Silly Season 2011 Thread

[raymondu999]

Kinda stating the obvious I guess. And I guess the RB7 will largely be based around Seb, as the RB6 this year was also rumored to be by some. http://en.espnf1.com/redbull/motorsport ... 31746.html

[alvinkhorfire]

From the aforementioned website:

Mark is in the autumn of his career. He wants to retire while he's at the top, not when he's past his peak like some other drivers.

It seems that the team wants to kick Webber out of the team. It is just unfair for him.

[Sawtooth-spike]

Kinda stating the obvious I guess. And I guess the RB7 will largely be based around Seb, as the RB6 this year was also rumored to be by some. http://en.espnf1.com/redbull/motorsport ... 31746.html

I love the title of that artical "Horner admits Red Bull building team around Vettel". Are they going to put bumpers on the car?

I wonder where Karun is going to end up, i think he should have a seat next year.

[netoperek]

I love the title of that artical "Horner admits Red Bull building team around Vettel". Are they going to put bumpers on the car?

ahahah n1 if they were building the car around Webber, they would fix proper wings, flaps and landing gear to it ;]

I was also impressed by Karun, he really deserves race seat next year imo too.
Jerome D'Abrosio is making good job in practice sessions, im wondering if Renault isn't planning to put him in place of Petrov next year.

[WhiteBlue]

IMO it makes a lot of sense to build the RBR team around Vettel. He is the guy they need to tie to the team and make sure he does not wander off to McLaren, Ferrari or Mercedes (if Merc get their act together next year). Webber is on a year on year contract basis. This is not by a unilateral decision by Red Bull. Both sides want it that way.

Although Mark is having his best season in F1 this year he simply cannot have the same appeal to a team as Vettel. The team inherited Webber and never hired him due to some sensational performance in another car. By contrast Vettel was pulled in from STR by merit of a very early career race win in an inferior car to replace an under performing DC.

• Webber has a size and weight disadvantage compared to other top drivers like Alonso, Vettel or Hamilton
• Webber did never have spectacular successes in the run up to his sensational 2010 season and it is unclear how long his motivation will last
• Webber is slower than Vettel and will continuously loose his experience advantage as Vettel matures

So there are good reasons to make sure Vettel stays and is happy. That obviously doesn't include any No.1 treatment. Vettel seems happy to accept equal treatment and he will not be turned away from the team if he looses to Webber this year in equal equipment.

Regarding Heidfeld good news or better rumors were spread tonight: click here

I agree that Liuzzi did not do his employment chances any good by today's qualifying. As usual Vitantonio was in trouble as soon as demanding corners were present on the track. Anything beyond Monza with three chicanes and three high speed corners tests his abilities. He may be more suitable to oval or drag racing.

[alvinkhorfire]

Thank you, WhiteBlue for your thorough analysis.

Webber is on a year on year contract basis. This is not by a unilateral decision by Red Bull. Both sides want it that way.

Sorry, could you explain why Mark only wants short-term extension to his contract?

I remembered that Mark said he manages to get close to Vettel's speed due to low fuel qualifying.

[WhiteBlue]

Webber is on a year on year contract basis. This is not by a unilateral decision by Red Bull. Both sides want it that way.

Sorry, could you explain why Mark only wants short-term extension to his contract?

I'm sure it is a personal thing. It was widely speculated that he wants to finish his career on a high as soon as he has a championship or feels his results cannot be bettered. There may be other reasons. Remember how he thought that Red Bull was treating him as a #2 driver. They managed to convince him it wasn't the case but he may still wants to keep his options open in case he feels to be in the wrong team.

[andrew]

Do you have inside information or are you just guessing?

ROFLMAO! Nice theories until official decisions are published.

[WhiteBlue]

Do you have inside information or are you just guessing?

ROFLMAO! Nice theories until official decisions are published.

It is officially released by the team that Mark is on one year contract extensions.

Please also compare the source in the post further up.

Sebastian has a long career ahead of him and hopefully he will spend it with us. Mark is in the autumn of his career. He wants to retire while he's at the top, not when he's past his peak like some other drivers.

[mach11]

I wonder where Karun is going to end up, i think he should have a seat next year.

The reason why Karun was dropped from HRT, As far as i know, was the fact that he was not able to bring enough money into the team for a whole year...

If he gets a chance with any team next year... he needs to perform much better than what he has done now...

But as an Indian... I would love it if he could get a chance to prove himself like how vettel did...

[andrew]

http://motorsport.nextgen-auto.com/Will ... -2011.html

Hulkenberg could actually be safe at Williams but it may be Barrichello that gets shown the exit.

[raymondu999]

Hulkenberg-Maldonado? Really? :s

[segedunum]

Kinda stating the obvious I guess. And I guess the RB7 will largely be based around Seb, as the RB6 this year was also rumored to be by some. http://en.espnf1.com/redbull/motorsport ... 31746.html

It hasn't given him much of an advantage.

[raymondu999]

Correction: If it was indeed designed around Seb, it hasn't given him much of an advantage. We don't know that it was designed around Seb for sure

[gibells]

Do we know if Barrichello is confirmed at Williams next year? Obviously this will have a bearing on whether Williams couldn't put 2 young drivers into the team.

Also, I came across this link from Motorsport.com.
http://www.motorsport.com/news/article. ... 3035&FS=F1

It's an new slant. Williams seem to be wanting to tie Hulkenberg in for 5 years, not give him the boot. As Williams is a great stepping stone and not the team it once was, I can see why Willy Weber is stalling. But it is interesting to see a different side to the story, and why Williams and Head are singing his praises to the press. The deal also comes with a heavy buyout clause. Very Buttonesque.