Clicky

Jump to content

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Massa

2013 Grid

Recommended Posts

1. Grosjean...Räikkönen...they've both had their moments and I'm just impressed that Lotus are fighting for second in the WCC with two drivers who haven't raced since 2009...couldn't care less which one of the two is better than the other; they're both doing well all things considered.

2. Hamilton isn't going anywhere. He has nowhere to go.

3. It would make sense for Ferrari to ditch Massa, simply because they can pay someone else a lot less in 2013 to do the same or better job. Because of this, I suspect that Massa will return to Ferrari. tongue.png

4. Just like we said "well maybe in 2013" back in 2011, we can now say "well maybe in 2014." And guess what? Nothing big is going to happen then, either. Silly me for making the thread...but at the same time, F1's in a place where we don't need driver/team movement for it to be more competitive or for it to shuffle things around. It's shuffling each and every week! So I'm not too disappointed.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

1. Grosjean...Räikkönen...they've both had their moments and I'm just impressed that Lotus are fighting for second in the WCC with two drivers who haven't raced since 2009...couldn't care less which one of the two is better than the other; they're both doing well all things considered.

2. Hamilton isn't going anywhere. He has nowhere to go.

3. It would make sense for Ferrari to ditch Massa, simply because they can pay someone else a lot less in 2013 to do the same or better job. Because of this, I suspect that Massa will return to Ferrari. tongue.png

4. Just like we said "well maybe in 2013" back in 2011, we can now say "well maybe in 2014." And guess what? Nothing big is going to happen then, either. Silly me for making the thread...but at the same time, F1's in a place where we don't need driver/team movement for it to be more competitive or for it to shuffle things around. It's shuffling each and every week! So I'm not too disappointed.

Well, slightly unusually I thought, Webber admitted he had talks with Ferrari. I can only speculate the reason those talks didn't work out is because Ferrari were only offering a one year contract, something which Webber is happy to accept at Red Bull but not at Ferrari for next year, as it would be his last team. Webber's admission tells us that 1) Ferrari is at least looking to replace Massa, and 2) (speculation) they are looking for a driver for 2013 only, which lends support to Vettel having some kind of deal in place for 2014.

Depending on a few things, 2014 could be a bigger year for the driver market. But that means everything probably will stay exactly the same tongue.png

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

True.

Though I don't think they have a deal with Vettel. I think they just want to leave 2014 open to make a run for Vettel, while also developing Pérez through 2013 at Sauber such that he, being the more likely option for 2014 instead of Vettel, will be a suitable Plan B. I just hope Ferrari don't mismanage Pérez in the process of bidding for Vettel because he does have potential to be something really good in the future.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Massa will stay at Ferrari one more season because he's going to improve quite a lot.

Raikkonen will stay at Lotus because he's been two years out of business and would be stupid not to have him next season when he's settled.

Raikkonen in Ferrari with Alonso is tempting but would break their policy of #1 and #2 drivers. I think he's one of the few drivers that could beat the Spaniard in a whole season. Next season

My cristal ball.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

True.

Though I don't think they have a deal with Vettel. I think they just want to leave 2014 open to make a run for Vettel, while also developing Pérez through 2013 at Sauber such that he, being the more likely option for 2014 instead of Vettel, will be a suitable Plan B. I just hope Ferrari don't mismanage Pérez in the process of bidding for Vettel because he does have potential to be something really good in the future.

Actually, James Allen thinks it's a fact that Vettel has a pre-agreement with Ferrari signed for 2014, subject to a series of performance clauses to be attained by Ferrari for 2013. I would not dismiss that so easily.

If Webber as assumed by most did not accept a one year deal with Ferrari because he already had that for RBR, then that shows that Ferrari is not just waiting fro Perez. No team (and above all, certainly not Ferrari) would let Webber down or try to h ire him for just a year in first place just to hold for Perez. He is good and he knows how to dance beautifully with his car with Maldonado, but he is still at least a couple of years of continuous evolution to reach a stagnant Webber (if we so presume) and become a better offer.

