[Cucoulkrory]

think its last chance saloon for;

Liuzzi
De La Rosa

Kobyashi might be lucky, the Torro Rosso boys will have to do something a little more to stay around.

MS - tough to call, think he will jump before he is pushed.

Trulli ought to be safe, think the 2 experienced drivers are exactly what a team like Lotus needs, and will still need next year

good analysis

I think Trulli retires along with Rubens

MSC is a tough call. I thought he would shine in China given the conditions, but I think that he has not forgotten how to drive and the adjustment period to a different car, team management philosophy and a tough competition are proving a bit more difficult to get up to speed.

I think both STR guys are safe. As is kobayashi.

Liuzzi has diResta breathing down his neck and might actually might be in a ride share or completely out of the seat by year's end. I think he would still be in F1 in 2001, but probably not with Force India.

[alicewong]

I don't see Schumacher getting fired , he brings quite a lot of publicity and sponsors to the team .... he might well decide to call it a day but I don't see him getting the boot...

I think Rubens , Trulli , PDLR are on the way out...most esp Trulli , who's brought nothing new and has long overstayed his welcome...

[CesseOveldset]

Changing chassis is SOP. They may have found a fault but I wouldn't be pinning my hopes on it.

If MS is just as slow with the new chassis - he'll look a proper muppet.

[Narkeere]

The team is going to change the chassis - number 3 - he has been using all season from the Spanish Grand Prix onwards.

I can only presume that they have found some structural fault.

Err... but wasn't Rosberg supposed to be the No.2 driver, who gets all the problems? Looks like after the swap of numbers by demand of Schumacher Mercedes forgot to swap the inherent chassis problems!

[zzarratusstra]

Don't be so sure. There are plenty of corporate bigwigs in Daimler-Benz who not only don't like Mercedes' involvement as a full constructor from a cost point of view, given the dire economic situation, but who also may well raise a stink about the $20some Million paid to Schumi. At those kinds of salary levels it just won't cut it to make 1/5th of the points of your team mate who makes 1/10th of the pay (or whatever it is... I don't know what Rosberg makes... anyone?). For that kind of money, results are a must, or the corporates will grumble. Arguably, Heidfeld would have scored a bunch more points this season already... pure speculation of course, but I just have a hunch on that...

Plenty of corporate bigwigs within Daimler who don't support the F1 project? Who are they? How many are there? How do we know this for fact?

Unless one of them is Dieter Zetsche and he's leading that effort, I suggest the lieutenants get in line, lest they wind up "pursuing other opportunities, effective immediately."

Look, it's no secret that I don't like Schumacher. But considering who is he and what he has accomplished, unless he ends the year as a total flop, I don't think that a small cadre of junior VP's in Stuttgart has the power to send him packing. I think that if he's doing that badly by season's end, he'll leave on his own - the man does have pride and an ego to feed. As for Quick Nick scoring more points than Schumacher has thus far, that's pure speculation. That's possible. Just as it's possible that Timo Glock might have more points if he was there too. But unlike Schumacher, neither one of them has PROVEN that he can get the job done. I mean, there's a very good reason that both those guys are now B List drivers.

I can't believe that I'm here defending Schumacher! Surely the planets have gotten out of alignment or
something.

[SimSlim]

The obvious one is missing: Webbo.

[ElcinBoris]

Plenty of corporate bigwigs within Daimler who don't support the F1 project? Who are they? How many are there? How do we know this for fact?

Erich Klemm, employee representative on the Daimler board and chairman of its Corporate Works Council, who decried [MercedesGP's purchase of BrawnGP] as an unnecessary cost when money is tight and other automakers are withdrawing from the series. http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/18/m...pelling-board/

He surely isn't the only one, given said withdrawal of Honda, Toyota, and half-Renault, and the recent losses by Mercedes. If the board were to not support it, there is only so much the Chair can do before facing too much criticism and/or being voted over or even out.

[ElcinBoris]

As for Quick Nick scoring more points than Schumacher has thus far, that's pure speculation. That's possible. Just as it's possible that Timo Glock might have more points if he was there too. But unlike Schumacher, neither one of them has PROVEN that he can get the job done. I mean, there's a very good reason that both those guys are now B List drivers.

That's true, it is pure speculation on my part. They may be B-List drivers, but the point is, how long will there be corporate support to pay Schumacher AA+List money with C-List results?

Btw, I am not trying to malign him. I envisioned his comeback with Mercedes long before it became reality, and anticipated it with excitement, and I hope very much that it all comes together after all, for the sake of F1 and "my" car brand Mercedes. F1 with Schumacher challenging is a lot more exciting (love him or love to hate him, choose your side) than F1 with Schumacher putzing around in 10th place.

[standaman]

Erich Klemm, employee representative on the Daimler board and chairman of its Corporate Works Council, who decried [MercedesGP's purchase of BrawnGP] as an unnecessary cost when money is tight and other automakers are withdrawing from the series. http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/18/m...pelling-board/

He surely isn't the only one, given said withdrawal of Honda, Toyota, and half-Renault, and the recent losses by Mercedes. If the board were to not support it, there is only so much the Chair can do before facing too much criticism and/or being voted over or even out.

I am rather sure that the board will do something with the employee representative's opinion as it's not his money who they are spending.

If anyone on that board, who is against Mercedes being in F1, would have had the power you talk about they would have never bought out Brawn.

[Byxtysaaqwuz]

Nah, the obvious one is Kimi.

If somebody with the work ethic of Schumacher is struggling, imagine how a lazy work-shy driver would fail to cope.

Skills and talent!!

[gundos]

i think Jarno Trulli will be replaced by mark
Sebastien Buemi will be replaced going on the way the work at toro rosso

[CesseOveldset]

The obvious one is missing: Webbo.

Nah, he'll have a drive next year, but I doubt it'll be in a Red Bull.....

[HoqCBYMl]

Probably Schumacher. The old boy has been very dissapointing so far this season

[LomodiorCon]

Nah, the obvious one is Kimi.

If somebody with the work ethic of Schumacher is struggling, imagine how a lazy work-shy driver would fail to cope.

Least Kimi had talent to win a WDC....same can't be said of Massa. Will Ferrari really replace him with Kubica?!?

[Byxtysaaqwuz]

Least Kimi had talent to win a WDC....same can't be said of Massa. Will Ferrari really replace him with Kubica?!?

Yup. It seeems likely that either Alonso or Massa will have to leave Ferrari after this year.

[Peter Hill]

So far I think that all the drivers have done a good job so far this year.

I'm sick of people slagging off Liuzzi for no reason. In the first two races he scored points while Sutil did nothing, and Tonio has been consistent and fast so far.

Schumacher has a three year deal which I can see him honouring, Kobayashi has only a handful of GPs to his name, the Toro Rosso boys have been fine, especially Jaime who has been great this year, and I see Trulli doing well when they sort the hydraulic issues at Lotus.

[Byxtysaaqwuz]

If we shall belive rumours, Pedro is a bit loose at the moment.