Stepped noses and Double DRS to go in 2013

F1 Fanatic round-up

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In the round-up: The F1 rules for 2013 will allow teams to improve the look of their cars but prevent them from using Double DRS.

2013 F1 rules published

The 2013 F1 sporting and technical regulations have been published by the FIA and can be found here.

Among the new rules is the allowance for a panel on the front of the car to disguise the stepped noses which have appeared on most cars this year:

With the exception of an optional, single piece, non-structural fairing of prescribed laminate (whose precise lay-up may be found in the Appendix to the regulations) which may not be more than 625mm above the reference plane at any point, no bodywork situated more than 1950mm forward of rear face of the cockpit entry template may be more than 550mm above the reference plane.
FIA 2013 Formula One Technical Regualtions, article 3.7.9

They also forbid the use of DRS to alter other aspects of the car’s performance, effectively banning systems such as Mercedes’ Double DRS:

It cannot be used to change the geometry of any duct, either directly or indirectly, other than the change to the distance between adjacent sections permitted by Article 3.10.2.
FIA 2013 Formula One Technical Regualtions, article 3.18

Links

Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:

F1 teams concerned at proposed FIA changes (BBC)

“The letter, written by some teams to Todt this week, says: ‘At a time when the FIA and teams are actively engaged in cost control, the teams wish to repeat their concern at such a significant increase.'”

F1 teams in the dark over entry fees (Autosport)

“The latest proposal now put forward is for every team to pay an entry fee of £308,000, plus an additional £3,080 per point scored. However, the constructors’ champions will pay a premium of £3,700 per point.”

Motor racing-Schumacher a ‘difficult decision’ for Mercedes (Reuters)

Ross Brawn: “Michael has been a huge asset to the team, he’s really taken us forward. I do think Michael contributes an awful lot, so I think the decision for Michael to stay or not continue is a difficult one.”

Eric Boullier Q&A: Lotus can still win in 2012 (F1)

“[Ferrari’s] package is fast but they are mainly relying on one driver. That is fine if you are chasing the drivers’ championship, but it’s not the strategy if you are chasing the constructors’ championship. We are chasing the constructors’ championship to give one of our drivers the chance to fight for the drivers’ championship. And Kimi is now in a position where we will do everything to push him.”

Ricciardo gets on track (The Age)

“[Mark Webber’s] lap times before he caught me were very strong and I wasn’t sure how easily I’d be able to hold him off or how easily he’d be able to get past me, but I knew that there are only a few passing opportunities around this track and I knew if I just nailed those places every lap, just try to hit my lines well, it’d make life a little more difficult for him.”

Lights, camera, action! (ESPN)

“After the race the stewards were kept very busy investigating all the incidents and the media centre was kept up to date by the FIA media delegate Matteo Bonciani relaying each decision over the tannoy. So rather than the media waiting for each decision to arrive, he actually told people and explained the reasons, which is very useful if you are busy at your desk working. This is what the media wants. We want openness and decisions like that should be immediately out in the open. If this sort of thing happens at every race it would be great.”

Smouldering stories (Joe Saward)

“The latest report suggests that the prosecutors have been looking for evidence that shows that Ecclestone knew that Gribkowsky was a public official, as Bernie’s legal counsel had argued that this was not the case. However, Mr E made some disparaging remarks about Gribkowsky being a civil servant and that may be the key to cracking the case, if the prosecutors consider this to be evidence that Ecclestone knew that he was dealing with a public official.”

Tweets

Comment of the day

@Npf1 was not impressed with Darren Heath’s article on Michael Schumacher which featured in yesterday’s round-up:

As a guy who loved Schumacher since I was a little boy, I was one heck of a fanboy between ages eight and sixteen. I went as far as drawing moustaches and ‘dunce’ hats on Villeneuve, Hill, Hakkinen in magazines and later despised Raikkonen and Alonso. All for beating my hero.

Of course, at some point, a person grows up. Sadly, some people never seem to move from those absolutes. These people are often found in YouTube comment sections (watch any Senna vs Schumacher video, both sides go mad) or high schools.

