2013 Silly Season Thread

[roblo97]

Wut, three Finns in F1 at the same time? That'd be for only the second time in history, the first time that happened was in late '94 (no matter how much our media wants to think Nico Rosberg is a Finn as well - the guy can't even properly speak Finnish for crying out loud!).
Not going to happen, unfortunately. Or else I'm happy to change my avatar (yes, that was a call for an avatar challenge).

On the basis my mate Alex has reckoned this will happen for ages , nuppiz I challenge you in an avatar challenge

Alright, if Kovy gets a seat in Formula One for 2013, I'll change my avatar to whatever you want me to have until the first race of the season. And if he doesn't get a seat, then you'll use a avatar of my chosing for the same period of time.

Deal?

Because I have now reached 200 posts I shall accept your offer now

[Ferrarist]

Wut, three Finns in F1 at the same time? That'd be for only the second time in history, the first time that happened was in late '94 (no matter how much our media wants to think Nico Rosberg is a Finn as well - the guy can't even properly speak Finnish for crying out loud!).

Not going to happen, unfortunately. Or else I'm happy to change my avatar (yes, that was a call for an avatar challenge).

How is that even possible? I thought Nico has inherited his father's citizenship.

[pi314159]

According to Wikipedia he holds dual nationality of Finland and Germany.

[UncreativeUsername37]

But it's really the nationality of his licence that matters in the context of F1.

[Nuppiz]

But it's really the nationality of his licence that matters in the context of F1.

Yep, and that licence is currently German (although he raced under the Finnish flag in junior categories). There's an ongoing story that Keke was disappointed in the way Finnish media treated him, so as a "revenge" he didn't teach Nico much Finnish at all.

[RonDenisDeletraz]

>inb4 Me being a smug crap when he is on the 2013 ROTY podium.

[Zetec]

Am I the only one, who always thought, that Bottas comes from south-american or something like this? I don't know, but Bottas doesn't sound finnish?

[NAM]

Am I the only one, who always thought, that Bottas comes from south-american or something like this? I don't know, but Bottas doesn't sound finnish?

"Botas" is Spanish and Portuguese for "boots", so you do have a point.

Anyway I'm expecting Bottas to perform well. I don't think that inexperience will hinder his performance, specially after the FPs this year. I don't expect him to beat Maldonado though. But I wouldn't be surprised if he managed to pull some tricks out of his sleeve.

[UncreativeUsername37]

Am I the only one, who always thought, that Bottas comes from south-american or something like this? I don't know, but Bottas doesn't sound finnish?

I always knew he was from Finland, because the first time I heard of him was from looking at Wikipedia and seeing him with a Finnish flagicon. "Bottas" doesn't really sound like any region to me, but "Valtteri" sounds very Finnish.

[FMecha]

Can anyone resize this for my avatar, please?

[roblo97]

Can anyone resize this for my avatar, please?

I will pay for this to be my avatar with many HWNSNBM points

[Nuppiz]

Grab it while you can:

Am I the only one, who always thought, that Bottas comes from south-american or something like this? I don't know, but Bottas doesn't sound finnish?

I always knew he was from Finland, because the first time I heard of him was from looking at Wikipedia and seeing him with a Finnish flagicon. "Bottas" doesn't really sound like any region to me, but "Valtteri" sounds very Finnish.

Yep, Valtteri is the Finnish version of "Walther", but Bottas is a rare surname and doesn't sound Finnish at all. According to the Finnish register office, Bottas is currently the surname of 32 Finns, in addition to 6 who have changed it to another name (most likely due to marriage). The name sounds Swedish, and might be derived from "bott", which means "bottom".

[Ferrarist]

Wow, I never thought that I would start a meme like this. I feel honoured.

[Ataxia]

Am I the only one, who always thought, that Bottas comes from south-american or something like this? I don't know, but Bottas doesn't sound finnish?

I always knew he was from Finland, because the first time I heard of him was from looking at Wikipedia and seeing him with a Finnish flagicon. "Bottas" doesn't really sound like any region to me, but "Valtteri" sounds very Finnish.

Yep, Valtteri is the Finnish version of "Walther", but Bottas is a rare surname and doesn't sound Finnish at all. According to the Finnish register office, Bottas is currently the surname of 32 Finns, in addition to 6 who have changed it to another name (most likely due to marriage). The name sounds Swedish, and might be derived from "bott", which means "bottom".

Then from now on, he shall be known as Walter Bottom...

[Nuppiz]

Then from now on, he shall be known as Walter Bottom...

I checked if "as" meant something in Swedish as well, and turns out it's "carcass". Walter Bottomcarcass, anyone?

[Ataxia]

Then from now on, he shall be known as Walter Bottom...

I checked if "as" meant something in Swedish as well, and turns out it's "carcass". Walter Bottomcarcass, anyone?

That's just SO Pythonesque...

[Dj_bereta]

According with Tazio (a famous brazilian blog about racing), Bruno Senna is very close to sign a deal with Force India, bringing some sponsors. Of course, this is only a rumour, nothing confirmed yet.

http://tazio.uol.com.br/f1/bruno-senna- ... orce-india

Paul Di Resta and Bruno Senna...

[Cynon]

According with Tazio (a famous brazilian blog about racing), Bruno Senna is very close to sign a deal with Force India, bringing some sponsors. Of course, this is only a rumour, nothing confirmed yet.

http://tazio.uol.com.br/f1/bruno-senna- ... orce-india

Paul Di Resta and Bruno Senna...

Brb, projectile vomiting.

[Klon]

No! I enjoyed the Brazilian Grand Prix a lot more when I believed it was the last bloody time I had to see that tapeworm Senna in action. Please make my delusions real for once.

