F1 - 2012

[Nathan]

Yeah, I know the 2011 season is not over but the 2012 Calendar has been released. Figured it was good time to start the thread and place the calendar as the first item in the thread.

2012 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar:

03/18 Australia

03/25 Malaysia

04/15 China

04/22 Bahrain

05/13 Spain

05/27 Monaco

06/10 Canada

06/24 Europe

07/08 Great Britain

07/22 Germany

07/29 Hungary

09/02 Belgium

09/09 Italy

09/23 Singapore

10/07 Japan

10/14 Korea

10/28 India

11/04 Abu Dhabi

11/18 United States

11/25 Brazil

[Steve]

Yup, it's official now, including the date swaps and dropping Turkey.

[Minidave]

I'm so pleased they saw the light (and heat/humidity!) and moved the Austin date to November, now all I have to do is figure out how to get some affordable tix. I have lodgings arranged, my brother lives about 10 miles from the track!

[Redbeard]

Mmmm... F1 in Austin...

[ScottinBend]

Now that is a lot of traveling/racing..........

[Steve]

Just for fun.

What would be your dream F1 2012 grid? (crash.net)

Just for a bit of fun, we have compiled a 'dream grid' for F1 2012, not with the driver line-ups we expect to see, but the driver line-ups we would like to see. Take a glance and tell us if you agree...

As F1 2011 speeds towards its home straight with the sole remaining European outing at Monza and the final six 'flyaway' races, attentions are being increasingly divided between this year's title fight and next year's likely driver line-up – but in an ideal world, who would you like to see racing where in F1 2012?

With no change at Red Bull Racing – and probably not at McLaren-Mercedes, Ferrari or Mercedes Grand Prix either – the chief source of intrigue now is what happens at Lotus Renault GP, with the team palpably keen to see the convalescing Robert Kubica return, and Vitaly Petrov, Bruno Senna and Romain Grosjean all ostensibly vying for the second seat.

Sauber has reconfirmed both Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Pérez for a second consecutive campaign, but there is uncertainty at many of the other midfield contenders. What we really want to know, though – and purely for a bit of fun – is who you would like to see racing where in 2012? Here is our choice...


Red Bull Racing:

Sebastian Vettel – Young, successful, personable and dynamic; the perfect Red Bull fit
Nico Rosberg – Deserves a better car than he has; a multiple race-winner in the right machinery


McLaren-Mercedes:

Jenson Button – The happiest he has ever been in F1, the 2009 world champion is in the form of his life at Woking
Kamui Kobayashi – A swashbuckling hard-charger in the truest old-fashioned style; the ideal Hamilton substitute


Ferrari:

Fernando Alonso – An archetypal Ferrari driver; if he perseveres with the Scuderia, success will follow
Lewis Hamilton – Unlikely ever to happen, but wouldn't seconds-out, round two between this pair be great?


Mercedes Grand Prix:

Michael Schumacher – May not always fully justify it, but deserves to see out his contract...hopefully in style
Paul di Resta – Mercedes' golden boy, has impressed many during his debut campaign in the top flight


Lotus Renault GP:

Robert Kubica – To finish the job that he started
Heikki Kovalainen – The perfect foil to Kubica; fast, experienced and has worked miracles at Team Lotus


Sauber:

Timo Glock – Deserves to vault back up the grid again; at Virgin, his career is in danger of fatal stagnation
Sergio Pérez – To build upon an encouraging rookie season thus far


Force India F1:

Felipe Massa – His time at the top may have come to an end, but would still be an asset to a midfield outfit
Vitaly Petrov – A solid competitor, but probably not a race-winner in-waiting; a good match for Massa


Scuderia Toro Rosso:

Daniel Ricciardo – To fully learn the ropes in a semi-competitive car; this boy has a bright future
Jean-Eric Vergne – Another Red Bull protégé demonstrating heaps of promise


Williams:

Mark Webber – His no-nonsense approach would help to drive Williams back up the grid
Nico Hülkenberg – Should never have been dropped in the first place; sadly, money talks


Team Lotus:

