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I can only speculate that the reason for marko to say something like this before the start of the season is purely to motivate Webber to driver even harder in 2013. I think webber will remain in RBR till end of 2014 to help RBR with the development for RB10.WhiteBlue wrote:According to sources Helmut Marko wants the Hulk to replace Mark Webber in 2014. Mark's lack of support for Vettel in Brazil 2012 could have been the straw that broke the camel's neck. Nico is also talked about for a Ferrari role in 2014 and so Ferrari and Red Bull could be in a bidding war over two German drivers in the next three years. For Red Bull it would be strange to have a total German line up, but stranger things have happened if we remember Button's move to McLaren.
I have always thought the Newey was very fond of having Webber around.Cam wrote:Hulk to RB would surprise me and essentially make the Torro Rosso team driver development, redundant. My guess is Hulk will not go to RB, there's no credible evidence to expect that and it goes against everything Red Bull and Torro Rosso have stated publicly. RB don't need pay drivers, just fast ones that can play ball and be consistent.
Webber will go in 2014 - it's time and there's no point in trying to get him to help develop the 2014 car - they have Vettel to do that. One of the Red Bull development drivers will step up who they will groom as a good number two and a plan B if Vettel defects. Who, will be decided in 2013 based on the RB criteria for success.
Great quote! But how much up to date is it, considering that Mark himself has publicly reasoned recently about retirement?CHT wrote:"I'm hoping Mark continues next season," he told the Guardian. "Apart from being a great person, his contribution has been significant. He's been a pillar of the team from the start. Seb is very perceptive in his feedback in some regards and Mark is very perceptive in other areas. We listen to both and it helps the car."
I honestly dont think Webber is being serious about retirement. If you look at the past 10 years or so, how many f1 drivers have actually voluntarily retire from F1? except for a small handful, most retired because they couldnt find a seat to drive, For Webber, as long as he remain relevant, RBR will offer him a seat and he will remain in F1.WhiteBlue wrote:Great quote! But how much up to date is it, considering that Mark himself has publicly reasoned recently about retirement?CHT wrote:"I'm hoping Mark continues next season," he told the Guardian. "Apart from being a great person, his contribution has been significant. He's been a pillar of the team from the start. Seb is very perceptive in his feedback in some regards and Mark is very perceptive in other areas. We listen to both and it helps the car."
Unfortunately the development drivers, placed in STR, have not shown themselves to be suitable as a Webber replacement. Ricciardo has shown no flashes of brilliance, nor had Alguesari or Buemi. Vergne is the only one to have shown some promise.Paul wrote:I think Webber might be preparing a cushion for himself in case he is axed by Red Bull by speaking of voluntary retirement. Also, I don't think Red Bull have shown they care that much about their development drivers and will hardly favor them over any other available driver in the field.
Their primary use for that team is to get double the data on tyres and whatever else they need throughout the year. If a bright spark driver comes through great, but I think the whole 'development of drivers' crap that they and RBracing and TR come out with plays second fiddle to their ultimate goal of passing data along to Red Bull. It may have started out with the primary goal of driver development for the red bull racing programme, but in my opinion that has changed and their primary goal now is to help big brother win championships.gilgen wrote:Unfortunately the development drivers, placed in STR, have not shown themselves to be suitable as a Webber replacement. Ricciardo has shown no flashes of brilliance, nor had Alguesari or Buemi. Vergne is the only one to have shown some promise.Paul wrote:I think Webber might be preparing a cushion for himself in case he is axed by Red Bull by speaking of voluntary retirement. Also, I don't think Red Bull have shown they care that much about their development drivers and will hardly favor them over any other available driver in the field.
RBR, Marko, and Mateschitz were unimpressed by Webbers actions against Vettel, at Brazil, and this may have sealed his fate. Briatore went on to say that the only driver who helped Alonso, was Webber.
actually, what did Webber do or not do at brazil.gilgen wrote:Unfortunately the development drivers, placed in STR, have not shown themselves to be suitable as a Webber replacement. Ricciardo has shown no flashes of brilliance, nor had Alguesari or Buemi. Vergne is the only one to have shown some promise.Paul wrote:I think Webber might be preparing a cushion for himself in case he is axed by Red Bull by speaking of voluntary retirement. Also, I don't think Red Bull have shown they care that much about their development drivers and will hardly favor them over any other available driver in the field.
RBR, Marko, and Mateschitz were unimpressed by Webbers actions against Vettel, at Brazil, and this may have sealed his fate. Briatore went on to say that the only driver who helped Alonso, was Webber.
I do not agree with that view. Perhaps Red Bull simply have a fairly incompetent person in charge of the driver development. I remember that some of Marko's early driver selections were very bad. Just think back to the rift with Peter Sauber over Bernoldi vs Kimi Raikkönen. So they need to wash a lot of sand to find one nugget and STR is the right tool for the purpose. It also increases their advertising space in F1 which is probably another primary reason for the existence of the team. I would put data generation behind those two objectives in third place. Mateschitz apparently does not want STR to compete at the top. He had a relatively public disagreement with Gerhard Berger over the issue which lead to the split of the two after only two years.JimClarkFan wrote:Their primary use for that team is to get double the data on tyres and whatever else they need throughout the year. If a bright spark driver comes through great, but I think the whole 'development of drivers' crap that they and RBracing and TR come out with plays second fiddle to their ultimate goal of passing data along to Red Bull. It may have started out with the primary goal of driver development for the red bull racing programme, but in my opinion that has changed and their primary goal now is to help big brother win championships.