Grand Prix Rejects

CoopsII wrote:

Benetton wrote:If I were Force India I would sign Hülkenberg and Pérez. That is a strong line-up that also brings some dollar.

I agree with that. Perez needs to get his head down in a decent mid-field team until he matures a bit more.

sswishbone wrote:This suggests Perez is out: -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/24927323

Nothing too inflamatory, however, crticising the team's organisation, no matter how justified, will not endear him and that is probably the straw that breaks the camels back

mario wrote:

sswishbone wrote:This suggests Perez is out: -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/24927323

Nothing too inflamatory, however, crticising the team's organisation, no matter how justified, will not endear him and that is probably the straw that breaks the camels back

Given the recent comments Perez has made via Twitter, he is on the way out anyway and these comments are more of a parting shot - and, I must say, comments that are rather valid given that, frankly, most of McLaren's problems this season have been self inflicted.

SeedStriker wrote:I remember that Enoch and I talked about if Checo had what McLaren needed. Now, after seeing what happened all season up to now, it was more a case that McLaren didn't even had what Checo needed. If the guys from Woking are favouring JB, then why bring Checo in the first place? To make Button look better after being thrashed by Hamilton on consecutive years? With that in mind, Kevin Magnussen will have the same problem next year! McLaren is dangerously threading over the same path that destroyed other traditional teams like Brabham and Tyrrell, even with the money that's spend in Woking.

Freeze-O-Kimi wrote:It's Official Perez himself has confirmed his Mclaren Departure

pi314159 wrote:

SeedStriker wrote:I remember that Enoch and I talked about if Checo had what McLaren needed. Now, after seeing what happened all season up to now, it was more a case that McLaren didn't even had what Checo needed. If the guys from Woking are favouring JB, then why bring Checo in the first place? To make Button look better after being thrashed by Hamilton on consecutive years? With that in mind, Kevin Magnussen will have the same problem next year! McLaren is dangerously threading over the same path that destroyed other traditional teams like Brabham and Tyrrell, even with the money that's spend in Woking.

I don't think Hamilton thrashed Button:
2010: Hamilton 240 points, Button 214
2011: Hamilton 227, Button 270
2012: Hamilton 190, Button 188

I think they were quite equal, although in 2012, Hamilton was better than the points standings suggest.

Freeze-O-Kimi wrote:It's Official Perez himself has confirmed his Mclaren Departure

Rocks with Salt wrote:Right then! Is Heikki replacing Raikkonen at the next two races or not? If Sutil has already signed a contract, is di Resta out of his Force India seat in lieu of Maldonado or Perez? God, this silly season is the most frantic game of musical chairs I have ever seen. Nobody is safe!

good_Ralf wrote:Hulkenberg is still in contention for the 2014 Lotus seat but he will not be driving in Austin or Interlagos in the coming weeks.

Backmarker wrote:With regards Heikki getting the Lotus drive over Davide Valsecchi, my tears are eternal.

[ Exclusive ] Lotus is announcing the hiring of Heikki Kovalainen for the next two rounds of the Formula 1 World Championship 2013. It is a fallback after trying to engage Hulkenberg. Rejected from the outset the application of Valsecchi [sic].

The only thing missing is the official announcement of the team, but sources inside the Lotus have confirmed that Heikki Kovalainen will be to drive in the last two races of the 2013 season of Formula 1.

In fact, as we had anticipated this morning, Lotus had tried to bring in Enstone Nico Hulkenberg, tearing at Sauber. The German driver was easily releasable because of non-payment of salary. Nico was seen at Enstone and also prepared the seat for the E21 . But then "magically" the bank account of the German swelled, but that's another story I'll tell you late, because it deserves to be investigated.

Once you get to the payment of outstanding Hulkenberg, the contract with Sauber 's German was not so easy to terminate. And, for this reason, the Lotus company has had to abandon the option Hulkenberg and management of the pilot is due to retrace their steps, confirming that he would be taken down Hinwil before the end of the current season.

This had left to think of a use of Valsecchi for the last two races, but for him the doors of the team in Enstone are closed. Former champion of GP2 was not deemed suitable by Lotus for the next two races. To confirm it is also the Team Principal Eric Boullier, who said: "We are fighting for third place in the constructors' championship and we need a pilot experience, used to struggle to gain placements in the points. I'm not saying that David does not deserve a chance, because he did a great job and we are pleased him, but pays the lack of experience."

