After a hectic couple of weeks encompassing two GPs, suddenly the F1 world is quiet again. This season's calendar, with its long gaps interspersed with races tumbling over each other, is very unsettling and I can't wait for things to return to the usual two-week gap.
This week there is nothing happening except wild rumors of driver swaps and a couple of test sessions at Silverstone and Jerez. Only Super Aguri and Honda are sampling the Spanish sunshine - the rest are preparing for the British GP in the unpredictable weather of an English summer.
Ralf Schumacher
Normally, there would be some interest in the times emerging but Honda are being coy about theirs so we cannot even compare them with SA's, and the others merely confirm that testing times mean nothing - they are all over the place.
Toyota have been fastest on the first two days, Ralf on Tuesday and Trulli yesterday, with Ferrari next up. Unless Toyota have made a huge leap in performance, that must mean something weird is going on. This morning, Nelsinho Piquet was quickest in the Renault but the remaining order was closer to what we would expect; and Piquet's pace can probably be explained by the fact that he has a point to prove, especially now that Kovalainen seems to be getting his act together.
So the tests are merely confusing for the F1-watcher and we must look elsewhere for interest. Which means the rumor mill, of course. Top of the bill is Ralf, still said to be in danger of disappearing from the Toyota camp at any moment, in spite of his denials. But I would say that he is safe for this year anyway, although he might find it hard to get a job after that. Word is that Raikkonen may well take over at Toyota for next season, with perhaps Alonso taking Kimi's seat at Ferrari. I'll believe it when I see it - that's a lot of contracts to be broken before it is even possible.
Then there's the Kovalainen/Wurz swap between Renault and Williams, denied already by both parties but refusing to lie down and die. The Bourdais speculation has moved up a notch too; once a "certainty" for Toro Rosso next year, the latest gossip would have him go to Red Bull instead. And Albers has the rumor axe hanging over his head as well, although where he would go from Spyker is anyone's guess.
It is all far too early for any of the rumors to be well-founded. Kimi and Alonso have time yet to assert themselves within their respective teams and are unlikely to be thinking of a change just yet. The rest is just journalistic wishful thinking, with the single exception of Ralf; if he is still driving a Toyota next year, I will be completely astounded.
But the driver market is currently over-subscribed, Renault and BMW in particular having more promising youngsters than they can find seats for. No doubt there will be a flurry of changes and deals done towards the end of the season, but not now - it's too early yet.
I will admit that it's fun working out who could go where, however. And I seem to remember that I suggested ages ago that Kimi would not last long at Ferrari and would be in a Williams for 2008...
This week there is nothing happening except wild rumors of driver swaps and a couple of test sessions at Silverstone and Jerez. Only Super Aguri and Honda are sampling the Spanish sunshine - the rest are preparing for the British GP in the unpredictable weather of an English summer.
Ralf Schumacher
Normally, there would be some interest in the times emerging but Honda are being coy about theirs so we cannot even compare them with SA's, and the others merely confirm that testing times mean nothing - they are all over the place.
Toyota have been fastest on the first two days, Ralf on Tuesday and Trulli yesterday, with Ferrari next up. Unless Toyota have made a huge leap in performance, that must mean something weird is going on. This morning, Nelsinho Piquet was quickest in the Renault but the remaining order was closer to what we would expect; and Piquet's pace can probably be explained by the fact that he has a point to prove, especially now that Kovalainen seems to be getting his act together.
So the tests are merely confusing for the F1-watcher and we must look elsewhere for interest. Which means the rumor mill, of course. Top of the bill is Ralf, still said to be in danger of disappearing from the Toyota camp at any moment, in spite of his denials. But I would say that he is safe for this year anyway, although he might find it hard to get a job after that. Word is that Raikkonen may well take over at Toyota for next season, with perhaps Alonso taking Kimi's seat at Ferrari. I'll believe it when I see it - that's a lot of contracts to be broken before it is even possible.
Then there's the Kovalainen/Wurz swap between Renault and Williams, denied already by both parties but refusing to lie down and die. The Bourdais speculation has moved up a notch too; once a "certainty" for Toro Rosso next year, the latest gossip would have him go to Red Bull instead. And Albers has the rumor axe hanging over his head as well, although where he would go from Spyker is anyone's guess.
It is all far too early for any of the rumors to be well-founded. Kimi and Alonso have time yet to assert themselves within their respective teams and are unlikely to be thinking of a change just yet. The rest is just journalistic wishful thinking, with the single exception of Ralf; if he is still driving a Toyota next year, I will be completely astounded.
But the driver market is currently over-subscribed, Renault and BMW in particular having more promising youngsters than they can find seats for. No doubt there will be a flurry of changes and deals done towards the end of the season, but not now - it's too early yet.
I will admit that it's fun working out who could go where, however. And I seem to remember that I suggested ages ago that Kimi would not last long at Ferrari and would be in a Williams for 2008...