F1 : 2013

Let's not forget Eddie Jordan also predicted Kimi to Ferrari well before any official noises were made.


 


That being said, Bulkenberg has explicitly denied any signing taking place with any team as of yet.


 


Here's the current rumour mill as I understand it.


 


Lotus have outright stated Hulkenberg is their first choice, but rather than do the sensible thing and snap him up, they're waiting til they finalise with Quantum Motorsports LTD (Formerly Infinity Racing) which will secure their financial future so they can show Nico what an attractive package they have.


 


In other news, Maldonado apparently wants out of Williams and has done for a while now. He has said that next year if he can't get a car he can win races in, he'd rather stay at home. With that attitude, I hope it's the latter.


 


Paul DiResta has said he's worried he may not get a seat next year, interestingly Sutil says he will 'probably' stay at Force India. Not sure why he's more confident than Paul.


 


Toro Rosso are keeping JEV and have added 19 year old Daniil Kvyat to their lineup (Despite Antoinio Felix DaCosta being ....... rapid at the YDT) so there will be 2 Russian teenagers on the grid next year.


 


And even more youngsters if McLaren have anything to say about it as they're pimping out Kevin Magnussen and Stoffel Vandoorne hard. If they're half as good as McLaren say they are, why not give one of them Perez's seat? So they're good, but not good enough to drive for them.


 


There is also the rumour Caterham are bringing Kovaleinen back next year. The only thing that holds him back is the fact he brings no sponsorship with him. Always disappointing to see talent sidelined while less impressive drivers can buy their way in.


 


And that concludes the rumour mill round-up.

See I'm still wondering if Rob Smedley going to Williams is significant, Massa comes with money and Williams need money. Maldonado wants out and Massa is an experienced racer who has something to offer. I could be way off but I just can't shake the feeling that is where Massa might still end up yet.


 


I think Sutil probably has a contract that allows both him and Force India to extend it, I can't see any other reason why he's so sure he will be there next year, well unless they've already signed him and just aren't admitting it yet.


 


Kovi did sit in for first practice for Caterham in Japan I believe, and he was fast as well. The rumour about him going back doesn't go away so it could happen. I think he deserves another chance there, he's good for that team.


 


Oh please, McLaren can't give away Perez's seat, they're still keeping it warm and trying to wrestle Alonso away from Ferrari to race for them next year

Lyria I agree, year on year I hope that Williams can start climbing back towards the front of the grid.  Maybe if they can get Massa along with Smedley it could help.  The Ross Brawn rumors are probably a bit of a long shot though.


 


The talk of Heiki returning to Caterham has been lingering pretty much since the day he lost the drive, it is a real shame there isn't a place for him anywhere so I hope this works out.


 


As for Sutil, I don't know how he got back in to F1 in the first place.  He is a solid driver and clearly has some good performances in him, but he doesn't strike me as someone on the way up or destined for big things, he's like a less good Nick Heidfeld

Robert Kubica makes his debut next month in the WRC. It's a shame he can't get back to F1, but it is good to see him back racing in a World Championship.

Kubica was actually considered by Ferrari for next year, but ultimately was ruled out as his injury would hamper him in certain situations.


 


I don't think he's ever going to be able to drive an F1 car again, but I'm glad he's still able to compete in other areas of motorsport.

Yeah I still feel bad for Kubica, he was looking like having his best season ever and then that accident. At least he's been able to get back to racing, I know it's not F1 which was his aim, but it's better than nothing.


 


So Seb was fastest in both practice sessions   Given he's been on pole both other times they've raced in India and led every lap there, it wasn't exactly a shock I have to say!

Lyria

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Get Hulkenberg in that other Lotus. NOW!


 


 


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/24446236 

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I don't know...


 


Even Frogjeans is afraid to re-sign for the team, presumably due to the same concern that prompted Kimi to bail - "Please explain again, how the hell do you plan to pay me?"


 


Watching Broullier weasel and squirm (he's almost as slimy as Flavio!) about the team's finances, I'm getting a bad feeling that Lotus in on the ragged edge of economic implosion.  It seems they've taken a gamble on producing the best possible car at all costs, in the hopes of attracting a big sponsor.  Not necessarily a bad plan, but If their sugar daddy doesn't come forward soon, the whole pyramid scheme is gonna pancake.

Lyria

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Yeah I still feel bad for Kubica, he was looking like having his best season ever and then that accident. At least he's been able to get back to racing, I know it's not F1 which was his aim, but it's better than nothing.


 


So Seb was fastest in both practice sessions   Given he's been on pole both other times they've raced in India and led every lap there, it wasn't exactly a shock I have to say!

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Who is this 'Seb' fellow?


 


I take it you and 'Sebbie-pooh' are on a nickname basis now? 

Geonerd

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Who is this 'Seb' fellow?


 


I take it you and 'Sebbie-pooh' are on a nickname basis now? 

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Well since he sent me a signed picture of himself, I do feel we're kind of close yeah

Excellent drive by my boy to take the championship. Great tyre strategy, they really made it work for them. Loved Vettel's reaction after the win too, he's really enjoying what he's achieved and so he should, he's worked hard for it.