If Webber keeps on the rise this year, WDC or not and leading ahead of Vettel, we will hear a lot more about this.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hamilton's not going anywhere.

Webber's not going anywhere. Vettel won't be either, seeing as both Red Bull and Vettel have both said that he's not leaving in 2014. So that's a lot of rubbish.

Only change this year will be Perez going to Ferrari and Massa either leaving F1 completely/going to Sauber.

Done. Lock the thread already. :P

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Actually, James Allen thinks it's a fact that Vettel has a pre-agreement with Ferrari signed for 2014, subject to a series of performance clauses to be attained by Ferrari for 2013. I would not dismiss that so easily.

If Webber as assumed by most did not accept a one year deal with Ferrari because he already had that for RBR, then that shows that Ferrari is not just waiting fro Perez. No team (and above all, certainly not Ferrari) would let Webber down or try to h ire him for just a year in first place just to hold for Perez. He is good and he knows how to dance beautifully with his car with Maldonado, but he is still at least a couple of years of continuous evolution to reach a stagnant Webber (if we so presume) and become a better offer.

If Webber keeps on the rise this year, WDC or not and leading ahead of Vettel, we will hear a lot more about this.

Well, James Allen adds a lot more credibility than anywhere I'd seen it, and I guess it makes sense.

Hamilton's not going anywhere.

Webber's not going anywhere. Vettel won't be either, seeing as both Red Bull and Vettel have both said that he's not leaving in 2014. So that's a lot of rubbish.

Only change this year will be Perez going to Ferrari and Massa either leaving F1 completely/going to Sauber.

Done. Lock the thread already. tongue.png

:lol: I'm going to disagree with what comes after "Webber's not going anywhere."

Webber also said last week that he had never even talked to Ferrari. Today he admitted he actually had. Red Bull and Vettel can say he isn't leaving all they want. It's talk. It doesn't mean he is leaving, it doesn't mean he isn't. Vettel's a fool if he doesn't test the market. Testing the market may well lead him back to Red Bull in 2014, but an intelligent driver lets every team make an offer and keeps as many options open as possible. You never know what happens between now and 2014 that could make a move for Vettel make sense. Also, just be allowing Ferrari to make him an offer, Red Bull have to match...it drives up your value. I wouldn't be dismissing Vettel stuff just because the team says so. You can dismiss it based on the sources reporting it, because none until Andrés' post were doing it for me, but...the door's open for 2014. Vettel's smart enough to know how F1 changes and how to command a great salary and all that. Is it more likely he stays at Red Bull? Of course. But Alonso bolted from Renault for McLaren...it does happen and everything, literally everything that is ever rumored, gets denied. Sometimes the denial is true, sometimes it isn't, but there's no way to know right now. No one saying Vettel isn't leaving knows he isn't. No one saying he is knows he is. I have a hard time believing Vettel has made a solid decision either way; he may have a conditional pre-agreement that allows him to back out and stay with Red Bull, but until he actually extends his contract, it ain't rubbish yet.

As for Pérez/Massa...Ferrari aren't going to promote Pérez. Let's say they don't have any agreement with Vettel. Ferrari will still want an agreement with Vettel. You can't offer Vettel a seat if you have Pérez tied down long-term. And Pérez won't do it for one year because a young driver doesn't want uncertainty. They offered Webber one year; that says they want someone for one year. A young guy is never your one-year deal option. You want one year to have an option to do something else in 2014. It's become obvious that they want Vettel, even if they can't have him, so they're going to structure their contracts such that they can offer Vettel and hope he gets it...

Will they replace Massa?

