| Free vacancies in teams give rise to many rumors The Formula 1 season is over. The most interesting events from the team garages and car cockpits moved to the offices. While the pilots are carefully spending their short vacation, and the engineers are hard at work on new cars, the team heads are deciding who will fight for the titles next year. The main questions of the upcoming off-season: will Michael Schumacher remain in the races and will Juan Pablo Montoya leave Williams?
The most successful driver in the history of F1, Michael Schumacher, has a contract with the Ferrari team until 2006 inclusive. This seems to completely remove the question regarding his future. However, numerous rumors can give rise to doubt. They say the Red Baron is no longer motivated, they say it's best to leave undefeated. It is not possible to verify all these speculations. Michael himself still promises to continue his brilliant career. Despite this, Ferrari executives already have to keep in mind the prospect of being left without Schumacher. And a replacement for the great champion has been found. This season's revelation is that Renault's Fernando Alonso will most likely be in the Italian team in 2005. To do this, Ferrari will have to pay Renault 10 million euros in compensation, since the French team has a contract with Alonso until 2006.
Juan Pablo Montoya is at a crossroads this off-season: the driver is choosing between Williams, his current team and McLaren. It is known that McLaren has set itself the task of getting the Colombian by any means. To do this this year, the team needs to pay Williams a penalty for early termination of his contract. According to various sources, it ranges from 10 to 25 million dollars. If the British do not let Montoya go this year, then next year he will be able to leave on his own. The pilot's contract expires at the end of 2004.
In turn, Williams is preparing for the loss of Montoya. Mark Webber, who plays for Jaguar, is expected to take his place. Webber, considered one of the most promising F1 drivers, in turn has a long-term contract with Renault. After the expected loss of Alonso in 2005, Renault could use the contract to force Webber into the blue and yellow car. In addition, the head of Renault, Flavio Briatore, admits the possibility of replacing Alonso with Jacques Villeneuve, who recently became unemployed. It turns out that if Montoya leaves, Williams will have to buy Webber from Renault or look for a new partner for Ralf Schumacher. The German himself signed a new contract with his current team. Under its terms, the pilot's salary was reduced from 12 to 6 million pounds sterling.
Smaller teams have more serious problems than personnel, but the issue with the composition of pilots is also acute. Jaguar hopes to retain Mark Webber next year, who had a brilliant season. This year he won 95% of the team's points. Justin Wilson appears to be leaving the team. The range of candidates for his place is unusually wide: Jos Verstappen, Alexander Wurz, Nick Heidfeld and Heinz Harald Frentzen. Financial problems do not allow Jaguar to choose freely. A person is needed who will have a personal sponsor behind him: a company that can pay the pilot’s salary itself and, in addition, support the team. The final decision will be made only in December.
Long before the next season, there are no exciting rumors around only three teams: BAR, Sauber and Toyota. Having fired Jacques Villeneuve, BAR invited the Japanese Takuma Sato to replace him and retained Jenson Button. Sauber announced long ago that they would replace the Frentzen-Heidfeld pairing with Massa-Fisichella. Cristiano Da Matta and Olivier Panis will continue to drive for Toyota.
It's a difficult situation at Jordan. Giancarlo Fisichella, the main scorer this season, leaves for Sauber. It is not yet possible to find an adequate replacement for the Italian. Ralph Ferman is clearly not ready for the role of leader. Minardi, F1's main underdog, will definitely lose Jos Verstappen. A couple of Grands Prix before the end of the season, Joos criticized the team's operating style. The pilot said that if it were in his power, he would fire half the staff, but in the end he has no choice but to leave himself. His partner Nicolas Chiesa is new to F1 and therefore jumps at any opportunity to gain a unique experience. If there are no surprises, he will remain at Minardi.
Finding the right driver for an F1 team is not easy. For example, Luca Di Mantesemolo, the head of Ferrari, invited five-time world champion motorcyclist Valentino Rossi to try himself as a test driver. Rossi promised to think about it, but not earlier than in a couple of years. This is such a complex formula for transitions. Ilya ZAKHAROV |
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