—teaming up with Lewis Hamilton, who had the measure of him in karting. There's also the whole contract situation with Williams to deal with. Their boss, Sir Frank Williams, recently called Rosberg a "fixture for next year" and made it clear he wants to keep the 22-year-old.
'Another option is Renault's Heikki Kovalainen, who finished behind Hamilton in last weekend's Japanese GP. The Hamilton camp would welcome the 26-year-old Finn and he could yet form part of Alonso's severance deal,' according to the Mail.
The rumor mill suggests that if this happens, Alonso would head back to Renault while Kovalainen moves in the opposite direction. That would leave Nelson Piquet junior to step in as Alonso's teammate.
Sorry for the copy-paste, but...
Formula 1 big shot Bernie Ecclestone has suggested that if Fernando Alonso actually decides to "drop anchor"—as everyone's been speculating lately—and leaves the team after just two years, Ron Dennis should go with the German-descended Nico Rosberg for the McLaren Mercedes seat next season.
If that doesn't happen, we might be looking at the end of 2008 when the Spaniard's current contract finally runs out.
"When and if Alonso leaves, McLaren won't have much to debate. Nico is the right choice for them. He's perfect in every way. Kovalainen wouldn't be bad either, but Nico's huge advantage is that he speaks German," a German news agency reported, quoting Ecclestone.
Rosberg (22), the talented son of former Formula 1 ace Keke, is apparently very keen on the move. Having German citizenship would definitely be a major plus for Mercedes.
"Of course, I would love to drive for McLaren one day. However, I still have a contract with Williams for one more season," Rosberg admitted.
The interesting part? Unlike the friction with Alonso, Rosberg could probably actually get along with Lewis Hamilton, who's currently leading the charge for the world title. Rosberg and Hamilton actually get along pretty well since they were club buddies back in their karting days.
Could be an interesting shake-up...