2012-13 Silly Season

[reppo]

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorsport/ ... 1y48y.html

In-form Webber set to charge on for Red Bull
Josh Rakic
May 5, 2012

MARK WEBBER has insisted his formula one career will not come to an end this year as Red Bull Racing begins preparations to extend his contract into next year.

Webber had been linked to a switch to a Ferrari next year after originally signalling that this year would be his final season in the category. But the 35-year-old Australian, who is third in the championship after four rounds, said he was happier than ever at Red Bull and had no plans on departing the sport or the team.

''I'm really enjoying my driving and clearly I'm off to a really good start this year,'' he said. ''I feel completely reinvigorated and am just really enjoying it, which has been reflected in my driving and my results.

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''So I'll keep pressing on. Retirement isn't even on my radar at the moment. The results are there and when they are there I keep driving,'' Webber said.

And his Red Bull team owners have taken notice. The Herald understands Red Bull are all but ready to extend Webber's drive into next year to give Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne, with co-owned team Toro Rosso, a further season to adjust to the category and prove themselves worthy of the top drive.

While Sebastian Vettel remains the No.1 driver and could deliver another drivers' championship, Webber's experience and reliability is vital to retain the all-important constructors' championship - held in almost as high esteem as the drivers' championship. Four consecutive top-four finishes in a car lacking top-end speed has seen to that.

Testing in Italy this week has gone a long way to improving the minor faults in an otherwise brilliant racing car that has both out-qualified and out-finished Vettel's No.1 car on more than one occasion this season. ''There's been a good step forward for me in terms of qualifying this year,'' Webber said.

''We've had a consistent run of race results, which is obvious but it hasn't been particularly straightforward to pull off. But I'm happy with the amount of points I've got to far.''

Webber (48 points) sits third in the championship behind Vettel (53) and Lewis Hamilton (49) and was criticised by some for his perceived lack of aggression in Bahrain, which saw him relegated to his fourth-placed finish in as many race starts this season.

''It's not a strategy,'' he said. ''We saw with Kimi [Raikkonen] in Bahrain, he arrived so quickly, that the best thing for me to do is to leave him go and get to the first pit stop as quick as I can. If I lose five seconds battling for position, it hurts me more than it does him.

''You can't turn up to a race weekend on a Friday and say 'I'll be happy with a top five today'. You won't get too far with that type of attitude. You're aiming to get the absolute maximum out of everything you have and generally we've done that - apart from the race in Bahrain. I would have liked to have gotten bit more out of that but the other races have gone well for me.''

But Webber knows only race wins will keep him at the top of the field and within reach of the drivers' title. ''We know there needs to be wins at times and you need to do that to keep accumulating,'' he said.

''It'd be nice in a funny sort of way that if there was no championship everyone could just go out and have a crack and try and win each individual race. But there's a bigger picture going on and you've got to have that in your mind and still try and finish as far up as you can.''

Webber isn't surprised by his success so far this season but, heading into the first of the European rounds in Spain next weekend, he is pleased given the speed of rivals and the competitiveness of all four races so far this season, each with a different winner.

''I'd take this position on the championship for sure this time of year,'' he said. After Spain, the F1 circuit continues in Monaco and Canada.

[cformula1]

After the dramas of 2010, it seems that Webber and Red Bull's relationship is once again extremely strong, and that an understanding has been found in relation to Vettel- good for both Webber (who remains in a top car) and Red Bull (who keep a consistent lineup that now seems to work smoothly).

[reppo]

Webber or about anybody, yet not signed for next year, to Ferrari. Only thing missing is Barrichello back to F1, or could that really be possible if he gets sponsor money... HRT. I can't understand him talking about 'threat' Ferrari made 2002. Why did he sign to Ferrari for 2004-2005 if they treated him like that and he got other offers. Now he would probably take any seat if he can get one.

[mileso]

Webber is a good bottleneck to have behind Vettel. He's a great driver, defends his team mate's lead position well and gains valuable Constructor points for Red Bull. It is obvious Red Bull wants him on their team, they just have to get his car to be a bit faster. As long as Webber is slowing up the field a bit, Vettel gets to race in clean air and build on his lead.

[reppo]

I'm not too sure Webber is happy to be #2 in Red Bull.

[donald29]

Must be frustrating for Webber. The first three races he looked to be close to, sometimes ahead of, Vettel. Then in Bahrain he is miles behind and Vettel wins the race whilst Webber is again 4th.