To penalize Valsecchi, also seems to have been limited work that the Italian can not play the simulator due to nausea and migraines that occur immediately after a few minutes of virtual work. A common problem in many drivers, as it had been a short time ago for Michael Schumacher.

eytl wrote:

good_Ralf wrote:Hulkenberg is still in contention for the 2014 Lotus seat but he will not be driving in Austin or Interlagos in the coming weeks.

Whilst there's already discussion in the US GP thread about whether Kovalainen or Valsecchi should get the Lotus seat for the last two races - I personally would like to see Valsecchi for the novelty value even though I think Kovalainen deserves a place on the grid - this for me is the more interesting story. Why would Hulkenberg not take the drive? It says two things to me:

1. He doesn't want to risk two bad races in what should be a competitive Lotus because he hasn't driven it before, thereby hurting his prospects for 2014.
2. He clearly isn't a shoe-in for the Lotus seat for next year even if the Quantum Motorsports deal is going through. If he was definitely in, then two average races now wouldn't be a problem.

Edit: Backmarker, where are you getting that from? That'd be explosive if it's true!

eytl wrote:Edit: Backmarker, where are you getting that from? That'd be explosive if it's true!

The Reverend Maldonado wrote:"I think I delivered more to the [Williams] team than they for me," he explained.

"We found a victory, we found a very good result last year, and even this year we have been doing quite well races. But this is not everything.

"I am waiting for something more, I am expecting something more from F1."

GwilymJJames wrote:Magnussen confirmed at McLaren.

BigG80 wrote:This is possibly the greatest news of the Silly Season so far:

http://www.motorsport.com/#!/f1/news/reserve-nasr-to-join-massa-at-williams-in-2014/

Nasr and Massa together at last. Felipe double baby!

eytl wrote:

good_Ralf wrote:Hulkenberg is still in contention for the 2014 Lotus seat but he will not be driving in Austin or Interlagos in the coming weeks.

Whilst there's already discussion in the US GP thread about whether Kovalainen or Valsecchi should get the Lotus seat for the last two races - I personally would like to see Valsecchi for the novelty value even though I think Kovalainen deserves a place on the grid - this for me is the more interesting story. Why would Hulkenberg not take the drive? It says two things to me:

1. He doesn't want to risk two bad races in what should be a competitive Lotus because he hasn't driven it before, thereby hurting his prospects for 2014.
2. He clearly isn't a shoe-in for the Lotus seat for next year even if the Quantum Motorsports deal is going through. If he was definitely in, then two average races now wouldn't be a problem.

Edit: Backmarker, where are you getting that from? That'd be explosive if it's true!

eytl wrote:

The Reverend Maldonado wrote:"I think I delivered more to the [Williams] team than they for me," he explained.

"We found a victory, we found a very good result last year, and even this year we have been doing quite well races. But this is not everything.

"I am waiting for something more, I am expecting something more from F1."

From http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111289

With an attitude like that, I wouldn't want to take him, but then again I'm not after squillions of Venezuelan oil money.

watka wrote:Sam Michael's view on the whole Perez-Magnussen business

Sam Michael wrote:"I think you are putting too much emphasis on Nico himself. To be honest, I rate Nico - I was involved in his lower-category career and the start of his Formula 1 career. He's a great driver, but our focus has been internally with Kevin and that's where we've decided to go next year.

"When you mention football players who are 26 and 27 and are proven quantities, if you actually look at the grid, we already have a World Champion in one of our cars. Then you have the choice of trying to get another World Champion, and that's not possible at the moment, so then you have the choice of going down a route which you think will create another World Champion.

"You have to remember that on all of our Young Driver Programmes, they are there to produce World Champions. They are not there to produce also-rans because, quite frankly, McLaren has the buying ability to go and buy anyone we want on the grid in that situation. So therefore if you look at our programme critically, we believe that Kevin can be a World Champion - the same way that we believe Vandoorne can be and anyone who comes in behind him. If we don't, they don't stay on our programme - it's as brutal as that."

the Masked Lapwing wrote:Apparently Alendro Scerdi is Caterham's new driver.
Ah, Wikipedia. Where would we be without you?

Shizuka wrote:

the Masked Lapwing wrote:Apparently Alendro Scerdi is Caterham's new driver.
Ah, Wikipedia. Where would we be without you?

„He has never raced at a competitive level. CF1 are sure that he will be a greater drive than Caterham's previous driver Giedo van der garde.”

Whoever edited it apparently forgot to capitalize the G