Silly Season 2013/14

[dougskullery]

A source at Red Bull has told me that they're pushing very hard to get Kimi on board for 2014, in the expectation that Webber will retire at the end of this year. Hmm...

[Nando]

I´m not surprised. the old man Bernie keeps insisting Hamilton would have been at Red Bull today if it weren´t for Webber signing another year.

Maybe Red Bull feels that their era will end soon and having two top drivers in the team will minimize the collateral damage as they can compensate for not having the quickest machine.

they might hit the jackpot next year as they did in 2009 but it can also swing the other way.

[CHT]

A source at Red Bull has told me that they're pushing very hard to get Kimi on board for 2014, in the expectation that Webber will retire at the end of this year. Hmm...

I think they are joking about the very hard part.

[WhiteBlue]

Maybe Red Bull feels that their era will end soon and having two top drivers in the team will minimize the collateral damage as they can compensate for not having the quickest machine.

I think that Red Bull have a pretty good chance to create a superior car again. I do not believe that the the three engine makers will be very different in performance and engine efficiency which is the same. The differences will probably be in the reliability of the complete power train. Whoever does the best integration of engine, electronic controls, turbo, MGUH and MGUK with the best control strategy and reliability will conserve his chance for a championship. But much of the performance game will still be played in the chassis design. And that is the same for everyone. Newey is always particularly good at conceptualising and getting new rule packages right. I trust him to come up with a superior solution for 2014 as well. I do not believe that Red Bull necessarily will suffer from not having the power train in the same company. They have done their own KERS and do understand something of the strategies that are required to optimize packaging and the integration for a quick car.

I think that both drivers know that and it will influence Vettel as well as Webber. Only if Red Bull against expectations get the 2014 car wrong will the drivers start looking elsewhere. You simply do not walk away from a winning car as an F1 driver. They never do.

[Nando]

You simply do not walk away from a winning car as an F1 driver. They never do.

I think with Webber it´s different. He´s enjoyed having the fastest car for near 3,5 years and he´s got zero titles.
He´s if i´m not mistaken the oldest guy on the grid as well. He will probably never win a title with Sebastian in the other car,

Maybe Porsche and Le Mans sounds a bit more attractive then playing second fiddle once again.

[WhiteBlue]

I'm convinced that Webber is just making his usual smoke screen. He must know deep in his heart that Seb is faster than him. But that is no reason to accept an inferior car.

[Juzh]

You simply do not walk away from a winning car as an F1 driver. They never do.

I think with Webber it´s different. He´s enjoyed having the fastest car for near 3,5 years and he´s got zero titles.
He´s if i´m not mistaken the oldest guy on the grid as well. He will probably never win a title with Sebastian in the other car,

Maybe Porsche and Le Mans sounds a bit more attractive then playing second fiddle once again.

2012 mclaren was faster on all but a few races. If not mclaren, then other cars were.

[Nando]

2012 mclaren was faster on all but a few races. If not mclaren, then other cars were.

The key with having the fastest car is also that it actually finishes the race.
It was extremely unreliable in many of the occasions where they needed it the most.

I´d say over the season the Mclaren edged it slightly in terms of raw pace.
Mostly due to Red Bull coming from further back getting to grips with the car.

[Juzh]

2012 mclaren was faster on all but a few races. If not mclaren, then other cars were.

The key with having the fastest car is also that it actually finishes the race.
It was extremely unreliable in many of the occasions where they needed it the most.

Sounds exactly like RB6. Was fastest, but fragile as a house of cards.

[raymondu999]

2012 mclaren was faster on all but a few races. If not mclaren, then other cars were.

The key with having the fastest car is also that it actually finishes the race.
It was extremely unreliable in many of the occasions where they needed it the most.

Let's not confuse best with fastest here. Fastest is fastest. ie, laptime - of which I'd agree McLaren was 2012-fastest.

But I agree that given how it kept retiring from strong positions - in effect, being as good as an HRT in those specific races - then it wasn't 2012-best.

Best vs fastest.

[Nando]

Even if we get rid of the reliability factor i still maintain that with both cars settled, the Mclaren was a fraction quicker.
The Red Bull when finally sorted was a proper beast and at the end it seemed like the track layout itself would determine which of the two cars would take pole.

[JimClarkFan]

I really hope it will be Hulkenburg, though I can see there being resistance to having two German drivers in the same team.

And I am going to say something perhaps controversial; but I think Hulkenburg has the potential to be better than Vettel and I think he will beat him head to head - perhaps not the first season, but soon after.

[-o< Please make this come true [-o<

[ced381]

I hope Kimi goes to RBR next season. I really want to see a better driver then Webber against Vettel in the same car. I really wonder who would come up on top!

[CHT]

so webber leaving RBR is confirmed?

[JimClarkFan]

Dam missed the other thread, sorry MODs

I hope Kimi goes to RBR next season. I really want to see a better driver then Webber against Vettel in the same car. I really wonder who would come up on top!

I think it would be close, Kimi has stepped it up this year.