2012-13 Silly Season

[donald29]

Yeah. Reckon the stuff Maldonado said last week was in case Chavez lost the election. Now he's won the money will continue and Williams will keep him on. Would be interested to know if Maldonado campaigned for Chavez at all.

Plus he's stopped crashing lately and has driven pretty well.

[phil1993]

For some reason, Hulkenberg is being linked to Sauber.

The reality is that we have di Resta, Hulkenberg, Alguersuari, Kobayashi, Senna, Pic, Kovalainen, Van der Garde all fighting for six seats if we are to assume Williams will promote Bottas.

[iceman1]

I feel sorry for Kobayashi. He's a good driver but apparently needs money to keep his seat for next year.

http://www.f1zone.net/news/kobayashi-co ... hip/16143/

[Coopz]

For some reason, Hulkenberg is being linked to Sauber.

The reality is that we have di Resta, Hulkenberg, Alguersuari, Kobayashi, Senna, Pic, Kovalainen, Van der Garde all fighting for six seats if we are to assume Williams will promote Bottas.

Well, Sauber has been a better team than Force India this season. But that could easily change next season. Sauber really shine on some circuits but then lack on others. I think Hulkenberg feels he'd be able to show the bigger teams what he can do if he moved to Sauber and wants to gamble on them being quicker than Force India next season. Its a strange decision if it does happen, considering he spent a year on the pit wall at Force India waiting for a seat, then after a year of finally getting it, he's possibly off.

I'd put my money on him staying at Force India. I can see why Sauber would be interested in him though. Esteban Gutierrez should have a seat in the Sauber. The second seat will be between Jaime, Kobayashi or The Hulk in my opinion.

[donald29]

Also there isn't an arrest warrant for Monisha Kaltenborn.

It would be a shame if Sauber dropped Kobayashi for financial reasons. If they get 6th, or even better 5th, in the Constructors' you'd hope they wouldn't have to.

[phil1993]

I think it depends on where they finish. If they can get 5th, financially they're more secure than 6th or 7th, obviously.

But what does the Telmex and other Mexican sponsors contracts mean? Ie, what clauses are there?

The crux of the matter comes down to this: is any potential sponsorship + an inexperienced driver going to be more financially beneficial than Kamui Kobayashi? It would be a shame to lose Kamui, and especially as there's so many sponsors in Japan but as ever, they don't know how to use it properly!

Maybe what they'll do is have Kobayashi as one driver, then Hulkenberg/Alguersuari as another and Gutierrez doing free practice sessions?

---

After the last few events, I'd be stunned if Senna stays instead of #BOTTAS. Similarly, I reckon Antonio Felix Da Costa will get an STR gig mid-2013.

[donald29]

Yeah. Eddie Jordan predicted Senna going back to HRT. That thought had never crossed my mind, don't think that one was based on much evidence. Similarly Sutil back at Force India. Is that a real possibility? I doubt it.

[Coopz]

Yeah. Eddie Jordan predicted Senna going back to HRT. That thought had never crossed my mind, don't think that one was based on much evidence. Similarly Sutil back at Force India. Is that a real possibility? I doubt it.

I dunno about Sutil, no doubting his quality but I think teams would be far more interested if it wasn't for that incident he had which didn't do much for his reputation. Could see Bianchi there.

'd like to see Hulkenberg and Kobayashi at Sauber next year. I like that line up. A lot. Personally, I think it'll be Gutierrez and Kobayashi. Gutierrez I'm confident will get the seat because of Telmex (Not that he's a bad driver mind) - Then they'll be left to choose between Hulkenberg and Kobayashi. Hulkenberg doesn't offer that much in terms of sponsorship, hence why he got dropped from Williams for Pastor. I dunno if hes acquired more sponsorships by then. Seems a funny one though if they're replacing Kobayashi for Hulkenberg because of money.

[MavF1]

So, I got a question for you guys. I have read now on several occasions and on different sites that out of the Torro Rosso drivers, Vergne is "the favoured one" and I always wondered why that is (if it's actually true). It can't be performance, since so far both seem to be pretty much evenly matched. So, what is it? And most importantly, is there anything to back this theory up (like a statement from Marko or sth.)? Just curious.

So, a little shameless to bring up my own post again, but I'm really curious. Can anybody shed light on this?

I reckon Antonio Felix Da Costa will get an STR gig mid-2013.

So you think Torro Rosso would scrap either Vergne or Ricciardo after one and a half seasons in the sport to bring in yet another new driver? This would be madness!

[phil1993]

It's what STR do. Unless Webber retires after 2013, which would free up a spot for one of them.

[donald29]

Yeah part of the problem of the Red Bull driver problem is there's no room at the top, and even when there is there's no guarantee Horner will take a Toro Rosso driver.

Kravitz seemed to think Hulk to Sauber is pretty much a certainty. With Gutiérrez as team-mate.

[Treacle]

Andrew Benson says the same thing: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/19940929

[Coopz]

Kravitz seemed to think Hulk to Sauber is pretty much a certainty. With Gutiérrez as team-mate.

Andrew Benson says the same thing: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/19940929

Yup. I like that line up a lot and hope it happens. Will feel for Kobayashi but he isn't consistent. We all love his Banzai attitude and the overtakes he brings and there is no doubting he has talent. Hulkenberg will be a brilliant lead driver and Gutierrez, who knows. He hasn't been bad in GP2 and is a young, raw, Mexican talent with the backing of Carlos Slim. Sound familiar?

I'll be so annoyed if Hulkenberg does go to Sauber and they're not as competitive as they are this season and Force India are quicker.

[phil1993]

So, I got a question for you guys. I have read now on several occasions and on different sites that out of the Torro Rosso drivers, Vergne is "the favoured one" and I always wondered why that is (if it's actually true). It can't be performance, since so far both seem to be pretty much evenly matched. So, what is it? And most importantly, is there anything to back this theory up (like a statement from Marko or sth.)? Just curious.

So, a little shameless to bring up my own post again, but I'm really curious. Can anybody shed light on this?
.[/quote]

I think it's because towards the end of 2011, Marko was keen to pair Alguersuari with Vergne this season, with Ricciardo going to Caterham. When that didn't happen, Marko reluctantly dropped Alguersuari for Ricciardo.

But I don't know to what extent Vergne is seen as the favoured one.

[MavF1]

Yeah part of the problem of the Red Bull driver problem is there's no room at the top, and even when there is there's no guarantee Horner will take a Toro Rosso driver.

Kravitz seemed to think Hulk to Sauber is pretty much a certainty. With Gutiérrez as team-mate.

That wouldn't surprise anyone, would it? With Monisha announcing last week that Telmex will stay with Sauber for at least another year, Gutiérrez is almost a certainty too.