Personally, at 22, I’m not too crazy about Schumacher’s second career. I’ve kept at collecting his miniatures and still scream like a little girl when he does good, but that’s seldom the case. Still, as a fan, I support him.

However, I also realise the fortunes Schumacher had. Arguably, Piquet-Senna-Prost-Mansell and Alonso-Hamilton-Vettel are more fierce competitions than Schumacher versus anyone with a Newey designed car or later Alonso. Not to mention the monetary, technological and psychological advantages.

And he and his team have likely broken rules as well. I still think he was the best driver between 1994 and 2004, but seasons like 2003 or 2005 showed his weakness: he can outperform the car somewhat, but not by the margins aforementioned drivers could/can. […]

People tend to mention 1992 more often than 1995 when talking about Nigel Mansell. Or 2005 instead of 2009 when talking about Alonso. Stats and figures are nice, but memories weigh more than facts.

I really wish more F1 discussion would be without the conspiracies, my favorite driver is better than your favorite driver, etc. It’s somewhat sad to see a professional F1 photographer falling into just that.
@Npf1

From the forum

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Brian Munene!

If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is by emailling me, using Twitter or adding to the list here.

On this day in F1

The 1997 Luxembourg Grand Prix was held at the Nurburgring in Germany 15 years ago today.

Mika Hakkinen started from his first ever pole position and kept the lead as several cars went off at the start.

He and McLaren team mate David Coulthard ran one-two until both retired within moments of each other with engine failures – a grave embarrassment for Mercedes at their home race.

That left Jacques Villeneuve to collect the win and take the lead of the drivers’ championship. Michael Schumacher had been eliminated in the first-corner collision triggered, ironically, by his brother Ralf.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n08E_0fLUvg

Image © Ferrari spa/Ercole Colombo

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92 comments on “Stepped noses and Double DRS to go in 2013”

  1. Hamilton going to Mercedes is to be announced tomorrow. So the person I can’t stand replaces the old maestro.

    1. The person? If Hamilton is a personal acquaintance of yours, then maybe you shouldn’t say things like that about him in public if you wish to remain friends.

      If not, then maybe you shouldn’t presume to discuss his personality. Talk about his racing if you must.

      1. person (plural persons or people)
        – A single human being; an individual.

        1. To be fair, even Hamilton doesn’t seem to think he is just one person.

          1. Hahaha! That got a laugh out of me!

            I mean… BAD @mike ! Bad! Shame on you! ;)

      2. Lewis Hamilton is to leave McLaren after signing to race for Mercedes from next season.

        The move, predicted by BBC Sport earlier this month, will be announced on Friday and will have huge repercussions throughout Formula 1.

        It has forced Michael Schumacher out of Mercedes but it it is not clear whether the German legend will go back into retirement or look for another team.

        Sauber driver Sergio Perez has signed as Hamilton’s replacement at McLaren.

        Hamilton’s decision is a huge blow to McLaren, who will now have to do without the speed and inspirational talent of a man they have nurtured since he was 13 years old.

    2. Nehhhh I reckon he will stay with Macca ! :) I just can`t see him away from Macca after all these years, specially with reports that McLaren had improved their offers.

      1. Well, some people (Adam Cooper, for example) seem to be putting a lot of stock in this:

        https://twitter.com/tomcary_tel/status/251457612980305922

        1. Humm I can`t wait for later on today, still hard to believe LH will leave McLaren ! If that`s the case, Mercedes should at least give some free engines to McLaren next season for helping LH become the driver he is today ! :)

      2. He really should, Mclaren is more than likely going to be one of, if not the top team in the foreseeable future, so to swap would be damaging to his chances.

        1. @mike – Whichever way Hamilton jumps, I expect that the decision is going to be extremely polarising among fans. If he goes to Mercedes, there will be those who will argue that he should have stayed at McLaren; if he stays at McLaren, there will be those who claim that he should have left for Mercedes. It is not something that will be easily resolved – only time will tell whether Hamilton has made the right choice for him. With so many arguments both for and against a move to Mercedes and fore and against a renewed contract with McLaren, the really challenging question right now is this: if Hamilton has decided to jump one way or the other, then does he know where his feet will land?

