Ralf To Renualt

[5vz-fe]

Weber said the 28-year-old driver, who finished fourth at the Australian Grand Prix, had already agreed details with Renault supremo Flavio Briatore.

"Every point of the contract has already been discussed," Weber is quoted as saying in the German newspaper, Bild am Sonntag.

"The signing of the contract is now a mere formality."

Ralf, the younger brother of six-times world champion Michael, has been unhappy at Williams for some time.

"Even if me and my manager Willi Weber would find it hard to leave behind our friends at BMW, there's a chance it could happen," he admitted recently.

"It would be sad but I can't allow myself to be treated like that by Williams. But I find it hard to understand certain things that have happened these past few months."

What do you guys think?

[aliendude012]

Meh, why would they want him? He's not the greatest driver on the field, and hes an ass to boot. I wouldn't sign him. Let him rot at Williams a little longer. Or if Willliams drops him, let him go to hell.

[5vz-fe]

LOL!! I'll say good for Ralf bad for Renualt ....... they both got schumacher blood, but they are entirely different on the track

[stradale]

Ralf may not be the greatest driver in F1 but he's a good consistent driver. I'm not sure whether he could be faster than Alonso though, because that's a very gifted driver IMO. Trulli is always fast in qualifying, but a little disappointing come race day. Ralf could do a better job I think. It would be interesting to see what'll happen, Renault seems to be on its way up.

[5vz-fe]

no doubt.....all Renault needs now is a better engine (I am glad that they dump that stupid 90 degree V10 last season)

[ae86_16v]

He is definitely one of the better drivers around. But for some reason, through out the last couple of years his actions have made him seem like a bitch. The fighting w/ JPM and now the fighting w/ Frank Williams.

It is hard to predict what will happen a year from now. But BMW Williams will have their hands full trying to replace two drivers. (It would be nice if they could pick up Button or Webber.) And Renault will have a top team with Alonso and Ralf spearheading the campaign. The question for Renault will be the exact opposite of Williams (where drivers are concern), Could the Renault engine and chassis win?

[spd]

for some reason William does not like to pay high premium to retain a driver, they would rather like to find talented young driver like Button to driver for them, because they only cost a fraction of the price. :(

[SFDMALEX]

I always beleaved and keep doing so, that Ralf is a good driver. He just seems uncorftable to be part of Williams. They never treated him that well.

[5vz-fe]

If Button ever go to Williams, he won't be cheap either tho

[espen]

Williams consider drivers repalcable like a light bulb. You need one but one is as good as another... Ralf is fast and imho has gotten better through 02 and 03 to be a serious contender. All he needs is a good car and a team that considers drivers more than an organic nuisance in the car.

When Renault gets their new engine, I think they will do well - tho perhaps not against Ferrari, who after all invented the concept of the modern F1 team and wil remain out of sight 04 aswell. Sad to see BMWs peachy engines combined with the less than peachy Williams - I wish just a few would miracoulously appear in Renaults garage... :lol:

[ae86_16v]

Looks it isn't happening just yet. . .

The news that Ralf Schumacher had all but signed a contract to drive for Renault in 2005 shocked many, including Renault team principal Flavio Briatore.

Schumacher’s manager, Willi Weber, was the man that revealed the negotiations in an interview with German publication Bild yesterday.

Weber claimed that a verbal agreement had been reached between the two parties in a move that would see Schumacher depart the Williams squad in favour of a French drive next season.

But Renault claim to have had no discussions with either Schumacher or his manager regarding a transfer, rubbishing claims an agreement had been reached.

‘I saw Willi Weber in Melbourne,’ Briatore admitted, ‘and we certainly talked to each other - we are friends, so that is perfectly normal.

‘However, at no time did we discuss, or have we discussed, a possible future for Ralf Schumacher in a Renault car.’

Briatore’s denial comes as a further surprise in an ever complicating story.

Some now claim that Weber’s comments were little more than a negotiating tactic, an attempt to force Williams to meet Schumacher’s increased salary demands.

Whether or not the above proves to be true remains to be seen but Ralf’s move to Renault was certainly short lived.

Neither Ralf or his manager have commented on the latest development yet but are sure to in the near future.

http://www.f1central.net/news/1078827279.html?PHPSESSID=b7331ac4aee6f30a95cea23e 9c0dfd4b


You see what I mean about Ralf acting like a bitch.

[kteo2003]

what is going on ???
montoya has already signed for mclaren and now ralf....
how can these drivers be competitive....?

[pengajim]

I heard a rumor last night on Wind Tunnel (US viewer call-in motorsports tv show) that Williams is talking to Jeff Gordon.

[yg60m]

no doubt.....all Renault needs now is a better engine (I am glad that they dump that stupid 90 degree V10 last season)

They had a 111° engine, the other have a 90° engine and Renault came back to a 72° engine because they have a lot of experience with this architecture.
Ralf is certainly a good driver but i am not sure he had enough talent to become a world champion, he would be crushed by Alonso, and Briatore denied the Willi Weber matters ... but it's Briatore, not really a people to thrust :wink:

[tekwar]

Ralf is overated. Alonso probably has more talent than him.
Lets hope this opens the door for Webber to get a proper drive to see him compete with the big boys. Ironically Webber is linked with Renault, lets hope they and Jaguar release to him to go to Williams who have expressed interest in him.

[xavifigui]

Not probably, sure it.
Ralf is a driver that needs to have a good car and performance to get good results not, like other like Alonso, a future championship winner, and webber taht with his jaguar obtains very good results taking into acount that Jaguar only have a good engine, only good, and other parts of the F1 are too bad.

[tekwar]

i agree that alonso and webber definitely show more potential than ralf. Webber especially considering he always makes his teammates lose their jobs in F1. I wouldnt want to be his teammate. :P

[ae86_16v]

Ralf Schumacher

Ralf Schumacher is ready to sign a Formula One deal with Toyota.

The German is sick of tenuous negotiations with BMW-Williams and could earn upwards of $22 million per-season at the Cologne-based team from 2005.

Earlier, Schumacher was linked with a switch to Renault.

But an insider close to Toyota told The People: 'Ralf has been having meeting after meeting with the team to iron out a deal and he's now ready to sign.'

- F1-Live.com

[gucom]

hmmmmmmmmm if i were him id leave williams as soon as possible, cos frank williams isnt known for his loyalty towards his drivers...remember hill after '96, he had just become world champion, and he got dropped by williams. BTW i dont c ralf doing anything special in F1 anymore, i wouldnt take him if i were Renault.
Also for Jenson Button, if i were him id NEVER go to williams, just stay where he is now, looks like BAR will become 1 of the better teams.

[5vz-fe]

If Ralf really went to Toyota, then he won't be going anywhere in the next few years..... Toyota needs to improve alot to get to the podium. Too bad all seats at BAR are taken

[campank]

I dunno I think Frank Williams is pretty loyal to his drivers. The reason why Damon Hilll and Nigel Mansell for that matter left WilliamsF1 was because they demanded major pay raises that, however deserving, Frank wasn't going to pay. So I think that Frank is loyal to his drivers just as long as he doesn't have to pay them too much.

As for Toyota, that is the most likely option as this thing with Ralf seems to me money centered, and since Toyota is rumored to have the biggest budget in the paddock, they can surely afford the $15M+ that Ralf is demanding.

[Anonymous]

i agree with gucom he should just stay. Grass is alway greener on the otherside. BAR is going to become a good competitive team. they just need some time