This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Ferrari's Musical Chairs for 2007

Austin

Austin

Joined Mar 2005
7K Posts | 20+
Woody Creek
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ferrari will only be interested in offering Valentino Rossi a race seat in 2007 if Michael Schumacher remains with the team. Ferrari feels that should Schumacher leave the team and is replaced by Kimi Raikkonen then there will already be enough unfamiliarity in the team without throwing Valentino into the mix. Should Schumacher reup for Ferrari in 2007 there is still stiff competition for the other seat including Raikkonen and current no. 2 driver Felipe Massa who has been impressive in his first tests with the team.

Schumacher is to announce his intentions in June of this year.

Check out the article in its entirety as reported by Crash.net, here.
 
It doesn't make any sense to me. MS is a winner, he is not there to teach Rossi or anyone else nothing. If Schumacher stays, Rossi would have to play second fidle to MS, and Rossi is not that type of guy, he is also a winner and won't accept a nº2 status in the team.
Maybe 1 year, but not more, and there's no warranty that MS would quit at the end of 2007 if he hasn't quit this season. Rossi won't sign a long term contract knowing he isn't allowed to win unless something happens to MS.

And that's without taking Massa and Raikkonen into account.

Because that another tricky issue, Massa has been related to Ferrari for a few years now, he was considered as a future project when he signed as test driver for Ferrari a couple of years ago. And now he is a race driver. It doesn't make sense to dump him for Rossi after spending so much money and time on Massa. And there's also the fact that Massa's manager is Toadt's son (Toadt is the boss of Ferrari).
 
There just seems like a lot of things stacked against Rossi racing for Ferrari in F1. Interestingly related in some way, Rossi just completed a secret test for the Maserati ALMS series and was within only tenths of a second of the teams normal driver after 15 laps. Not only can Rossi beat the sense out of motorcycle racers, he can also embarrass the world karting champion, run competitive rally times, be respectable in F1 machines and now be instantly competitive in ALMS.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (teomolca @ Feb 12 2006, 11:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Rossi won't sign a long term contract knowing he isn't allowed to win unless something happens to MS.

Is that how an F1 team works??? That sucks! I wouldnt sign on if I were Rossi either.
 
Schumacher just signed a two year deal to stay on at Ferrari. There is a lot of speculation about Kimi Raikkonen signing a letter of intenet already for 2007 and beyond. Interestingly enough, Rossi has just come out and said that he has been thinking a lot about it and said he will make a decision by June. Funny that June was the original deadline Ferrari laid out for Rossi to decide by. All quite interesting that Ferrari told Rossi he needed to make up his mind by June, the rumors that Ferrari wouldn't sign Rossi if Schumacher left, Schumacher announces his signing with Ferrari and Rossi's announcement that a decision will be made by June. Anyone else see the connections that I'm seeing here?
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ooost @ Apr 16 2006, 05:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Schumacher just signed a two year deal to stay on at Ferrari.

<span style="font-size:36pt;line-height:100%WHAT??? WHEN???
 
My mistake, I shouldn't have written that as fact. Inside sources at Ferrari say the contract is signed but there will be no official announcement until summer. The contract is said to be a two year deal with an option for Schumacher to opt out a year early if he wishes at a total worth of 60 million pounds. Read the entire story here courtesy of Crash.net.
 
Why would Ferrari increase Michael's already ridiculously high salary considering he is getting old and next year he will be older and therefore slower?

If this is true, Willy Weber is a GENIUS.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ooost @ Apr 16 2006, 10:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Anyone else see the connections that I'm seeing here?
hmmmm...... i just don't see this happening
<
but who knows he's gotta decide it's now or probably never. there piling the pressure on, will he go? with the way he is i can't see him enjoying f1 very much.
<
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rossi 46 winner @ Apr 16 2006, 01:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>is shuey getting slower or is the car weak?
I blame the car not the driver in this case.
 
