2012-13 Silly Season

[donald29]

Yeah I know last year was worth a lot to them as it was their second year in a row in the top ten. No idea what a third would mean, but still in 2010 when they started up they didn't have that prize money yet didn't opt for a pay driver.

[phil1993]

It would still count. It's two out of three seasons. So they'd lose the money if they finished 11th next season as well.

[donald29]

Mike Gasgoyne tweets he's arrived in Paris for a big Caterham announcement tomorrow.

My first thought was to confirm Pic?

Apparently, and I have no idea if this is reliable, there are reports in the Dutch press that it will be Pic and Van der Garde...

[reppo]

Robert Fernley told to MTV3 that Kovalainen is a candidate for Force India next year. He also said there are more than two and less than ten drivers they are considering. He said they will go through the selection process during couple of coming weeks.

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

[donald29]

Less than 10, that narrows it down.

There's a few I'd like to see at Force India.

[eleanor]

Mike Gasgoyne tweets he's arrived in Paris for a big Caterham announcement tomorrow.

My first thought was to confirm Pic?

Apparently, and I have no idea if this is reliable, there are reports in the Dutch press that it will be Pic and Van der Garde...

I'm afraid it's not about 2013 line-up

Renault and Caterham Group today announced their decision to join forces in pursuit of a common project: to design develop and build future sports vehicles. This agreement reflects a similar passion and expertise in sports and motorsports vehicles.

The future vehicles will be distinctive, differentiated, and carry the respective DNA of Alpine and Caterham Cars, the automotive division of Caterham Group. They will be built at the Alpine plant in Dieppe, Normandy, in France.

Caterham Group will own 50% stake in the Automobiles Alpine Renault company, currently 100 % held by Renault SAS. The Société des Automobiles Alpine Caterham, which will be resulting from this partnership, shall be created in January 2013. It will be managed by Bernard Ollivier

This project, which ensures the Dieppe Plant a sustainable future, was made possible thanks to the incentive and to the substantial support and commitment provided by the French State and the Région Haute Normandie which also involved the contribution of Dieppe Maritime.

[tderias]

Robert Fernley told to MTV3 that Kovalainen is a candidate for Force India next year. He also said there are more than two and less than ten drivers they are considering. He said they will go through the selection process during couple of coming weeks.

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

That will be a good move for Heikki. We'll see how he stacks up against Di Resta.

Spoiler:

Welcome back?

[donald29]

The announcement was just a Caterham / Renault road car project.

[iceman1]

Robert Fernley told to MTV3 that Kovalainen is a candidate for Force India next year. He also said there are more than two and less than ten drivers they are considering. He said they will go through the selection process during couple of coming weeks.

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

That will be a good move for Heikki. We'll see how he stacks up against Di Resta.

Spoiler:

Welcome back?

My interview with Heikki - He said he's in F1 to get paid and not to pay for his seat. So if Caterham wants money, they should hire another driver.
http://www.f1arab.com/news/27426/

[phil1993]

Chinese media is reporting that Ma Qing Hua will race for HRT in 2013.

[donald29]

Christ. Has there been a driver with a less suitable record to make it into F1?!

[François]

Christ. Has there been a driver with a less suitable record to make it into F1?!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuji_Ide

[mikhailv]

Christ. Has there been a driver with a less suitable record to make it into F1?!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuji_Ide

Cant raise you on that, but maybe equal;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakon_Yamamoto

[donald29]

Yuji Ide sprung to mind, but at least he'd had a half decent season in Formula Nippon.

Sums Ide up though that the only picture of him in F1 on his Wikipedia page is poorly taken through a fence with part of his car out of shot.

[phil1993]

HRT denied the story - apparently a Chinese website jumped to conclusions...