Silly Season 2013/14

[SectorOne]

And if they're slow they won't really know if it's the design of the car, its setup or simply the Drivers not being up to speed.
Too many variables.

Not really, as i said, Button stays, that´s the yard stick, a world champ.
Magnussen gets the other seat. starts beating Button or matching him and with 1-2 years he knows what he wants from the car and what Mclaren wants from him.
That´s where you bring in Vandoorne.
If Button retires early then bring in another world champ as the key man while you harness young talent beside him.

Magnussen and Vandoorne are two very interesting prospects and Mclaren should be lucky they have them.
Red Bull has one trumph card, possibly Sainz in the future if he develops well.

Mclaren´s heritage is filled with ordinary drivers alongside top drivers.

[Jonnycraig]

At a guess for 2014:
Red Bull: Vettel & Ricciardo
Ferrari: Alonso & Raikonnen
Mercedes: Hamilton & Rosberg
Lotus: Massa & Grosjean
McLaren: Button & Hulkenberg
Sauber: Gutierrez & Sirotkin
Force India: DourResta & Sutil
Toro Rosso: Vergne & da Costa
Caterham: Pic & VdG - Rossi in by mid season
Marussia: Chilton & Bianchi

[Phil]

Isn't there already a deal in place by Telmex and McLaren? I always thought that Perez was quite crucial to that deal and was one of the reasons McLaren chose him (because of the pending departure of their main sponsor Vodafone)?

Anyway, as for Ferrari - the energy there seems quite similar to the atmosphere surrounding Hamilton before he decided to leave the team. Some of it might be down to frustration of coming close to not winning the WDC and perhaps the utter dominance of RedBull and not much faith in what Ferrari have in store for 2014. One way or the other, I'm not sure I have much faith in McLaren given their departures. Honda might make the difference, but that is the earliest in 2015. Does he really see that as a viable opportunity?

[CHT]

At a guess for 2014:
Red Bull: Vettel & Ricciardo
Ferrari: Alonso & Raikonnen
Mercedes: Hamilton & Rosberg
Lotus: Massa & Grosjean
McLaren: Button & Hulkenberg
Sauber: Gutierrez & Sirotkin
Force India: DourResta & Sutil
Toro Rosso: Vergne & da Costa
Caterham: Pic & VdG - Rossi in by mid season
Marussia: Chilton & Bianchi

I think Caterham will drop one of his current driver and bring Heikki back.

[Racer X]

The thing about Perez is i don't see F1 with out him. He's the reason 3 communications giants of the USA and Mexico joined to buy the contract together for a rather large sum of money. NBC Universal and Televisa together with Univision. To most European and to all Latin Americans Sergio Perez is just some guy sponsored by Telmex.

But it actually goes beyond that.

In North American and Central America Sergio Perez is F1.
He and his podium finishes of last season his shine that he showed last season are the reason that such an investment was made and taking it away now would go agaisnt alot of people with alot of money'.

I'm no saying he will be at McLaren I'm just saying next season will have Sergio even if he's not in McLaren. Maybe Sauber kicks Gutierrez for Perez and we see The Russian and star Mexican. All I'm saying is Perez as alot of people behind him. People with money people invested in him. So will see. If he's lot in F1 then Gutierrez better turn into a hell of a driver next season.

[iotar__]

Maybe I don't get it but you're making it sound as if only some behind the scenes machinations are keeping Perez in F1. How is that different to Massa - Brazil, Button/Hamilton - Great Britain, Alonso - Spain, "new Schumacher" in Germany etc.? Yes, nationality plays it's part and Slim was backing him up in Sauber. He was overrated after podiums in 2012 now it's in the opposite direction, to me he's still unknown.

His one lap speed is v. questionable but if he performs as in Monza or Singapore (comparable) it's Button's future that should be uncertain not Perez's, the latter at least can get better. Compared to end of last season when he was horrible there's an improvement in terms of mistakes and risks. I have a feeling that he would benefit from top(ish) car more than the others.

After re-watching Singapore start when Rosberg did everything right and then blew it in the first corner I thought that Perez would be leading the race from that position. Easy to say and he wouldn't be as quick in qualy but that kind of impression I got. I think he's staying at McLaren in 2014, and if he is not there in 2015 he'll be in a good company of drivers for whom McLaren couldn't make it work - Alonso and Kovalainen.

[Racer X]

I'm not saying there are behind the scenes mechanism keeping him in F1 but their are millions invested in him from many Parties from here in the Americas both American and Mexican NBC Universal doesnt exactly invest large sums of money to have no viewers. I'm just saying that Telmex is in Sauber and I don't see Gutierrez staying given the chance that they have to pick between the two drivers. I'm sure if McLaren want they can get Massa or Hulk but sadly for Guyierrez he's not better then Perez and the one i see leaving is Esteban from Sauber and next season
I see;

Sauber
With Perez and the Russian Pay driver.

Well both are pay drivers.

So Sauber:

With its Mexican and Russan Pay drivers.

[CHT]

Latest rumour is Hulk to Mclaren.

PdR is going to be devastated if this happen.

http://www.planetf1.com/driver/18227/89 ... ulkenberg-

[Racer X]

Yes DiResta has been eyeing that seat...

[aral]

Yes DiResta has been eyeing that seat...

fat chance!

[raymondu999]

eyeing does not equal eyed on

[ScottB]

With Button and Di Resta sharing management it seems pretty unlikely Mclaren would go for both, would give that management quite a bit of power!

Besides, Di Resta doesn't seem to have been that close to Mclaren, he's a Merc protege isn't he? He's probably best staying where he is for the moment unless he's seen evidence that FI are struggling for next year, the options he'd likely have could all easily turn out to be worse drives than the one he has.

[Racer X]

Yes it would also make Button a clear number 1 promoting Di Resta to never try to surpass Button. But Jenson isnt really going to be winning that many races. So with DiResta held up it would mean that your second driver wouldnt be driving at his limit and you dont want Paul at 90%. Between that choice I (assuming Perez leaves) I pick Hulk over DiResta.

To be clear tho I would Pick Hulk over Di Resta any day this just further divides for me.

[beelsebob]

I dunno, there's been a fair amount of noise from button's side about his seat being all but determined, but no such noises from McLaren's side. How sure are you that it's Checko's seat in danger, not Button's?

[Hail22]

Didn't know where to put this, however seeing as it has to do with 2014, I thought I place it here:

Source: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/form ... 4--f1.html

Pirelli has secured a deal to continue supply to Formula 1 in 2014...the one thing that made my ears prick up is that the FIA may be discussing about a single fuel supplier in the future.

Now from what I remember each team usually builds their car to a specification to which their fuel / oil suppliers can perfect to give full performance / reliability to their engines etc.

My concern with a single fuel supplier (if the FIA do ever discuss this) would it effect a certain team(s) performance / reliability if for example the oil / fuel supplier became BP or Mobil...would that hurt Ferrari, Red Bull, Lotus etc?

or is it just all smoke and mirrors provided by the media?