        2. @mike . Completely agree. People have got tired of not seeing some major movement in the driver market, so a Hamilton move seems to be well received right now. But I honestly believe that Mclaren is amongst the top 2 teams on the grid and will likely remain there for years to come. Mercedes on the other hand is a total gamble.

          Right now the top 3 drivers drive for the top 3 teams, and I dont think it can get any better than that. It would be sad to see Mclaren produce another race winning car and to have a driver who cannot deliver for them.

      3. Many people saying he’s moving so I guess it’s true. I’d rather see him at McLaren because I don’t think Mercedes will be competitive in 2013, I hope they prove me wrong but I think Sauber would make better use of Mercedes budget.

    3. And I couldn’t care less what Hamilton’s decision is, so long as he makes one. It’s taken up air time for far too long and I’m tired of reading about it.

    4. Hey, on top of the reports from multiple news outlets both Sergio’s dad and Arturo Elias Ayub who is the “Director of Strategic Alliances” of Telmex and Carlos Slim’s son-in-law are talking about a “contract signed”, “tomorrow (today) good news for Mexican sport” and other cryptic stuff. I think its consummated. Checo to McLaren, which means HAM to Mercedes. And the merry-go-round starts :D

  2. “We should hear about Lewis tomorrow. Suspect there’s been lots of last minute negotiating/action so don’t know which way it will go”

    The Telegraph‘s Tom Cary is reporting as much on Twitter:

    “Hamilton to replace Schumacher. Ross Brawn told me today Rosberg ‘100 per cent will be with us next year’.”

    I like Cary. I hadn’t read much of his stuff until Bahrain this year, and he seemed to be one of the better reporters on the ground, probably because he realised the power of Twitter early on. I got a lot of breaking news – most notably the Force India petrol bomb incident – from him, so I think he’s pretty clued in.

    1. Furthermore, Cary reckons Sergio Perez is in the box seat for the second McLaren drive.

      1. Great for Perez.

    2. @prisoner-monkeys I think this story shows, which F1 journalists you can trust most. It looks like Joe Saward and Will Buxton (‘OK, so what about McLaren, you ask? Sergio Perez? No way.’) have been completely off the track. Perhaps the insiders simply don’t trust them [anymore] and don’t reveal any information to them.

      1. I am pretty sure I read an article from Saward almost a month ago where he mentioned exactly this scenario of Telmex replacing Vodafone at McLaren and Perez replacing Hamilton @girts

  3. The F1 rules for 2013 will allow teams to improve the look of their cars

    Don’t agree with this at all. You don’t “improve” the look. You can’t.

    The aesthetic of a Formula 1 car is constantly changing from the pursuit of engineering perfection not for style. Each era tells a story and that’s what makes Formula 1 cars so pretty from the low center of gravity Lotus Type 25’s to the introduction of airfoils and then the blocky ground effect cars, and then every once and a while there are hindering restrictions such as the removal of ground effects that only serve to push the Design of the Formula 1 car in a different direction. The removal of ground effects meant the introduction of high noses and so a new form began more beautiful than the last. The “Step Nose” rule in my opinion is just another challenge for the engineers to create a distinctive and effective solution that will form a new era. Getting rid of this restriction to allow for ‘nicer’ aesthetic doesn’t float with me if that is the only reason. I have no doubt that with this rule in place we might see some flashyier stuff, but I’m not a fan of changing the rules to ‘improve’ the look.

    1. +1. Back in 2009 with the wing changes, the cars looked awful, and my dad told me about the 1983 season when ground effect was banned. He couldn’t stand the new little sidepods but eventually he got used to them. So did I with the big wings, and personally now I have no problem with the stepped noses. Especially when F1 is at a great moment like now.

      1. The difference in wing size and the presence of stepped noses isn’t caused by engineering in the slightest though. It is only the rule-makers, they essentially have defined the aesthetics, and they look poor. Restrictions are one thing, very strictly defining the shape or size of a key part is another.

        1. @matt90

          Yes the rule makers put quite a severe constraint on wing dimensions, that shape the car, but from these strict constraints engineers are then forced to initiate new ideas.

