Silly Season 2012/2013

[raymondu999]

It makes no sense to have Vettel at Ferrari 2014, especially since Alonso is there to 2016, but everyone I talk to in the paddock is adamant this is the case. It goes against Ferrari's lead/support driver ethos, and given the rule changes it will probably see Newey building a good car.

But then again if Ferrari has an empty seat for 2014, why not sign their own protege Sergio Perez for the drive?

If he does, Mark will probably be retained for continuity, and perhaps a new guy filling the RBR spot, who I suspect will come through the RBR young driver program. I don't think Hamilton will leave Merc for Red Bull, as long as he is with Simon Fuller - Mercedes is a much more marketable brand, especially given Lewis' identity as a racing driver (as opposed to an endurance athlete). Remember a chap called Beckham who moved to this team called LA Galaxy? Simon Fuller.

[stefan_]

I will be very surprised to see Vettel alongside Alonso at Ferrari. At the moment, Massa is the perfect team mate for Fernando and the decision to keep him for 2013 I think is a good one and maybe he can stay even beyond 2013 if he cracks it and makes a good season next year.

[ArchAngel]

Amazing how fickle fortunes can be and how quick it can change. Prior to the winter break, it was pretty much a majority consensus that MAS is already a dead-man-walking at Ferrari and MSC is already certain about driving for another year at Merc. And despite KOB's Japanese podium, it seems increasingly likely that he'll still lose his Sauber seat for 2013.

VET to Ferrari in 2014? I would've thought that would only be possible if LdM wanted to push off ALO out of the team a'la MSC-2006.

[stefan_]

With today's confirmation of Massa staying at Ferrari in 2013, the top teams have their seats filled.

[spadeflush]

Happy Birthday Iceman! He'll announce his 2013 plans today. Expecting no surprises, or should we?

[RB7ate9]

Happy Birthday Iceman! He'll announce his 2013 plans today. Expecting no surprises, or should we?

After all that's been done, it would be the most foolish thing in the world for Lotus not to offer Raikkonen all the ice-cream he could ever want. And promise to minimize interviews to 2 minutes throughout 2013, per race weekend.

[WhiteBlue]

BBC seems confident that Vettel will sign for Ferrari in 2014. They are refering to "Sources inside Ferrari". Where does that leave Red Bull, if that were to happen?

The Vettel/Ferrari rumors are likely to be a negotiation ploy of the Vettel management to earn him more money. It doesn't make sense for him to swap. Not if he can drive a Newey designed car at Red Bull. Adrian's superiority really comes into play when the rules are more dynamic and not as static as they are now. So 2014 it will be even more important to sit in his car and I don't believe that Ferrari will pry him away from Red Bull. They simply have nothing that would lure him away from England. And Ferrari will never again repeat what they did with John Barnard in the nineties.

[raymondu999]

The Vettel/Ferrari rumors are likely to be a negotiation ploy of the Vettel management to earn him more money.

Vettel IIRC does his own management. Just adding on, not saying it's not possible. I personally don't think it's what's happening, given that Montezemolo a while back also mentioned Vettel (when asked whether he would sign Perez) but yeah.

But LHamilton's question is interesting. As a pure what-if, though, Red Bull would be in a quandary. I don't believe Webber to be good enough to fend off Alonso or Vettel potentially at Ferrari, despite the fact that he would probably be in a superior Red Bull. I don't imagine the Toro Rosso boys would either, leaving them in a very big quandary.

[beelsebob]

The Vettel/Ferrari rumors are likely to be a negotiation ploy of the Vettel management to earn him more money.

Vettel IIRC does his own management. Just adding on, not saying it's not possible. I personally don't think it's what's happening, given that Montezemolo a while back also mentioned Vettel (when asked whether he would sign Perez) but yeah.

But LHamilton's question is interesting. As a pure what-if, though, Red Bull would be in a quandary. I don't believe Webber to be good enough to fend off Alonso or Vettel potentially at Ferrari, despite the fact that he would probably be in a superior Red Bull. I don't imagine the Toro Rosso boys would either, leaving them in a very big quandary.

