F1 Most liked posts in thread: F1 - 2013

tampadave · Nov 13, 2013

I apologize if the above post regarding Felipe Massa was previously posted. If not, read and enjoy.

Dave

Stinker · Nov 13, 2013

That leaves McLaren as the burning topic of conversation inside the paddock, following the revelation that the team are seriously considering replacing Sergio Perez with Kevin Magnussen.

Read more: http://www.motoringalliance.com/forums/off-topic-racing/15818-f1-2013-a-138.html#ixzz2kZH6Yl3Z

Didn't know McLaren was replacing Perez? I guess Button wasn't happy with him.

Steve · Nov 13, 2013

They have definitely decided to replace Perez, Whitmarsh released a confirmation today after Perez beat them to the punch. Also, though pundits predict Magnussen is in the lead as a possible replacement, McLaren claim he's just one of a few options they're considering.

mrntd · Nov 14, 2013

Looks like Ferrari block Hulkenberg's move for the last 2 races by paying his unpaid salary. Therefor locking his contract.
Formula One | Ferrari blocked Hulkenberg’s Lotus move

Nathan · Nov 14, 2013

Ferrari being Machiavellian. No way, they would NEVER do things like that.

heh

tampadave · Nov 14, 2013

Heikki Kovalainen looks like a significant step down IMO. Where will the Hulk go since Lotus is no longer an option?

Steve · Nov 14, 2013

minimark said: ↑

Isn't Hulk just not an option for the last two races of this season?
Click to expand...

That's as much as you can tell from what's been reported so far. Lotus asked Hulkenberg to race for them for the remainder of the 2013 season, he said no. Lotus claim they're in no hurry to name their second 2014 driver.

Something even more deeply Machiavellian and long term may have been done behind the scenes but even the story claiming Ferrari involvement in just the last two 2013 races is technically only speculation at this point. We're talking about F1 driver biz though, so pretty much anything is possible. Not hard to believe Ferrari might take some sort of action they think might hamper Lotus' ability to overhaul them in the Constructor standings...

Steve · Nov 14, 2013

Lotus offer too risky, says HÃ¼lkenberg (GPUpdate.net)

14 November 2013

Nico HÃ¼lkenberg says he turned down the opportunity to replace Kimi RÃ¤ikkÃ¶nen at Lotus for the final two races of the 2013 season because it was too much of a risk.

The current Sauber driver, who Lotus has long outlined as its preferred team-mate to Romain Grosjean in 2014, met with team boss Eric Boullier at the outfit's Enstone factory earlier this week, but he ultimately opted against taking up the stand-in offer.

Heikki Kovalainen has since been signed for the final two races in the United States and Brazil, with HÃ¼lkenberg reiterating that his long-term future is more important.

"It sounded attractive from the outside," HÃ¼lkenberg explained to reporters at the Circuit of The Americas on Thursday. "But it's for the last two races, which brings also some risk with it. You have to see the bigger picture beyond those two races, and what can happen. That's why we came up with his decision.

"Stepping into a car which you don't knowâ€¦ I don't think people would have expected me to beat Romain straight away. He's delivering very good results, so it was from that point of view."

HÃ¼lkenberg also shunned suggestions that Sauber engine supplier Ferrari, which is involved in a fierce Constructors' battle with Lotus and Mercedes, stopped the move.
Click to expand...

Crashton · Nov 14, 2013

I wish Heikki luck too. I think his talents will show through driving a better car.

minirab · Nov 14, 2013

Crashton said: ↑

I wish Heikki luck too. I think his talents will show through driving a better car.
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Always thought he was one of the good guys as in talent.

Minidave · Nov 14, 2013

He won one while driving for Big Mac, didn't he?

Crashton · Nov 14, 2013

I believe that is correct Dave. It was sad to see him go to a back of the pack team. I thought he was mush better than that.

Steve · Nov 14, 2013

Mercedes: Hamilton's chassis cracked (Racer.com)

Jonathan Noble | November 14, 2013

Lewis Hamilton will have a new chassis for the United States Grand Prix, after Mercedes found two large cracks in his car during preparations for the Austin Formula 1 race.

Mercedes had been baffled as to why Hamilton's form in recent races – and especially at the Abu Dhabi GP – had not been as strong as teammate Nico Rosberg's. Finding an answer to that question was also made more difficult by Hamilton's car performance being inconsistent with what the team was finding with Rosberg's at Yas Marina.

In a bid to get to the bottom of the matter, Mercedes conducted a strip down and detailed analysis of Hamilton's chassis at Austin this week, and it found damage that it thinks was significant enough to affect the handling. To be totally sure that Hamilton's performance would not be compromised this time out, Mercedes elected to switch chassis for Austin, and it is hoped that the change will help the Briton get back to his best.

"Lewis's results in Abu Dhabi were not what we expected, particularly compared to Nico," Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn explained. "Nico did a great job in Abu Dhabi, but what was puzzling was that some of the behaviour of Lewis' car wasn't consistent with what we saw with Nico. Subsequently we had a very good look at the car and we found that the chassis was quite badly damaged - more than we thought.

"We knew he had had some excursions over curbs and things, but when we actually got here and started to strip everything down, the damage was pretty significant. It may even be at a level that was affecting the handling of the car.

