Admin Lineker Posted November 4, 2013 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 Lotus boss Eric Boullier has been told by the team's new investors to sign off a 2014 deal with Nico Hulkenberg. After months of uncertainty about the status of a partnership with Quantum Motorsports, the man behind the consortium that is buying a 35 per cent stake in the team from Genii Capital revealed at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that the deal was now done. And, as a priority, he is urging Boullier to finalise a contract that will bring in Hulkenberg as replacement for the outgoing Kimi Raikkonen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieG Posted November 5, 2013 Report Share Posted November 5, 2013 More nascar/indycar news, but former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya is in trouble with the IRS after he and his wife claimed a $7m income, when in fact it was 9.7m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2K Posted November 10, 2013 Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 From Autosport: Kimi Raikkonen is to miss the final two races of the 2013 Formula 1 season after electing to undergo back surgery next week. The Finn had been at the centre of a pay dispute with his Lotus bosses in Abu Dhabi last weekend, but it appeared that matters had been sorted so he could compete in the United States and Brazil. However, in a fresh twist, the back issues that nearly forced Raikkonen out of the Singapore Grand Prix earlier this year flared up enough for him to choose to take early surgery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Lineker Posted November 10, 2013 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 Conveniently timed Kimi! Valsecchi to deputise I suppose. Good to see him get a chance. Elsewhere, it is believed that Kevin Magnussen is now the favourite to get to McLaren drive ahead of Sergio Perez. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katsuya Posted November 10, 2013 Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 Fucking LOL, Kimi. He clearly has absolutely no fucks to give left for Lotus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Lineker Posted November 10, 2013 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 Can't blame him at a though. No reason for him not to screw them over like this while not breaking his contract, and at the same time it should ensure that he is fit for Melbourne in the Ferrari. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted November 10, 2013 Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 Surely Hulkenberg over Maldonado is a no brainer? Pastor's not really shown too much promise of progressing into doing regularly what we saw in Spain last year, and he makes a catalogue of errors each season. Kimi really couldn't care less about Lotus and I'm not surprised in the slightest, he's never been one for messing about or being messed about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Lineker Posted November 10, 2013 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 If money were no object then of course it's a no brainer. But if the Quantum money didn't come then Lotus would need Maldonado's PDVSA money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2K Posted November 11, 2013 Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 Massa has signed for Williams next year alongside Bottas, so right now Maldonado hasn't got a drive if Hulkenburg goes to Lotus. That said if there's a driver with that much money floating around I'm sure Caterham and Marussia wouldn't pass him up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieG Posted November 11, 2013 Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 Not even sure if Maldonado's still got that much money behind him after Chavez' death, Maduro isn't as behind Maldonado/F1 as Chavez was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Lineker Posted November 11, 2013 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 I can't place Maldonado on the grid next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA! Posted November 11, 2013 Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 I can't place Maldonado on the grid next year. It's usually easier to place Maldonado in a tyre wall. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Lineker Posted November 11, 2013 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 He could possibly end up at Sauber I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katsuya Posted November 11, 2013 Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 Seems that Magnussen is definitely replacing Perez, who now seems to be heading to Force India. With Sutil having said he's got his drive for next year sorted, either he's off to one of the back two teams or di Resta is toast. Suffice it to say next seasons grid is not how I thought it'd look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Lineker Posted November 11, 2013 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 Force India usually decide to announce their drivers on the flight to Melbourne, so we could be waiting for a while yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 11, 2013 Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 I told Paul he needed to gt in to a better team, LOOK WHAT HAPPENS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2K Posted November 11, 2013 Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 The BBC are being wacky with the Magnussen thing, their article headline says "Magnussen to replace Perez at McLaren" but the article itself has numerous quotes from McLaren distancing themselves from any actual confirmation. That said I don't expect it will be long 'til it's confirmed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazz Posted November 11, 2013 Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 I'm just amazed Jan Magnussen has a son old enough to drive, nevermind race. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Lineker Posted November 12, 2013 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Formula 1 teams are concerned that the 2014 technical regulations are forcing them into 'ugly' designs with hooked nose sections, as shown by this AUTOSPORT image. The rules for next season require a high chassis of 525mm and a low nose tip at 185mm. But the regulations only demand a relatively small nose tip cross-section, and teams will want to minimise the width of this area to improve air flow under the chassis. That raises the prospect of slender, drooping nose tip extensions to meet minimum rules requirements for this section, protruding from a higher, more bulky, section that will pass crash tests and fit teams' aerodynamic needs. While not all teams are believed to be heading down this design route, it is understood that several leading outfits believe it is the best solution. AUTOSPORT understands that some senior Formula 1 technical personnel have already called for changes to improve aesthetics, but this was not successful due to a lack of agreement on the need to do something. An FIA technical directive has also been issued ruling out an alternative nose solution that was put forward with a request for clarification. Red Bull design chief Adrian Newey and McLaren sporting director Sam Michael have admitted that the 2014 cars are likely to be "ugly" due to the front impact structure. "The low nose is not a problem," Michael explained. "The problem is the vagaries in the way you get through the crash test - and the teams will mostly be going down one solution. "It is not because of the chassis height." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katsuya Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 As it stands, the only team that will have the same driver combo next year is probably Mercedes. Can't see Chilton and Van de Garde having another season in them, and Force India surely won't keep Sutil and di Resta when Hulk/Maldonado/Perez are all on offer. Red Bull - Vettel/Ricciardo Ferrari - Alonso/Raikkonen Mercedes - Hamilton/Rosberg Lotus - Grosjean/(Hulkenburg/Maldonado) McLaren - Button/Magnussen Sauber - Sirotkin/(the other of Hulkenburg/Maldonado, probably) Force India - ???? (possibly Perez) Toro Rosso - Vergne/Kyvat Williams - Bottas/Massa Caterham - Pic/??? Marussia - Bianchi/??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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