          Since the Rule Change in 2009, we saw Formula 1 cars develop Shark fins, which turned into F-ducts. We saw the noses become higher and higher. We saw the Side pods have deeper and deeper under cuts. We saw exhausts mounted really low and far back. We saw HUGE double diffusers. We’ve seen the front nose nostrils, and the rear engine bay become tighter and tighter. The Front wings now have flips and flaps and wings and mini diffusers everywhere. We are also starting to see the first signs of Side Pod fins this year.

          It’s fair to say the Regulations don’t style these cars, the engineers do.

          And this new regulation is not preventing any speed advantage such as an F-duct or Blown Diffuser, it’s just changing for the sake of the aesthetic? That’s just weird.

          1. Of course the regulations style the cars. For one, cars would not be open-wheelers unless the regulations state so. The cars all have such similar looks, and have done for decades, due to the regulations.

            And shark fins have been around since the 2006-2009 regs.

          2. Having just stumbled across this, I think you misunderstood my comment, which was aimed at specifically the wing dimensions and stepped noses, which were 100% a result of the regulations rather than some engineering evolution.

  4. Further confirmation that the snouts are in the trough, Bernie and Jean want the teams to pay them more,more,more, but to spend less. It does not take much thought to realise that the only way this trend can continue is to adopt the “one design car” rule like Nascar, V8 Supercar etc, where we are supposed to believe that that car with an 800hp. pushrod, V8 driving the rear wheels through a live rear axle is really a race-prepped Toyota Corrolla, Nascar is the most profitable motorsport going which is why Bernie likes it so much.

    How long will it be after the one-design car will it be before the racing gets spiced up by Bernies water sprinklers, and how long after that before crashes are scripted into the races to keep the money coming in. We need F1 to be lead by racing enthusiasts, not empire builders and bankers, the teams need to revolt and take back control of F1.

    1. Further confirmation that the snouts are in the trough, Bernie and Jean want the teams to pay them more,more,more, but to spend less.

      It has been exaplained to you where the money from increased entry fees will go. It has also been explained to you that Bernie Ecclestone has nothing to do with any of the price increases. Indeed, your own logic should prove this – you suggest that Bernie wants more money, and that everything he does is intended to further that end, but not a single dime, penny or cent from increased engine fees or the new engine regulations will go to Bernie. Therefore, he is not a driving force behind it. In fact, he has lobbied against the engine changes in the past, and has been one of the biggest critics of the new engine formula. That does not sound like the kind of rhetoric you would expect from someone who is supposedly trying to squeeze as much money out of the new regulations as possible, does it?

      Please stop intentionally misrepresenting these things. It’s getting tiresome.

      1. Yep, the money will go to improve safety on the road and to help other formulas. i do not believe one word. Like surely half of people, i believe that Todt wants more power to try to be in the same level as Bernie. It is very common sense and i will do the same, have a share in this business, if i do not do that, i am a perfect naive and will be fired. The money earned by Bernie is legitimate cause he made grow the business (even if i do not share his view), todt measures are just taxes and fees for nothing just to play among the richs.

  5. Ah, I missed yesterday’s round up. I read Darren’s post about Schumacher, and I didn’t really like it.

    I’ve never liked Schumacher, but this year we’ve seen a lot of the old fox giving his best. His lap at Monaco, that should’ve been pole, was superb. If a driver sets the fastest time at qualifying in Monaco he’s hardly “out of it”, is he? His laps in the rain at both Silverstone and Hockenheim were both brilliant. Specially the Silverstone one.

    Yes, he’s made a lot of mistakes, and yes, he’s not the fastest guy ever at the moment. But he’s been challenging Rosberg this year a lot more, it’d be a shame if he left, just as he raised his game so much.

    1. @fer-no65 I agree with much of what Darren Heath said, and I believe Schumacher should retire. It does look likely he will be let go anyway if the Hamilton move is confirmed.

