2012 / 2013 Formula 1 Silly Season

[Wouter Melissen]

It's that time of year again. This post is reserved for the grid of 2013:

[Wouter Melissen]

There are very strong rumours that Hamilton will be announced at Mercedes-Benz today and apparently the main candidate to replace him may be Checo Perez. It will also be interesting to see if the expected Schumacher departure was on his own terms ...

[Kitdy]

There are very strong rumours that Hamilton will be announced at Mercedes-Benz today and apparently the main candidate to replace him may be Checo Perez. It will also be interesting to see if the expected Schumacher departure was on his own terms ...

Confirmed (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/102891).

Lewis, in my estimation, has made a huge mistake.

I will guess Checo will win a title at McLaren.

[faksta]

I've heard the speculations about Hamilton to Mercedes before, but they did not sound real to me - McLaren is still a faster car and will probably remain faster than Mercedes next year. I wonder what the reason could be - Button? The more surprising is Checo to McLaren part - I never ever thought about this possibility, but if that happens... It is also notable how everybody just forgot about Kamui when Perez came up.

[Wouter Melissen]

Why is it a mistake? There are some remarkably gifted people at the helm at Mercedes and they potentially have the biggest budget.

[Wouter Melissen]

I've heard the speculations about Hamilton to Mercedes before, but they did not sound real to me - McLaren is still a faster car and will probably remain faster than Mercedes next year. I wonder what the reason could be - Button? The more surprising is Checo to McLaren part - I never ever thought about this possibility, but if that happens... It is also notable how everybody just forgot about Kamui when Perez came up.

Roebels ...

[faksta]

I'm also interested in whether Massa will have a seat somewhere for next year.

[faksta]

Why is it a mistake? There are some remarkably gifted people at the helm at Mercedes and they potentially have the biggest budget.

Sounds like Toyota :rolleyes:


Roebels ...

Fair... Not that it's really a big mistake IMO, as I think he will still be winning races, but the prospects of a second title will be not as bright now.

[Wouter Melissen]

Sounds like Toyota :rolleyes:

Not quite. Toyota was always dogged by the oversight from Japan, which slowed things down unnecessarily.

[Dino Scuderia]

Bad move, Hami.

[Dino Scuderia]

Perez confirmed at McLaren.

[RacingManiac]

Why is it a mistake? There are some remarkably gifted people at the helm at Mercedes and they potentially have the biggest budget.

I don't think they have the biggest budget. For a few season they are spending strictly at RRA level....

I still don't think Mercedes/BrawnGP/Honda/BAR is a consistent front running team, and won't be. While all the cards seems to be stacked, for some reason they are just not delivering the results. This season they are chasing tire, setup, and ineffective updates. They just seem to have endless excuses and no real solution to the pace that seems to be lacking. And they still have oddball reliability issues.

I don't think Hamilton switched for money, since McLaren was reportedly matching whatever Mercedes offered, but I think Hamilton wants to leave, be it as needing a new environment, or the fact that Ron Dennis is no longer the pillar which team builds on has something to do with it. At any rate I think he would be hard pressed to match McLaren's competitiveness. It would be interesting to see now though how Rosberg stacks up. Rosberg was pretty good last season but even with the win and pole in China, he is relatively matched by Schumacher 2.0 on pace this season....

[Chernaudi]

I wonder how Perez will get on at McLaren. All I can say is that beyond doubt, especially considering that Sauber is an underfunded effort compared to other outfits, the performances that Sergio have posted have been impressive, now we can see what he can do with front running, well-funded machinery.

Of course, Sauber is a prime example of a team with relatively little and getting a lot out of it as well, but if Sergio has done there what he's done this year, imagine what he might do at McLaren or Ferrari or one of the other higher echelon teams.

[csl177]

Well, $100 Million for a three year deal may not be "about the money" in F1 circles, but it's not shabby.

[RacingManiac]

I am still surprised by Perez going to McLaren though, considering how Ferrari seems to be instrumental in his path to F1....

[Ferrer]

I am still surprised by Perez going to McLaren though, considering how Ferrari seems to be instrumental in his path to F1....
Maybe they expect him to retire the car at every race...