[Londoner]

Force India, I am disappoint in you. Possibly hiring the two most-underperforming drivers on the grid is a recipe for disaster.

[LellaLombardi]

Blimey, talk about the weakest driver line up on the grid

[AdrianSutil]

Force India, I am disappoint.

[Benetton]

di Resta and Senna ?? Weakest line up in ages IMO. And this is with guys like Kobayashi, Sutil and Alguersuari still available.. I guess they really need to dough.

Edit) I'd really like to see Gerhard Berger as a team principal one day.

[Salamander]

Edit) I'd really like to see Gerhard Berger as a team principal one day.

He used to be Toro Rosso's team principal IIRC, back when they had Vettel.

[Benetton]

Wasn't Berger rather the owner of STR than the team principal, or both?

If he was then he was damn good since those are STR's best years (08 and somewhat into 09.)

There is a wild rumour circulating that the new buyers of Team Enstone want Berger as their team principal..

[Cynon]

No! I enjoyed the Brazilian Grand Prix a lot more when I believed it was the last bloody time I had to see that tapeworm Senna in action. Please make my delusions real for once.

I got a good laugh out of you referring to Bruno Senna as a tapeworm.

[Jocke1]

The name sounds Swedish

Hmm, I disagree. I don't think there's even one Bottas in the entire country.

'as' is indeed carcass, but 'bott' is not Swedish for bottom.

In a present tense, 'bor' is used as "I live over there".
And the perfect tense for 'bor' is 'bott', which is "I have lived over there".

Takes me back to school, this

[WaffleCat]

So,technically his name is "Walter Ihavelivedinacarcass"?

[Row Man Gross-Gene]

I'm starting to get impatient that "Lotus" has not announced Grrssjjnn yet. He crashed a bit yes, but he scored 96 points!

[mario]

I'm starting to get impatient that "Lotus" has not announced Grrssjjnn yet. He crashed a bit yes, but he scored 96 points!

It depends how you look at it - Grosjean was also nearly beaten by Rosberg in the WDC (Rosberg finished on 93 points), despite the fact that Rosberg failed to finish in the points for the last six races of the season (Grosjean only surpassed Rosberg's total after the US GP). Considering that the E20 has been, fundamentally, a much better car than the W03 for most of the season, there will be those who argue that Grosjean should have finished further ahead of Rosberg than he actually did.
Equally, some might argue that Grosjean's performance compared to Kimi faltered as the season went on - in the latter half of the season (from Germany to Brazil), Kimi scored 109 points (more than Grosjean managed in an entire season), whereas Grosjean only managed to score 35 points over that same time period. Considering that, as of the German GP, Grosjean's points haul was far closer to Kimi's (he was on 61 points to 98 for Kimi), the gap did grow appreciably over the course of the season - and that might be concerning the team.

Now, I know that there are rumours suggesting that some drivers might be sizing up Grosjean's seat - I expect that he'll stay on nevertheless, but it may be that the team is negotiating stricter terms with him that force him to address some of the concerns that have been expressed about him over the season (say, by getting driver coaching).

[Ataxia]

I'm starting to get impatient that "Lotus" has not announced Grrssjjnn yet. He crashed a bit yes, but he scored 96 points!

It depends how you look at it - Grosjean was also nearly beaten by Rosberg in the WDC (Rosberg finished on 93 points), despite the fact that Rosberg failed to finish in the points for the last six races of the season (Grosjean only surpassed Rosberg's total after the US GP).

Or on the flipside, Grosjean managed to beat a winning driver in the championship despite taking part in one less race...

I think/hope Romain will stay. I'm sure a bit of coaching over the winter will sort him out right...

[Ed24]

I would be really shocked if they didn't give Grosjean another year. He's by no means been as bad as Piquet Jr or Petrov were in their first years, and both of them got a 2nd chance at Enstone!

I guess 2013 is a big opportunity for Lotus as they are a good chance to battle McLaren in the WCC considering their relatively weak line-up.

[DanielPT]

Also, our Grrrrjjjjjjnnnnn, aka First Lap Nutcase, after being crushed by Alonso in the Renault in undeniably attenuating circumstances in his first stint on the sport, is now crushed by yet another team-mate in a quite more favourable environment. Kimi was getting to terms with F1 again, after 2 years away, and went to do what he did. Grrrjjjjjnnnnnn, on the other hand, instead upping his game, got banned 1 race for being repeatedly found guilty in several crashes and he managed to do this when there is a certain P. Maldonado on the grid. Also, losing to Kimi 8-2 race wise despite winning 10-9 in Qualy might not look so good on him. He looks increasingly like a wild Jarno Trulli and doesn't bode well. If you ask me, there are drivers without contract that look better than good ol' Rrrrrmmmmmnnnnn.

[roblo97]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104664

Make what you can out of this

[Aerospeed]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104664

Make what you can out of this

Well, that's my kind of team

Also, this pretty much confirms Di Resta at this point - the article said that somebody would partner with Di Resta in the second FI seat.

[Nessafox]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104664

Make what you can out of this

Scott Speed will be Racing for the Force?

[Cynon]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104664

Make what you can out of this

Scott Speed will be Racing for the Force?

Scott Speed can go start and park in F1 now?

[LellaLombardi]

I think Grosjean will stay put but 2013 really will be his last chance to deliver

[dinizintheoven]

So, Señor Alguersuari. That contract that you've definitely signed to race in F1 next year... if it's not Force India, then... it's not Clatterham, is it?

[Dj_bereta]

So, Señor Alguersuari. That contract that you've definitely signed to race in F1 next year... if it's not Force India, then... it's not Clatterham, is it?

USF1?