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The Formula 1 2013 Season |OT| End of the Webber Era

Hammer24

Banned
Lotus already on 2014, Ferrari will soon migrate to 2014 car (in matter of 3-4 races IMO), what about RBR and Merc?

Both haven´t pulled the plug yet. Merc thinks they still have a chance, as they feel better now after the Hungary race, concerning their understanding of the tyres. AFAIK there are still a lot of parts in the pipeline.
RBR is waiting for the competition to give up on the year, that's when they´ll pull the plug. Not surprising, them having the biggest team and the most resources available, they should be able to do both.
 

Shaneus

Member
Both haven´t pulled the plug yet. Merc thinks they still have a chance, as they feel better now after the Hungary race, concerning their understanding of the tyres. AFAIK there are still a lot of parts in the pipeline.
RBR is waiting for the competition to give up on the year, that's when they´ll pull the plug. Not surprising, them having the biggest team and the most resources available, they should be able to do both.
On that note, do you think whoever will fill Webber's shoes knows by now that they've got the job? Only reason I'm saying it is because I'd assume that if RBR want a solid chance at Constructor's in 2014, they should probably get some input from their other driver.
I hope it's Kimi
 

Hammer24

Banned
On that note, do you think whoever will fill Webber's shoes knows by now that they've got the job?

Not yet. Its still in Mateschitz´ head only.


Only reason I'm saying it is because I'd assume that if RBR want a solid chance at Constructor's in 2014, they should probably get some input from their other driver.
I hope it's Kimi

Whoever gets the drive, knows already what awaits. And that VET is the clearcut #1, and main voice for the direction of car development.
So in the end, it´d still be enough to announce come Christmas. ;-P
 
Not yet. Its still in Mateschitz´ head only.




Whoever gets the drive, knows already what awaits. And that VET is the clearcut #1, and main voice for the direction of car development.
So in the end, it´d still be enough to announce come Christmas. ;-P

To be fair, vettel seems highly involved in all aspects of the team and sport. He's an ideal development driver, similar to Schumacher.
 

NHale

Member
Whoever gets the drive, knows already what awaits. And that VET is the clearcut #1, and main voice for the direction of car development.
So in the end, it´d still be enough to announce come Christmas. ;-P

It has to be Kimi (if he wants) after the last GP.

While Ricciardo is doing a great job on Saturdays, on Sundays he just goes backwards and still manages to finish behind JEV. While it seemed the team wanted to give him the job, having a driver that disappears when it really matters it's not what the team wants to achieve WCC trophies.
 

Pimpwerx

Member
Eh? The cars' over-reliance on aero downforce is exactly what's preventing them from being able to follow each other closely!

They need less aero and more mechanical grip.

Except mechanical grip is largely dictated by the tires, and the FIA made various moves to nerf those.

They went to a control tire, because the BStone-Michelin war accelerated the tire compound war and was increasing corner speeds YoY. Then they kept having the control tire weakened each year, and made artificially fragile to force more stops. The way around that was to increase aero efficiency. It's really controlled heavily by the FIA, IMO. They thought corner speeds were the big safety thing and made all moves to reduce them. I don't know if we can move back towards mechanical grip without making the FIA look somewhat hypocritical. PEACE.
 

mclem

Member
Rossi is so low :( No American company sponsoring him? Two races next year and we haven't had a driver since Scott Speed...

Poor Scott Speed. He must have been distraught when he found out that his life wasn't a superhero origin story.
 

Shaneus

Member
It has to be Kimi (if he wants) after the last GP.

While Ricciardo is doing a great job on Saturdays, on Sundays he just goes backwards and still manages to finish behind JEV. While it seemed the team wanted to give him the job, having a driver that disappears when it really matters it's not what the team wants to achieve WCC trophies.
Wasn't it brought up earlier in the thread (though I'd never noticed it myself) that he was basically just getting supremely dicked around in tyre strategies, getting undercut by everyone around him?
 

Addnan

Member
Ricciardo has been starting on the option tyres when he's in the top 10 when his competition is starting on primes right? Just seems really stupid of the team.
 

Leunam

Member
Ricciardo has been starting on the option tyres when he's in the top 10 when his competition is starting on primes right? Just seems really stupid of the team.

He has to doesn't he? I think the top 10 start on whatever tires they used to set their times in Q3. Unless you mean he should be setting times on prime tires.
 

Addnan

Member
He has to doesn't he? I think the top 10 start on whatever tires they used to set their times in Q3. Unless you mean he should be setting times on prime tires.

Yeah that's what I mean. He should set times on prime or not set time at all. At the end, his car will not keep up with the front runners. Needs to compete with those at this cars level. Do what Button does when gets top 10.
 
