2012-13 Silly Season

[mikhailv]

Bourdais naturally wasn't RB academy.

The irony with this part of your post is that their most recognizably successful driver also naturally wasn't RB academy. For the entire RB academy, the funding, all the drivers that have been put through and left on the sidelines, Red Bull can actually only claim half a World Champion.

The program really works, doesn't it?

Nope. Not at all. Vettel wasn't RB Academy was he. He was part of BMW who released him in 07 for STR on the return of Kubica from his smash in Canada.

Boudais is huge in America thanks to champ car. The rest of RB's academy havn't bore any fruit yet. Speed, Liuzzi and Klien. Buemi they feel is a superb development/test driver which is why he is in the background. Alguesari they didnt like his attitude. Personally I dont rate Ricciardo or Vergne in the slightest, but at the moment thats all RBR have as a direct replacement for Webber unless they go outside the academy which I reckon they will. And if JEV/RIC fail this year, RB could just pull the plug on STR.

I remember the fuss being kicked up about Brendan Hartley but RBR dropped him due to not winning anything in F3.5 Well no offence, Ricciardo was hardly a shining light....

[phil1993]

Ricciardo & Vergne are very good; the STR7 wasn't a great car at all.

Vettel has been part of Red Bull since 1998.

[Vlad-SRB]

Thanks for clearing that, Phil.

[kals]

Vettel has been with Red Bull since 1998 as you say, but he was also part funded and mentored by BMW for a long period of time. So he is not pure Red Bull academy like many others have been.

[François]

According to french motorsport journalist Jean-Louis Moncet, the remaining Force India seat for 2013 is almost certainly Sutil's unless Ferrari accepts to fund Bianchi's season. Bianchi is (allegedly) guaranteed to drive for the team in 2014, but the 2013 seat showdown may well come down to a budget race which he cannot win.

Narain is also believed to be in the running thanks to Tata Motors' backing. That they're even considering it cannot possibly be good news for their financial situation. :/

[iceman1]

@f1zone: BBC reporting that Heikki Kovalainen is having a seat fitting with Marussia tonight #f1

What? What a silly season.

I thought Heikki won't offer something for the lower teams? It's better to get Glock back in that case.

[Vlad-SRB]

What??? Razia out? OMG!

[François]

@f1zone: BBC reporting that Heikki Kovalainen is having a seat fitting with Marussia tonight #f1

What? What a silly season.

I thought Heikki won't offer something for the lower teams? It's better to get Glock back in that case.

I doubt they could lure him back in. He's under contract for a full DTM season with BMW, probably with a handy salary, and I'm sure he'll be better off fighting for points and podiums there than for 21st in Formula One with a team that couldn't afford to keep paying him.

I can't imagine Kovalainen would drive for free either, so this would be somewhat puzzling if confirmed. Who could be backing him? And if nobody is, how does Marussia plan on making do without Razia's millions?

[donald29]

@f1zone: BBC reporting that Heikki Kovalainen is having a seat fitting with Marussia tonight #f1

What? What a silly season.

I thought Heikki won't offer something for the lower teams? It's better to get Glock back in that case.

I thought it was an odd rumour given Heikki lost his seat due to a lack of funds, but apparently Whitmarsh was pushing for Heikki to get the seat and Marussia have a technical deal with McLaren...

[kals]

I'd rather see Heikki in the Marussia over Razia, but then again I'd prefer for Marussia to have retained Glock. But if it helps the team survive, grow and improve performance then get Heikki confirmed ASAP.

[donald29]

I'd like Heikki in a Marussia beating Caterham.

[donald29]

AUTOSPORT reporting Bianchi has the seat.

[kals]

I posted this two days ago in the 2013 RDT

A well informed and consistently accurate source of mine from Italy says that Bianchi may now be a contender to take the second Marussia from Luis Razia.

[François]

Oh boy. Expect the unexpected. <3

That said, given that seat's history so far, we might have not hear the end of it yet.

In all seriousness, very pleased for Jules. Hopefully he can gain some experience this year and attract attention for a better opportunity in 2014, at FI or elsewhere. And that's 4 french drivers on the grid! Such a terrible time for the TV rights to go to a pay channel.

[F1Fan88]

Cosworth will not be supplying engines in 2014. This answers the question to where Marussia will get their engines from. It will be interesting to see how McLaren responds to this as Bianchi who's a part of the FDA will now have access to the McLaren simulator.