Infiniti Red Bull Racing 2013

[Racer X]

Okey so Kimi admitted hes facing a tough choice between RedBull and Lotus.

(Probably) just code for I can't make I official because I'm under contract to my current sponsors but I will be in RebBull and I have to make it look like Burn and Lotus are just as good as RedBull and Renault. But I can't wait for the year to end and join a team with a real chance to be World Champion again.


Lol that's what I read between the lines.....

So the question is really....

Who will join Lotus next year;)

[Chuckjr]

He will lose to Vettel. He can't manage Grosjeans raw pace right now. Romain only needs to be consistent and more sure to soundly beat Kimi. Kimi is a safer pair of hands than webber though and he knows how finish a race as high as he can; he also can race under pressure.
So yes i think he'll go to redbull, but for other's benefit. Vettel will want him there. Vettel needs a wdc teammate to increase his ratings, and kimi is probably the easiest one to deal with and to beat out of all the wdc on the grid. He's not ultra fast, and he doesn't play politics, neither does he moan in public.
I think it's best for Kimi to stick with Lotus, it's his team and he's a number 1 there.
Button wont leave mclaren, he wants another wdc. I feel he will end his career there. He's not foolish enough to jump out to a lesser team. He'll stay there as long as Martin has favour with him.

It would be great either way - I don't care who wins. I just want a fair fight. I hope he (Kimi) can get that at RB. Matchet swears drivers get equal cars (and if you can say that from the Schumacher / Herbert, Flavio Benetton days - that's saying something), but after seeing 90% of the problems at RB happening to Webber it just seems odd somehow--not saying anything more than that. I try not to ever give hidden mesages in email--it never works.

Staying with Lotus? I disagree. With all the 2014 changes, does Lotus legitimately have the brain trust necessary to hit a home run the first load they launch in 2014--even 2015? I mean how long have they worked on that dam drs thing and the faster or equal car is the shorter bodywork currently--or its really close as far as I know. I don't see hope-to-come in those kinds of decisions. Kimi is not getting younger and cannot afford (like Ham) to mess around building a fast car over 3 seasons a-la Schumacher. I think RB most certainly offers much better odds of a quick car straight out as they have better brains behind the counter and have proven to adjust quickly when they fail and that is rare for them--it happens yes but they seem to fix things exceptionally quickly and don't hang on to exotic solutions for too long and placing recources properly. These are mature race team decisions. Again would enjoy your insight if any.

I think your thought with Vettle is solid, but it would/will be nice to see it actually happen, but I think it going the other way would be equally exceptional. I don't see as clear of a view of this as you, but that may just be my lack of knowledge of the sport--I'm not nearly as intense as many in these forums.

I hope your right Vettel wants him there as absolutely it will up his rep, imo--something he can't achieve with Webber or with either Red Bull #2 offerings - no offense to any. Certainly if he trumped Ham or Fred that would be a larger leap, but thats not realistic right now.

Regarding Jenson I was only speaking if he was booted, and if Macca was my team, I would take Kimi over him so I'd boot him out for Kimi yes, but we all know thats not gonna happen. Button most certainly should stay there as long as he possibly can. It's a respectable team, and I am sure a dream to drive for as a driver.

[Chuckjr]

This is why I said maybe.

I get the easy ride thing, but my hope was that he goes for the complete career picture where, if successful, he would earn far less detractors from doubting his talents. This is a rare opportunity and he may not get another shot in his career. But, yea he proly will not go for gold and just rack up WDC.

Any conditions you put on a WDC you have to apply to every previous WDC and start pulling apart why they won. Button and his DD, Mansell and the FW14B, Fangio and a Silver Arrow. Without those amazing vehicles and team that designed and managed them, would the results be the same? Thats not detracting from the driver talent, its showing its just one part of a whole. At the end of the day the total pieces must mesh together. Right driver, right car, right time and a WDC must take every advantage, just as every WDC did before. How can anyone begrudge that?