      The reason why I think this is in James Allen’s article here:

      http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2012/09/formula-1-storing-up-a-big-problem-for-itself-in-five-years-time/

      It’s got nothing to do with not liking Schumacher. I am a long time Webber fan and I would dearly love to see him win more races and that elusive WDC, yet I’m probably one of the few fans who thinks 2013 should definitely be his last season. Seats need to be made available for new talent, else we risk future racing with mediocre talent (compared to today).

      1. Absolutely agree. It’s not about liking or loathing Schumacher, it’s about wanting to see new talent entering the sport. There’s only 24 seats here and if some of them are occupied for twenty years at a stretch other careers are blighted and the eopportunity to test new drivers is lost. Personally, I could write a list of four or five drivers who I think are either past or close to their sell-by dates.

      2. @pault well, if the drivers are good enough for today’s grid, then why should the stop?

  6. McLaren will likely build there own engine for 2014

    1. And Ferrari will likely build a cellphone.

      Seriously, though, it would be a huge risk for McLaren to do such a thing. The Mercedes is already a surefire way to have a good engine; the Macca engine would probably be quite bad, and the costs would be astronomical. They’d also have to hire a pile of new people to design it… I just really don’t see it happening.

      1. McLaren already have an engine design team…the engine in the MP4-12C was designed and developed by McLaren and Ricardo, and is built by Ricardo. The operation is not entirely in-house, but they are set up to design and produce engines. That said, it would, as you say, probably be more feasible to stick with Mercedes, at least for the time being.

      2. @brazil2007 I am having trouble posting a comment so please forgive me if this one appears somewhere other than below your comment, or in duplicate…

        McLaren are already capable of designing and developing engines, in association with Ricardo. The operation is not entirely in-house, but they are well set up in that department. The engine in the MP4-12C is produced by this partnership. That said, I think that you are correct in saying that it would be more feasible to stick with Mercedes in F1, at least for the time being.

    2. Mercedes will charge for the engines from next year as their partnership is over but engine contract remains until 2015. If Mclaren should worry about that cost, How can they make their own engine? That should be astronomical.

      1. @eggry Agreed. Plus they’d be way behind the other engine manufacturers. I know Ferrari have already been running their new engine on the dyno.

    3. What contract do McLaren have in place for Merc engines ? When does their supply contract end ? Does their existing contract cover the 2014 change in regs ?

  7. Have it from a pretty reliable source that Hamilton is going to Mercedes, McLaren are looking at Perez to replace him, Algersuari will replace Perez at Sauber.

    Further down the grid Max Chilton will be racing for Marussia, Charles Pic will likely replace Petrov at Caterham.

    Something else been talked about is the possibility that Timo Glock has hinted that if after the 1st test its clear that next year’s Marussia isn’t a significant improvement he may choose to quit as he’s fed up of driving around at the back. If he can’t find a better drive in F1 he may look at going back to America to drive Indycars or running Le Mans.

    1. Charles Pic will likely replace Petrov at Caterham.

      Unless Kovalainen goes somewhere else and Caterham cannot catch Marussia in the World Constructors’ Championship. Then I would expect the team to keep Petrov and Pic would replace Kovalainen, because the team will need continuity in their driver line-up – trying to catch Marussia and the mdifield on a reduced budget will be difficult enough; doing trying to do it with two brand-new drivers on top of that would be akin to shooting themselves in the foot.

      1. @prisoner-monkeys I have read that Petrov has run out of money (his manager confirmed it), and I’m afraid that’s what Caterham needs most at the moment :(

  8. I agree 100% with Eric Boullier, Ferrari (and any team with some self respect) should be aiming for a Constructor’s title first, then a driver’s, I’m disappointed that a team with such a great history and the most fans in F1 is satisfied with a WDC, it would be a real shame if they keep Massa for next year or carry on with their no. 1 driver strategy, that worked when they had a dominant car years ago, but not anymore.

    1. To be fair, historically the WDC has always been seen as the premier prize in Formula 1. In my view, the sport would be much less dramatic and gripping should teams decide that the Constructor’s Championship was the greater prize.

