Gazz Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 In that case, the McLarens should be averaging about 300mph then next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 And the Marussia's about 400mph! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katsuya Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 Caterham purposefully did next to no work on the 2013 car because they assumed that Marussia wouldn't catch them, so they could just focus on the 2014 car and try and do a Honda/Brawn, but then had to change attention when it turned out Marussia were somewhat competent this year. I do think that if Caterham and Marussia can't catch up then they should just leave, really. They have no excuses now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Lineker Posted November 25, 2013 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 There's actually long-standing murmurs of Lotus and Caterham merging (yes, really, after all those court battles over the Lotus name). Same for Marussia and a couple of other teams. We'll see. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFUHbeIsOCI http://imgur.com/a/q5YbW Pastor Maldonado's imminent decision about the 2014 offer that he has from Lotus will be the trigger point for the Formula 1 driver market to fall into place. Negotiations between Maldonado's management and Lotus chiefs accelerated over the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend with the team accepting that it can no longer wait for an investment deal from Quantum Motorsports to be completed. Although Maldonado has also held advanced talks with Sauber, it is understood that his preferred option is Lotus if he can be given guarantees about the team's financial infrastructure. Sources insist that no final decision has been made, which is why rival teams are holding back on committing to their 2014 plans until they know that Maldonado and his hefty sponsorship backing from Venezuela are tied up elsewhere. When asked by AUTOSPORT about the latest on his talks for next year, Maldonado said: "We are quite close. We have been working very hard since many months ago and now we are just waiting for confirmation - all the stuff that you need to do with contracts. "But until you sign you never know. I prefer to sign and to be 100 per cent sure before we make an announcement." Should Maldonado's contract at Lotus be finalised - which could come as early as this week - that will likely have a domino effect on the rest of the driver market. With Romain Grosjean being kept by Lotus for next year, it means there is no space at the team for Nico Hulkenberg. The German is expected to switch to Force India, having already put in place a preliminary agreement with the outfit. His team-mate is likely to be Sergio Perez, whose Mexican backers have proved attractive to Force India as it bids to make the most of opportunities offered by new regulations for 2014. Should Hulkenberg and Perez be confirmed, then that will likely leave Adrian Sutil accepting a move to Sauber for next season, even though he is not totally out of the running at Force India yet. Force India's current driver Paul di Resta faces an uncertain future, however, with most midfield teams preferring sponsorship backing to out-and-out driving talent in the current financial climate. A Perez move to Force India will be a boost to his compatriot Esteban Gutierrez, who could well be handed a second year with Sauber, with Russian Formula Renault 3.5 teenager Sergey Sirotkin possibly being given a reserve role rather than a race drive. That would then leave Marussia and Caterham having the only vacancies left on the grid. Marussia is most likely to stick with Max Chilton to partner Jules Bianchi, while Caterham is evaluating a host of drivers including Heikki Kovalainen, Marcus Ericsson and Robin Frijns as replacements for Giedo van der Garde and Charles Pic if it decides it needs to make a change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazz Posted November 26, 2013 Report Share Posted November 26, 2013 With Webber gone, who will Lukie hate now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Lineker Posted November 26, 2013 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 26, 2013 Himself, probably. Technically though, Webber doesn't regenerate into Ricciardo until after the FIA gala next month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Lineker Posted November 28, 2013 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 28, 2013 Mercedes have confirmed the departure of Ross Brawn. I fully expect him to pop up at Ferrari, perhaps after a bit of a break. Elsewhere, Bernie might be facing yet another lawsuit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summers Posted November 28, 2013 Report Share Posted November 28, 2013 Brawn to Ferrari would make me very happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Lineker Posted November 29, 2013 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 29, 2013 Formula 1 teams are pushing ahead with a plan to give drivers permanent numbers throughout their racing careers, AUTOSPORT has learned. F1's iconic numbers The FIA is planning to introduce a 'pole position trophy' in Formula 1 from the start of next year, after receiving preliminary support for the idea from teams. Bahrain have confirmed that they will be a night race in 2014. Formula 1 drivers will be forced to make two pitstops, as well as face a strict limit on how long they can stay out for, if proposals for new 2014 tyre rules are accepted by teams next month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUKIE Posted November 29, 2013 Report Share Posted November 29, 2013 With Webber gone, who will Lukie hate now? Ricciardo will disappoint Australia, so it won't be long before the hate flows for him too. Even though he is a genuinely nice guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2K Posted November 29, 2013 Report Share Posted November 29, 2013 Maldonado is confirmed at Lotus, so my guess would be Hulkenburg and Perez at Force India (although I reckon they'd both be better off at Sauber) and Gutierrez and that Russian kid at Sauber. And I'd much rather it went back to teams having specific numbers than individual drivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Lineker Posted November 29, 2013 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 29, 2013 Boooo. As long as Grosjean is the #1 driver though; that's the main thing. I can't see Sirotkin in a race seat this year. It's far more likely that we'll get a SUT/GUT partnership for a year before they promote Sirotkin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2K Posted November 29, 2013 Report Share Posted November 29, 2013 Ugh, I can't think why anyone would choose Sutil over Di Riesta unless it was financially motivated. So I guess it's financially motivated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted November 29, 2013 Report Share Posted November 29, 2013 Formula 1 teams are pushing ahead with a plan to give drivers permanent numbers throughout their racing careers, AUTOSPORT has learned. Formula 1 drivers will be forced to make two pitstops, as well as face a strict limit on how long they can stay out for, if proposals for new 2014 tyre rules are accepted by teams next month. 1. What does it matter what number each driver has? What if certain different drivers want the same number? Confusing. 2. Do they want any strategy involved in the sport anymore or not? The tyres need to stop dictating so many of the race factors in such stringent ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Lineker Posted November 29, 2013 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 29, 2013 di Resta's progress as a driver has really dropped away the past couple of years. Not that Sutil is amazing or anything but there isn't too much between them right now. But as for Force India, with a Mercedes engine which will supposedly be the best of the bunch and Hulk and Checo in their cars, they could have a really superb season if they get the aerodynamics right like they did this year (before the tyre compounds reverted back to 2012 spec). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA! Posted November 29, 2013 Report Share Posted November 29, 2013 Really Lotus? Pastor fucking Maldonado?!I know Grosjean used to be as bad as him, but at least he's matured since teaming with Raikkonen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Lineker Posted November 29, 2013 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 29, 2013 Lotus have openly admitted that Hulk was their clear first choice though. They just need the money and they can't afford to wait for Quantum any longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 29, 2013 Report Share Posted November 29, 2013 Formula 1 teams are pushing ahead with a plan to give drivers permanent numbers throughout their racing careers, AUTOSPORT has learned. Formula 1 drivers will be forced to make two pitstops, as well as face a strict limit on how long they can stay out for, if proposals for new 2014 tyre rules are accepted by teams next month. 1. What does it matter what number each driver has? What if certain different drivers want the same number? Confusing. 2. Do they want any strategy involved in the sport anymore or not? The tyres need to stop dictating so many of the race factors in such stringent ways. 1. Marketing reasons 2. Its still strategy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJB Posted November 29, 2013 Report Share Posted November 29, 2013 Grosjean and Maldonado on the same team now means that Lotus are now my least favourite team, overtaking McLaren and Red Bull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 30, 2013 Report Share Posted November 30, 2013 Nobody overtakes Redbull... Horner and Vettel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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