Williams F1 Team 2013

[Sevach]

Bottas-Maldonado confirmed
http://www.f1technical.net/news/18074

I think the line-up is an improvement, let's see how they fill the sponsor gap Senna will leave behind.

[stefan_]

Bottas, go to GP2!

There is a "Formula One Teams" section in the upper part of the page. An admin will move it there.

[Sevach]

It seems he is skipping it, GP2 i mean

Sorry about the mistake.

[raymondu999]

His racing will probably be rusty - but his driving/lapping probably won't. Will be interesting to see how he gets along.

[Sevach]

It might be a problem on first coners early in the year, i really don't think it's a big problem after the start, everyone knows what to do.
Hulk didn't loose anything after testing last year.

Of course, he is a rookie so he might over do things occasionally.

[stefan_]

The way I see things with Bottas jumping straight to F1 is like in the tattoo industry in a way.

No matter how good at drawings you are, to be recognized as a tattoo artist by others you have to be an apprentice, you have to learn from an experienced guy in a tattoo shop until he consideres that you are ready to go on your own to make proper tattoos. You have to go through s**t like everyone else, and if you don't and you start making tattoos by your own because you think that just because you draw good and you make decent tattoos without knowing the actual techniques and tricks, you are considered a scratcher and in the tattoo world, the fact that you are a scratcher goes out pretty fast and it's not the reputation you want to have.

To me, Bottas can be the best on the grid, he can become a WDC, I wish him all the best but I will still consider him a scratcher, because he didin't go through s**t like everyone else - 2 years in F3, 1 year in GP3 and that's it. He forced his way in Formula One because he has the money and the backing.

[Nando]

Sounds like you have either forgot the meds or have taken more then the doctor prescribed

3rd Formula Renault 2.0 NEC
NC Formula Renault 2.0 UK Winter Series
1st Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup
1st Formula Renault 2.0 NEC
3rd Formula 3 Euro Series
NC British Formula Three Championship
1st Masters of Formula 3
5th Macau Grand Prix
3rd Formula 3 Euro Series
1st Masters of Formula 3
3rd Macau Grand Prix
1st GP3 Series
17th British Formula Three Championship
NC Macau Grand Prix

Oh and two years of being a test driver.
He´s WELL tested and WELL deserving of an F1 seat. The fact that Hakkinen and the boys are behind him means there´s something there.
Apart from the obvious resume that is.

Not everyone has to go through GP2 series to be a world champ. Button and Vettel are prime examples.

[ScottB]

The way I see things with Bottas jumping straight to F1 is like in the tattoo industry in a way.

No matter how good at drawings you are, to be recognized as a tattoo artist by others you have to be an apprentice, you have to learn from an experienced guy in a tattoo shop until he consideres that you are ready to go on your own to make proper tattoos. You have to go through s**t like everyone else, and if you don't and you start making tattoos by your own because you think that just because you draw good and you make decent tattoos without knowing the actual techniques and tricks, you are considered a scratcher and in the tattoo world, the fact that you are a scratcher goes out pretty fast and it's not the reputation you want to have.

To me, Bottas can be the best on the grid, he can become a WDC, I wish him all the best but I will still consider him a scratcher, because he didin't go through s**t like everyone else - 2 years in F3, 1 year in GP3 and that's it. He forced his way in Formula One because he has the money and the backing.

So is that how you feel about Kimi?

[raymondu999]

Not everyone has to go through GP2 series to be a world champ. Button and Vettel are prime examples.

Agreed - but I'm not sure those are the best examples (Vettel raced in the WSR, which is an equivalent-ish level to GP2, and Button raced in F3000)

[Nando]

Not everyone has to go through GP2 series to be a world champ. Button and Vettel are prime examples.

Agreed - but I'm not sure those are the best examples (Vettel raced in the WSR, which is an equivalent-ish level to GP2, and Button raced in F3000)

Of course but GP2 has become this gatekeeper for future F1 stars today. In a general sense.
as if you need to do that in order to be legitimate for F1. Which if we look at Grosjean, he sort of breaks the mold

[raymondu999]

Yes, but people have treated WSR as a GP2-equivalent. F3000 was for all intents and purposes to F1 what GP2 is today.

[stefan_]

Button and Vettel did similar competitions (FR 3,5 / F3000 - which are more or less equivalent to GP2). Bottas could have done FR 3,5 this year not to go over his test days at Williams but he choose to do nothing. I think there are other guys with a lot more testing and support competitions than him and they still aren't in F1.

With Kimi is another story, nowdays you have a clear path and a number of different competitions that you normally would want to take in order to develop your skills gradually.

I don't have anything agains Valtteri, as I said - I hope he does well, but he sends a wrong message. If you have the money, you can push yourself through.

[Sevach]

Not everyone has to go through GP2 series to be a world champ. Button and Vettel are prime examples.

Agreed - but I'm not sure those are the best examples (Vettel raced in the WSR, which is an equivalent-ish level to GP2, and Button raced in F3000)

I'm pretty sure Button jumped straight from British F3, when Williams dumped Zanardi they had to pick between him and F3000 champ Junqueira... and they choose Jenson.
The first choice was believed to be JPM, but he was under contract with Ganassi.

[raymondu999]

My mistake. He jumped straight from British F3.

[stefan_]

Any informations/ideas about who will be the test (reserve) driver?