I honestly expect the reason RedBull didn't want LH was because they had two well established drivers already, not because of any issue with him. I fully expect they would chase after him if SV left.

[raymondu999]

Yes, but I don't think it would happen.

Firstly it would mean reneging on his Merc deal, which would - after his adamant statements that he is at Mercedes for the long run to help them out of the doldrums - make him look like an absolute tit.

Secondly, in my view Mercedes is much more marketable with Lewis Hamilton, especially given the fact that Lewis is a racing driver (and not an endurance athlete). I believe that marketability is a large portion of the reason Fuller hooked Lewis up with Mercedes.

[stefan_]

Well, the announcement regarding Kimi was made today, but it's not about what we were expecting...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk1GnB331WQ[/youtube]

[ScottB]

Yes, but I don't think it would happen.

Firstly it would mean reneging on his Merc deal, which would - after his adamant statements that he is at Mercedes for the long run to help them out of the doldrums - make him look like an absolute tit.

Secondly, in my view Mercedes is much more marketable with Lewis Hamilton, especially given the fact that Lewis is a racing driver (and not an endurance athlete). I believe that marketability is a large portion of the reason Fuller hooked Lewis up with Mercedes.

Red Bull is a massive global brand too however.

Lewis could well have performance clauses in his contract, he'd be a fool if not!


I don't get this Vettel to Ferrari story at all, why would Seb commit himself to moving in 2014, the first year of the new regs with no idea of how good a car Ferrari will be able to make, or even how good an engine! If he wanted to move on, and by the end of his deal he could be a 3 or even 4 time World Champion, so he may well fancy a new challenge, why not wait to see who is in the best shape? Plus he would no doubt have Mclaren, Ferrari and maybe even Mercedes chasing his signature and driving up his wages.

If he does leave, I wonder how much longer Red Bull would stay in the sport... They are so tied into having him in the team, there would be no obvious replacement whatsoever, Alonso would be nearing the end of his career, Button could already be gone, ditto Mark Webber, Hamilton we could assume would be secure at Merc. There's no sign of someone as good as Vettel coming through the RB Driver Programme... Would they stay? Or more to the point could they keep people like Newey? Would he hang around to keep designing likely the best car in the field if it was being driven by Vergne and Ricciardo?

[FoxHound]

Hamilton moving to Mercedes was not about imminent success. I don't share the opinion he was led down the garden path by Simon Fuller's XIX entertainment either.
2013 is pretty much written off for Hamilton being a WDC. It would be a miraculous turn around akin to that of the Brawn GP 2009 season were it to happen.
Hamilton moving to Mercedes is all about 2014, where I believe he would stipulate some performance clauses commencing that year.

2014 turbo's and new regulation's which alter some of the aero rules to try balance over dependence on aerodynamics, particularly the front wing, which is being reduced in width from 1800mm to 1650mm.

But there is also another interesting development that could address Mercedes powered teams and their sometimes hit and miss record with Pirelli tyres.
This is sourced from Somer's F1.

2014 will provide the first stepping stone in a tyre manufacturer being able to design a tyre that doesn’t favour one engine manufacturer / chassis design over another. This is because the new rules mean that the engine manufacturers place the engine mountings in the same positions and the chassis themselves will have a ‘spec’ position/arrangement in which the engine fits. This leaves scope for engines to be transferred from one chassis to another.

So when you add it all up, Hamilton made the wrong decision for 2013, but in 2014 there is potential for him to be able challenge.

[raymondu999]

But there is also another interesting development that could address Mercedes powered teams and their sometimes hit and miss record with Pirelli tyres.

IMO Mercedes engines' struggle this year with Pirelli tyres have not been because of mass distribution but more of the torque output. There was talk a while back that Mercedes' more hefty power punch in the midrange revs were causing more slip.

[FoxHound]

Yes, I have read this too.

I believe Ferrari have an issue with it, but not as evident as Mercedes. Will Pirelli re-adjust for this I wonder.