Certainly not begrudging it. That is most definitely not what I was saying. I will try to be more clear.

I was saying he has accomplished WDCs with a companion driver that was in his twilight and I say that respectfully not saying Web is not fast. They (RB) and Vet deserve every world title they have. I respect that implicitly and it is absolutely a stunning accomplishment. He has a real shot at going back to back to back to back. That is rare. But would a fifth somehow make it more profound? I don't see it that way. Now, Vet has the chance to win it against a proven winner on equal turf (we hope). A proven WDC winner. A respected driver up and down the paddock drivers and technical teams and fans. No BS and a fair driver. This is a rare opportunity and he should do everything he can on that team to get Kimi. Welcome him as an equal and get it on. In my mind, the Kimi option is superior and should be clenched.

[ringo]

I think RB most certainly offers much better odds of a quick car straight out as they have better brains behind the counter and have proven to adjust quickly when they fail and that is rare for them--it happens yes but they seem to fix things exceptionally quickly and don't hang on to exotic solutions for too long and placing recources properly. These are mature race team decisions. Again would enjoy your insight if any.

Yes that's true, the thing with lotus however is that people don't see that it is a champion quality team. They still have some of that prestige from the yellow and blue car days with alonso. They can produce a championship winning car. Not as easily as redbull but they can. As for the 2014 car, it seems like renault is more for redbull than it is for any other team, so i don't expect fireworks from Lotus coming out of the blocks. But i do expect, if Kimi stays, there to be some continuity for him and maybe more focus on winning instead of learning.

I think your thought with Vettle is solid, but it would/will be nice to see it actually happen, but I think it going the other way would be equally exceptional. I don't see as clear of a view of this as you, but that may just be my lack of knowledge of the sport--I'm not nearly as intense as many in these forums.

Kimi can beat Vettel you know. I don't think Kimi is faster or as adaptable, but he's solid and unchanging. He definitely has the X factor to beat Vettel. However Vettel i feel will have the backing of the team, and also the experience and familarity to consistenly get the the better setup on saturdays to start ahead of the Kimster. And Kimi aint no top gun on saturdays.

I hope your right Vettel wants him there as absolutely it will up his rep, imo--something he can't achieve with Webber or with either Red Bull #2 offerings - no offense to any. Certainly if he trumped Ham or Fred that would be a larger leap, but thats not realistic right now.

He's the guy Vettel wants secretly. Button isn't any harder, but Button has a mouth on him that's just as dangerous as parts upgrade. lol. Not to mention his media personality, he can make Vettel look like the second coming of you know who to the british media.

Regarding Jenson I was only speaking if he was booted, and if Macca was my team, I would take Kimi over him so I'd boot him out for Kimi yes, but we all know thats not gonna happen. Button most certainly should stay there as long as he possibly can. It's a respectable team, and I am sure a dream to drive for as a driver.

I would take kimi over Button as well. Button has had his fun, the honeymoon is over.

[Kiril Varbanov]

The team has had a straight-line aero test at IDIADA circuit this weekend.

[SectorOne]

Anyone for Di Resta and Vettel in the same team? - they were in F3 at the same time, Di Resta came out on top back then...

Vettel had an injured hand during that season and almost lost his index finger. The very same one you're constantly seeing now. Based on diresta's performance from last couple of years he'd serve as a good n2 driver but that's it.

He was back at the next race i believe where he came 6th.
The finger was not the reason he lost the championship. They were trading the top spot before that as well.
People tend to overestimate di Resta.

[lio007]

The team has had a straight-line aero test at IDIADA circuit this weekend.

any detailled information about that test?

[Kiril Varbanov]

The team has had a straight-line aero test at IDIADA circuit this weekend.

any detailled information about that test?

Not really, just rumors. For example, that Carlos Sainz Jr. has been behind the wheel, along with Daniel Ricciardo, and that RBR has tested an exhaust variation for the next three races.
Once again, none of these have been confirmed from solid sources.

