Silly Season 2011/2012

[beelsebob]

Apparently Lewis Williamson tested for McLaren at Silverstone yesterday, notably, in an old (2008) chassis unlike RedBull running the RB7. Perhaps we'll see him at the young driver test instead/as well as Paffet.

[dren]

So is Senna out of the running for the Renault/Lotus seat?

[Richard]

According to Kubica's surgeon.

[Tyler]

I doubt Kubica will be back with Renault next year.
Boullier just seems too quiet and unenthusiastic to let me believe he's coming back.
Perhaps he has doubts whether Kubica will be fit enough.

If Sutil is dropped by FI, he would be a great choice for Renault - he's quick and reliable and Renault really needs someone who can bring home some points as well as having good experience developing a car.
Both these things are what they're really lacking at the moment.
After Sutil's night club incident in Shanghai, there's probably zero chance of that happening!
I get the feeling the team is battling a bit financially and that Boullier's going to stick with Senna and Petrov for this reason.
If I was Kubica I would be having second thoughts about going back to Renault - they seem like a team at the start of a downward curve and the way they treat their drivers is at least to me, having an outsiders perspective, suspect.
I really don't like this team and I like Boullier even less.
To me he seems sly, backhanded and unpredictable and all too ready to stab you in the back.
If Renault's (Genii) CEO Eric Lux is anything like Boullier, I'm not surprised Sutil stabbed him in the neck with that broken champagne glass.

I think Renault treated Heidfeld very unfairly - he may have battled in quali but his ability to bring home points has been made all too apparent by his absence.
With all the changes to the wind tunnel and such right in the middle of the season, it seems to me, they were expecting unreasonable returns from him.
I feel that he was made a scape goat for the car and team's shortcomings and that Boullier was just looking for an excuse to get someone in his seat who could bring in some extra cash.
Back to Kubica, what other options does he have for next year?
There's not really any good seats available and the team bosses will surely be worrying about his fitness levels - how he will perform post his accident is an unknown quantity.
I wonder how he will keep himself busy next year if he can't get an F1 drive (or turns one down from a lesser team)?

Would it be possible for him to get a seat in GP2 or some other series to impress the F1 team bosses.
I feel really sorry for him, he's obviously such a huge talent but it's almost like he has to start over.
He would surely be a good bet for an up and coming team to take a bet on before he becomes hot property again.

A lot of people seem to be comparing Webber to Massa lately.
He just cannot hold a candle to Vettel this year.
I sometimes wonder why Red Bull are hanging onto him for another year.
Perhaps it's to give Ricciardo or perhaps Alguersuari a chance to get a bit more experience and a chance to impress with the possibility of taking his seat.

The Toro Rosso guys (incl. Ricciardo) haven't really done anything to impress me and if I was Red Bull I'd make Rosberg or Di Resta an offer, knowing I'd have 2 young, quick drivers to push each other (something which Webber cannot do with Vettel) and to build the team around, bringing some continuity with it.
I just don't think Red Bull can have a 2nd driver who's not up to pace when the time comes and McLaren and Ferrari catch up.

Webber's going for sure next year, his performances have not been good, say what you want but he has been hopelessly outmatched by Vettel, why drag it out?, why not start the process of building the team around your 2 young drivers now?

Maybe this is a silly theory but Red Bull earns their big money from selling energy drinks, not from F1, maybe they are scared of a backlash or even a boycotting of their product on the Australian market if they drop Webber?
If you're an Aussie and you think Red Bull have unfairly dropped the driver you support and who represents your country, maybe you'll think twice the next time you buy a Red Bull energy drink.
Maybe dropping Webber will have a big effect on their sales in that country and maybe part of the reason for taking on Ricciardo is to appease the Australian public when he goes?
Maybe their sales of their energy drink for a whole country/continent of 23 million people is more important than the performance of their 2nd driver in F1 or am I starting to sound paranoid??

[marcush.]

Kubica returning to GP2? never !He will either go rallying or land a decent contract in a proper team .A top three team cannot afford to NOT have three drivers capable of winning a GP .So why not have Raikkonen as a (Well paid) backup and gamble on Kubica for example.
Just thgink about it .Webber would have been a lot less relaxed with his performances knowing there is a real threat rising behind him...speaks volumes about Buemi,Vergne,Alguesuari and Ricciardo if that´s not even crossing his mind.

Heidfeld being relöaxed about Senna and Grosjean the minute before his kick is now also understandable.performance wise Senna was no revelation and not much of the startup enthusiasm is remaining after 6 races.

[raymondu999]

Heidfeld being relöaxed about Senna and Grosjean the minute before his kick is now also understandable.performance wise Senna was no revelation and not much of the startup enthusiasm is remaining after 6 races.

