F1 2014 - Driver Line Up Thread

[Scribbler]

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2013/09/11/kimi-raikkonen-ferrari-f1-2014/

 

ITS OFFICIAL

[Coops]

Short and sweet on Ferrari website: http://formula1.ferrari.com/news/back-kimi

[jlwah]

(Alonso, car to pit radio): "Kimi's too slow, get him to move over"

 

(Pits to Kimi radio): "Ahem, . .  Kimi go to setting 2 zero yellow, you're not racing Fernando"

 

(Kimi, car to pit radio): "Leave me alone, I know what I'm doing" (smirk)

 

The 2014 season could be fun!

[eccleshill]

Wonder if there will be anymore of the "shut up, shut up I know what I'm doing" comments... 

With Kimi and Felipe at the opposite outer extremes of the do/don't talk to me scale what if Kimi gets Rob Smedley as his race engineer....?

 

RS You need to give it a little more KERS on the exit of turn 3 mate, and hold a tighter line through 4...

KR Who the f*** is driving this car? Me or you?... STFU!

[MartynVRS]

I'm sure some said if Massa leaves then Smedley would go with him

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

I doubt it, Smedley was there before Massa, he lives in Italy and is a Ferrari employee. Anything is possible but I can't see Ferrari getting rid of Smedley and I can't see him leaving when Massa doesn't even have a seat next year. Even if he did, there's no guarantee the team he goes to would want Smedley too.

If Smedley moved, it'd be into a higher position than RE I suspect.

[Coops]

Don't think it will come to anything but you never know - McLaren are tapping up Alonso for either next season or 2015, to replace Perez.

 

They feel that a combination of Button & Alonso will be the best. Alonso's salary would be covered b y Santander and with the appeal of Honda engines in 2015 could be a good move. We know that Alonso hasn't been happy with the Ferrari this year and that the Kimi move may have annoyed him a bit!

[MartynVRS]

BBC got that "story" after someone asked Whitmarsh would he consider Alonso again and he said yes because he's one of the best but he's under contract. Lazy journalism by Benson again....

There's also speculation that Alonso approved of Kimi p=being his team mate because he knows next year's car is a dog and he can jump ship to McLaren. Keeps a main rival out of the picture.
 

[hardcorehobbit]

I think McLaren should replace Perez with Hulkenburg. They should have done it last year instead of going for Perez.

Alonso will stay, Massa won't be in F1 next year I don't think. It'd also be great if Van der Garde was picked up by a better team. I like him.

[MartynVRS]

Hulk is the most deserving of a better seat. Di Resta may have blown it unless he keeps his head down next year and gets on with it

[kevberlin]

As above. Hulk is a real star in the making and a good representative of the sport. Give him a good car and he will shine.

[hardcorehobbit]

You're right. Di Resta needs another year in a semi competitive Force India to get his form back. He is a class driver, just needs to show it. Hopefully the help they get from Mercedes will help them. They are soon to be Mercedes' second team after all.


Any GP2 drivers deserve a shot? I'd love to see James Calado in an F1 seat. Sam Bird as well seems to be doing well. Fabio Leimer will do a good job too. They're all better than Guttierez and some of the other pay drivers.

[MartynVRS]

Sam Bird for me deserves a seat. Problem is if he wins GP2 this year, and has a very good chance of doing he can never race there again and if there's no seats available he's stuck in the middle of nowhere. He is Merc test driver so that's something

[KenONeill]

Well, IMO Wee Paul deserves better than Farce India; Even if his 2 mistakes were all him and not the car, the points they've lost him by their mistakes would have him still leading JB.

[hardcorehobbit]

Well, IMO Wee Paul deserves better than Farce India; Even if his 2 mistakes were all him and not the car, the points they've lost him by their mistakes would have him still leading JB.

You're right, they have made some pretty catastrophic screw ups. Maybe they can sort themselves out.

Will Sutil be there next season?

[Iann-]

You're right, they have made some pretty catastrophic screw ups. Maybe they can sort themselves out.

Will Sutil be there next season?

 

Hope not, but personal opinion as I dont like him from his previous stint in F1. Claims to be a reformed character now.

Be good to Calado take his seat next year.

[hardcorehobbit]

Only thing about James Calado is he seems to like a bit of a moan to his team if the car isn't right.

Prepare for Jenson Button style "There's just too much understeer!!" comments.


Having said that, he's outperformed a useless ART in GP2 this year. Bring it on for him I say.

[Coops]

Marussia have confirmed that Jules Bianchi will be being for them in 2014, although they said they will confirm their full driver line up for 2014 later in the season.

[Coops]

19 year old Russian Daniil Kvyat will race for Torro Rosso next year alongside Jean-Eric Vergne who has been retained.

 

It was rumoured that Felix Da Costa would get the TR drive.

[MartynVRS]

Feel sorry for da Costa and Kvyat did a da Costa by doing well then being in the right place at the right time. Da Costa did well last year and most of this year but had a few bad races recently. 

Big news is Maldonado won't be at Williams much longer. PVDSA (sp) are compensating Williams so he can go elsewhere and there's talk Massa will go to Williams. Massa has drive quite well now he's not got Ferrari shackles on him. My concern is Lotus will take Maldonado over Hulkenburg because of money. Boullier did say he wants talent as first priority as it's a 5 year plan to establish themselves as a front running team so I hope he sticks to that. He's been quite good in interviews lately and even had a pop at DC for being on the Red Bull payroll, alluding DC always sits on the fence regarding Red Bull

[Coops]

It's very interesting times looking at who's left to secure a seat:

 

Grosjean

Button

Perez

Di Resta

Sutil

Hulk

Gutierrez

Maldonado

Bottas

Chilton

Van Der Garde

Massa

 

With 12 seats left to fill it looks a simple fit but with Sirotkin rumoured to come into Sauber with some serious money, it could pan out something like this:

 

McLaren: Button & Perez - Button will stay and most likely Perez ?

Lotus: Grosjean & Hulk - Boullier's 5 yr plan must be stuck to, Hulk is more than capable

Force India: Sutil & Di Resta - both will be safe at FI next year

Sauber: Sirotkin & Maldonado or Massa?

Williams: Bottas & Massa? or do they keep Maldonado?

Marussia: Keep Bianchi & Bin Chilton for VDG

Catherham: Pic & Bin VDG for Kovalainen

 

Where does Guiterrez fit in?

[Coops]

Williams have announced that Massa will partner Bottas next year, with Maldonado out of a seat.

[MartynVRS]

And Magnussen replaces Perez at McLaren. Next year will be brilliant

[Oli3000]

And Magnussen replaces Perez at McLaren. Next year will be brilliant

And Magnussen replaces Perez at McLaren. Next year will be brilliant

Intrigued by this decision. I don't think Button has particularly outperformed Perez. But perhaps they're just taking a different tack as Perez hasn't shone...

[Coops]

Magnussen did a test recently in Abu Dhabi and posted a time which would have placed him 5th on the grid.

I do have a fear that with Maldonado and Perez on the market, di Resta may be out of a drive.

I'll update the first post later as I'm on mobile.