Silly Season 2013/14

[Kiril Varbanov]

More silly season 'noticias' - Maldonado connected to Ferrari for 2014 - http://www.correodelorinoco.gob.ve/mult ... a-ferrari/

[marcush.]

with Russian money in at Sauber one would think Petrov should be on their list of potential drivers ,after all he has shown speed and racecraft and would also be a nice fit in this team.
What about Juncadela -he has russian money as well but is Mercedes connected ....it looks like sauber is happy to stay with Ferrari.

[beelsebob]

What's with the number of people pushing Petrov just now? He was a spectacular failure in an F1 seat, and couldn't bring enough money to keep himself even in one of the low end teams. The guy's greatest claim to fame was probably crashing before even reaching the start/finish line once in a race.

[iotar__]

with Russian money in at Sauber one would think Petrov should be on their list of potential drivers ,after all he has shown speed and racecraft and would also be a nice fit in this team.
What about Juncadela -he has russian money as well but is Mercedes connected ....it looks like sauber is happy to stay with Ferrari.

We've been through this before, it's Sirotkin's father that is involved not Petrov's. If the second seat is Slim's Gutierrez should stay, too early to write him off anyway. It wouldn't be the strongest line up but at least they'd survive.

Meanwhile at the hight of irony Webber is lamenting about pay drivers situation. Guess what Mark, the missing budgets that's filled by them goes straight into your car and paycheck. That extra money for nothing that goes to RB instead of Saubers. Secondly those pay drivers happen to be mostly good. Grid is strong enough, problem is there's too many teams that are barely surviving.

[SectorOne]

with Russian money in at Sauber one would think Petrov should be on their list of potential drivers ,after all he has shown speed and racecraft and would also be a nice fit in this team.
What about Juncadela -he has russian money as well but is Mercedes connected ....it looks like sauber is happy to stay with Ferrari.

Sirotkin is getting the seat.

[marcush.]

with Russian money in at Sauber one would think Petrov should be on their list of potential drivers ,after all he has shown speed and racecraft and would also be a nice fit in this team.
What about Juncadela -he has russian money as well but is Mercedes connected ....it looks like sauber is happy to stay with Ferrari.

Sirotkin is getting the seat.

where is his superlicense?
I think they will sson realise there is not much sense in putting him into the car instantly.

[Mika1]

with Russian money in at Sauber one would think Petrov should be on their list of potential drivers ,after all he has shown speed and racecraft and would also be a nice fit in this team.
What about Juncadela -he has russian money as well but is Mercedes connected ....it looks like sauber is happy to stay with Ferrari.

Sirotkin is getting the seat.

where is his superlicense?
I think they will sson realise there is not much sense in putting him into the car instantly.

Sauber said they will reveal their programm with him soon. His dad is one of the big Russian sponsors, 1+1=2.

[sennafan24]

More silly season 'noticias' - Maldonado connected to Ferrari for 2014 - http://www.correodelorinoco.gob.ve/mult ... a-ferrari/

Pastor's name cropped up with Lotus earlier in the year if I recall right. This is even more unlikely in my opinion, as Ferrari have Hulky and the F.I drivers in the frame, I think most would rate Hulky better than Pastor at least.

I doubt Pastor will be able to leave Williams, it did sound like he was under a iron clad contract. Silly season indeed, but I do enjoy all the speculation.

[beelsebob]

More silly season 'noticias' - Maldonado connected to Ferrari for 2014 - http://www.correodelorinoco.gob.ve/mult ... a-ferrari/

Pastor's name cropped up with Lotus earlier in the year if I recall right. This is even more unlikely in my opinion, as Ferrari have Hulky and the F.I drivers in the frame, I think most would rate Hulky better than Pastor at least.

I doubt Pastor will be able to leave Williams, it did sound like he was under a iron clad contract. Silly season indeed, but I do enjoy all the speculation.

Remember, Lotus are short of cash just now. That may well put Pastor in the frame, as he has big bucks behind him. It will probably play against DiResta who is paid (not a pay driver).

[marcush.]

I think cash alone will not buy sirotkin a license to compete in formula 1 ..The last really shaky guy to get a superlicense under probation was Raikkonen -also with Sauber ...but Raikkonen had only a handfull of formula Renault races únder his belt when starting his formula 1 career ....not sure how old he was when joining sauber ,but sirotkin definetely will not drive for sauber this year so it is all but decided he will be ready for 2013 .
so it does make sense to have a save pair of hands in place and give sirotkin a bit of time to find his feet ..petrov as a russian would remove a lot of boil from the boy i´d think having the first half of 2014 friday testing would be more than enough for him to handle.

[sennafan24]

Remember, Lotus are short of cash just now. That may well put Pastor in the frame, as he has big bucks behind him. It will probably play against DiResta who is paid (not a pay driver).

True.

It depends how iron clad you think Pastor's Williams contract is. I do think if he does get out of the deal, Lotus is more likely than Ferrari for Pastor.

For now if I had to guess I would say Hulky will end up at Ferrari with Alonso. The rest I have not got a clue.

[irang]

with Russian money in at Sauber one would think Petrov should be on their list of potential drivers ,after all he has shown speed and racecraft and would also be a nice fit in this team.
What about Juncadela -he has russian money as well but is Mercedes connected ....it looks like sauber is happy to stay with Ferrari.

Juncadella eyeing increased Williams role http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/298864/

"Next year, Williams and Mercedes will have the same engines. Mercedes can send its young drivers to a team it is connected with, where they can show their potential," Juncadella told Championat. "There is a good chance that, in a few years, I can be the main driver for Williams. We will see. First I need to show strong results in the DTM."

Juncadella, whose next target is to take part in selected Friday practice sessions and pre-season testing for Williams in 2014, added that he expects to remain in the DTM series for another term, describing it as "the best way" to home in on Formula 1.

Sort of a role that Bottas did last year?


Petrov eyes return with Mercedes backing http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/298656/

Petrov was a guest of Mercedes for the latest DTM round at the Moscow Raceway last weekend, driving guests around the circuit in a DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé after brand ambassador Michael Schumacher cancelled his involvement in the event. Although no firm talks have taken place between the two parties, he is hopeful of making a comeback with support from the German manufacturer in 2014.

"It would be great if Mercedes would support me," Petrov explained to Russian news agency RIA Novosti at last weekend's DTM round. "I'm open to discussions."

Far less likely to happen though.

[raymondu999]

Why would Mercedes back Petrov over someone like, say... Wickens?

[aussiegman]

Why would Mercedes back Petrov over someone like, say... Wickens?

Robert Wickens = Canadian = Mature market, small marketing opportunities for driver profile, USA proximity
Vitaly Petrov = Russian = Oligarch $$$'s (oil/industrial money) fledgling market penetration and large marketing opportunities for home nationality driver

Simple cubic $$$'s, marketing and maths...That's my guess...

[SectorOne]

where is his superlicense?
I think they will sson realise there is not much sense in putting him into the car instantly.

On it´s way i suppose. What we know right now is he will be in the car for 2014 as a full on driver.

I think he will do well given a license. We´ve had far worse catastrophes getting super licenses.
He´s got one podium in F3.5 and he´s been sniffing around the top a few other times.