Probably, unless Massa agrees to take a big-time paycut. When budgets were coming into question, Massa was pretty vocal that he didn't believe drivers should take paycuts, so don't expect him to...you could probably get Heikki Kovalainen to do his job for free...and he wouldn't be worse...all he proved at McLaren was that he wasn't as good as Lewis Hamilton...I'm not sure why he's looked down upon for that. :P

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

So...what do we have so far? Webber, Alonso, Button (perhaps) and Vettel to stay put. Schumi almost certainly as well.

Coming next:

- Liuzzi to a Lada powered McLaren?

- Grosjean: "I'm not smiling. It's the effect of exteme G-forces on my face"

- Sutil: "I wanted back at F1 but somehow I didn't made the cut"

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just can't see why Vettel WOULD move to Ferrari. I like Ferrari - but you have to consider:

Current form - yes sure, they're leading the championship. But they haven't won the driver's title since 2007 and haven't won the WCC since 2008. Also - the valid point you made some months ago - Ferrari aren't the team they once were. They're not as dominant in the Schumacher era, they don't have the structure in place with the likes of Brawn/Byrne/Todt etc and as seen with the difficult season they had last year - and the difficult start at least to this year, they've rather lost their way of late. Why would you leave a team like Red Bull who is really the complete opposite of that - they DO have the structure and they have been dominant in the last few seasons.

History aside, you'd say Red Bull are the stronger team right now.

Additionally, Adrian Newey is the real deal-breaker. Sure, Vettel's a very good driver...but would you really want to go up against a team that has Adrian Newey? Newey's made it clear he is perfectly happy at Red Bull and he's not willing to move to Ferrari. I believe he has been approached by Ferrari in the past and turned them down.

And I can't really see Ferrari taking on two number one drivers. If you look in the past, they've always had one top guy and the other guy to pick up the points and maybe the odd win on occasion. Again: why would you leave a position where the team is pretty much working for you? Vettel it is fair to say, has been the number one driver at Red Bull in the past few years - no disrespect to Webber, but it is easy to see why Red Bull value him so highly when he suits the Red Bull brand image perfectly and has come through the Red Bull junior programme. If Alonso really IS at Ferrari till 2017 (which I could imagine he would be) I can't see Vettel happy to be the number two guy. Equally I can't see either of them being happy to have a joint status within the team.

You make a good point that if Vettel does pretend to be interested in Ferrari, Red Bull are likely to pay him more to keep him. But I just don't see how in the short term at least, Ferrari would be a better bet than Red Bull. Could I imagine Vettel doing a Schumacher, going from a successful team (Benetton in the case of Schumacher, Red Bull for Vettel) and moving to a "lesser" team in Ferrari? Possibly, when you hear about how Schumacher was Vettel's idol growing up. Perhaps he'd like to emulate him in that way. Will it actually happen? I don't think so.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hamilton's not going anywhere.

Webber's not going anywhere. Vettel won't be either, seeing as both Red Bull and Vettel have both said that he's not leaving in 2014. So that's a lot of rubbish.

Only change this year will be Perez going to Ferrari and Massa either leaving F1 completely/going to Sauber.

Done. Lock the thread already. tongue.png

Keep hearing this. McLaren want LH to stay, take a huge pay cut, drive an unremarkable car and let them keep the shiny things he believes are rightfully his. He will not do that. If the team were going to bounce back they would have already. Sh#t, half the seasons' gone! It's going to be catchup from here and if Hamilton gets a good offer worthy of his talent, he will take it. Nothing like a change. I'll go with the Perez/Massa switch - it's a sensible move. I don't care what Vettel is doing - it bores me to death. If he went to Ferrari, he'd leave in a season - believe me. It's not his kind of team. Webber deserves better but he has few options other than Force India or Williams. Lewis's best move is Mercedes but that's up to Schumi. Why would Lotus replace RG or Kimi? If Enzo was alive, Grosjean would certainly be a Ferrari target but he may move to McLaren - who knows?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just can't see why Vettel WOULD move to Ferrari. I like Ferrari - but you have to consider:

Current form - yes sure, they're leading the championship. But they haven't won the driver's title since 2007 and haven't won the WCC since 2008. Also - the valid point you made some months ago - Ferrari aren't the team they once were. They're not as dominant in the Schumacher era, they don't have the structure in place with the likes of Brawn/Byrne/Todt etc and as seen with the difficult season they had last year - and the difficult start at least to this year, they've rather lost their way of late. Why would you leave a team like Red Bull who is really the complete opposite of that - they DO have the structure and they have been dominant in the last few seasons.

