F1 2014 thread

[Polish]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/115602

A lot more of the same, although i must admit Boullier has been making steady progress.

The proof will be in the pudding.

 

[Polish]

Mclaren bidding for Vettel, Alonso

This is an absolute must. I have some level of faith that Magnussen can still produce, he is young and has potential. Button will leave at end of this year, its inevitable, and then we need a strong driver.

It will be a gamble for a top dawg to take the bait though.

 

[Willie Trombone]

This is an absolute must. I have some level of faith that Magnussen can still produce, he is young and has potential. Button will leave at end of this year, its inevitable, and then we need a strong driver.

It will be a gamble for a top dawg to take the bait though.

Neither of those two are going to come cheap. It's up to them whether they want to move to a team that's even slower than where they're at. Ferrari's issue for me is they don't do PR like McLaren do. McLaren are more open and talkative... at least they say the right things, even if it doesn't always materialise on the track. As you say, the proof is in the pudding with the latest updates.

 

[Polish]

Its surprising that there is so little influx of drivers from the various American series. They got some talent there.

Always just the lower formulas feeding.

 

[S1lv3r H4wK]

I think Alonso is slowly getting fed up with ferarri's lack of performance, apparently there is a performance clause in his contract which releases him if the car does not meet agreed upon standards.

 

[Polish]

I think Alonso is slowly getting fed up with ferarri's lack of performance, apparently there is a performance clause in his contract which releases him if the car does not meet agreed upon standards.

Yes there normally is a mutual performance clause.

 

[thestaggy]

Its surprising that there is so little influx of drivers from the various American series. They got some talent there.

Always just the lower formulas feeding.

To be honest, the few that have come over are not usually very good. I think their over-exposure to oval racing leaves them behind when they try and crossover to full-time road course racing.

Aside from Montoya and Jacques Villeneuve, the rest of them were poor. da Matta, Bourdais and Michael Andretti left a lot to be desired. Granted Bourdais never got a good car, but he was soundly thumped by Vettel and hardly any better than Buemi.

 

[Willie Trombone]

Its surprising that there is so little influx of drivers from the various American series. They got some talent there.

Always just the lower formulas feeding.

Years of absence from the US... It's traditionally more Euro / South American centric sport. You have to be interested in the sport in the first place to want to take part.

 

[Willie Trombone]

Naah guys, skip this Merc nonsense. Lewis needs return the Rosberg favour for the next two races and both DNF, then Ricciardo needs to win.... and in the interim Red Bull can sort out their issues and Ricciardo can take the crown this year.
That would make me very happy indeed

Can you imagine Ricciardo pulling that off amidst an internal Merc squabble? That would be bril.

Not sure if I heard correctly, but I thought the commentators said that Mercedes has led approximately 600 of the less than 700 laps of GP this year. Their scoreline is certainly not reflective. It's heavily tilted in their favour, but definitely being eroded by the likes of Ricciardo.

 

[Polish]

N

Can you imagine Ricciardo pulling that off amidst an internal Merc squabble? That would be bril.

This yes

or Williams

 

[S1lv3r H4wK]

Talking about red bull, I was surprised with their new pace with the smaller wing. Never thought they ran that much downforce!

 

[craigdoepie]

This yes

or Williams

That would be really really nice.

Just on the other point, Alonso is a good driver. But isn't he a bit old, how many good years does he still have in him. Vettel is a good option for Mclaren, but not so sure about Alonso. My opinion though.

 

[S1lv3r H4wK]

No one can deny Alonso's talent that and the hunger for a 3rd world championship makes him one to watch.

 

[Dave]

No one can deny Alonso's talent that and the hunger for a 3rd world championship makes him one to watch.

If his car wasn't quite so crap that might have been a possibility, with this years car, I very much doubt it...

 

[Polish]

No one can deny Alonso's talent that and the hunger for a 3rd world championship makes him one to watch.

Yes. He still has it in him.

 

[Dave]

It seems that Rosberg has had the riot act read to him, and has been warned of future consequences of tarnishing the MB brand with any future reoccurrence of his poor judgement and that race suspensions for the driver could follow.

It's gone all the way to the Chairman of Daimler AG becoming involved.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns28786.html

Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche has become involved in resolving the damaging spat between warring Mercedes teammates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.

As team chiefs Toto Wolff, Paddy Lowe and Niki Lauda work to safeguard Mercedes' overwhelming title prospects amid an escalating driver feud, Lauda revealed that Zetsche has been moved to intervene.

"Naturally we have to report to him," the F1 legend and team chairman told the German weekly Bunte.

"We have a need for clarification. It (the F1 project) is all about building credibility for the brand."

Until now, although there have been efforts to cool the heat in the wake of last Sunday's incident, the clear finger of blame has been pointed at Rosberg for causing the lap 2 crash at Spa that left Hamilton almost 30 points behind in their title fight.

Lauda, for instance, admitted to Bunte that even the German driver's post-race explanation of what happened was "not understandable to me".

Rosberg punished but Mercedes duo free to race


Nico Rosberg apologised to his teammate Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes on Friday, after the German was punished by the team for last Sunday's crash.

Earlier on Friday, bosses Toto Wolff and Paddy Lowe met with the championship leader and Hamilton at Brackley, where Rosberg "acknowledged his responsibility" for the lap 2 incident at Spa "and apologised".

"Suitable disciplinary measures have been taken for the incident," the media statement announced.

But despite warning earlier that the era of 'free racing' may now be over, Mercedes said on Friday it "remains committed to hard, fair racing because this is the right way to win world championships".

"It has been made clear that another such incident will not be tolerated," the statement added. "But Nico and Lewis are our drivers and we believe in them.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns28789.html

Rosberg has issued a personal statement:

I have already expressed my regret about the incident but, after meeting with Toto, Paddy and Lewis today, I wish to go a step further and describe it as an error of judgement on my part," said Rosberg.

"For that error of judgement, I apologise to Lewis and the team. I also want to say sorry to the fans who were deprived of our battle for the lead in Belgium.

"As drivers, we have a clear responsibility to the team, the fans of the sport, our partners and Mercedes-Benz to deliver clean racing.

"I look forward to concluding the season with hard, fair competition on and off track right up to the final lap of the season in Abu Dhabi

 

[S1lv3r H4wK]

It seems that Rosberg has had the riot act read to him, and has been warned of future consequences of tarnishing the MB brand with any future reoccurrence of his poor judgement and that race suspensions for the driver could follow.

It's gone all the way to the Chairman of Daimler AG becoming involved.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns28786.html







http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns28789.html

Rosberg has issued a personal statement:

That's mighty honourable from him. He could have taken the easy way put and just said its not my fault feck off.

 

[Dave]

That's mighty honourable from him. He could have taken the easy way put and just said its not my fault feck off.

No, as I understand, there were thoughts of suspending him for a race, I think he decided to do some grovelling and apologise to head it off.

 

[HapticSimian]

'Honourable'? Lol.

 

[satanboy]

No, as I understand, there were thoughts of suspending him for a race.

You're not serious.