2012 Formula One Discussion

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donald29
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Re: 2012 Formula One Discussion

Post by donald29 » 11 Dec 2011, 11:17

"Mercedes’s shirts are smart in black and white although are probably not a fan favourite."

I'm guessing Mercedes sell more shirts than most teams, ones with "Michael Schumacher" written on them. :P Grand Prix Legends say Schumacher's cap is still their biggest seller!

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Re: 2012 Formula One Discussion

Post by F1Fan88 » 11 Dec 2011, 15:04

There is an interview with Paul di Resta in Gazzetta dello Sport today, ahead of an important week for the Scotsman, as he waits to learn of his confirmation in a race seat for 2012.

That announcement is due to be made on Thursday.

Di Resta was famously team mate to Sebastian Vettel in F3 back in 2006 and beat him in equal cars. The Scotsman is a year older than his celebrated former colleague and took longer to break into F1 because he didn’t have a BMW or a Red Bull to push him forward.

Invited to draw conclusions from what their past says about their relative situations today, Di Resta takes the bait,

“We had the same car, same engine, same tyres and I beat him,” said Di Resta. “I don’t want to diminish Vettel’s achievement (this year), but he won the championship because he had the best car. He did his job, but another driver in the same car would probably have achieved the same results. I hope one day to have the same opportunity.”

This is fighting talk from Di Resta and rather surprising, as he is normally pretty guarded in what he says. It smacks of jealousy of course, but he clearly wants to talk himself up and the fact that he feels he can say something like this illustrates that he’s obviously feeling confident with a new contract in his pocket. The expectation is that Force India will move forward with him and Nico Hulkenberg.

It is a comment that will play well with the fans who diminish Vettel’s achievement.

He says that his target for 2011 was “Only to prove that I deserve my place on the grid,” and notes that “in midfield you have around you three or four teams all running in more or less the same way,” so it’s a real battle.

Di Resta notes that he has no official tie to Mercedes, other than the engine that sits in the back of his Force India car.

Source : http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2011/12/p ... -best-car/

You know who Senna's big F3 rival was? Martin Brundle.

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donald29
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Re: 2012 Formula One Discussion

Post by donald29 » 11 Dec 2011, 17:07

Brundle didn't beat Senna come the end of the season though. :p

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Re: 2012 Formula One Discussion

Post by reppo » 11 Dec 2011, 17:11

iceman1 wrote:
Mar wrote:There are a few interesting data and surprises about how "good" the teams are paying to their suppliers. I have only found the information in German, but I suppose it will also be somewhere in English.

The best teams when it comes to paying are Sauber (only 2 days late payment) and Williams.
Ferrari... well, they went away from the FOTA because they want to spend more, but they are 18 days late on payments behind teams like Marussia (17 days) or Lotus Renault (16 days).

Red Bull, who also want to spend more, are also not too nice paying, but not as bad as Ferrari (not precise information in the article)
http://www.motorsport-magazin.com/forme ... esten.html
Pretty interesting, I guess Ferrari have to wait for Santander? :lol:
Maybe Domenicali should go back to Ferrari's fiscal department taking care of bills and leave racing to people who knows what they are doing. He is no way same caliber as Todt who knows how to build a winning team :zz:

Now when Todt, Brawn, Byrne and Schumi has left and Dyer is doing something unspecified (???) there is nothing left of the team which built winning Ferrari. I'm afraid that Scuderia Ferrari has became Scuderia Santander :huh:

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Re: 2012 Formula One Discussion

Post by reppo » 11 Dec 2011, 18:13

Is Kubica now out from F1 completely?

http://www.f1zone.net/news/boullier-rel ... ero/10959/

Doesn't look like he is going to drive anything in near future. Or is it that he just don't want get back with LRGP.

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Re: 2012 Formula One Discussion

Post by phil1993 » 11 Dec 2011, 18:18

I think the relationship just broke down. Kubica wanted privacy, but Renault needed to 'use' him for publicity. Together, it eventually wore away and Morelli didn't help.

I'm hearing that Kubica may start 2012 as a 'Ferrari adviser', occupying a similar role to Schumacher between 2007-9.

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Re: 2012 Formula One Discussion

Post by Adam » 11 Dec 2011, 18:28

reppo wrote:
iceman1 wrote:
Mar wrote:There are a few interesting data and surprises about how "good" the teams are paying to their suppliers. I have only found the information in German, but I suppose it will also be somewhere in English.

The best teams when it comes to paying are Sauber (only 2 days late payment) and Williams.
Ferrari... well, they went away from the FOTA because they want to spend more, but they are 18 days late on payments behind teams like Marussia (17 days) or Lotus Renault (16 days).

