As you heard by now Ross Brawn is joining Honda in 2008 and Jean Todt steps (or is stepped) down from the Ferrari Gestione Sportiva handing the keys to Stefano Domenicali. Todt will continue as Ferrari CEO.Its not surprising Todt stepped down, I was always under the impression he stayed this year only to provide some continuity to a team that had just lost both Michael Schumacher and Ross Brawn. Holding down the Ferrari F1 and the Ferrari SpA jobs cannot have been easy. It could also be that Monsieur Todt just has had enough, he certainly has been in motorsports a long time and with incredible success.
The whole Alonso musical chairs business becomes more interesting now as Todt was always the most outspoken critic of a possible Ferrari-Alonso future. Is this why Alonso has been holding out? can we imagine an Alonso- Raikkonen pairing as soon as next season? I doubt it.
And what a present for the beleaguered Jenson Button! After getting battered by the Hamilton effect and having stoically suffered a horrid car in 07 this must feel like early Christmas...
But the bombshell could be another, voices of a Brawn-Alonso package have been around for a while as have voices of an imminent retirement for Rubens Barrichello and of course there is the prospect of Renault getting a Mclaren sized fine... Maybe Honda, who is sponsorless at the moment, will be the the recepient of the giant sponsor package behind Fernando? We all remember what happened last time Ross Brawn joined a two time world champion at a beleaguered team.
I think you're on to something here. I think it's unlikely that Fernando wants to get involved with Renault given their upcoming problems and given the long term commitment they are looking for. But, Honda's go the money and now...Brawn! When is Rubino's contract up anyway?
ReplyDelete-Shine
He might want to go to Honda, but I wonder how impatient he is.
ReplyDeleteSuccess at Honda isn't going to come over night.
They are, essentially starting from square one (last season's car was just terrible), so unless Brawn performs a minor miracle, it will be another 2 seasons (most likely) before they start to win races.
And probably a year after that until they start to win them consistently enough to be championship contenders.
This is true, the 08 car must be essentially done already.
ReplyDeleteThe interesting new variable is Todt's retirement but it would be the mother of all about faces if Ferrari takes him now...
But can you imagine the irony if Ferrari turn out to be the team that runs two top drivers successfully and wins the title? Ol' Ron would ordering Pepto-BIsmol by the case!