watka wrote:Which brings up the question of Hulkenberg; will he be without a drive again? He deserves a top drive but will any team have a space? I guess Lotus or Force India might be an option.
I certainly hope so. I think he's proven himself as a top driver; he's managed to push this year's dog of a Sauber the furthest it can possibly go and did a sterling job in Force India last season. Instead of being praised for his token performances in lesser teams, he deserves the chance to show that he can mix it with the best towards the front of the field and deliver on the promise that his junior results suggested.
I don't see why Ferrari would hang on to Massa any more. Sure, he's been pretty good on a flying lap, but he's not been close enough to Alonso to act as a rear-gunner. I see Hulkenberg as a handy replacement; not only would he give Alonso the kick up the backside that he seems to have needed so far in 2013 (although Spa hinted that he'd raised his game), he could also be the focal point of future challenges for them. If Red Bull do end up signing Ricciardo, then I'd say a Alonso-Hulkenberg lineup would transcend that of the current champions.
If Ferrari isn't a goer (for whatever reason, be that a Massa extension or a Raikkonen signing), then I'm sure Lotus would be happy to have him. I don't think it's realistic to think he'd go back to Force India, especially as he walked out on them at the end of last year despite effectively stopping his career go down the swanny.
Anyway, in other news I've heard that Felipe Nasr has been linked with a drive at Toro Rosso. Of course it's just rumours at this stage, but on the surface it would be a move to replace Ricciardo. However, this could mean many things. Is Vergne's drive not as secure as we thought? Are Red Bull losing faith in their junior drivers? Answers on a postcard, please.