History aside, you'd say Red Bull are the stronger team right now.

Additionally, Adrian Newey is the real deal-breaker. Sure, Vettel's a very good driver...but would you really want to go up against a team that has Adrian Newey? Newey's made it clear he is perfectly happy at Red Bull and he's not willing to move to Ferrari. I believe he has been approached by Ferrari in the past and turned them down.

And I can't really see Ferrari taking on two number one drivers. If you look in the past, they've always had one top guy and the other guy to pick up the points and maybe the odd win on occasion. Again: why would you leave a position where the team is pretty much working for you? Vettel it is fair to say, has been the number one driver at Red Bull in the past few years - no disrespect to Webber, but it is easy to see why Red Bull value him so highly when he suits the Red Bull brand image perfectly and has come through the Red Bull junior programme. If Alonso really IS at Ferrari till 2017 (which I could imagine he would be) I can't see Vettel happy to be the number two guy. Equally I can't see either of them being happy to have a joint status within the team.

You make a good point that if Vettel does pretend to be interested in Ferrari, Red Bull are likely to pay him more to keep him. But I just don't see how in the short term at least, Ferrari would be a better bet than Red Bull. Could I imagine Vettel doing a Schumacher, going from a successful team (Benetton in the case of Schumacher, Red Bull for Vettel) and moving to a "lesser" team in Ferrari? Possibly, when you hear about how Schumacher was Vettel's idol growing up. Perhaps he'd like to emulate him in that way. Will it actually happen? I don't think so.

Yeah, I agree, I don't see why Vettel would go, either, assuming 2014 is similar to today.

But my point wasn't so much that I think Vettel will go as much as it was that I also don't see:

1. Why Ferrari wouldn't make an offer anyway (and to make an offer, they need to have an open seat for 2014, and Pérez wouldn't allow for that).

2. Why Vettel wouldn't solicit offers as long as possible to drive his value up.

So, while I don't see Vettel actually going to Ferrari (but F1 is a changing game and it's about being with the team that will be the best next year, and not the team that was the best last year, and Vettel would know more about the direction Red Bull's going in than I would, so if he sees something he doesn't like...), I do see Ferrari willing to gamble to get him by doing a one-year-deal with a typical number two in 2013, and Vettel not signing anything binding until later in the 2013 season.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Keep hearing this. McLaren want LH to stay, take a huge pay cut, drive an unremarkable car and let them keep the shiny things he believes are rightfully his. He will not do that. If the team were going to bounce back they would have already. Sh#t, half the seasons' gone! It's going to be catchup from here and if Hamilton gets a good offer worthy of his talent, he will take it. Nothing like a change. I'll go with the Perez/Massa switch - it's a sensible move. I don't care what Vettel is doing - it bores me to death. If he went to Ferrari, he'd leave in a season - believe me. It's not his kind of team. Webber deserves better but he has few options other than Force India or Williams. Lewis's best move is Mercedes but that's up to Schumi. Why would Lotus replace RG or Kimi? If Enzo was alive, Grosjean would certainly be a Ferrari target but he may move to McLaren - who knows?

Wasn't the thing about a pay cut complete nonsense that turned out to be untrue?