      1. actually you are totally wrong, the WCC was once considered most important in F1, by Enzo Ferrari for one example…

        1. Maybe Enzo thought that, but it is very new that WCC has this importance. Nobody ever cared about the brand, it was considered like a tool. Now it is different in the eyes of the public because drivers are more part of a whole team, they use “we” eveytime, they are teached to do that. Bouiller says very strange things, a mix between obviuos and contrary things without any value. And of course ferrari is not happy with Massa, but have to remember why he is still there : he quite won WDC against Raikonnen, had a big accident, and he is managed by Tod’s son. Sure ferrari wants more that a newcomer coming from nowhere and will leave as quickly as business be not so good, bouiller should not talk about ferrari, and ask Raikonnen if he prefers WCC…

          1. The WCC came after the WDC in F1, but before F1 the car you drove was the most important thing. Motor sport was built on proving whose car was best.

    2. if you can win WCC with WDC, that’s great. Loosing WDC and win WCC? Not that good.

  9. @Npf1 I understand how you exactly feel. Hope he continues racing in F1.

    1. uh-huh, I take back what I said. Lewis’s move to Mercedes is confirmed

      http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-2209707/Lewis-Hamilton-replaces-Michael-Schumacher-Mercedes.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

      Sad to see Schumi leave…. :'(

      1. @icemangrins – That’s not really confirmation. That’s The Daily Fail. Where the likes of The Telegraph and The Guardian will report that Hamilton’s move is imminent, The Daily Fail will report that it is confirmed so that they can say they broke the news first. You can tell it’s trash because, despite claiming it’s all true, the Fail doesn’t actually quote anyone involved in it.

      2. @icemangrins Schumi’s second retirement was always going to happen, as sad a prospect that might be. He did however leave on a high note, having scored that podium in Valencia. And of course outperforming Nico Rosberg :)

  10. Its really out there but could anyone see Ferrari Calling up Good old MS For a one or 2 season run till the get vettel? I could see it and would love it because i wanna see him run in a car that will make the end of the race and not break down all the time and then people say he dont have it anymore when he does but has been having bad cars.

  11. Natalie Pinkham has also tweeted that Hamilton’s future will be announced tomorrow. It feels a bit like Christmas…I’m dying to know where one of the greatest talents F1 has right now will end up. I have to admit I’ll be a bit left down if he ends up staying with McLaren. The leap into the unknown with Hamilton at Mercedes is such a fascinating option, even if it means he may not be in a race or championship winning car!

    1. Also, on the other hand I’ll be devastated that my favourite driver ever, Michael Schumacher, will be retiring. He may have not had the comeback he desired, and many times I was left aghast at the seemingly simple errors he committed since his return, but to anybody who watched his era as intently as I did there should be no doubt that we are seeing the loss of one of the very greatest drivers ever from the grid.

  12. Gutted to read Telegraph article saying Hamilton will be leaving the team that…

    … turned nothing into the fastest car in the field (2009)
    … turned the 3rd/4th fastest car into the fastest (2012)
    … that made the fastest car in the field (2007)
    … provided 5 seasons of race winning cars.

    If it is true, I can only hope he continues to push hard in his final 5 races, in a bid to secure the constructor’s title for his team. Every year they have provided him with race winning machinery and it would be a fitting end to his Mclaren career if he and Jenson won the title for the Woking boys!

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/lewishamilton/9572696/Lewis-Hamilton-to-join-Mercedes-in-100m-move-from-McLaren.html

    1. Maybe I’m being too innocent about this, but it’s looks like money is the main reason behind Hamilton’s decision…

      1. I don’t think it’s really about money as such, but money does play the role of “amount of appreciation” a team has. And in that sense the fact they wanted him to accept a pay cut and seemingly not get that much extra (while they have been bungling this year, after finally having the somewhat fastest car), probably didn’t help in that regard.

        But I think it is more a result from frustrations vented during this year (and for me confirmed by the way BUT speaks about both their chances being slim so he doesn’t have to be a team player).

        I think he feels that the team and he don’t work together greatly at the moment, and it isn’t about to improve. After last year, there has been a change I think, and not a good one for HAM (or the team, but that’s only a feeling).