Rubens Barrichello – For his career swansong, to enjoy one last hurrah by moving Lotus up the pecking order
Bruno Senna – To learn from the old master, and to establish himself as an F1 regular at a team synonymous with the Senna name


Hispania Racing:

Jaime Alguersuari – Clinging onto a race seat by the skin of his teeth; his speed would help HRT to progress
Sébastien Buemi – Much-of-a-muchness with Alguersuari, to be honest; a solid pairing for F1's tailender


Virgin Racing:

Adrian Sutil – Virgin lose one fast German, but gain another; the experienced team leader
Romain Grosjean – A low-key return to see whether or not the Frenchman can cut it second time around


So what do you reckon? Do our thoughts tally with yours, or would you shift the grid around rather more? Have your say about who you would place where in our comments section by clicking on the link.

[Steve]

Raikkonen's visit with Williams at their digs isn't news. Here's a bit of recent speculation re his possible interest in a return to F1.

Kimi Raikkonen chases F1 return with Williams in 2012 (news.bbc.co.uk)

By Andrew Benson
BBC Sport in Singapore


Former McLaren and Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen could return to Formula 1 next season with Williams.

The Finn quit F1 at the end of 2009 to try his hand at world rallying but after two frustrating seasons he has had talks with Williams about joining them for 2012.

BBC Sport understands that Raikkonen is keen to join the team and Williams are weighing up the idea.

Raikkonen, 32, would partner Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado at Williams.

Maldonado is in his first season, but the team's sponsorship with his country's national oil supplier is understood to guarantee him a seat.

The veteran Brazilian Rubens Barrichello is Maldonado's team-mate this season, but his future with the team looks shaky.

The 39-year-old wants to stay on for a 20th season in F1, but sources say Williams are leaning towards not retaining Barrichello.

The Williams team would not comment on the situation.

One potential stumbling block is whether Williams and Raikkonen can come to an agreement on the size of his salary, but the team is hoping that his presence could attract new backers, which could help the move make financial sense.

Williams are having the worst season in their history in 2011 and currently lie ninth in the world championship with only five points.

Only the three teams who were new to F1 in 2010 are beneath them.

But it is believed that Raikkonen is serious about returning to F1 after failing to match the pace of the front-runners in the World Rally Championship and he has few options.

There is no space at any of the top four teams and although Williams are struggling they have strong engineering depth and are restructuring their team and Raikkonen is believed to consider that they are a good option for him.

The Finn left Ferrari at the end of 2009 after the team paid off his contract to make room for Fernando Alonso.

He won the world title for the Italian team in 2007, but his form dipped in the following two seasons and he was beaten by team-mate Felipe Massa.

After making his F1 debut for Sauber in 2001, he won 18 races in five years at McLaren and three at Ferrari.

[minimark]

Whilst a mid pack ride in F1 could make him some very good money, it would be short lived and podium free....

Kimi is a very good driver who can't seem to find a new home or series for his talents. Might this fan humbly suggest that the Fin could fit perfectly in Rolex Grand Am racing. His talents in a DP car could be a real winner in a series that could use some new blood and the panache of a successful former F1 piloti!!

[Steve]

Originally Posted by minimark

Whilst a mid pack ride in F1 could make him some very good money, it would be short lived and podium free....

Kimi is a very good driver who can't seem to find a new home or series for his talents. Might this fan humbly suggest that the Fin could fit perfectly in Rolex Grand Am racing. His talents in a DP car could be a real winner in a series that could use some new blood and the panache of a successful former F1 piloti!!

I figure Williams probably won't go for it unless they think it will draw sponsors interested in associating themselves with an ex-champ without having to pay the premium to sponsor one of the top teams. Raikkonen might bring his own sponsors along as well.

Rolex might be a good fit for him, though I'm liking that series less and less and I'd rather see him in ALMS or maybe the FIA's GT1.

[minimark]

Exactly and drivers like Kimi could be the shot in the arm that series needs! Problem with Rolex is you have great cars in a series where the dominate driver is......Scott Pruitt...... even Kimi would seem positively animated next to him and bring a new higher level of talent to Grand Am.....possibly attracting more past champs to the fray. Did someone say Rubins?