Most liked posts in thread: 2014 - F1

With Bernie was all worried about the sound of the engines loosing fans, I'm surprised he hasn't spoke up on this issue. That is worse than the step noses by far.

 

Whither thou goeth Nico Hülkenberg, Sergio Perez, and Pastor Maldonado?

 

Looks like Hulkenberg may be the odd man out as Lotus's money deal seems very doubtful.....

From motorsports.:

Nov.15 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg has admitted the likelihood of a Lotus race seat for 2014 has dropped almost to zero.

Asked by the Swiss newspaper Blick to say where he is going after the Brazil finale, the Sauber driver answered: "I can only say that I am going (on), but not where.

"The options are well known," said the German, who despite having a seat fitting at Enstone this week ultimately decided against replacing Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen for the last two races of 2013.

"Force India, Sauber, Lotus," said Hulkenberg.

But the implication of his 'no' to Lotus is that the financially-struggling team could not offer him a seat for 2014.

Hulkenberg did say Lotus would at least have paid him for Austin and Brazil. "Of course I would not drive for nothing. I'm not a charity," he insisted.

For 2014, however, he admitted: "The chances are the worst at Lotus. If you believe the rumours, Maldonado is already there."

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that the deadline for Lotus' 'Quantum' deal to be finalised is Friday.

But correspondent Michael Schmidt said even Lotus no longer believes in a "miracle".

Mark Webber described a driver market in which the highly-rated Hulkenberg could be left on the sidelines as "unhealthy" for the pinnacle of motor sport.

Indeed, Hulkenberg admitted it is curious he was never in real contention to replace Sergio Perez at McLaren.

"I often spoke to Martin Whitmarsh," he said. "It's hard to know why there was so little interest. I believe I have made all the right arguments on the track."

Nevertheless, he said the uncertainty of late 2010 - when Williams left him without a seat for 2011 at the very last minute - was a worse feeling.

"It was constantly put off and put off until I had nothing," said Hulkenberg. "But I was still new to the business. Now I've got used to it."

Posted by: GMM Journalist

 

Looks like Ferrari thinks that competition might bring the best out in both drivers.....

From motorsports..:


Nov.21 (GMM) Having given Fernando Alonso "eight out of ten" for his 2013 season, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo now insists the Spaniard is not the famous Italian team's number 1 driver.

"I don't like number 1, number 2," he told CNN.

Alonso, who has had an often fraught relationship with di Montezemolo this year and flirted with moves to Red Bull and McLaren, has been controversially paired for 2014 with Ferrari's last world champion, Kimi Raikkonen.

But Brazilian Felipe Massa, who has been regarded as Ferrari's number 2 in recent years, was clearly Alonso's preferred teammate going forwards.

"Alonso knows that he drives to win for himself, but also for Ferrari," di Montezemolo insisted.

"Ferrari is a team and I want drivers (who) will drive and will act and react as a team member, not only one man," he added.

Di Montezemolo also dismissed suggestions Alonso, who infamously clashed with Lewis Hamilton at McLaren in 2007, will not get along with Finn Raikkonen.

"I don't want to say that they are old," he smiled, "but I'm sure (they will get along), yes."

 

But they have always had a number 1 and number 2 driver. Maybe they didn't call them that but that's how the team works.

 

I agree with this. Did anyone else notice how Rosberg got better after Hamilton joined Benz?

 

So who will be racing the yellow camera pod car,that denote the second driver.:wink:

 

Could the last name maybe been Williams?

 

Ron Dennis brokered a deal that put Perez in at Force India along with the Hulk. That's a strong pairing for them.

 

Google added the McLaren Technology Center to Street View

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=mclaren+technology+centre&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=mclaren+technology+centre&cid=1158993677060234665&t=m&layer=c&cbll=51.345972,-0.547802&panoid=vyYITGKSqZTh1u7afunx-w&cbp=13,50.86,,0,9.69&ie=UTF8&ll=51.34567,-0.547804&spn=0.001052,0.003015&z=18&source=embed

 

News for the 2014 season, per racer.com e-mail update today:

Pastor Maldonado to Lotus and Ross Brawn out at Mercedes.

 

Guess at least Pastor won't have to worry about paying himself..... Ain't nationalized oil grand!!

 

I thought they were buying gas from someone else, since they don't have Citgo signs anymore.