And then you have Ferrari who don't know where to put all their money and still can't develop their car for shit. Laughable and frustrating.
 
Is this going to be another title slipping out of Kimi's hands through no fault of his own? Webber already seems checked out, just put Kimi in that seat for the rest of the season.
 

Addnan

Member
It's pretty sad to see, not just because Kimi is there. The team is pretty small in comparison to the rest and this is what happens for trying to compete with the big teams. :/
 

DrM

Redmond's Baby
And then you have Ferrari who don't know where to put all their money and still can't develop their car for shit. Laughable and frustrating.

Felipe is safe investment of 10 million €

Meanwhile, Bernie is looking for fresh meat on Croatian island of Hvar. With Horner for good company aka 'friendly ties'
ecclestone_hvar6_591444S0.jpg
 
Boullier has been quoted today on James Allen's site talking about the chances of Kimi staying at Lotus. This bit is quite chucklesome....

“There is a lot of discussion in the press, most of it is irrelevant. It is all about making Kimi comfortable enough to stay and happy to stay. Part of it is done.

“He knows the team and the environment. Now it’s about building up the right package. He will then take his decision."

...as he's essentially saying that Lotus have so far managed to do nothing to convince Kimi to stay, beyond currently being the team he's driving for. Of course, we don't know from that article if those two quotes were one whole, so there's possibly some context lost in between the two.

Unless it's a direct quote from the podcast - I can't be arsed to listen to check though.
 
McLaren have a secured budget and contract with Honda for the next ten years, so much for them being the next Williams

Also rumours of Hitachi being their new title sponsor
 

DrM

Redmond's Baby
McLaren have a secured budget and contract with Honda for the next ten years, so much for them being the next Williams

Also rumours of Hitachi being their new title sponsor

And all they have to do now is to kick Whitmarsh out and they will be back on their way to glory (after several years, when they end their transition)
 

Pimpwerx

Member
McLaren have a secured budget and contract with Honda for the next ten years, so much for them being the next Williams

Also rumours of Hitachi being their new title sponsor

Honda power is unproven, whereas Mercedes has made the powerplant du jour for years. Williams' fall from grace coincided with their departure from Renault (the premier engine in '97) to Mecachrome in 1998 and Supertec in 1999. Meanwhile, Honda's best season was in 2004, and they were considerably off Ferrari's pace, winning just one race. I don't know if all the budget in the world will put them on equal terms with the Bulls and Mercs. That's my guess anyway. I lost faith in Honda a decade ago. PEACE.
 
Honda power is unproven, whereas Mercedes has made the powerplant du jour for years. Williams' fall from grace coincided with their departure from Renault (the premier engine in '97) to Mecachrome in 1998 and Supertec in 1999. Meanwhile, Honda's best season was in 2004, and they were considerably off Ferrari's pace, winning just one race. I don't know if all the budget in the world will put them on equal terms with the Bulls and Mercs. That's my guess anyway. I lost faith in Honda a decade ago. PEACE.

Honda will always supply a top engine, if they weren't lumbered with absolute shit boxes during their 3rd spell they would have bagged many more victories. The v10 was probably the best engine that season but the F2004 was just a pure racing thoroughbred and didn't stand a chance of victory, their v8 was also reportedly one of the best before the other manufacturers broke the engine rule and updated leaving Honda, Renault and Toyota behind. The new engine for 09 was never fired up in that car :(

With Paddy Lowe no longer at McLaren, they can once again show the world what Honda Power is all about in a competitive car - it will be a glorious sight. Can't wait for the V6 dyno video :bow



Looked at the stats for engine victories since '94, return of Mercedes:


118 Ferrari

104 Renault

90 Mercedes

Reno 14 behind and 14 in front. Who passes who first? :D
 
Honda will always supply a top engine, if they weren't lumbered with absolute shit boxes during their 3rd spell they would have bagged many more victories. The v10 was probably the best engine that season but the F2004 was just a pure racing thoroughbred and didn't stand a chance of victory, their v8 was also reportedly one of the best before the other manufacturers broke the engine rule and updated leaving Honda, Renault and Toyota behind. The new engine for 09 was never fired up in that car :(

With Paddy Lowe no longer at McLaren, they can once again show the world what Honda Power is all about in a competitive car - it will be a glorious sight. Can't wait for the V6 dyno video :bow



Looked at the stats for engine victories since '94, return of Mercedes:


118 Ferrari

104 Renault

90 Mercedes

Reno 14 behind and 14 in front. Who passes who first? :D
I think the Honda will be the best engine. If anyone knows how to build a small, powerful engine it's Honda.
 
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