I will get slated for this, but it's time for Schumacher to go. Realistically, he probably won't win again and hasn't really got anything else to achieve.
His 7 titles is liable to go unbeaten due to the current competitiveness of the field and the potential of so many other drivers. We'll have the Alonso, Vettel and Hamilton triumvirate fighting each other for a few more years, with Raikkonen, Button and Perez (and possibly Grosjean) liable to challenge too. Then there's the potential of drivers like Pic, Hulkenberg, Di Resta and Bottas too. Any one of them could be capable of a championship, given the right equipment.
I wouldn't wish for Rosberg to lose his seat, because I still think he's a cracking driver. I think the 6:1 ratio quoted earlier puts him in a bad light, as in a few of those races Schumacher was behind him before dropping out anyway. The commanding win at China proved he CAN win, but the car's far too variable to paint a clear picture. In a field as close as we have in 2012, Merc will wish for some consistency.
Why would Hamilton want to join Mercedes? It's a chance to get full backing from the engine department, and it's a chance again to make the team his own. He might motivate Rosberg a bit too, being former team-mates in karting and having raced against each other in F3 Euroseries too. Ultimately, it could be a fresh start. (Oh, and the £££...)
Why would Mercedes want Hamilton? Yes, he's a bit of a sore loser. But his determination to win is probably unmatched by the current incumbents. He'd be a good bet to kickstart the team's progress; having had the same driver lineup since entry in 2010 does bring stability, but is it a bit stale? Hamilton would freshen the team up, and give the team some clues as to how McLaren works and allow the team to change a few things.
McLaren would then be free to take on Perez. Personally, I think Ferrari are mad not to give him a seat in 2013 and with Vettel rumoured for the 2014 seat alongside Alonso this would mean there still wouldn't be the room for Checo. McLaren have the chance to punish them, and having two drivers with a calm style means that less compromise is required when building the car. I think a Button-Perez partnership would be a very good combination.
Massa would probably retain the Ferrari seat if the rumoured Vettel deal happens. There's no point in hiring another driver on a one-season basis, and Massa has upped his game too.
I don't imagine Hamilton would go to Lotus. Raikkonen and Grosjean has the potential to be a real force in 2013, if the former can find his old form and if the latter has learned from Spa. They probably wouldn't have the money to pay for him either.
Off on a tangent, I really thought Pic would be out of his depth. Admittedly, I thought Marussia were mental to boot D'Ambrosio out but it turns out Pic is a great little racer. He's the closest match to the more experienced Glock there's been so far and I really think he deserves to go far. D'Ambrosio does strike me as a Heidfeld-style driver; nothing flashy, but keeps the car on the road and is rather consistent. I don't believe he could have done any more at Monza, especially with the apparent KERS failure. As for Di Grassi, he was just @#$%&.
GPGSL: S6 - TafuroGP Tester (14th) /// S7 - ART Tester (6th) /// S8 - Demon Driver (13th) /// S9 - Demon/Snake Driver (13th) /// S10 - Snake Driver (???) ///]
"My ambition is handicapped by laziness" -
Charles BukowskiEdited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/2012 08:57PM by Incident 2k9.