The F1 rumor mill is going strong in the latest article involving Ferrari's future plans. Insiders say that Kimi Raikkonen will be announced as a Ferrari pilot for 2007 and say the deal may have been signed as early as the middle of last season. That, coupled with the rumor that Schumacher has already signed a two year deal leaves Rossi in the cold with Ferrari in 2007. Still, some believe that Schumacher has in fact not signed a contract with Ferrari and rather is looking at coming full circle in joining Flavio Briatore and replacing Fernando Alonso at Renault. Thus, making room for Rossi. The question of Alonso's teammate is still in question with the rumors of Raikkonen joining Ferrari and Montoya's near certain departure for a Red Bull ride. Teo, what does it all mean!?! Check out the Crash.net article here.
 
As far as I know they are all just rumours. Some make sense, some don't.

I think Kimi going to Ferrari depends on Schumacher's decision (so Kimi having signed for Ferrari last year = bollocks). I think Schumi will stay in Ferrari therefore, Kimi wont go to Ferrari because he is not willing to be nº2. He will probably stay in McLaren, that's the best offer he is got on the table. If MS decides to retire then Kimi might go to Ferrari, Toadt has never hidden his interest in Kimi.

The Schumi going to Renault scenario is a joke, I would be VERY VERY VERY surprised if MS left Ferrari for Renault. Schumi has always said that he would retire with Ferrari. I just think Weber (Schumi's manager) is trying to make Schumi's price go up.

When was the last time Renault spend squillions on a driver .... errr .... NEVER!!! So I think that rules out Schumacher and Raikkonen. I think Kovalainen has a very big chance of driving for Renault next year. And Mark Webber would be next most logical choice. Since he is managed by Flav, Symonds likes him a lot and his contract with Williams ends this year.

That would make sense because Wurz signing as Williams test driver would only make sense if he is promoted to race driver next year, Rosberg has a 5 year deal so Wurz would evidently take Webber's seat.


I think 2007 will look like this:

McLaren:
Alonso
Raikkonen

Ferrari:
Schumacher
Massa

Renault
Montoya/Fisichella (it depends on how good is Fisi this year)
Kovalainen

Rossi will stay on 2 wheels.
 
Hey, Teo, where does Webber fit into that?
<
Surely not with that team hes with this year with their crap engines and stuff

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (teomolca @ Apr 18 2006, 05:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>When was the last time Renault spend squillions on a driver .... errr .... NEVER!!!

<
Is that because you think Alonso should be getting paid more than Bill Gates?
 
Williams is not that bad, the Cosworth engine seems pretty good. And don't say that in an F1-Forum, the poms will jump on you!!!, how do you DARE critizise the ALL BRITISH Williams-Cosworth team!!!
<
<
<


Webber's contract ends this year, Wurz signed as a test driver for Williams this year, which was a very weird thing to do (leave McLaren for Williams) unless he has been promised a race seat for 2007. If Wurz is promoted to race driver that means Webber is leaving because the other Williams driver (Rosberg) has a 5 year contract.
Webber's has some management links to Renault's boss Flavio Briatore, plus Symonds (Renault's race director) likes Webber a lot. So it would make sense if Webber ended up in Renault next year.
 
according to what i read today Schumi hasnt yet signed anything and his contract is up at the end of the season but Ferrari expect him to have made a decision by may/june time
 
How will he get on Renault if Kovalainen has the number 2 car? And I only said that about Williams because whenever I`ve watched them this year they blow up.
 

Similar threads

C
F1 spy given jail sentence
Replies
2
Views
1K
cliche guevara
cliche guevara
Pigeon
2011 Brivio = "The greatest danger is Ferrari switch
Replies
27
Views
5K
ROCKGOD01
ROCKGOD01
Pigeon
Italy's MotoGp Drought.12-months without a win
Replies
2
Views
2K
FTE217
F
Pigeon
Massa and Domenicali admit they want Rossi in F1
Replies
2
Views
1K
lad
L
Pigeon
ROSSI REGRETS NOT MAKING SWITCH TO FERRARI
Replies
24
Views
4K
michaelm
M

Recent Discussions