Silly Season 2011/2012

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

@ ringo

We'll see how Perez fares next year vs Koba.

Kobayashi was the first driver on the grid to give up qualifying position in order to make full use of the extra set of Pirelli's.
So you are basing your speed theory on this....not exactly scientific.

And its also a prevalent fact that Kobayashi also scored over 66% of his teams total points(30 vs 14). Another pay driver will have probably cost the team postion in the championship and therefore cash dividends, eschewing your argument that Koba brings no money to the table...He does...with his performances during the race that you probably missed while praying to Hamilton. (just a good natured joke there ringo)

So underestimate Kobayashi if you like, but he did a great job of knicking into the top ten when at times he had no right to. You change to suit the car you are driving and Koba did just that. In a Red Bull who knows what he could do, as that is speculative. What is sure is that it would be bloody good to watch!

[ringo]

Answer me these simple questions:

1. Is Perez faster.

2. Does Kobayshi bring sponsors. And if he doesn't, why isn't he looking to atleast get Japan brands more involved with the team.

3. Wouldn't you expect that Perez will be at Kobayashi's level by next year, knowing well that Kamui isn't fast, and his points finishes were borne from strategy and some witty overtakes.

4. If you are getting Bianchi, a much more marketable face, just as fast or faster, more money and hype, better communication with the engineers language wise, what's not to like?

Kamui's failure is his ability to communicate what the car is doing. Also his inability to understand what the engineers are telling him. This is my opinon, but his qualifying record screams of lack of understanding, not so much pace.
Must Sauber struggle with this problem in 2012?
Kamui better find some big bucks if he wants to stay. The sushi restaurant business card in his ankle socks aint gonna cut it for sponsorship. He needs to understand himself, and recognize you can't get complacent in F1, especially if you are not Hamilton, Vettel, Alonso, Rosberg.
Money Talks and Bull .... walks man. That's just how it is.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

What are you basing this on ringo?

Qualifying? I already explained to you the subtleties of that yet you look at the the qualy stats and say: Perez is faster.

I think Kobayashi couldnt give a monkeys nut about that, as it was a tactical decision at most races to preserve the extra set of tyres if there was no chance of making the top ten....

And as you can tell from the points tally....this is what matter to Sauber most.

[scuderiafan]

Ricciardo to Caterham.
Petrov to HRT.
Sutil to DTM mercedes.
van der garde to Williams

This^. I agree with you on the Sutil move, still not sure about Petrov's situation.

[scuderiafan]

http://planetf1.com/news/3213/7372134/R ... Turns-Sour

Looks like Kubica's stay at Lotus is toast. In fact, it looks like his F1 career is toast.

[Tyler]

Don't count out Kubica, he'll be back!
He's been in other accidents before and it's never affected his pace or confidence.
He's a Pole afterall, they're as tough as nails - his career at Lotus may be toast but he'll be back in F1 driving for a smart team willing to take that risk.
I think that team will be Ferrari.

[andartop]

It's all about how you communicate to the media, the fans, and if you are charismatic. Robert and Kimi have none of that.
The safest driver off track, Hamilton, is a Holywood Mogul in terms of F1. Even Pedro De la Rosa has more Buzz than Kubica.

Thankfully, it's neither me nor you who are making the big decisions in F1, but people who actually know about these things. Imagine an alternate F1 universe where De La Rosa has a successful F1 career because of his charisma and Hamilton can turn piss into wine and establish world peace if you will, and I'll stick with my view that Kimi and Kubica are among the most popular F1 drivers of the current generation even when they are not actually racing in F1!

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Yup, I reckon Kubica will end up at Ferrari. He's testing an f2008 soon I understand, so there is already contact between the 2 parties.

Another Kobayashi point, Peter Sauber regards him as the "team leader". When your boss gives you this status and doesn't require you to pay for your seat despite the team needing the sponsors, you are doing something very right that perhaps the outsiders don't see clearly.

Bianchi may prove to be the next senna, but Kobayashi's place at Sauber and in f1 is assured.... I thank the good lord that even in this day and age, even small teams can have a driver who is there on merit rather than their sponsorship cash or "Hollywood mogul" status.

[Holm86]

JET: I read it as he was going to test a 2010 car which would make it the F60.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

JET: I read it as he was going to test a 2010 car which would make it the F60.