You make it sound like McLaren's a terrible team right now. Sure, there may be better places to be, but there are worse places to be too. I just don't see how Hamilton will be in anything other than McLaren colours next season, given all the support they gave him up until his F1 debut, and how good they've been to him since 2007. I think all this speculation is based on a lot of quotes that have probably (as usual) been taken out of context, and wouldn't be surprised if a deal with McLaren for next season was already done.

Grosjean to McLaren? Really really can't see that happening on the basis if McLaren are to go for anyone, they'll go for di Resta.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

McLaren IS a terrible team right now. That's not hard to see.

The keywords here being "right now".Teams can be terrible "right now". Ask Ferrari for details.

Reasons?

-They lost the roadmap for upgrades. One of the best cars at start of season has gone nowhere but backwards. When someone says things like:

Hamilton, however, is urging the designers and engineers to think hard, even about the very basics of the 2012 package.

Asked if the MP4-27 is fundamentally flawed, he said: “I’m not using those words, I’ll let you use those words.

“You’ve got to look at the cars in detail — just look at them and ours looks different from the others.”

it is cetainly a sign that there's something wrong. That, or Hamilton is a moaner/crybaby/whinner :P (Oh, yes I am bitter about those names being applied to Alonso for daring to criticise the 2009 Renault nonetheless!)

- Button said:

“It’s not just the Red Bulls and the Ferraris that are quicker than us, a lot of cars are.”

“The Sauber is quicker in high-speed corners than us, the Williams is quicker in low-speed corners. We don’t seem to be exceptionally strong anywhere at the moment,”

- Even if some monkey with a typewriter made up those quotes, they are still true.

- They improved their pitstops I give you that.

- Both Horner and SD still take McLaren seriously as contenders for the title. But that has more to do with McLaren's well earned fame throughout the years than because of anything they had done these past months.

- And even in those past years they had terrible years. And they are not as succesful as people tends to believe either. Look up the numbers, you'll be surprised ;)

- So, are they able to turn things around? Of course. But they HAVE TO. They HAVEN'T YET. So can Williams (a more succesful team in the past, after all!)

Will Lewis stay there thu thick and thin? Who knows? Why should he? Why should Button? Sometimes gratitude plays a big part, sometimes not. There are many subjective factors we do not consider simply because they are inherently hard to factor in.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

They're 4th in the WCC. Hamilton is 4th in the championship and Button is 8th. McLaren have won two races this year. The only team to win more has been Red Bull, and they've won three. I wouldn't say that is a complete disaster as we're not even half way through this season yet. This time last year they'd won two races as well.

Should they be doing better? Perhaps theys hould. But then maybe Red Bull and Ferrari should be doing better as well...

It is just one of those seasons. So far we've seen more different drivers appear on the podium than what we saw in the whole of last season. It is so close that if you don't get everything right over a weekend, or are in some way unlucky, then you drop back.

Everyone will have bad weekends at some point this year. It isn't over for McLaren by any stretch of the imagination.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wasn't the thing about a pay cut complete nonsense that turned out to be untrue?

You make it sound like McLaren's a terrible team right now. Sure, there may be better places to be, but there are worse places to be too. I just don't see how Hamilton will be in anything other than McLaren colours next season, given all the support they gave him up until his F1 debut, and how good they've been to him since 2007. I think all this speculation is based on a lot of quotes that have probably (as usual) been taken out of context, and wouldn't be surprised if a deal with McLaren for next season was already done.

Grosjean to McLaren? Really really can't see that happening on the basis if McLaren are to go for anyone, they'll go for di Resta.

I think Macca are way below par. The grid is super tight nowadays and if one car does well the other does badly. You cannot blame the drivers. JB has been quick in P3 and then he can't qualify. Hamilton qualifies and then can't get to the podium. The tyres are an issue, sure but everyone has to deal with that. I believe the MP4-27 may be intrinsically flawed and looked good at the beginning of the season when RBR and Ferrari were behind by their own admission. Macca have failed to keep pace with their rivals an it's probably too late to do much about it, to be fair. We'll see. Of course there are worse teams but the don't have WDC pedlars and those guys want the best. personally, I don't think Woking can give JB and LH what they need this season and that may end in Lewis leaving.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

They're 4th in the WCC. Hamilton is 4th in the championship and Button is 8th. McLaren have won two races this year. The only team to win more has been Red Bull, and they've won three. I wouldn't say that is a complete disaster as we're not even half way through this season yet. This time last year they'd won two races as well.