Heidfeld is hardly a good example is it. Remember when Sauber started fielding Kubica? Heidfeld started going a lot faster

[Trailer23]

Petrov is already signed for 2012 so I think they could have some legal trouble getting rid of him.

What, U don't think that Renault can afford to buy out his contract as they did with Heidfeld earlier in the year?!! I'm sure there must be some clause in his contract where he is supposed to bring (certain) points to the table in 2011 before being given a seat in 2012.

The Toro Rosso guys (incl. Ricciardo) haven't really done anything to impress me and if I was Red Bull I'd make Rosberg or Di Resta an offer.

I'm curious, what exactly have Rosberg or Di Resta done so far this year to be considered by Red Bull Racing beyond 2012?

Lets take the two Rookies for example. Ricciardo & Di Resta. The both of them entered this year with Di Resta having more races to his credit. Does anyone think that Di Resta would have been a better driver at this stage if he were with HRT OR if Ricciardo would not of been any good had he of been with Force India?

As for Rosberg, I feel like MercGP want to build a team around him once Schumy has walked away from the team after next year.

Many may not have noticed, but no team or drivers have picked up the pace in the 2nd half of the season than STR. They may not be up there with big boys of F1, however, SauberF1 is shaking in their boots & they have Force India worried enough to do well in both races.

[RB7ate9]

A lot of people seem to be comparing Webber to Massa lately....

...Maybe their sales of their energy drink for a whole country/continent of 23 million people is more important than the performance of their 2nd driver in F1 or am I starting to sound paranoid??

It's a shame that folks are comparing Webber to Massa, as others have tallied, the difference between Vettel/Webber is smaller than Alonso/Massa.

As for Webber leaving at the end of 2012, I agree. It's probably in the best interest of the team to let potential new drivers push much harder in 2012 (d'Riccardo and the STR drivers) knowing that there WILL be a seat open for 2013. Also, with the new regulations in 2014, it will be vital to get a new driver up to speed with the rhythm of the team as it heads into completely new regulations (v6 vs. v8 among many things).

So, in regards to the whole drinks-company theory, I don't think it's very far off. Australia does enjoy it's extreme sports, to which Red Bull takes a massive hand in. Keeping Webber for one more year will at least - hopefully - offer him a good result to take off from. 2012, I think, will see many RBR hopefuls eking out those extra tenths to impress (if not in overall competitiveness, then at least against their teammates) fighting for Webber's seat. Whoever wins that bout will have some hard learning to gain in 2013, with a super young and solid team set for domination in an innovative Newey-Wunderwagen in 2014. I'm guessing d'Riccardo will be put in for the Australian sponsorship as well as the youth in a Vettel-as-Mentor relationship (something the STR boys probably wouldn't be too keen on).

So it is written, so shall it be.

[MIKEY_!]

Being an Aussie I do see a lot of Red Bull products and marketing. They have launched in the last few months Red Bull Mobile in conjunction with Vodafone and have really got into the extreme sports marketing stuff. However F1 isn't as high profile in most of Oz compared to other markets. However I think there is some merit to the idea of keeping Webber for (partly) PR reasons. Same with Ricciardo.

[Tyler]

Talking about Webber - what is the perceived reason for him being off Vettel's pace this year when he was fighting him for wins last year?
Could it be the Pirelli tires or maybe the EBD?
Perhaps with the banning of the EBD's he'll be more competitive?

[beelsebob]

Talking about Webber - what is the perceived reason for him being off Vettel's pace this year when he was fighting him for wins last year?
Could it be the Pirelli tires or maybe the EBD?
Perhaps with the banning of the EBD's he'll be more competitive?

1) He doesn't like the tyres.
2) Vettel is performing on a par with the top drivers this year.
3) Vettel isn't having lots of mechanical misfortune this year.

[raymondu999]

Talking about Webber - what is the perceived reason for him being off Vettel's pace this year when he was fighting him for wins last year?
Could it be the Pirelli tires or maybe the EBD?
Perhaps with the banning of the EBD's he'll be more competitive?

Last year he was the one who understood how to maximise the throttle-sensitive EBD and that helped him last year. It's under discussion in the "are we seeing a Vettel era" thread

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Sport bild has reported that Schumacher is set to extend his comeback until 2013.

Personally I think it's a smart move, as he hasn't been outshone by Rosberg this year and will also expect to see a more competitive car in 2012 and especially 2013.

http://www.totalf1.com/details/view/398 ... d_of_2013/

[Ferraripilot]

Yes indeed. He has stated he knows he can/is quicker than his teammate which he very regularly is. And considering the teammate, that is quite the feat. I hope Schu wipes the field with all these kids by 2013

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

I wager with a sharper silver arrow he'll put manners on "the finger"!