Red Bull, who also want to spend more, are also not too nice paying, but not as bad as Ferrari (not precise information in the article)
http://www.motorsport-magazin.com/forme ... esten.html
Pretty interesting, I guess Ferrari have to wait for Santander? :lol:
Maybe Domenicali should go back to Ferrari's fiscal department taking care of bills and leave racing to people who knows what they are doing. He is no way same caliber as Todt who knows how to build a winning team :zz:

Now when Todt, Brawn, Byrne and Schumi has left and Dyer is doing something unspecified (???) there is nothing left of the team which built winning Ferrari. I'm afraid that Scuderia Ferrari has became Scuderia Santander :huh:

In 2010 Ferrari nearly won a WDC without those people you named, beating McLaren quite comfortably and this year Alonso almost finishes second... Massa in 2008 with Domenicali and Montezemolo also almost won a championship. So I think the talent is there. Don't get fooled by Newey's momentaneous superiority, that once it's gone Ferrari will be there fighting for wins :cool:

On the other hand Schumi and Brawn are basically doing nothing meaningful at Mercedes. My point is that certain people are very important but you need to gather a nice crew in order to build a winning car, something I don't think Ferrari lacks at the moment. Also, I think I heard rumors about Ferrari getting aero-engineers from RBR..

The only serious problem at Ferrari now is Massa...

I don't think Domenicali is bad. The one who should leave Ferrari IMO is Montezemolo.

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Re: 2012 Formula One Discussion

Post by iceman1 » 11 Dec 2011, 18:42

reppo wrote:Is Kubica now out from F1 completely?

http://www.f1zone.net/news/boullier-rel ... ero/10959/

Doesn't look like he is going to drive anything in near future. Or is it that he just don't want get back with LRGP.
I read on Autosport magazine that Ferrari offered him an opportunity to test the 2009 car next car.

Fernando Alonso: The right man at the wrong time.

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Re: 2012 Formula One Discussion

Post by metalhead188 » 11 Dec 2011, 19:16

Kubica to Ferrari links have been in the air since signing with Renault... it was pretty obvious during the season what he brings to the table so the last thing a team would want is to send him away... he is great at setting the cars up but still needs maturity behind the wheel... he will be driving just where is the question now

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Re: 2012 Formula One Discussion

Post by reppo » 11 Dec 2011, 19:23

Adam wrote:In 2010 Ferrari nearly won a WDC without those people you named, beating McLaren quite comfortably and this year Alonso almost finishes second...
I thought he was almost third. One point behind Webber.
Adam wrote:Massa in 2008 with Domenicali and Montezemolo also almost won a championship. So I think the talent is there. Don't get fooled by Newey's momentaneous superiority, that once it's gone Ferrari will be there fighting for wins :cool:
They did won WCC in 2008 as well as 2007. To me Massa is moral winner of 2008. Without Briatore and Piquet he might now be a WDC. Who knows. Byrne was still in Ferrari as consultant until early 2009 but I don't know what was he doing there. Newey has a habit to pull something out every year but does he do it alone. It is the crew as you say.
Adam wrote:On the other hand Schumi and Brawn are basically doing nothing meaningful at Mercedes. My point is that certain people are very important but you need to gather a nice crew in order to build a winning car, something I don't think Ferrari lacks at the moment. Also, I think I heard rumors about Ferrari getting aero-engineers from RBR..
Good for Ferrari if that is true. But as you say they need a nice crew and I don't quite believe they yet have it. Schumi and Brawn alone does not make a nice team either.
Adam wrote:The only serious problem at Ferrari now is Massa...
I don't think Domenicali is bad. The one who should leave Ferrari IMO is Montezemolo.
Why don't they just replace Massa. Surely for example Petrov would be at least as good as Massa. He is a young driver getting better every year.

I don't say Domenicali is bad but is he good. He could be better.

Montezemolo is a pure business man and how much does he get involved into Ferrari's daily operations anyway. Though if he would leave Ferrari I wouldn't mind at all.

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Re: 2012 Formula One Discussion

Post by Vorull » 11 Dec 2011, 19:39

Oh please... Petrov as good as Massa? I know Massa is not the best there is, but Petrov is nowhere near him.

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Re: 2012 Formula One Discussion

Post by donald29 » 11 Dec 2011, 19:45

phil1993 wrote: I'm hearing that Kubica may start 2012 as a 'Ferrari adviser', occupying a similar role to Schumacher between 2007-9.
What's your source?

They'd obviously just be giving him a role to get him in the team with a view to a future race drive, but surely they could think of something better to call it!

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Re: 2012 Formula One Discussion

Post by reppo » 11 Dec 2011, 20:04

Vorull wrote:Oh please... Petrov as good as Massa? I know Massa is not the best there is, but Petrov is nowhere near him.
After the accident Massa hasn't shown anything but average performance. Very few drivers come back after severe accident and it doesn't look like he can do it. Who would you hire?

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Re: 2012 Formula One Discussion

Post by iceman1 » 11 Dec 2011, 20:20

reppo wrote:
Vorull wrote:Oh please... Petrov as good as Massa? I know Massa is not the best there is, but Petrov is nowhere near him.
After the accident Massa hasn't shown anything but average performance. Very few drivers come back after severe accident and it doesn't look like he can do it. Who would you hire?
I'd go with Sergio Perez.

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Re: 2012 Formula One Discussion

Post by Vorull » 11 Dec 2011, 22:40

reppo wrote:
Vorull wrote:Oh please... Petrov as good as Massa? I know Massa is not the best there is, but Petrov is nowhere near him.
After the accident Massa hasn't shown anything but average performance. Very few drivers come back after severe accident and it doesn't look like he can do it. Who would you hire?
Yes, his performance went down after the crash, but he has shown some good drives after that like in Germany, Bahrain and Australia 2010. This year was much worse than last year was for him. Anyway, I would take Perez or di Resta if I had to.

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