Formula 1 General Chat & Discussion

Analysis: Fight for Force India and Caterham F1 seats nears end :

The fight for Formula 1's leading seats may have been over months ago, but the battle for cockpits further down the field remains intense as judgements loom on the final two vacancies.
Force India and Caterham are the only remaining outfits that have yet to finalise their line-ups, but with just one month to go before the start of 2013 testing, decisions are now expected within days.
The increasingly tough economic climate worldwide means that teams at both ends of the grid have had to be more mindful of commercial considerations when it comes to drivers, which is why neither outfit is having an easy time making its choice.
Force India: Bianchi vs Sutil
The Force India vacancy is a plum seat, with Nico Hulkenberg having shown at the Brazilian Grand Prix that the team has the capability to fight right at the front. Although Paul di Resta has not yet been confirmed, his performances last year left the team in no doubt that he justified another opportunity for 2013, so his place is secure. Towards the end of last season, the list of candidates for the seat alongside di Resta stretched to double figures though, as youngsters like Luiz Razia, out of work men like Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi, and current racers like Bruno Senna and Kamui Kobayashi vied to fill Hulkenberg's place.
Although each driver had varying amounts of sponsorship behind him, Force India CEO Otmar Szafnauer told us at the end of last season that the decision would ultimately rest on ability rather than backing.
He made it clear his preference was for speed to ultimately win out, because that would be the only way of ensuring both its men performed.
"I am a believer that you need someone like that," he said. "Not everyone does, and it is a subconscious thing.
"You think you are driving the best you can, but there is nothing like competition for us humans to really sharpen our focus, attention and skills in all sort of stuff. If you have competition you end up driving yourself more." That process has culminated in the selection whittling down now to what appears to be a straightforward decision between veteran Adrian Sutil and rising star Jules Bianchi
Sutil has the experience and speed to keep things moving forward after Hulkenberg, and would bring some funding from his long-term backers. Bianchi would be more of a gamble on the driving front - because he has yet to race in F1 – but he has the added attraction of closes ties to Ferrari. The Frenchman has been retained as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy for 2013, and a long-term deal could tie in to a potential engine partnership for 2014 and beyond. Ferrari is currently working on sorting out its future customer engine plans, and may need to secure another partner with Scuderia Toro Rosso likely to make the move to Renault after this season. The final call on Force India's drivers rests with team principal Vijay Mallya, who will need to weigh up both the short-term and long-term benefits of either candidate.

Caterham: Petrov, Senna or van der Garde?
At Caterham, there is an equally tough decision to be made as to who will partner youngster Charles Pic.
The Leafield-based outfit may have secured its 10th place in the constructors' championship at the 11th hour with Vitaly Petrov's result in Brazil, but it remains eager to bolster its commercial situation even more.
Heikki Kovalainen is unlikely to be kept on for another year, with the leading candidates for the role now being Petrov, Bruno Senna and Giedo van der Garde.Petrov added nearly $10 million to Caterham's coffers with his 11th-place finish at Interlagos that got the team back in the top 10 of the constructors' championship, so there is an obvious reason to retain him.Furthermore, Petrov has the potential to unlock more sponsorship from Russia with the Sochi Grand Prix looming on the horizon for 2014.However, Senna has valuable backing behind him right now, and has the kind of profile and attitude that the team would benefit from.
Like the decision facing Mallya, Caterham has candidates who each easily justify their place, but in the end there is only space for one man.

Kind Regards
Shaky-Schumi

Franck Montagny 5th January 1978
(Super Aguri driver in 2006)
[Versteckter Link - Registrierung notwendig]
Happy Birthday to your 35th anniversary

Michael Schumacher 3rd January 1969
[Versteckter Link - Registrierung notwendig]
Happy Birthday to your 44th anniversary

These are the days that the Teams will test there new car for the 2013 season !!!
These will be held in Spain

5 feb 2013: Circuito Permanente de Jerez
6 feb 2013: Circuito Permanente de Jerez
7 feb 2013: Circuito Permanente de Jerez
8 feb 2013: Circuito Permanente de Jerez

19 feb 2013: Circuit de Catalunya
20 feb 2013: Circuit de Catalunya
21 feb 2013: Circuit de Catalunya
22 feb 2013: Circuit de Catalunya

28 feb 2013: Circuit de Catalunya
1 mrt 2013: Circuit de Catalunya
2 mrt 2013: Circuit de Catalunya
3 mrt 2013: Circuit de Catalunya


Kind Regards
Shaky-Schumi

26/12/1958 adrian newey red bull engineer
[Verstecktes Bild - Registrierung notwendig]

Chrstmas at Ferrari



Christmas at Caterham



Kind Regards
Shaky-Schumi

25/12/1943 wilson fittipaldi former brasilian f1 driver
[Verstecktes Bild - Registrierung notwendig]

Onofre Augustin Marimón
[Versteckter Link - Registrierung notwendig]
Born : 23rd December 1923 - Died : 31st July 1954

Lorenzo Bandini
[Versteckter Link - Registrierung notwendig]
Born : 21st December 1935 - Died : 10th May 1967

Norbert Haug leaves Mercedes-Benz job

Norbert Haug is to leave Mercedes-Benz at the end of 2012 after 22 years as the company’s head of motorsport.

The company said that “his contract will come to an end by mutual agreement with the Board of Management. Preparations for the forthcoming season continue as planned.”

The news comes a few months after Niki Lauda was made chairman of the board of the AMG Mercedes F1 team, a move that appeared to weaken Haug’s position.

Former magazine editor Haug joined Mercedes in October 1990, when the company was competing in the World Sportscar Championship with Sauber and Michael Schumacher.

Dr Dieter Zetsche, Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars and CEO of Daimler AG, said: “Norbert Haug was the face of the Mercedes-Benz Motorsport programme for more than 20 years. For me, he put his stamp on a whole era and, as a highlight, he was responsible for the successful comeback of the Silver Arrows to Formula One. In the name of the Board of Management and the whole motorsport family, I would like to thank Norbert for his extraordinary commitment to the three-pointed star.”

Haug added: “I would like to thank the best car company in the world for more than 22 years, which never had a single moment without passion for me. I particularly wish to thank the Board for the trust and freedom they have always given me with all my activities.

“Since 1991, we had tremendous achievements and wins, for which I want to thank all of my colleagues. Unfortunately, with one victory in 2012 since founding our own Formula One works team in 2010, we couldn’t fulfil our own expectations. However, we have taken the right steps to be successful in the future. Our team and our drivers will do everything to achieve these goals.”

Brian McGuire
[Versteckter Link - Registrierung notwendig]
Born : 13th December 1945 - Died - 29th August 1977

André Milhoux 9th December 1928
[Versteckter Link - Registrierung notwendig]
Happy Birthday to your 84th anniversary

Robert Kubica 7th December 1984
[Versteckter Link - Registrierung notwendig]
Happy Birthday to your 28th anniversary

Roberto Mières
[Versteckter Link - Registrierung notwendig]
Born : 3rd December 1924 - Died : 26th January 2012

..may be in Lotus they understood something about Grosjean ? -_-...
...i hope so, for the safety of their team and for the safety of all the other drivers.... -_-