By crashing into Button.

Or something.

[RacingManiac]

ooooo... conspiracy theory....:D

[faksta]

Hulkenberg to Ferrari? Seriously?

[RacingManiac]

Hulkenberg to Ferrari? Seriously?

Where did you get that?

[RacingManiac]

Alain Prost tests modern Red Bull Formula 1 car - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/102965)

Well Prost is not thinking of a comeback...but its nonetheless interesting...also interesting that he noted it rides stiffer than he used to. The last F1 car era he was used to was the active cars....although modern car probably still rides stiffer than the 1996 car....

[faksta]

Just rumours, in none of the sources that should be really believed, but they're going on and on. Just try googling that and you'll see.

[Dino Scuderia]

Ugh.

'Ferrari will retain Felipe Massa next season in what is planned to be a stop-gap deal before the arrival of Sebastian Vettel.
Ferrari sources say they already have a deal in place with double world champion Vettel, with an option for the 25-year-old to join them in 2014.
But Red Bull team boss Christian Horner insists Vettel will not leave.
Continue reading the main story
“
He's [been] doing an excellent job since a couple of races, so this is really very promising for the end of the season
”
Stefano Domenicali
Ferrari team principal
He told BBC Sport: "Sebastian Vettel, without a shadow of doubt, will be part of the Red Bull Racing team in 2014."

BBC Sport - Ferrari plan for arrival of Sebastian Vettel, but Massa stays for 2013 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/19941541)

[henk4]

Lance Armstrong never used doping....:D

[pimento]

Given that in the last two races Massa has actually been competative (finally) I can almost understand why they'd want to retain him. What will be fun is seeing what happens when Vettel is faster than Alonso, but Alonso is ahead...

[Wouter Melissen]

Raikkonen has been resigned by Lotus:


Lotus F1 Team is pleased to announce that Kimi Räikkönen will continue to drive for the team in 2013.

Kimi, who currently stands in third position in the FIA Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship, returned to the sport in 2012 after two seasons away and immediately showcased his pace, stepping on the podium six times so far this season - in Bahrain, twice in Spain (Barcelona and Valencia), Germany, Hungary and Belgium.

Kimi has already started giving his input on next year’s car, the E21, and will play an active role in the whole design process.

Kimi Räikkönen:
“I think my return to Formula 1 has gone pretty well and the team has done a very good job all year so far. To be honest, I didn’t expect to be fighting for the Drivers’ Championship this season when you look at where the team was in 2011, so it has been great to be on the podium so many times and to score points on a regular basis. I feel very comfortable with Lotus F1 Team and we share the same philosophy of racing. Continuing with the team was an obvious choice for me and I’m looking forward to making another step forward together next year.”

Eric Boullier, Team Principal:
“Kimi has made an exceptional comeback to Formula 1. From the first time he sat in the car this year it was clear he had lost none of his pace or technical feedback and we have been rewarded by a focused and motivated driver all season. For Lotus F1 Team to be fighting for such strong championship positions this year is in no small part attributed to Kimi’s talent and experience of racing. It was a natural conclusion for us to confirm that we will be harnessing his abilities for next season.”


Currently occupying third place in the Formula 1 Driver’s World Championship – with an impressive six podium finishes along the way – Kimi has certainly silenced the critics during his comeback season in Formula 1. With solid foundations now in place, the Finn is looking for more with the team in 2013…

What have you learnt from your return to Formula 1?
This season has shown me that I still love racing as much as I ever did. Obviously, I would have not come back to the sport if I did not feel like this. Driving a Formula 1 car still gives me the same inspiration and I feel the same passion for it.

Lotus F1 Team is your fourth team in Formula 1: how have things gelled?
I have been very happy with the team; how they work, how they approach the races and how they invest in developing the car. I think with the progress behind the scenes at Enstone we could be fighting for the podium even more often next year and also be able to make a stronger challenge for the Championship.

We, and around 500,000 other people, recently saw you signing an enforced contract on YouTube. How civilized was the process with Lotus F1 Team in comparison?
Well the team did not need to tie me up and blackmail me with a photo album, unlike certain other contracts you may have seen me sign recently. That was not necessary on this occasion.