Should they be doing better? Perhaps theys hould. But then maybe Red Bull and Ferrari should be doing better as well...

It is just one of those seasons. So far we've seen more different drivers appear on the podium than what we saw in the whole of last season. It is so close that if you don't get everything right over a weekend, or are in some way unlucky, then you drop back.

Everyone will have bad weekends at some point this year. It isn't over for McLaren by any stretch of the imagination.

The problem here is the difference between what is perceived as good for a team and what is actually good for a driver. As usual, numbers do not tell the story. 4th in the WCC in a bad season? Not so bad at all, for a team. "Most teams" would kill for such a "bad" year. What about the drivers though? Both world champions but in a car which starts out strongly but then performs inconsistently at tracks which it shouldn't; points lost through poor pit stops; issues in qualifying and the race; lack of development of the car compared to rivals. None of it sounds too appealing, but details like that get hidden in statistics. The most teams would kill for such a year...etc, doesn't get you very far. All it does is point to history which has no relevance now, and what other teams care about does not do much for what the driver cares about: winning the World Championship. All of which is why drivers quotes are much more enlightening about a team's situation than a championship position, now if only somebody would post some quotes...ahh nevermind.

Nobody is saying they're a terrible team (I mean, except Andres, but ignore him), the chances are that they will always have a top 3 car for the season overall (and probably even by the end of this year they will finish in the top 3 of the WCC). But the driver wanting to stay in the team and being happy comes down to more than that, all the small details which a championship position doesn't show. For one, Lewis has been waiting a long time for another championship, for a young guy. Second, if he's frustrated with a lack of progress then that's a big problem, and Macca have to restore his confidence that the team can do better. I say this as someone who doesn't think Lewis will move teams or should, with the options available. Lewis knows that too, that Mclaren are still his best bet for now.

But that's a rational conclusion. Rational conclusions, such as "this is my best option, but it looks like a Red Bull driver is going to win the championship, again" don't always help your mood all that much, or the team atmosphere, and lead to frustrated quotes which lead to very much justified speculation on an internet forum.

On Mclaren's car generally: Gary Anderson said their choice of nose design was flawed because it had limited development potential (he said it before they were crap). Possibly something in that (even Lewis spotted it).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

A team stays forever, a driver has a moment in F1 at his very best. That's a big problem, drivers are human beings and get anxious, fed up, p**sed and old.

Next season would be Hamilton's seventh year at McLaren. That's a lot of time for any driver in a single F1 team. He's had a very competitive car in his first 2 seasons there (2007 and 2008) and a competitive car in 2010. Not too bad, not brilliant either.

The expectations are very high in McLaren every season. Pressure is very high on the team and extremely high on the drivers. I think Hamilton would be happier and more rewarded at Williams if the grid is going to stay so tight in the future. He still would be able to grab some poles and wins and who knows? Another WDC?

I don't think it's over for McLaren but in the next couple of races they will have to be fighting for podiums or shifting resources to 2013 project will be more and more tempting. For Hamilton leaving will be more and more tempting if that happens.

There's only one team that might be able to dominate 2012 season with some brilliant upgrade package on their cars.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest

It's very difficult for McLaren to progress this season, as they have such a good baseline car (and it has been since day one this year).

It was easier for Ferrari and even RedBull to admith their car was below par and set about on a major redesign and rebuild.

McLaren simply failed to optimise the early advantage and the other teams have caught up and may even have overtaken them.

