Silly Season 2013/14

[ringo]

What are the facts here?

Sutil to stay?
DI resta to Ganassi?

And it seems after listening to the commentators at FP3, Maldonado is indeed signed for lotus, They inferred this after noting some media outlets in Venezuela touting that there is a deal with PAstor and Lotus. In fact the Minister of oil is reported to have said this as well.
sounds like a done deal?

[Racer X]

It sounds like a done deal......


Maldonado and Grosjean


On the same team..........

[Pup]

No Lotus past the first corner next year then.

Frankly, I think it may be better for Hulkenberg. It seems like Lotus have too much weirdness going on with their budget and of course they've lost a ton of key engineers this year. Far from a sure thing that they'll remain competitive.

Not that there are great alternatives. Force India I guess is his best bet.

The list of guys who are depending on Force India as their safety net is growing longer by the day.

[slimfitcasual]

Yes, please HULK, just stay at Sauber!

[ringo]

Any video highlights on this magnussen kid?
I only know of his exploits when mclaren report them on twitter.

[marcush.]

Perez will certainly find a place for nxt year as well ,but where?
Could it be Slims dollars are spitting in Maldonados soup at Lotus? Wasn´t slim not considering buying into a team a few yearsa ago ?

[Manoah2u]

Perez will certainly find a place for nxt year as well ,but where?
Could it be Slims dollars are spitting in Maldonados soup at Lotus? Wasn´t slim not considering buying into a team a few yearsa ago ?

I remember Force India rumours being in trouble financially-wise, that's why Sahara came into play a while ago, because
business wasn't going too well for Vijay.

I'd say if Carlos slim would have serious interest in 'buying' a team, Force india would surely be the most interesting,
he could buy the entire outfit overnight, and rename it to 'Telmex America Movil F1 Team"
However, the question is whether Vijay is willing to do that, since he does carry a load if Indian Pride, I kinda like the
guy, he's the type of figure that belongs in F1, big entrepeneur, attitude, hot girls to the paddock.
But with the Indian GP off and the 'grim' future for India businesswise in F1, i don't really know how viable it's future is.

I don't believe it'll happen 2014 tho, but i think FI is the place for Perez to go. I could see a 2015 Telmex F1 team happening, and Sergio paired with Hulkenberg or Sutil [that guy somehow just keeps heidfelting around], with a Ferrari engine in the back.



just switch the Honda badge for a ferrari one and there it is.

The Mexican GP will not happen in 2014, but 2015 should. I think Slim and Bernie just aswell are quite keen to get the most out of that opportunity.

[ScottB]

Some interesting info going round Twitter / Redit that basically suggests the whole Quantum investment is indeed a scam...

[marcush.]

to me it looks like Sauber wil try to create an all mexican team for 2014 and chasing Slims money .sirotkin is unlikely for 2014 ,and it does not look like the russian mpney really materialised .Sauber speak fondly about Perez and Gutierrez seems to finally come on song now...

that´s no good news for Hulk especially after his attempt to switch to Lotus .Sauber have paid him to avoid this happening and saubers management claims it is money that is buying a seat at sauber not talent .
so I´d think Sauber is either Perez or Maldonado.

leaves Hulk with only FI as an option?

[i70q7m7ghw]

Everything is balancing on that deal. If Lotus can't secure funding from Quantum, then they will most likely sign Maldonado. Perez has backing, but that backing never materialised at McLaren. Maldonado's backing is proven, it had been keeping Williams afloat for the last few seasons.

Perez back to Sauber, Hulkenberg back to Force India, and Di Resta unfortunately loses out. God only knows how Sutil keeps surviving, he's the most anonymous driver on the grid!

[Sombrero]

Is PDVSA still backing Pastor ?

[Manoah2u]

God only knows how Sutil keeps surviving, he's the most anonymous driver on the grid!

Perhaps they are afraid to get glass shard in the neck ala lux if they'd dump him.

I never was a fan of Sutil, but it must be said though he seems to bring good input in car 'development' and he is gathers a good amount of points. It just seems like he's the perfect fit for force india for a couple of years, might just be the exact profile that benefits for FI. Doubt he geniunly has offers from other teams - however, force india is a stable and good performing team. I don't see going to another team would be much benefit actually.
Still depends on the plans and goals of the team. If another investor pops in, it can all be over for the driver lineup.

[Manoah2u]

Is PDVSA still backing Pastor ?

Since an official himself said pastor will be at lotus, there is reason enough to assume they indeed are still backing
Pastor.

[multisync]

Perez will certainly find a place for nxt year as well ,but where?
Could it be Slims dollars are spitting in Maldonados soup at Lotus? Wasn´t slim not considering buying into a team a few yearsa ago ?

I remember Force India rumours being in trouble financially-wise, that's why Sahara came into play a while ago, because
business wasn't going too well for Vijay.

I'd say if Carlos slim would have serious interest in 'buying' a team, Force india would surely be the most interesting,
he could buy the entire outfit overnight, and rename it to 'Telmex America Movil F1 Team"
However, the question is whether Vijay is willing to do that, since he does carry a load if Indian Pride, I kinda like the
guy, he's the type of figure that belongs in F1, big entrepeneur, attitude, hot girls to the paddock.
But with the Indian GP off and the 'grim' future for India businesswise in F1, i don't really know how viable it's future is.

I don't believe it'll happen 2014 tho, but i think FI is the place for Perez to go. I could see a 2015 Telmex F1 team happening, and Sergio paired with Hulkenberg or Sutil [that guy somehow just keeps heidfelting around], with a Ferrari engine in the back.

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2875/1031 ... e9bf_b.jpg

just switch the Honda badge for a ferrari one and there it is.

The Mexican GP will not happen in 2014, but 2015 should. I think Slim and Bernie just aswell are quite keen to get the most out of that opportunity.

FI are again very short of funds. Suppliers are being strung along as payments from India are not being wired over to the Uk. They urgently need to invest several million upgrading their facility and the projects should have been signed off and deposits paid last month. Still no sign of funding

A quick move by Slim if this is possible sound cool, this would be a great move for the team (assumes Slim is actually interested and willing to invest and reinvest going forward)
however the team may well be over valued when Sahara 'bought' 42.5% for 100m so Roy would need to agree first as he is the major shareholder and not VJ.(which a lot of people inc journalists seem to forget when writing about the team and it's financials)

[ringo]

You know, Pastor can't be blamed for wanting to leave Williams.
We should remember that he doesn't speak for himself. He speaks for the sponsors. He shouldn't be bashed for being ungrateful or full of himself. If he says Williams aren't good enough for him, it should be understood as Williams aren't good enough for his sponsors so he must go elsewhere with them to have better representation in the sport.
Pastor has to play to the tune of his government and sponsors. He is indeed right; he needs to go to a better team.