How strong is your motivation heading into the last races of this year and looking ahead to 2013?
My motivation is as strong as it’s always been. I’m keen to race on.

How can you build on your experience from 2012 next season?
We have proven as team that we can build and develop a strong and reliable car. This year has been a good platform to put down strong foundations for what will hopefully be an even better season next time around. We know what we need to do to improve in some important areas, which should help us get even better results next year. All in all I’m looking forward carrying on working with the team to achieve more good things in 2013.

What have you learnt from this year?
I think there were a few people who had doubts about how I would perform after being away for a while. Personally, I didn’t feel I stopped racing at all. I may have been doing something different with rallying, but after coming back to Formula 1 I immediately felt fit enough – and fast enough – to start racing again. My hunger for winning is exactly the same as always and I think I’ve shown that I’m capable of fighting for victories. Obviously there have been none so far this year, but we have come close a few times and for sure we’ll keep on trying for as long as it takes to start winning again.

What’s the main focus for you in 2013?
Of course, the main thing is to do my very best every time, every weekend, every race. I think to be able to perform better in the races I have to find more from myself and from the car in qualifying. This season has shown that you have to be on first two rows to be able to win every time. It’s important to improve our grid positions for 2013. That’s one of main targets for me.

[Wouter Melissen]

Sauber confirm Hulkenberg for 2013, which casts further doubts over Kobayashi's seat for next year: Sauber confirms Nico Hulkenberg for 2013 Formula 1 season - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/103888)

[Kitdy]

Bleh. Who is rumoured to be the other Sauber driver? I like Kamui. I think he still deserves a seat in F1, but with Toyota having a program in the WEC, he has great opportunities if he loses in the musical chairs routine if F1.

[faksta]

If Kamui is out... don't know, to me he's one of the possible stars give him a decent car.

[Kitdy]

Bleh. Who is rumoured to be the other Sauber driver? I like Kamui. I think he still deserves a seat in F1, but with Toyota having a program in the WEC, he has great opportunities if he loses in the musical chairs routine if F1.

Answering my own question: maybe Esteban Guiterrez due to Telmex.

[KFA-R]

I enjoy watching Kamui, I like they way he opperates however, I think he has hit a bit of a wall this season. His run at Japan was good but qually results are not spectacular... Maybe the Sauber isnt the best on the short run but still. If I was him I would be slightly concerned for the future... Possibly a seat in the #7 TS030 for the 2013 Le Mans isnt out of the question for him.

BTW, its nice to be back on here... been a little too long!

[Kitdy]

I enjoy watching Kamui, I like they way he opperates however, I think he has hit a bit of a wall this season. His run at Japan was good but qually results are not spectacular... Maybe the Sauber isnt the best on the short run but still. If I was him I would be slightly concerned for the future... Possibly a seat in the #7 TS030 for the 2013 Le Mans isnt out of the question for him.

BTW, its nice to be back on here... been a little too long!

Indeed. Good to see you back!

Kamui seems a bit less agressive. The Sauber has also had very variable showings on race weekends. I would love to see Kamui in a #2 seat at a more top team (RB, Lotus) but I don't see that happening.

Maybe he will get the chance at a seat in a year or two's time, but he may well be headed for a seat in the 030.

[RacingManiac]

Sauber is lacking a bit of funding, if Kamui loses the seat, it'll likely not because lacking talent, but rather money...

I think Sauber's team principle mentioned something quite interesting at Korea about the relative performance between Kamui and Sergio. Races where Sergio did well, Kamui qualified better(into Q3), but as a result his strategic option was more limited and thus can't be more adventurous with tire call, and the car's running in a straight fight often doesn't quite have the pace compare to the first rung team so it can be caught out in the race. Japan was rare in that they had a good start, car was reliable and he actually was able to hold off faster cars.

While no doubt Perez is a great future star, his rise to McLaren probably still have some help with his massive Mexican telecom money....

[Kitdy]

I think Telmex is still on the hook for next year at Sauber, hence why Guiterrez may be there next year. After that, I can imagine them backing McLaren.

