F1 ‘Silly Season’ Plot Thickens For 2016

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Although it seems that the so called Formula One “Silly Season” might be over with, don’t really count on it. It is getting even more fun.

Most of the drivers have filled their positions on their teams, with Mexican Sergio Perez being the latest to rejoin Force India. However, there are not only some drivers to fill positions, there is more of a problem with engines than there are drivers.

Let’s begin with Red Bull Racing.

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This Milton Keynes, England team with the Austrian banner, has cried and moaned all season about being under powered with the Renault made engine. It is true that it is more of a problem than in 2014, when it won three races under Daniel Ricciardo. But when you have a team with an engine manufacturer together, it should be a joined union and they should work their problems out. This has never happened. When Red Bull were winning world championships, the sponsor was only with Red Bull winning, not the fact that they were being powered by a French engine.

Bottom line: no credit for France, plenty for Austria. As if it was not popular enough in other sports.

However, when it became obvious that things were not working out, Red Bull did not come together with Renault and did not solve the problem, they just complained about it and figured that Renault were the ones that made the mess, and they should solve it themselves.

The shoe is now on the other foot as Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn felt that they were not receiving any credit for their contribution and decided recently that the French car giant are going to remain in formula one, they had to either form their own works team and nothing else. The decision should come at the end of the year, and it is sure to be confirmed, but will Lotus who is the target of a takeover for Renault, survive after being locked out of their motorhomes because they did not pay the previous year’s bill for this season’s Japanese Grand Prix? It just keeps going… In Italy, it was the tires not being paid for, and for Belgium, former test driver Charles Pic sued them for not being able to be paid to test enough days during the season. What is next, losing their overalls?

Now with Renault close to being committed to Lotus for the future, the deal is that they are withdrawing from becoming an engine supplier, which leaves Red Bull and Toro Rosso with egg on their faces, and the ability to have to find another engine supplier. Mercedes does not want to give their engines to a rival, so that is out. Honda could supply Toro Rosso, but how good would that do? Red bull might have to try Ferrari, but the Prancing Horse has to supply themselves, the Swiss Sauber team, maybe Manor, unless they switch to Mercedes, and the new Haas team. The worse thing of it all is that Red Bull would like Ferrari to supply engines that are equally powerful to Ferrari’s otherwise they will withdraw from F1, taking Toro Rosso, Ricciardo, Dani Kvyat, Carlos Sainz Jr. and Max Verstappen out of drives for next season. Although Bernie Ecclestone is assisting, it might be that Renault is joining again, and the two Red Bull sponsored teams might looking for another sport. Are they serious?

They just might be. The new Haas F1 team will be in the paddock next season, and two spots will be filled next week, making only the smaller teams like Manor, and Renault /Lotus to decide their lineup. It seems that the Red Bull problem is more popular than the rest of the silly season, so that is the end of all the (if not all of the rumors) for this season.

Good grief. That is enough. But the show must goes on, so bring the popcorn and your favorite drink, the plot is getting better.