2013 Driver Line Up

[Brogan]

I haven't really been keeping up with all the changes for next year so I'm not sure who's driving for which team, other than the big announcements.

I know there was a 2013 driver thread earlier but I can't seem to find it now (I really should use the Bookmark feature ) and the first post was never updated so it's way out of date.

Can I get some help filling in the blanks? so we're all clear on who is where.

Team	Driver 1	Driver 2	Engine
Red Bull Racing	Sebastian Vettel	Mark Webber	Renault
Ferrari	Fernando Alonso	Felipe Massa	Ferrari
McLaren	Jenson Button	Sergio Pérez	Mercedes
Lotus	Kimi Räikkönen	Romain Grosjean	Renault
Mercedes	Nico Rosberg	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
Sauber	Esteban Gutiérrez	Nico Hülkenberg	Ferrari
Force India	Paul di Resta		Mercedes
Williams	Valtteri Bottas	Pastor Maldonado	Renault
Toro Rosso	Daniel Ricciardo	Jean-Éric Vergne	Ferrari
Caterham	Charles Pic	Giedo van der Garde	Renault
Marussia	Max Chilton	Luiz Razia	Cosworth

This can then at least be a useful point of reference until I get the 2013 Race Hub created.

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

Toro Rosso confirmed their line-up will remain unchanged for 2013 a few weeks ago so you can add them.

 

[Brogan]

Thanks, I had already edited my post to include those, along with de la Rosa and Glock.

It's interesting that there are still one third of the seats to be confirmed this late in the season.
In fact, before this morning there were 10 empty seats.

 

[GermanF1]

According to Wikipedia, Paul di Resta is confirmed for 2013!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Formula_One_season#Signed_teams_and_drivers

 

[Brogan]

Thanks GermanF1 but the [11] reference refers to this article in Autosport: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/102392

So there's no confirmation as far as I can find that he has been re-signed.

 

[sushifiesta]

There's no official statement that I can find either, but it is all but confirmed. Instead of finding "di Resta confirmed for 2013" you find a lot of "who will be your team mate next year Paul?" instead.

 

[teabagyokel]

My flabber would be gasted if Williams don't line up with Maldo/Bottas.

 

[mjo]

According to Joe Saward, Grosjean's all-but confirmed at Lotus for next year.
'The driver market is now largely done. Romain Grosjean will be confirmed at Lotus, Esteban Gutierrez at Sauber and Valtteri Bottas at Williams. That means that the best drive available is at Force India, where the second drive is up for grabs'.
So this implies that DiR is at Force India next year.
http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/11/22/a-round-up-of-tittle-tattle/

 

[mjo]

And I doubt that HRT will be in F1 next year.

 

[Brogan]

I'm not going to update the table until drivers have been confirmed, otherwise it just ends up confusing people if it gets changed again later.

 

[Speshal]

In FP2 they were talking about Force Indja and said that "they want a good result here for both their drivers as one will be team leader next year and the other one is off elsewhere," Seems to suggest that PDR is staying put.

 

[sushifiesta]

Perhaps I'm being harsh but it seems to me that the majority of the line ups that are changing are getting worse rather than better (Sauber, Force India, McLaren, Caterham?...)

 

[Kamui-FastestChefInTheWorld]

Worse talent-wise, better money-wise I'm afraid

 

[sushifiesta]

I think what's evolving is a grid where you have the 12 best drivers in the world and the 12 richest drivers in the world, or there or thereabouts.

 

[Brogan]

I made a similar point in another thread.

Unfortunately it's all about the money these days which is why the F1 grid is going to be less and less about the top 24 drivers and more and more about the top 24 richest/sponsored drivers.

 

[teabagyokel]

Reckon Sauber have replaced two inconsistent drivers who'll score in two non-overlapping halves of the season with one who'll score in the lot and one who'll score in none of them...

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Got a feeling that Kobayashi might end up at Force India with Paul Di Resta. It's just a feeling I've got! He's just to good to go rotting away in the back ground. He may not be good enough for a top team but certainly Force India would be a perfect fit for him .

Also Max Chilton likely to be confirmed as Pic's replacement at Marussia .

 

[Kamui-FastestChefInTheWorld]

And Force India will have the best car ever and Kamui will be world champion!!!!!!!!!

[maybe I need to stop dreaming ]

 

[gethinceri]

NEVER stop dreaming.

 

[soccerman17]

Reckon Sauber have replaced two inconsistent drivers who'll score in two non-overlapping halves of the season with one who'll score in the lot and one who'll score in none of them...

You may end up being right, but I don't think its fair to jump to that conclusion before Gutierrez has even had a chance. He will probably start slow but you never know what could happen second half of the season.