The 2012 Season

[RasputinLives]

I am coming to like the reshuffle in the driver market though. At one stage last year it looked like we could have 2011 v2, but now with Kimi and Romain at Renault, Verge and Ricciardo at Toro Rosso, Hulkenberg at Force India, Senna at Williams and even Pic at Marussia we have some new and interesting matchups to look forward to.

We're still going to the same top 6 though - including 2 drivers who lets face it hardly deserve to be in that top 6 after last years performances - so its still pretty much same as stations as its been since 2010 realli. I'm expecting Kimi to mix it up with the Mercs a bit and I have high expectations of Jean-Eric Vergne but I'm pretty much expecting the final episode in the trillogy of VetLonBberHamTon featuring Fellipe Massa.

2013 however with the likelyhood that Webber will be out, Massa will be out and Lewis may switch teams along with the new engine regs should be a whole new ball game!

 

[Kamui-FastestChefInTheWorld]

It's probably a small thing, but does anyone know which of them is Number 18 and which is 19?

 

[jez101]

We're still going to the same top 6 though - including 2 drivers who lets face it hardly deserve to be in that top 6 after last years performances - so its still pretty much same as stations as its been since 2010 realli. I'm expecting Kimi to mix it up with the Mercs a bit and I have high expectations of Jean-Eric Vergne but I'm pretty much expecting the final episode in the trillogy of VetLonBberHamTon featuring Fellipe Massa.

2013 however with the likelyhood that Webber will be out, Massa will be out and Lewis may switch teams along with the new engine regs should be a whole new ball game!

I know, and Vettel will probably drive away with it again, but at least we will have some new questions answered - like is RasputinLives right about Vergne (and can Jos the Boss really predict the weather)

 

[Galahad]

It's probably a small thing, but does anyone know which of them is Number 18 and which is 19?

The F1 site has Pastor as 18 and Bruno as 19, but that may be premature - I don't know.
http://www.formula1.com/teams_and_drivers/drivers/

 

[tooncheese]

So fighting over test drives and a suddenly very attractive HRT spot are:

Algersuari
d'Ambrosio
Barrichello
Liuzzi
Petrov
Sutil
(Kubica)

Kolles* and co are spoilt fro choice

*forgot new guys name.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Luis Perez-Sala replaced Colin Kolles.

 

[teabagyokel]

So fighting over test drives and a suddenly very attractive HRT spot are:

I don't think the HRT slot became any more attractive...!

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Dani Clos shouldn't be counted out of the race for the seat at HRT. Alguersuari will surely be the favourite for the drive, but i'm secretly hoping they'll give the drive to Karun Chandhok.

Plus i really don't think Trulli's seat at Team Catherham is safe yet. They've said he has a contract of 2012 but that could mean anything a drive or a test/reserve driver role. I've got a strong feeling that Vitlay Petrov will end up there come the start of the season.

Think we'll see Adrian Sutil take up a role at Mclaren as a test/reserve driver this year. Mclaren are said to be keen to take him on and Lewis and Jenson appear to be happy having him join the team.

If Ferrari are really clever they'd take Rubens Barrichello on as a test/reserve driver. Someone in the background to help Massa out on Set-up and have a mate around the garage for him. I can 100% say that if Felipe has Rubens around the garage we'll probably see a much happier Massa and his profromances might improve as a result.

On D'ambrosio, I think we might see him in DTM next year. I think Mercedes were quite impressed with what they'd seen in him and a year in that Series might do the young Belguim the world of good.

 

[RasputinLives]

Dani Clos shouldn't be counted out of the race for the seat at HRT. Alguersuari will surely be the favourite for the drive, but i'm secretly hoping they'll give the drive to Karun Chandhock

Alguersauri has already turned the drive down and theres a link on the HRT thread where they've ruled Dani Clos out already. Chandhock has already excepeted he won't have a drive next year and has signed up to drive in the Endurance Championship.

Liuzzi is still contracted with HRT and is currently helping develop the car but admitts that if some up and coming youngster with some cash behind him expresses and interest in the seat they'll get it.

I agree with you on Petrov and Trulli though.

 

[gethinceri]

Any thought that Karun might have an "in the event of an F1 drive being available......." clause in his endurance contract?

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Any thought that Karun might have an "in the event of an F1 drive being available......." clause in his endurance contract?

I think alot of drivers will have that in their contracts. I don't think Karun would be the sort of driver that would miss something like that out of a contract.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Force India are launching their new car on February 3rd at Silverstone. Red Bull are launching their new car online on February 6th, images of the RB8 will be available on the team's website.

 

[RasputinLives]

Any thought that Karun might have an "in the event of an F1 drive being available......." clause in his endurance contract?

Probably but as he's come out and said he won't be in F1 in 2012 something big will have to happen for him to end up in that HRT seat - or more correctly someone rich will have to take a shine to Karun.

 

[FB]

What money Rubens turning up in the HRT - shades of Michele Alboreto...

 

[mjo]

New cateham car to be shown on the cover of F1 Racing later this month.

 

[RasputinLives]

New cateham car to be shown on the cover of F1 Racing later this month.

Is it going to be a kit car like Catenhams usually are?

 

[mjo]

A kit car may go faster than last year's car though!

 

[Mephistopheles]

I'm starting to need my F1 fix seeing the new cars should hold me until testing starts

 

[Mephistopheles]

I don't know if anyone has seen this but I'll post it anyway

 

[Mephistopheles]

I wonder who it is on the guitar...