(not to dissimilar to Mercedes this year)

This leads to slightly frustrated and dis-hearted drivers, and will effect driver performance, not by much - but this year, a 10th/sec can kill you.

(a driver that does not have 100% faith in the car CANNOT drive with 100% freedom)

My advice to lewis would be - sign for another team. He and McLaren have had enough from each other.

If he goes to another team and wins WDC, he'll be seen as a messiah. - If he struggles, at least his stock is still high enough to save himself from blame.

Money is the only remaining wrinkle - Lewis and Kimi to swap places?

Lotus might be able to find the cash, and Mr Witmarsh is a huge fan of Kimi................we'll see.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It's very difficult for McLaren to progress this season, as they have such a good baseline car (and it has been since day one this year).

It was easier for Ferrari and even RedBull to admith their car was below par and set about on a major redesign and rebuild.

McLaren simply failed to optimise the early advantage and the other teams have caught up and may even have overtaken them.

(not to dissimilar to Mercedes this year)

This leads to slightly frustrated and dis-hearted drivers, and will effect driver performance, not by much - but this year, a 10th/sec can kill you.

(a driver that does not have 100% faith in the car CANNOT drive with 100% freedom)

My advice to lewis would be - sign for another team. He and McLaren have had enough from each other.

If he goes to another team and wins WDC, he'll be seen as a messiah. - If he struggles, at least his stock is still high enough to save himself from blame.

Money is the only remaining wrinkle - Lewis and Kimi to swap places?

Lotus might be able to find the cash, and Mr Witmarsh is a huge fan of Kimi................we'll see.

Y'know this is a lot of what I've been saying. Lewis will go. I feel it in my water. Kimi to McLaren? Why? They must build for the future. They already have a resident thirty something pilot who is a WDC, they need a young buck when LH goes. Di Resta is the expected move and he will keep JB honest but I would be doing everything in my power to get Grosjean if I was losing Hamilton. I wonder if Jenson is rueing saying no to Ferrari after his splendid campaign last year.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest

I'm sure the teams as well as the drivers have a "performance clause", so maybe Jenson is not so secure.

Lewis plus a (tame) young gun at Lotus and Kimi+Grosjean to McLaren (they would need both as Kimi still does not like the pr side, even if wealthy sponsors love him)......but Grosjean for the title in 2013 !!

McLaren have always struggled when they have been too British (and that's a brit talking).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

SPEED says the Daily Mail says Lewis says he'd like Lotus to say something to him, to which I say Lewis is staying at McLaren and now he's just going through the formalities of getting the salary he wants.

Of course, me not being able to see Lewis leaving doesn't mean he can't or won't, but once upon a time there was a very bad terrible awful car called the F2012 and I myself overreacted immediately by begging for Domenicalli to be fired and others demanded Massa's removal and even a few others were saying that Alonso needed to get out of his contract and go back to what is now called Lotus.

And now this Alonso guy is leading the points. A few bad races at the start of the year for one team...a few bad races in the middle of the year for another...sounds to me like a competitive sport, not so much a terrible team.

Seems to me that Hamilton's on a two-race losing streak, believe it or not. Compare to the other drivers with race victories on the grid:

Kovalainen (70 races)

Massa (56 races)

Schumacher (49 races)

Räikkönen (14 races)

Button (8 races)

Rosberg (6 races)

Vettel (5 races)

Maldonado (4 races)

Alonso (1 race) (he's halfway there to needing to leave Ferrari)

Webber (0 races)

I'm not saying nothing's wrong at McLaren, but nothing's wrong enough for them to lose their star to a team that has two good drivers already signed and has no actual title sponsor, since Lotus isn't even involved. McLaren will offer him the most because they can and they need him most, and Hamilton will stay because a scary world of trying to mesh in a whole new team and with car designers who don't know you yet and all that is a disadvantage, and the smallest disadvantages are very exaggerated in today's F1.

In my opinion, at least.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...