Silly Season 2013/14

[Bomber_Pilot]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaFYXXUfiAU[/youtube]

[Richard]

I thought someone at RB said the decision would be announced the week after the Hungary GP. We've heard nothing yet, so perhaps we'll have to wait until Spa?

[sennafan24]

I highly doubt Kimi will be going to Ferrari lest we forget this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT8hCkPuCIw

Ha, I have never seen that before.

I cannot see Kimi back at Ferrari. I think he will stay at Lotus and Riccardo will be the 2nd Red Bull seat.

[dren]

If Kimi doesn't get paid by Lotus, I see him jumping ship. Lotus has been heaping praise on him lately, so they certainly are scared of losing him. With the Alonso->Red Bull rumours popping up...I could see that happening. Seb doesn't seem to want it, for good reason, but I wouldn't totally discount it. That's the way the F1 rumour mill works, rumour->denial->official announcement.

I don't thin Red Bull would agree to clauses Alonso would want. Kimi would be a top choice and would make for some excellent battles, but Ricciardo is likely a safe bet. I wonder if there have been any Hulkenberg talks?

[WhiteBlue]

Christian Horner has revealed that Red Bull is planning to announce Mark Webber’s replacement by the Italian Grand Prix, the final round of the European season...When pushed over a date, he said: "At Spa or Monza but it's not going to be later than that I don't think."

IMO it's a strong indication that they are not in the driving seat, Kimi is.

[SectorOne]

Or they have this huge dilemma of paying millions every year for a team that is supposed to serve a purpose but is now faced with either taking a reliable, solid front runner or go with the original idea of breeding talent into Red Bull Racing.

[WhiteBlue]

Or they have this huge dilemma of paying millions every year for a team that is supposed to serve a purpose but is now faced with either taking a reliable, solid front runner or go with the original idea of breeding talent into Red Bull Racing.

Some people are obsessed with this idea but it has little foundation in reality. Toro Rosso has many functions for Re Bull beside an opportunity to place or try drivers. Mateschitz could have left it for Berger to run and make it a second top scoring team but he did not agree with that objective. I think it is more kept for political reasons. It gives Red Bull bigger influence. Same thing as Servus TV or the Red Bull Ring. As long as Toro Rosso earns enough TV coverage to justify their budget they are viable even if they do not breed another Vettel. Chances are that they will sooner or later.

[Kiril Varbanov]

...we'll have to wait until Spa?

Imagine Kimi's reply on your question: "We will have to wait and see..."

Update: Daily Mail claims that Red Bull haven't ruled out Alonso.

[raymondu999]

Or they have this huge dilemma of paying millions every year for a team that is supposed to serve a purpose but is now faced with either taking a reliable, solid front runner or go with the original idea of breeding talent into Red Bull Racing.

I'm not sure it's used to breed talent, but rather look for talent. There's a difference.

[turbof1]

Or just marketing exposure? The only one who came over from Torro Rosso, was Vettel. If that team truly is a development programme, it clearly has failed .

I think it is more a team to field reserve drivers or future testing drivers for Red Bull.

[wesley123]

Or just marketing exposure? The only one who came over from Torro Rosso, was Vettel. If that team truly is a development programme, it clearly has failed .

I think it is more a team to field reserve drivers or future testing drivers for Red Bull.

The problem is that a found talent(like Vettel) doesnt have just a few years, no he continues on for 6, 7, 8, maybe more years. To create, to properly grow a talent in F1 takes max. 3 years. So at a point there just is no space anymore. Every one of it's drivers were good enough for it's place in F1, or even next to Vettel. Most of them however were there at the wrong time.

So it's development programme is working very well, there is just no place to house them

[turbof1]

So it is still failing. The reason why just changes (I did considered that, and I agree with you). What is stopping them from fielding their drivers in development in a different team? They did that with Ricciardo; he moved up to Torro Rosso. In other words in that transition the development programme worked. And it does work from lower categories too. Only the last step doesn't seem to work. It fails because their drivers are in there for a long time, too long for a development programme to deliver new talent, and also because when a spot does comes up, Red Bull Racing takes priority to drivers in other teams.

[SectorOne]

Or just marketing exposure? The only one who came over from Torro Rosso, was Vettel. If that team truly is a development programme, it clearly has failed .

I think it is more a team to field reserve drivers or future testing drivers for Red Bull.

Well i think they have to pay some respect to Webber. He´s done his part in terms of WCC´s.
It seems to me it has always been Webber´s decision if he wants to stay or not.
Partly gratitude and partly experience, easy to work with, etc.
And it gives them time to find that one who stands out and the closest they have to fullfilling that is Ricciardo.
Now with Webber going it only seems natural to pit Ricciardo against Vettel.
He´s not a rookie and you could give him a year then evaluate his performances in equal machinery to Vettel.

[turbof1]

I honestly also want Ricciardo in that car. If not in a Red Bull, then atleast either in a Lotus or Ferrari (depending on which driver eventually goes to Red Bull). He performs massively these days.

[SectorOne]

He´s got speed, i give him that but we can´t ignore Vergne in the races. Some races Vergne has been very very good.
Best to describe the two is Ricciardo goes backwards in races and Vergne goes forward in general.
Keep an eye next time Ricciardo does a blistering lap for Qual then watch how within 5-10 laps Vergne is right behind him.

My own wish is Kimi vs Vettel in the same equal machinery, that would be a dream line-up.