Silly Season 2012/2013

[ESPImperium]

This is ridiculously early this year, with the rumours of a Perez/Massa driver swap or a Perez to Ferrari and Sauber pickling up Sutil rumour floating around as Ferrari are looking to get rid of Massa. Not to mention the Trulli to Ferrari rumour as well for a Italian in a Ferrari and the Rigon race seat rumour as well.

This silly season could be a long one, however it could be the best yet for the rumour mongers in the paddock. Usually theese rumors pick up about Spain, but this year it seems to be from the first event.

What will happen between now and the end of the season for driver swaps and the definitive 2013 season grid line up, there is a few contracts up for renewal out there this year, Webber, Hamilton and Schumacher.

[JimClarkFan]

Webber looks good for the year. Massa will be gone by the years end, in fact I see Massa leaving Ferrari very soon, you can't come running in at 15th when your team mate is picking up wins. Massa has bottled it since he has come back... physically I am not sure that he has ever been right since he got hit in 09...one might actually argue that he was broken mentally since Brazil 08. Either way he is nowhere near as fast as he used to be, and a team like Ferrari who like to win both constructor and drivers championships need two good drivers.

My only hope is that Perez does not go to Ferrari. If he does he will effectively be signing up as the teams second driver, because Alonso owns Ferrari. I think he should hold out to the end of the season and maybe pick up the vacant seat at Mercedes, Red Bull, and perhaps even Mclaren. Although I would like to see Hulkenburg and DiResta at one of the bigger teams because I think they are the fastest two young guys out there.

[Giblet]

Ferrari truly inspires Alonso, and it rubs off on everyone. Massa is more like the half of a relationship about to be dumped and acting all reactive. I think the love is gone. He talks a big game about the team, but I don't feel his passion like when he was alongside Schumacher.

[marcush.]

I think alongside alonso there is just no room for a top driver .It did not work with Hamilton ,why should Massa get along with the situation of being detuned to second service after coming so close to winning for the Scuderia.
alonso is just what Ferrari needs as we saw today -he can work wonders with a car barely capable of Q3 qualy....Massa has to find a new home ,sad as it is.

[jddh1]

I think Perez will finish the season with the Sauber team and then move to Ferrari. As a "graduate" of the Ferrari youth development system, I don't see him going anywhere else. He is a young guy therefore a year as a second driver in the team behind Alonso won't hurt him at all.
Now, Massa....hmmm....what will happen? I have no clue. Should have been let go after last year but they decided to bring him back. Now it's just painful to watch. I think that he will finish the season because I don't know who else Ferrari can get. Perhaps Alguersuari? Trulli? Will they do any better than him with this car? I just do know. All I know is that this will be like watching a slow motion car crash. Interesting and painful.

[raymondu999]

Well the last driver to put in a surprise 2nd place by virtue of an extraordinary drive while hounding a Ferrari for victory (while being on the day faster than the Ferrari in question) immediately landed a Ferrari drive (Fisichella Spa 2009)

[JimClarkFan]

Well the last driver to put in a surprise 2nd place by virtue of an extraordinary drive while hounding a Ferrari for victory (while being on the day faster than the Ferrari in question) immediately landed a Ferrari drive (Fisichella Spa 2009)

Well if history repeats itself I hope that doesn't mean Perez will flop.

[raymondu999]

Well the last driver to put in a surprise 2nd place by virtue of an extraordinary drive while hounding a Ferrari for victory (while being on the day faster than the Ferrari in question) immediately landed a Ferrari drive (Fisichella Spa 2009)

Well if history repeats itself I hope that doesn't mean Perez will flop.

On the other hand if he performs too well - Alonso could indirectly stunt his growth as a driver

[ESPImperium]

http://www.elconfidencial.com/deportes/ ... 013-97090/

Ferrari: Alonso/Webber

Leaves a hone alongside Vettel, who would fill it? Buemi/Riccardo/Vergne/Massa/Hamilton?

Who would fill in at McLaren? Di Resta?

Now getting into the new silly season propper.

Webber could move mid season, Buemi could get a race seat in a sharp end car to show his worth for a few races.

Looking like the hot seats are just about to start to get a good heat into them this year.

[raymondu999]

I actually don't think Di Resta will go McLaren. Mercedes works, if anything. For Vettel, I think either we'll see one of this year's Toro Rossos graduate into RBR, or Buemi will fill the seat for 1 year before the now-STR boys.

Webber has been rumored constantly for Ferrari though as I remember. The first was when Domenicali hinted how they needed to maybe take a look at Mark after his dominant performance in Spain 2010.

Why do you reckon they could move mid-season, ESPI?

[ESPImperium]

Get him in the seat and installed in the team so that they were ready to hit the ground flying for 2013. Means that Webber can guide them into what the difference between F2012 and RB8 is in terms of how the car handles and such.

And i recon that Ferrari are fed up with Massa to a point.

[raymondu999]

has to be seen whether Webber will give up a possible championship contender for something that has so far been a dog though. I'm not biting on the midseason. 2013, maybe.

[irang]

I don't see Red Bull let Webber go (why would they do? WCC is their top priority after all) or it's up to him contractually in regards to mid-season move.

[Websta]

It sounds like one hell of a dilemma - it looks as though staying with RBR in 2013 would be a better bet to challenge for wins, and I am quite sure that he will get an offer for 2013, but to be the first Australian to drive for the Scuderia is probably almost as tempting.

I agree with irang - RBR won't release Webber midseason. I think it comes down to the STR drivers - if one of them manages to impress by Spa this season, then I could see a move to Ferrari for 2013 as more likely for Webber.

[Trocola]

Alguersuari said that he had contact with Mclaren before been sacked from Toro Rosso, but I don't belive it could be true...


Trocola