"So we have put a new chassis on the car, and he will go into the weekend with a new chassis because we want to clear all our doubt. There were certainly some very odd things between the two cars in Abu Dhabi."

Brawn said that two large cracks had appeared in the chassis, but they had only been picked up during a detailed strip-down ahead of this weekend's race.

Although Hamilton had several excursions in Abu Dhabi, Brawn said Mercedes could not say for definite when the damage had been caused.

"At what point they [the cracks] became significant is difficult to say, but certainly they were not good," he added.

This article originally appeared in Autosport.com
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Steve · Nov 15, 2013

That was quick. Better sooner than later, I guess.

Successful back surgery for Raikkonen (formula1.com)

Lotus have confirmed that their driver Kimi Raikkonen underwent his planned back surgery on Thursday at The University Hospital of Strasbourg in France. According to the doctor in charge, Professor Afshin Gangi, the operation was a complete success.

Raikkonen, who moves to Ferrari for next season, elected to miss the final two rounds of 2013 to undergo the surgery in order to solve a recurrent back problem. The Finn will now rest for a few days and is expected to start his recovery process as early as next week.

Compatriot Heikki Kovalainen is racing in place of Raikkonen at Lotus for the United States and Brazilian Grands Prix.
Click to expand...

Steve · Nov 17, 2013

According to Steve Matchett, Red Bull data shows they had a 1.923 sec pit stop during the USGP.

minimark · Nov 18, 2013

They said even Bernie left with his police escort at lap 43...

Seb and Red Bull are amazing but one can tell that most in the paddock are putting little time and money into catching them this year with the major changes coming in 2014.

There was a few great passes back in the pack that made Seb's victory tour somewhat interesting, and COTA is truly a fantastic F1 circuit!!!

Steve · Nov 18, 2013

mrntd said: ↑

If Grosjean drives this well next year he could be a challenger for the championship.
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IF Lotus find the money to build a good car. The big cash influx they're expecting has yet to come through and the clock is ticking.

Steve · Nov 18, 2013

Kovalainen hurt by front wing issue (Racer.com)

Edd Straw | November 17, 2013

Heikki Kovalainen's disappointing result in the United States Grand Prix was caused by a front wing problem.

The Finn finished 14th after being forced to make a second pit stop for a new front wing, having been well-placed to finish in the points before the problem set in.

"Straight after the pitstop, I started to struggle to the point where I was losing grip, front grip especially," Kovalainen said. "The team found out there was something wrong with the front wing and I was losing more and more downforce so we had to come in and change the nose.

"There is nothing physically wrong with the nose, so they suspect there is some rubber or something stuck somewhere. After the nose change, the balance was back to normal and the pace was alright."

Trackside operations director Alan Permane confirmed that the wing was at fault, although the team had yet to isolate exactly what the problem was.

"We don't know what it is, there is nothing obvious but it went away when we changed the wing," said Permane. "After his first pit stop, you just see it go on the aero data. He lost 20 points of front downforce, so we had no choice but to change or he would have gone backwards.

"We put him on the options, put a new front wing on because you never know, if there was a safety car he could do some overtaking later on."

Kovalainen also suffered a KERS failure in his final stint, but was happy with his pace in the closing stages of the race once that was taken into account. He was also satisfied with his own performance even though the result was not what he had hoped.

"The only other issue was the KERS failed, it switched itself off," said Kovalainen. "That cost a little bit of performance but towardse end of the race, the pace was right up there. But without KERS and with those issues, the result is disappointing, but we've had a good weekend."

This article originally appeared in Autosport.com
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Steve · Nov 18, 2013

He's doing well, but top 4? Hmmm...

Lotus: Grosjean becoming a superstar (Racer.com)

Jonathan Noble | November 18, 2013

Romain Grosjean should now be considered as one of Formula 1's top four drivers after his performance in the United States Grand Prix, reckons Lotus team boss Eric Boullier.

Grosjean was again Red Bull's main threat for victory last weekend and his second place behind Sebastian Vettel was his fourth podium finish in five races.

The speed that Grosjean has shown over the second half of the campaign has left Boullier in no doubts that Lotus now has a true superstar on its hands.

"We've always known Romain is super fast, actually maybe too fast, and sometimes too fast for his car," said Boullier, referring to some of the wild incidents Grosjean had earlier in his F1 career. "Having some completeness with his family [he became a father earlier this year] has helped him reach another level of confidence, and then you see the results on track.

"He is starting to be a damned good driver. I think you can rate him in the top three or four today. He started to perform well from Germany onward. There was still a bit finetuning needed on his side, but he has had a very fine second half of the season. Now he will start next year in a different mood, and we will have a different perspective from him."

Boullier also thinks that Grosjean has been helped by Kimi Raikkonen's departure from Lotus as it has meant that he has needed to step up to become team leader.

"It is a combination between him [Raikkonen] leaving and his personal life being settled, which brought him a lot of confidence," he added. "That was maybe the kick he needed to take off."

This article originally appeared in Autosport.com
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minimark · Nov 18, 2013

.....not sure about top four, but he is heading in that direction.

Now will Lotus have the money to keep him and the team going in that same direction in 2014?

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