Maybe it's also a middle finger to Bernie after his comments about Nico being a bad champion if he won it.

Don't think Bernie will mind too much, this has generated more interest in F1 than Nico winning it.

Wasn't just Bernie, the media was all over it. IMO Hamilton's would have been a worse champion, cos he's complained all through the season. Nico's just got on with it.

FOM Fam making stuff up again.

Bernie is concerned with the commercial promotion of F1. Hamilton is far more active in this area worldwide and does a much better job of keeping F1 in the news and public conciousness.
That is what Bernie was concerned about.

2004 was far more boring than 2002. In fact 2004 most boring season in the years i've watched F1. 2016 is a 2nd behind.

Merc might go for the 'team' man Wehrlein rather than two #1s to save aggro.

https://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2016/...orld-champion/
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2016/11/2...orld-champion/
http://www.eurosport.co.uk/formula-1...48/story.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/37813595
http://www.autosport.com/premium/fea...world-champion

I could go on. But rarely after a driver has won a world championship do we see articles questioning whether they deserved it or not...

Aye- British centric press articles... Rubbish even for your patter. Mute back on.

Hope not, should be Vettel, they need to get a top boy signed up as insurance in case Lewis walks away at the end of next year.

And? It still counts... Even so, I didn't link places like the Sun, I linked places where the authors/publications are well known among motorsport circles & within the F1 circus.

It doesn't help that the F1 Media by & large is British of course, with the exception of a few publications of note.

The Autosport awards will be streamed live on Autosport.com, Motorsport.com & broadcast live on Motors TV. No mention whether this affects the highlights show on Sky later. Interestingly it says that the ceremony starts at 10PM UK time, has it always started this late?

So is this what Bernie was getting edgy about in the pre-podium room when Rosberg was talking to him?

Classic husband and wife tweetage.

It starts at 6.30pm this year, 30 minutes earlier than usual, so expect the stream to be run on a substantial delay. (which obviously is necessary to avoid the swearing and other bits that are not suitable for TV).

Oohh, Maybe the 10pm start is for thr tv broadcast, not the stream. But even so, if you read the article on Autosport.com, that doesn't make sense, the article says it's live from 22:00 UK time... Weird.

Is there a dinner at 6:30 followed by the awards afterwards?

Possibly, would love to know what that was about. It irked me at the time when he warned Rosberg about the camera/microphone in the room.

Massa is talking to Sky Italia about being a pundit there for 5/6 races on 2017.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns35407.html

Wowser, shock news with Rosberg.

Be ironic if Werhlein got the second Mercedes after being passed over by Force India in favour of Ocon, and as Joe Saward says Hulkenberg may be cursing loudly at having chosen Renault already.

I hope they go for a big name replacement. In a way I'd not be surprised if they went the obvious no. 2 route, but it would be much easier to do that if the regs were stable and they were confident of being the dominant team - with a reg change you may need two really strong drivers to win a WCC from e.g. Red Bull so hopefully that means going for a big name or at least a well-established name.

I wonder how many drivers have already got in touch to say "I'm available"

Juan Pablo Montoya.

Jp

Wasn't expecting that news today, i have to say.
I get his reasons though and he didn't drag it out either.

Id fully expect Merc to fill the seat with Wehrlein. I think he has some talent but, can he race at the top end of the grid?
BBC reckon Danni Ric may be in with a chance? That would be awesome!

Hamilton will insist it's Wehrlein. Much as he says "oh yeah I want a guy I can race fair & square with", we know that if he isn't the no. 1 driver both in ability or team preference, he doesn't like it...

Really?? Andrew Benson reckons Wehrlein, Ocon, Vettel or Bottas are all more likely choices.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/38185491

At the end of the day, no-one outside the team or those involved are doing anything more than speculating. Their opinions hold as much weight as ours.

So I'm going to throw a curveball and say Alex Rossi

That article has been edited then because when i read it a number of hours ago, it had Danny Ric as an 8/10 possibility.