    2. The problem is that turning slow cars into fast ones when it’s already too late to fight for the title isn’t enough for a driver such as Hamilton. Moreover, a fast car from the beginning of the season is not enough as well if it is unreliable or if the team often messes up pit stops or something else. It’s true that McLaren have provided Hamilton with race winning cars for 6 consecutive seasons but Hamilton’s main goal is to fight for the world championship and I think it’s fair to say that McLaren have to take the biggest part of blame for the fact that Lewis is only 1-time champion at the moment.

      As for Hamilton’s future, yes, the move to Mercedes is a gamble. It’s quite certain that McLaren will continue to build race winning cars over the next years, while one cannot be sure that Mercedes will be championship contenders. But the outlook is reasonably bright and I think it’s a risk worth taking and I don’t believe that it’s just about money, rather about relationships.

      1. As for Hamilton’s future, yes, the move to Mercedes is a gamble.

        I agree with you there @girts, and I compare it to when Schumacher went to Ferrari.
        At the time it was seen as being for the money, because Ferrari hadn’t been much of a winning team and never in championship contention in years. I admit I was highly sceptical about it as well at the time, but in the end it formed the sport for a decade, established Schumi as a record braking champion and regained Ferrari the respect of many fans.
        A big chance for Brawn to do it again, Schumi to be part of it and Hamilton to become a legend in his own right.
        I still do think, that he won’t be winning much the next year, and its a gamble, but if it gives us another really top team, then it will be great for the sport.

    3. a race winning car, yes; but only one WCC since 1998 which was subsequently stripped from them; and only one WDC in the noughties. Race wins are great, but titles are what counts and on that front McLaren must be a very frustratiing team to be in given their resources and heritage.

    4. Hmmm…. the evidence is mixed… fastest car but no constructor championships since 1998… and only 3 driver championships in 20 years.

      Are McLaren at the top of their game, rising or living on their past glories ?

  13. Gutted to read Telegraph article saying Hamilton will be leaving the team that …

    … made the fastest Ferrari in the field (2007)

    There, I fixed it for you.

    1. Lol. So true.

    2. You play the expert at times and yet you post such nonsense?

  14. Here in Brazil, journalists are saying that Mclaren already signed Perez to replace Lewis. And that Telmex/Claro will replace Vodafone as main sponsor. The source is reliable but let’s wait. For those interested here’s the link: http://www.diariomotorsport.com.br/2012/09/exclusivo-sergio-perez-assina-com-a-mclaren/
    (it’s in portuguese)

    1. I kind of feel bad for Sauber, losing their main sponsor, and a whole lot of money. They were turning into a nice privateer team with that cash injection from Telmex/Claro. I hope they can get another sponsor now that they are competitive.

      Sauber is used to discovering and bringing up great young drivers only to see them leave for a better team. But life is different now when those drivers mean so much to the financial overhead required to be on pace.

      1. Some say that Alguersuari will be driving for Sauber next year, and that Esteban Gutierrez could be the other driver, meaning that Sauber wouldn’t lose the money from Carlos Slim. In that case Telcel would be Sauber’s sponsor.

        If confirmed all those news i think finally we are going to see a new Mclaren livery.

        1. If confirmed all those news i think finally we are going to see a new Mclaren livery.

          Claro and Vodafone both have red as their primary colour. McLaren could easily swap Vodafone decals for Claro ones with a minimum of fuss, though I imagine they might can to change the livery to avoid confusion. Even if the sidepod says CLARO, people may still think it is Vodafone instead.

        2. Some say that Alguersuari will be driving for Sauber next year, and that Esteban Gutierrez could be the other driver, meaning that Sauber wouldn’t lose the money from Carlos Slim.

          They will, however, lose Kamui Koabayshi. One has to wonder where he would go, because he is a very popular driver, and for him to lose his seat would not end well.

        3. Sauber will be fine, with the proceeds from selling Pérez to McLaren…he’ll be on “a nice watertight Swiss contract”, as Willem Toet puts it.

          They’ve also been innovative with their commercial deals – as well as the numerous current sponsorships (including the Chelsea FC one), they brought Mercedes, Red Bull and Petronas into F1.

