Silly Season 2012/2013

[jdlive]

Robin Frijns is a future F1 WC, I've already had my prediction right about him becoming FR 3.5 champion, this one will be correct as well!

I´m not so sure about that one.. I think the one who looks the most promising is Da Costa.

Why? Not that I disagree necessarily, I know nothing about da Costa to be honest.

[mx_tifoso]

[What we can be quite sure on is they will meet again. This time in a STR and in equal cars.
I think RBR is growing a bit impatient and might kick out both drivers at the end of next year unless they make a statement that they can either replace Vettel or drive alongside.

I don't think RBR is getting impatient, it's just normal practice to kick them out after about 2 years. And after leaving STR the odds of going to RBR are rather slim, especially for these two imo.

And I think that Alguersuari might have normal Spanish backing because for a while now I've noticed that he is very neutral in how he speaks on twitter and similar situations. A lot of Catalan sportsmen will be really outspoken about their Catalan culture and Alguersuari has been very calm about it, not wanting to piss off any "Spanish" sponsors that look down on being ultra-Catalan. But this is just a slight obversation, don't take my word for it.

[CHT]

I think the writing is on the wall that Luca has got his eye on Vettel as Alonso replacement, or else he would have say something really negative about Vettel race..

http://en.espnf1.com/ferrari/motorsport ... 94154.html

"To start sixth and finish second, despite only benefiting from one retirement from another car, clearly shows the pedigree of Fernando's race yet again. Of course, yesterday morning we were all hoping to gain back a few more points in the championship given Vettel's starting position. Instead he produced a fine race too, even if the two safety car periods certainly didn't help us...

[dren]

You can read just about anything you want into that. C'mon now, that's really stretching it.

[kris]

I think the writing is on the wall that Luca has got his eye on Vettel as Alonso replacement, or else he would have say something really negative about Vettel race..

http://en.espnf1.com/ferrari/motorsport ... 94154.html

"To start sixth and finish second, despite only benefiting from one retirement from another car, clearly shows the pedigree of Fernando's race yet again. Of course, yesterday morning we were all hoping to gain back a few more points in the championship given Vettel's starting position. Instead he produced a fine race too, even if the two safety car periods certainly didn't help us...

Eventough it is streching it, assuming Luca decides to replace alonso with Vettel. I believe his nightmare would start when red bull try and get alonso.. Thinking what he is doing with his half decent car, Luca would surely wonder what he would do in a Red bull..Personally I would love to see Vettel in ferrari and Alonso in red bull even if were for a single season..

[raymondu999]

If anything (which IMO is a very big if) I'd think Luca might try to get them both actually. With Lewis mired in Brackley, it would mean that the grid's talent is all in Ferrari - and so away from other teams.

[banibhusan]

And how is Luca planning to manage these two talents? AFAIK, both Alonso and Vettel would never like to play second fiddle to anyone. Both of them like a clear number 1 status in the team. And if Alonso beats Vettel fair and square then I wonder how would Vettel react to this. It'll be just like the situation in Yamaha before Rossi left IMO.

Anyways, I still wonder why would Vettel leave RBR and move to Ferrari as long as Newey is there in RB. At least he will be assured to have the best and fastest car on the grid.

[raymondu999]

And if Alonso beats Vettel fair and square then I wonder how would Vettel react to this.

Both ways, I'd imagine.

Anyways, I still wonder why would Vettel leave RBR and move to Ferrari as long as Newey is there in RB. At least he will be assured to have the best and fastest car on the grid.

Yeah. It would be a dumb choice.

[mx_tifoso]

According to Carlos Slim in an interview with Mexican newspaper 'Reforma',

"We would not have our participation in formula one without a Mexican driver, so I think it is quite sure that for the first time next year, we will have two Mexican drivers in formula one for a full season."

[ESPImperium]

There will be no FP1 drivers at Austin i am led to believe. However when it comes to Interlagos, most teams will be putting a FP1 driver out there when they can as all teams are getting two sets of all the 2013 Pirelli compounds for FP1 and FP2 testing.

There are a few teams that argued that they should be allowed to run a 3rd car for this in order for the teams that may still be in a title hunt to focus on that and also give time to a young driver.

Request has been denied.

Id reckon that Sauber will have Esteban, Force India will have Bianchi, Williams will have Bottas, Caterham will have Van Der Garde, HRT will likley run Ma, and Chilton may get his second outing this year. Most of these drivers will have a place at those respective teams in 2013; only Force India are widely believed to have a different driver other than a FP1 driver.

[raymondu999]

ESPI, what is your source? I'm sorry mate, but you never seem to post one, and a few of the stuff you've posted here has just dwindled away to nothingland.

To quote our esteemed moderator,

I admire your "knowledge" but do you have any facts to back your information up? This is getting out of hand ESP.

[godlameroso]

What I want to know is, what's gonna happen at Ferrari next year. Specifically what if an on form Massa starts slapping up Alonso on pace. Massa knows its his last year, would Ferrari sack him early if he starts doing to Alonso what he did to Raikkonen in 08? Or will Ferrari keep "engineering" Massa's car to be half a second slower than Alonso's?

[banibhusan]

Why would Ferrari deliberately engineer his car to be half a second slower than Alonso's? They do want the WCC I believe and that too desperately. But yeah, Alonso will not tolerate being compromised. He wants a clear no1 status he won't let Felipe score more than him from day1. We all know if Ferrari comes up with a strong car from the beginning then Alonso, on any day, has the potential to outscore Massa(rare exceptions are there I know).

I tend to believe that Ferrari would have already made it clear with Felipe and based on this agreement his contract was extended.

[Nando]

Why? Not that I disagree necessarily, I know nothing about da Costa to be honest.

You will in a year or two

[raymondu999]

Why would Ferrari deliberately engineer his car to be half a second slower than Alonso's? They do want the WCC I believe and that too desperately. But yeah, Alonso will not tolerate being compromised. He wants a clear no1 status he won't let Felipe score more than him from day1. We all know if Ferrari comes up with a strong car from the beginning then Alonso, on any day, has the potential to outscore Massa(rare exceptions are there I know).

I tend to believe that Ferrari would have already made it clear with Felipe and based on this agreement his contract was extended.

To be honest I'm not sure what to think of Felipe's late resurgence. He's been quicker than Alonso quite a few times now. But I'm not sure it's entirely down to "speed" either. IMO there is a bit of it being Alonso falling back because of the mental toll on him. And after the season he's pulled out of the bag, who could blame him? He's driven darn well this year - and I can fully imagine that that would be a rather taxing thing to be doing, especially mentally.