 


I did feel bad for Webber though, he deserved that second place.

Haven't even seen it. I wasn't going to bother, but I'm slightly curious as to how Romain finished 3rd from 17th.


 


Although I know how he gained one of those places...


 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTZSnqPp2NU&feature=youtu.be


 


I'm glad you're happy Lyria (and I don't intend that to sound as sarcastic as it looks) but this season (barring a few standout races) encapsulated everything that can happen when F1 is at its lowest. I don't care how good a driver Vettel is, that kind of total domination in a technology-led sport like F1 can only and has been bought. I really hope the regulation changes shake things up next year.

Was worth watching just to see Vettel doing the skids in the Red Bull at the end of the race. They copped some ridiculous fine but I doubt they will care too much about that.


 


Bowing down in front of his car also showed that he knows it takes more than just a quick driver to win the WC.

I don't think it was bought 14X, I think it was ingeniously designed but Adrian Newey. Go back and look at how many champions have won in cars designed by him, this year was no exception. He's a genius!


 


Yes I loved Vettel's celebrations, that is what I really wanted to see live as well. I did say as he was doing those doughnuts they're going to get fined for that, but I'm sure it was worth it! 


 


I am also certain the new rules and new engines will shake things up next year, but I wouldn't bet against Red Bull and Vettel being in the thick of it and winning the championship again.

@14: you're relatively new to f1 arent you?


do yourself a favor and DON'T watch older races, even (or especially?) the glory days of the 80s will make you cry. i'm afraid motogp is the wrong sport too if you're paranoid  about perceived equipment advantages.


i can most certainly recommend formula 3 euro series though. (but be aware,theres also mücke motorsport :-O !)


 


....... vettel....same thing as with the klitschkos. can't he just screw up some starts and start making mistakes again a la 2010?


epic first stint on hard tyres, ,unreal speed and unreal consistency .well deserved world championship.


made the competition look mighty silly this year,especially when the rb9 clearly wasn't a superior car.


 


 


so how about this hamilton guy?  leaning a bit out of the window right now, but i think i could make a very good case as to why rosberg has his number this year.


i blame this season being boring on lulus inability to mount a serious championship campaign because of his lacking consistency and taste in jewelry.


if he could win hungaroring in a merc he should have creamed vettel at monza and spa but in the end it was him and everyone else getting fingered....again.

Hamilton is too busy trying to get Nicole Scherzinger back Writing songs and so on to impress her.

We're going to do this dance again cliche?


 


Relax, I'm not saying your golden boy wasn't a worthy championship winner. I don't have an issue with him winning races. He's got skills. He even proved to me I was wrong about him when I used to say he couldn't overtake for ..... So I'm prepared to admit when I'm wrong, and I'm not wrong about this.


 


The issue I have isn't when Vettel wins races and championships. It's the absolute dominance there's been in the latter stages of the season which has led to my 'bought' conclusion.


 

Perceived equipment advantages

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At this point, I'm wondering if you're trolling. Lets run with your example of why I shouldn't watch MotoGP. The Repsol Honda is the best bike bar none, are we agreed? Now, do we see them routinely disappear at the start and have nearly a 2.5 second gap by the end of the first lap?


 


So in MotoGP, there is definitely an equipment advantage, and for what it's worth I wish there were more factory teams on the Honda/Yamaha level, but at least in MotoGP you're watching to see which one out of three riders are going to win, compared to F1 where usually you're watching to see which one of one drivers is going to win.


 


Why do you think I like Jorge so much? He's on the second best bike, yet he routinely outrides those on the best bike to take victory. That shows remarkable skill, and while MM gets all the headlines, J-Lo has (to me anyway) shown he's been the best rider this year, regardless of who gets the championship.


 

....... vettel....same thing as with the klitschkos. can't he just

screw up some starts and start making mistakes again a la 2010?



epic first stint on hard tyres, ,unreal speed and unreal consistency .well deserved world championship.



made the competition look mighty silly this year,especially when the rb9 clearly wasn't a superior car.

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Now I know you're trolling, but fine, I'll bite.


There was a time this season when the RB9 wasn't the best car on the grid, it was the Mercedes, and Vettel was still winning races. I have no issue with this at all and was actually still enjoying the season. And it was this phase especially that makes me agree that Vettel deserved the championship.


 


Hamilton was unable to capitalise when he had the best car on the grid. If you want me to agree this is why Vettel has been better than him this season, I do. If you want me to agree that the RB9 wasn't the best car by a country mile by the end of the season, then I think you're full of .....


 


For me, the real turning point this season came at Singapore, that's when it became clear that Red Bull were still throwing a ton of money into developing the RB9 when most teams had moved on to next year. Most of them due to budget constraints, and Ferrari because they've forgotten how to build a good F1 car. This is what I'm referring to when I say that Vettel's dominance (note again 'dominance' not 'championship') was bought.