          I hope they can afford a better driver than Gutierrez – I can think of at least five drivers around F1, Renault 3.5 and GP2 who are more talented, or better prepared, than him, to race what should be a decent F1 car.

    2. Espn Latin America has confirn that Perez will go to Mclaren

  15. Schumacher to Ferrari as a short term measure perhaps?

    1. would be nice if MS finally made that call to Ron Dennis

    2. @benchuiii One of the biggest problems with Perez moving to Ferrari would have been the problem that he would have to be a number 2 driver to Alonso.. Do you really think Schumacher would go to Ferrari knowing that he was likely to be #2? Or do we think Alonso is just going to give his prime spot up for the driver he beat in ’05 and ’06..

      This is why I don’t believe the ‘Vettel 2014’ rumours.. Anyone who partners Alonso at Ferrari is going to end up at a serious disadvantage…

      1. Schumacher would relish the challenge of taking it to Alonso. I think what he really craves is to find out how fast he can be again. Going head to head with Alonso would be a sure way to find out.

  16. he actually told people and explained the reasons

    after nearly 30 years of f1, i find this break from tradition appalling

  17. I wonder if the rumours that Schumacher considers joining Sauber for 2013 make any sense? At first I didn’t pay much attention to them but this is what Jonathan Noble, the respectable Autosport journalist, wrote on Wednesday:

    There is another scenario though: that Schumacher does something left-field and tries to find a seat elsewhere if Mercedes do not want him.

    Was that why his manager Sabine Kehm so publicly sat down for a lengthy chat with Sauber chiefs Monisha Kaltenborn and Peter Sauber in Singapore last weekend?

    Could Schumacher really be that desperate to stay in F1? On the other hand, if Sauber manage to maintain their strong shape in 2013, then it could get interesting. It would be a real bombshell if Schumacher managed to win a race with Sauber after failing to do so at Mercedes.

  18. The Hamilton – Mercedes move is now being reported on the BBC, complete with the Schumacher to Sauber rumour.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/19755236

  19. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/19755236

    Certainly looks far more conclusive than anything else I’ve seen on the subject to date..

    If the BBC is right, and Hamilton does move to Mercedes, is there anything in Rosberg’s contract that means he could become a third driver for 2013? That would allow Rosberg to stay in Mercedes while Schumacher gets his final year in F1, as it’s pretty obvious he’ll want to be out by the time the new engines come in…

    1. @KeeleyObsessed Anything is possible but I believe that demoting Rosberg to a reserve driver seat would be madness even by F1 standards. In my opinion, Nico might be overrated but he still firmly belongs to the top 10 of the current grid.

      1. @girts It would only be for the 1 season. Schumacher doesn’t seem ready to retire again just yet, particularly as the car was one of the leaders at the beginning of the season (Pre-Monaco). I know I’m a big Schumi fan so I’m probably biased, but I think Rosberg could step down to reserve driver for 1 year to give Schumi his final year. Putting Schumi in a Sauber (which seems the only stated alternative at the moment) would be interesting, but Kobayashi/Schumacher doesn’t look right in my eyes…

  20. If this Hamilton to Mercedes story pans out, it’ll be yet another reason to doubt the wisdom of his current management – I’ve had high hopes for Mercedes, but so far both Schumacher and his team have made just about equal progress in three years, which isn’t saying much about either. Everyone keeps saying that they have all the resources necessary to crack the top three, but where’s the proof so far?

    1. Nice. It would be a real bummer for HAM is Macca come out with a solid car next year and Perez gets his first title (or Button his second)

  21. Interesting!

    I like Mclaren’s line up more now. HAM has taken a gamble I didn’t think he had the balls to take. Good on him.

  22. I’m glad the stepped noses will be gone next year.

    They will not be missed.

  23. Thank **** about the stepped noses being dealt with. Those things have already corrupted my imagination.

  24. Grosjean has been Lotus’ biggest letdown as far as the WCC is concerned but to be fair to the guy, he is very much a rookie and while a championship would be welcome, I don’t think they expected they could win it anyway at the beginning of the year.

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