[reppo]

http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/f1/uutiset.s ... sakuskiksi (in Finnish)

Salo believes: Bottas becomes a race driver on this season
Posted on 05.12.2012 17:16 (updated 17:19)

MTV3's F1 commentator Mika Salo believes Williams team will raise Valtteri Bottas to race driver already in this season.

Bottas is currently Williams' test driver.

- Bottas has an awful respect in the team. When I spoke with Frank Williams, he praised Valtteri to sky high, and said that he belongs into the car to drive races. Yes, I read between the lines, that it happens already on this season, Salo says.

Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna got the Williams seats by bringing plenty of sponsorship money.

- This is a difficult situation in Williams, when they have two pay driver, how to get rid of one of them? Frank Williams, however, is good in that way that he is not a business man, but an old racing driver. He doesn't think about anything other than how the team is successful, Salo says.

Senna was really tame in the Spanish Grand Prix's qualification by rolling to the sand, and falling to 18th, while Maldonado was driving to second.

- Senna is helping Valtteri every way at the moment. Although he is a nice guy, he is not able to drive on the level he should, Salo thinks about Sennasta.

MTV3, Jani Merimaa

[mileso]

Re: Webber
He's staying at Red Bull so he must be happy there. He is a great driver and a great guy but he does not attack like Vettel. The other drivers know he will back off and not take risks like Hamilton, Alonso or even Rossberg. He may win a race this year but probably not more than 1. I think 2013 will be his last year.

[reppo]

So. How long does it take before someone writes: "Ferrari eyeing Maldonado". Wait... I just did. Don't tell anyone
Nobody is eyeing Kovalainen if he gets outpaced by Petrov all the time

[phil1993]

Force India past and present linked to Ferrari
http://www.f1zone.net/news/sutil-resurf ... den/13960/

[mikhailv]

Dont get the hype around di resta. I mean, lets be honest; Sutil scored nearly double Di Resta's points last year, yet Di Resta was all the rave (probably down to BBC coverage and their self pleasuring of both RB and Di Resta).

I wouldn't mind Sutil going to ferrari, or Perez, Kobayashi, but mostly... I want Lewis in the team. The two would be handled better, the two would throw dummies out at one point, but my god they would not only be dominant, but it would the 88/89 all over again. Both drivers are better in one thing than the other, but what one lacks, the other is superior in and vice versa. Who ever wins on the day between the two, deserves it. Thats the kind of racing I want to see!

[reppo]

What? 88/89 like in McLaren - Prost and Senna. Wasn't Alonso and Hamilton already together in Mclaren 2007. I don't think two big egos fit into same team and Domenicali or Montezemolo will not take the risk.

[phil1993]

Like Mikhail, I would love to see Lewis and Fernando squaring up at Ferrari. But I can't see it happening and I can't see Lewis taking the risk of going up against the best driver on the grid.

[reppo]

Sure I agree Fernando and Lewis in Ferrari at the same time would be interesting, but no team principal will take such risk any more. McLaren even let Alonso leave two year early because he couln't get along with Hamilton. I don't think either of them want to see each other driving in same team again.

[mikhailv]

What? 88/89 like in McLaren - Prost and Senna. Wasn't Alonso and Hamilton already together in Mclaren 2007. I don't think two big egos fit into same team and Domenicali or Montezemolo will not take the risk.

And look what happened at Mclaren; prost left, Alonso left. Now we could go as far as to say that Ron Dennis had a knack for favouritism. Senna over prost, Hakkinen over Coulthard, Kimi over coulthard, Kimi over montoya, lewis over heikki. Some weird people are arguing Button over Lewis, which confuses me abit.

I mean, Kimi, Montoya, Alonso, Coulthard for example all left Mclaren and were happier for it, and theres a reason for those drivers being happier outside Mclaren. Im willing to bet Lewis will leave mclaren, and be much happier. Mclaren have two top drivers right now, its just that the team is now a joke.

Ferrari would be able to handle the situation much better. I dont think they would have a headache. Alonso's problem wasnt just being beaten; it was his problem with Ron and the management. Lets be honest, Alonso has matured massively since 2007 and is a much better driver, racer and is much cooler in the head.

I dont see a personal problem between lewis and Fernando, so why cant it happen? Both strive to work with the team, both spend hours with the team, both of them have a similar style or driving, both would be able to develop that car accordingly. It would be a dream team and worth a few bruised ego's.