Quite right. Twitter wires crossed!

Thanks for the correction

[timbo]

JET: I read it as he was going to test a 2010 car which would make it the F60.

2010 car is F10. F60 is 2009.

[scuderiafan]

Kubica's going to test a Ferrari? I'd love to see the link!

[ringo]

And if he fails the tests miserably?

I don't think drivers are the same after life threatening accidents.
Even Perez never felt 100% for many races and his accident was nothing compared to Robert's.
Ferrari will also be weary knowing that Massa isn't the same driver, and to go to another write off chassis driver can be a big drag on the operation.
If he's good enough to be Alonso's #2, then he may get the drive. But if he struggles i don't really see him in F1 in the future.

2013 is a lot of time though. He should be able to reach a respectable level. But then there's money and sponsorship.

[Giblet]

After Formula Renault, Kubica moved to the Formula Three Euro Series. However, his move was delayed by a road accident which left him with a broken arm, and titanium screws holding it together. At his delayed debut at Norisring, Kubica, driving with a plastic brace and 18 titanium bolts in his arm, won the race.

At the Canadian Grand Prix Kubica had a serious crash approaching the hairpin on lap 27, in which his car made contact with Jarno Trulli's Toyota, and hit a hump in the grass which lifted the car's nose into the air and left him unable to brake or steer. The car then hit the concrete retaining wall and rolled as it came back across the track, striking the opposite wall on the outside of the hairpin and coming to rest on its side.[11] The speed measured when his car clipped the barrier was 300.13 km/h (186.49 mph), at a 75-degree angle, subjecting Kubica to an average deceleration of 28 g. After data from the onboard accident data recorder had been analysed it was found that he had been subjected to a peak G-force of 75 G.[12] Under safety car conditions, Kubica was removed from the car and taken to the circuit's medical centre, where he was announced to be "stable", although no information regarding potential injuries was known at this time. Shortly afterwards, his manager Daniele Morelli said Kubica was conscious and talking.[13] It was initially reported that Kubica could have a broken leg.[14] However, Mario Theissen later confirmed that he was not seriously injured.[15][16] Further reports from late evening on race day, directly from the hospital, confirmed that Kubica had suffered a light concussion alongside a sprained ankle. After being kept in overnight for observation, Kubica left hospital the following day.[17] On 14 June it was announced that as a precaution, Kubica would not race at the United States Grand Prix and would be replaced by test driver Sebastian Vettel.[18] After missing Indianapolis, he returned for the French Grand Prix where he qualified and finished in fourth place, receiving ITV broadcaster Martin Brundle's driver of the day award. He then went on to finish fourth again at the British Grand Prix.

I'd put money on him making a recovery as opposed to not if I had to choose one or the other. I doubt there will be any mental issue, if anything keeps him I think it will be for completely physical reasons.

[Donuts]

And if he fails the tests miserably?

I don't think drivers are the same after life threatening accidents.
Even Perez never felt 100% for many races and his accident was nothing compared to Robert's.
Ferrari will also be weary knowing that Massa isn't the same driver, and to go to another write off chassis driver can be a big drag on the operation.
If he's good enough to be Alonso's #2, then he may get the drive. But if he struggles i don't really see him in F1 in the future.

2013 is a lot of time though. He should be able to reach a respectable level. But then there's money and sponsorship.

Everyone is different in his/hers way of dealing with trauma after accidents. Kubica's history tells a lot about his way of dealing with it, it's by coming back stronger than before.

Why is Sergio Perez a good benchmark? Maybe you should think about why Perez has to mention this, most likely beacuse his performance was not up to the level of what was expected from him in the latter part of the season. Which leads me straight into the next person...

Massa has his injury as the sadest exquise ever for not being able to keep up with Alonso. The simple thruth is that he's not good enough and never was. Figthing with a "loose cannon"(rookie compared to yourself) for the WDC while having an unmotivateted teammate is a luxury you don't have these days.

I'm eagerly anticipating the first news about Kubica driving a competition car and then we'll se what happens. Looking at his physical progress(doctors are convinced he will return, it's just a matter of time) and history dealing with trauma, all the signs are positive. But, hey, let's not look at that at all and just be negative and generally say "I don't think drivers are the same after life threatening accidents".