[Kiril Varbanov]

More rumor fuel: according to Magazine Italiaracing, issue #236 (printed) Kimi is 100% sure for Red Bull, while Ricciardo goes to Lotus.

[ringo]

More rumor fuel: according to Magazine Italiaracing, issue #236 (printed) Kimi is 100% sure for Red Bull, while Ricciardo goes to Lotus.

I'll stick with eddie Jordan,
I've learned not to doubt him in these driver matters.
Daniel has a brighter future, i think he's going to redbull.

[WhiteBlue]

More rumor fuel: according to Magazine Italiaracing, issue #236 (printed) Kimi is 100% sure for Red Bull, while Ricciardo goes to Lotus.

I'll stick with eddie Jordan,
I've learned not to doubt him in these driver matters.
Daniel has a brighter future, i think he's going to redbull.

I think this time Eddie has all the wrong reasons for his opinion. It was different with Hamilton where he obviously had some insider information.

This time Eddie said:

I don't think Raikkonen wants to get into an extensive programme at Red Bull, with all the marketing, the work with the sponsors, the photo shoots and so on. That's the sort of work that every driver for that team has to do. Red Bull has a marketing programme, but Kimi Raikkonen just wants to race. I doubt they will find common ground.

It is not written in stone that every Red Bull driver will be treated the same. If Didi Mateschitz has set his sights on someone to become an essential member of the team he simply concedes what he has to concede to get his man. Red Bull can easily afford to run a very lean sponsorship duty with Kimi. Kimi does quite a bit of advertising for Lotus now. He does Renault ads and Burn appearances from what I read and see on TV. Red Bull can easily match that if he puts the car and the logo consistently in the FOM broadcast. I have no doubt that Kimi can do that much better than Ricciardo.

[Kiril Varbanov]

It is not written in stone that every Red Bull driver will be treated the same. If Didi Mateschitz has set his sights on someone to become an essential member of the team he simply concedes what he has to concede to get his man. Red Bull can easily afford to run a very lean sponsorship duty with Kimi. Kimi does quite a bit of advertising for Lotus now. He does Renault ads and Burn appearances from what I read and see on TV. Red Bull can easily match that if he puts the car and the logo consistently in the FOM broadcast. I have no doubt that Kimi can do that much better than Ricciardo.

I'm by no means disregarding what Eddie has to say, but I think Kimi is already nicely related to Red Bull via the rally runs. Also, he has a large fan base, and given his monosyllabic nature, every word he says becomes a hit. That's pretty much enough for Red Bull, and Kimi will be happy to race in a good car. Let's not forget that Lotus, as a team, has made quite some strategic mistakes this season.
So, let's see.

[CBeck113]

Race vehicles, I would say. Kimi races everything, which is the basic RB philosophy, so instead of marketing interviews, he can race. EVERYTHING. Match made in heaven, would be even more valuable than SV for the company.

[ringo]

How many years do you think he will be at redbull, how much commitment?
And what will this say for the young driver program, it's a dead end that can't get the young drivers to a WDC?

Kimi will be a nice addition, but Redbull don't need 2 very good drivers to win a constructors. Newey himself said he needs a 45kg bag of cement or something to that effect as his perfect driver. The cars are good enough.

So i think they will go for a long term vision and something that sets a very good example for their development programs.
Ricardo can testify to that if he gets the seat. Especially if vettel moves on, he'll be the #1 and be winning the WDC.
A redbull young driver realizing his dreams.
Kimi now, he'll be in the seat of course but he wont really have much positive influence on the image of Redbull's involvement in F1. He can't testify to anything. He'll just drive and say "meh, i won, car was good" for the year. He has a big fan base that will love his style, but i don't think it has any effect on redbull's marketing, mission or vision.

Ricardo would personify that vision much better, and he doesn't have to be as good a driver as kimi to be successful in a redbull. They will keep winning constructors regardless who's driving the car. Newey just needs a small light driver.

[skoop]

red bull to announce second driver after budapest:

http://www.motorsport-total.com/f1/news ... 72504.html