 


Formula 1 is led by technology. I actually get excited by the technology as much as I do the competition. That, for me, is a real interest about the sport, but it can also be its biggest issue. Alongside the racing we see on track, there is the development arms race that goes on in the garage. A lot of people like to think the drivers are super heroes, and they are all extremely skilled at what they do, but they make less of a difference in the championship than the development race does. For example, you only need to look at Jules Bianchi. Is he at the back because he can't drive as well as the guys in front of him? Or is he at the back because his team can't afford to keep up with the development at championship level?


 


Nobody wants to see Vettel deliberately screw up or drive slower just to make things interesting. (well maybe those mouthbreathers who boo him do) it's just ....... boring to watch. Red Bull have set the bar and it's up to the other teams to come up to it. The only problem for me is when the only reason they can't is that they can't afford to. Lotus built a ....... good car this year, and that's despite their financial issues. I'm always going to wonder if they couldn't have actually won a few more races (and possible second in the championship) if only they hadn't run out of money when the likes of RB and Mercedes still had their pockets full.


 


I would love to see a budget cap added to the rulebook. The only issue is, it would be impossible to enforce.


 


Hamilton ...... up at Spa massively at the first corner throwing away any chance he had at having a good race there. I will mark his report card as 'must try harder' for next year.

see , i always bring out the best in you.note that we agree btw, i was referencing the time of the season when mercedes had the quickest car and in race trim ferrari and lotus didn't seem really slower than redbull to put it that way.


seriously this time, do you think the red bull budget is bigger than that of ferrari,mercedes or mclaren, let alone by a significant margin? one word  : toyota.


because its not, every realistic estimate i've come across lists what red bull spend on their f1 team close to what mercedes spend and considerably less than what ferrari do.


will be interesting to see whats up next year, given that renault are very likely to spend less than mercedes who are believed to have something good already.


 


the rb9 surely is the car to be in at the moment, i never said differently. just the misconception that since 2010 nonstop it was head and shoulders above the rest of the grid is laughable. the turn around point this year must have been around spa where the car clearly gained another few tenths , but before that its obvious that other cars were at least its equal.


 


if you want to know why vettels dominance is so crushing you should look at the results of other drivers. as much as i'm inclined to excuse them because their car was just a tad behind for the second part of the season at least, does hamiltons and alonsos (or anybody elses!) points table look like they made it hard for seb?


 


modern f1 is ultra competitive,be only able to extract 95% from your car and tyres during a race and you don't drop back to 2nd or 3rd, you arrive 8th.inconsistency costs his competitors dearly.


more than the rb9 itself, vettel has (and excuse me sucking him off but thats what it is) a god given talent for the blindingly fast lap in quali and phenomenal race starts. he reminds me of lorenzo in that, and more importantly if i think about it, his on demand fast stints like schumacher. this IMO allows him to stay clear of most on track shenanigens (though he proved time and time again he can overtake superbly) and win "comfortably".

There all ......., give em a proper clutch and gearsticks!


Then we shall see who can drive.


Too much ........ electronics on the cars these days.


 


A pound to a penny some of us would give em a run for their money in equal cars these days.


They would be lost without launcH and TC etc.


Why I stopped watching unless nothing else is on.

lil red rocket pilot

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There all ......., give em a proper clutch and gearsticks!


Then we shall see who can drive.


Too much ........ electronics on the cars these days.


 


A pound to a penny some of us would give em a run for their money in equal cars these days.


They would be lost without launcH and TC etc.


Why I stopped watching unless nothing else is on.

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all for stickshift


 


but i think it was way worse in the early 2000s when super sophisticated tc and launch control were actually in use, got a lot better IMO since 2008 (?) when the control ecu with no tc/launch control was introduced.  shame that at the same time the engines became less and less powerful, i think the current formula with the v10s  (the v8 was a totally unnecessary and costly step towards the v6 turbos) would be awesome cars.


 


car wise its a shame that its not 1997, but at the same time i'm glad we're past 2004

I agree with Red, I want all the electronic gizmos off the cars and a lot of the aero crap that stops you getting too close to the car in front etc. I want real racers in proper racing cars. I also want tyres that allow the driver to give it his all lap after lap without being told to back off after about two laps, no more of this stupid DRS, if you can get by then you get by, being able to push a button and whip by when the driver in front can't do anything about it is pathetic and brings no skill of any kind to the sport.


 


Sadly that just isn't going to happen.


 


I agree that too often people complain that Vettel has the best car, well sometimes he does and sometimes he doesn't. He wins either way though, sure he's won more in the last few races as other teams have given up to concentrate on next years car. That is not Red Bull's fault!  I am also with Cliche, I see no evidence that Red Bull spend the most money of any team, sure they have more than the smaller teams, but then they've earnt it with their success and they're far from the only ones who are big spenders.  Look at the money McLaren threw at their 2013 car and look what a dog it is too. Money does not always equal success, sure it helps no one is going to deny that, but it's far from the only thing you need.


 


Read up on how often Vettel is at the factory, or talking to Pirelli about tyres, learning about the new parts they're putting on the car etc. and you'll soon see why he's so much better than a lot of other drivers on the grid. He's not at the front by accident, or luck, it's down to a lot of hard work and skill, plus yes you do need a good car under you as well, but it's far from just that which is keeping him there I can assure you!