2012 Driver Changes - Early Predictions?

[Chris Jenkins]

I will pay you 10 Euros if Rosberg is driving for Ferrari in 2012! lol

 

[Luke McVicar]

I wish Schumacher took the seat, only for a year till Perez is ready.

He has shown enough this year imo that he is still a top driver, even if hes qualifying is a bit off from hes best.

There would be no better team to finish hes career once and for all.

but im pretty sure he will stay at Mercedes.

 

[Chris Jenkins]

What a swansong that would be! lol

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Schumacher was a king and a demigod in those days when he was unbeatable, he had buttloads of confidence. Now he is mortal and i hope that he gets a good car, we will get that Häkkinen-Schumi fight when both had to prove that they were best, mostly to each other. He's got a lot to prove now and with good luck we can see the king once again rise to thrown. If Kimi really comes back, my loyalty always lies first to fellow countryman. Of course, the best scenario is them both winning all the time in the same team and the championship decided in the last corner of Suzuka, in the last race of course and Iceman coming thru first, winning by 0.325s and that crucial one win more.... That would just be awesome overload.. They could just stop everything then, it wouldn't get any better.

 

[Chris Jenkins]

OK, so time for a winter update and there's only 2 seats remaining for 2012.

-Williams
-HRT

Drivers available:

-Barachello
-Alguesuari
-Buemi
-D'Ambrosio
-Senna
-Petrov
-Sutil

(among various other reserve/test drivers)

Place your bets!...

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Williams
Maldonado / Sutil

HRT
De La Rosa / Alguesuari

 

[David Jundt]

+Caterham.

I still expected the "Trulli-Train" to stop at the final station. Maybe Buemi, D'Ambrosio or Van der Garde can replace him. I am not impressed by his racing, even after the new power-steering, which didn't really help him. Kovalainen was much better and they should search a 2nd driver than can do better.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Good point, yea Kova is sits safer then most drivers.

time for Trulli to focus on his wine.

 

[Luke McVicar]

I see Alguesuari going to a team like Renault or Force india as reserve, but if he was smart he would go to Caterham.

Sutil is basically confirmed for Williams, and if he doesn't end up there then this makes no sence what so ever.

i think the others will either take some reseve seats or retire.

I see Buemi going to indy though, Petrov maybe as well.

 

[Danny Asbury]

Why would Alguesuari drive a Caterham?

 

[Hampus Andersson]

It´s an excellent way to measure your skills against a certified F1 driver in the name of Kovalainen.

 

[Luke McVicar]

If he goes to Caterham it would give him a good platform to stay in f1 long term if he can perform well against Kovalainen, i can See Caterham being where Force india is at in a few seasons.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Force India got help from Mclaren and that is partly why they are where they are today.
And they have the best engine in the field which is a nice thing to have.

Have Caterham gotten any technical help from some team?

 

[Luke McVicar]

I doubt thats why there there, Torro Rosso gets technical help from redbull and they have been no where for a few years now.

Caterham is very financially sound like Force india, the platform is there to progress long term.

 

[Péter Bártfai]

Have Caterham gotten any technical help from some team?

McLaren's leading aero designer joined them Though it's not because McLaren gave him to them, it's because he accepted Caterham's offer.
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2011/12/12879.html

 

[Hampus Andersson]

I doubt thats why there there, Torro Rosso gets technical help from redbull and they have been no where for a few years now.

Caterham is very financially sound like Force india, the platform is there to progress long term.

Red Bull gets no help from Red Bull anymore. They did and that is the reason why they are up there aswell.
STR is the sister team of Red Bull so you can bet your bottom dollar that Red Bull wanted the team to get a quick start to their career simply because it´s owned by Red Bull. It was in 2010 that STR became independent from their sister team.
Then we have the engine. Only Ferrari, Sauber and Toro Rosso uses Ferrari engines.
New teams mostly uses the Cosworth engine and having a Ferrari or Mercedes engine or even a Renault engine is a big advantage.

Let´s make an example. HRT.

If HRT was taken under the wing of Ferrari and got access to technical knowledge and engines etc you name it.
Do you think they would still be at the back of the grid?

 

[Chris Jenkins]

Have Caterham gotten any technical help from some team?

Red Bull gearboxes.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Red Bull gearboxes.

True, and hydralics i read just now. Bit of a difference then having Xtrac gearboxes i would presume, a gearbox made for the Cosworth engine. I bet the Renault engine has given them an edge on the two other teams as well.

 

[Chris Jenkins]

We'll see how much the McLaren partnership benefits Virgin/Marussia next year too.
Not forgetting that HRT have had a technical partnership with Williams since 2010 as well.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Yea it should be fun to see what they can do with this help. I´m glad Virgin now realised that only having a computer to calculate and build aero packs is not viable, yet atleast.

Well that expains the HRT situation Just kidding hehe.