It's not as though Checo is bad though; he is a real talent. It just seems that maybe now in F1, the distinction between pay drivers and pay drivers is becoming harder to determine. You need amazing speed and amazing money.

[KFA-R]

The backing of the world's richest man is most certainly a big tick in the box... Money still drives F1 no matter how hard we try and forget it...

[f6fhellcat13]

Has Robert Kubica recovered from his rally accident? Has his window of opportunity in F1 passed?

[RacingManiac]

He is racing in regional Rally events(!) in Italy as part of his recovery process to racing. He actually won a couple of them....

[Wouter Melissen]

The backing of the world's richest man is most certainly a big tick in the box... Money still drives F1 no matter how hard we try and forget it...

Kobayashi's fans have apparently raised over $1.5 million to get him into a race for 2013!

[RacingManiac]

I wonder how much money he'll need though....considering most stickers that you see on cars are over $5 million per season, and I remember reading Montoya's interview in the past that he needed to raise something like $1 million for a ride in F3000 in the late 90s....

[faksta]

He is racing in regional Rally events(!) in Italy as part of his recovery process to racing. He actually won a couple of them....

He's doing a great job. I doubt we will ever see him racing in Formula 1 again (the only way I could see him connected with F1 is doing some demo runs or testing, to be fair), but in rally he could do very well taking his current record into account.

[kingofthering]

I think Charles Pic has a great future as a rolling chicane and as a backmarker to keep the grids filled. :D

Anyways, what's the deal with him? Still got money for next season? A part of me wants to see him succeed, the other half is content with making cheap jokes.

[faksta]

Pic? Was he bad? :confused:

[Dino Scuderia]

Grosjean stays.

Formula 1â„¢ - The Official F1â„¢ Website (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2012/12/14163.html)

[KFA-R]

Kobayashi's fans have apparently raised over $1.5 million to get him into a race for 2013!

Yeah, with who but? A very serious question!

[RacingManiac]

Kamui is out, apparently with his campaign it spurred on some Japanese companies on board. And he said he had as much as $8 mil Euro secured. But most rides have been taken already....he is aiming for 2014 return....

[Kitdy]

It would be nice if Kubica never hurt himself and had a seat, as well as Kamui.

[Wouter Melissen]

Crazy morning in F1. Timo Glock has parted ways with Marussia, apparently to make room for a pay-driver, while Williams share-holder and board member Toto Wolff has been appointed at Mercedes-Benz.


Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC (WGPH, Ticker: WGF1) today announced that Toto Wolff, one of its Executive Directors, will be leaving the Company with immediate effect to take up a new role with Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.

Toto will be relinquishing his seat on the Company’s Board of Directors but will retain his shareholding. Team Principal and majority shareholder Sir Frank Williams will continue to oversee the running of the Company with Toto’s responsibilities being shared between members of the Board’s Executive Committee.

Speaking about Toto Wolff’s departure Sir Frank Williams commented; ‘’I would like to thank Toto for his hard work, dedication and commitment to the team during his time as a Director of the Company. He was a key support to me as Executive Director last season, deputising at a number of races when I was unable to attend. However, positions such as the one offered to him by Mercedes do not come around often. Toto has a long history with them and I certainly was not going to stand in the way of him accepting this once in a lifetime opportunity. Toto will retain his shareholding in Williams and will always have a place at Grove but make no mistake; we will fight him hard on the racetrack! I am sure he will be a strong asset for Mercedes and on behalf of the whole team I would like to wish him the best of luck in his new role. I’m lucky to have a very professional group of people around me and the Company’s Executive Committee will continue the work they have been doing to ensure a successful future for the business.”

[Kitdy]

Wolff also owns 49% of HWA, who manufacture Benz's DTM machines.

How peculiar a situation.

F1B posited Vitaly in a Marussia racing in Russia for 2014. I see that.

[faksta]

Somehow I've always had a feeling that Nikolay Fomenko was never much interested in Petrov trying to grow his own protege Ivan Lukashevich instead. On the other hand, seems like Fomenko has become a rare guest in his own team late last season... I may be wrong, of course, but that was my feeling.