Article: 2013 Driver Line-ups, News & Rumours | Formula one

Maybe there is something in it. Wouldn't have done his chances any harm at all in the next race.

 

The Mirror say that Ferrari "made enquiries" about Di Resta's contract at the Chinese GP, and that "Maranello’s bosses are known to be impressed with Di Resta". Given that the article was posted two hours after this, and it's The Mirror, the article is probably a load of rubbish. Even if there are talks between Di Resta and Ferrari, I doubt it will result in anything. If they are looking for a younger driver with potential, they've already got Perez.

 

Ferrari taking on Di Resta is also a good way to get Bianchi in that Force India

 

Di resta is half Italian so he has got one thing in common with Ferrari.

 

Mika Salo reckons Bruno Senna will be replaced by Bottas soon:


http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/salo-believes-bottas-to-replace-senna-soon/

 

Hope so. It would be harsh on Senna but I really like the look of Bottas.

 

I saw this this morning. Is it worth putting up at the top? I thought not because isn't Bottas unfunded? Would Williams be in a position with sponsorship income to let Senna go?

 

while I have nothing against Bottas, Senna has done a decent job so far. Bottas may well be another one to be hyped up like hulkenberg

 

Thats crazy, Senna and Maldo are pretty well matched (Maldo having the advantage of a year with the team) Senna can out class maldo and vice versa. Its a perfect line up for williams. Bottas im not sure about, I wouldnt overhype a test driver for doing a good job on a 'test' circuit.

 

I think Williams can afford to get by with just the one pay driver if they think Bottas is good enough.

 

Then they should get rid of the one with the least amount of points.

 

Would be so harsh on Bruno (the article says he has been struggling WTF?), but wouldn't be a shock. Senna has always looked a stop gap until they felt bottas is ready/ the funding is in place.

 

I think Williams are preparing to put Bottas in the car for 2013. That's why he's taking almost all of Senna's FP1 sessions this year, and why Senna is only signed to a one year deal.

Senna isn't bad enough to be replaced mid-season.

 

I agree with you

 

Whilst this is true, Ferrari have Bianchi on their books, surely they wouldn't want to take a driver such that one of their youngsters can get a drive

 

I know what you mean, Julius; but there can be no place in F1 for sentimentality (unless perhaps, your name is Massa or Schumacher). Senna has been quick at times, and has produced one excellent performance; but he has always looked rather untidy to me – which usually indicates a rough diamond at best: one with ultimately unsmoothable flaws.

I agree Hulkenberg was hyped. Then again, could one not apply a similar statement to Senna?

This is the big question and is almost certainly the strongest card in Senna's hand. Sir Frank Williams found the whole idea enormously appealing, but perhaps he had to temporarily patch his well-known eye for quality. Having made strides forward from the doldrums of last season, he may well feel that his team's health has improved sufficiently to remove the patch…

Yes, probably true. I also agree with your last sentence. On the other hand, I would not say the same if we were discussing Massa!

 

Bottas looked very quick in prctice, but I can't see Williams dropping Senna yet, he's not doing a bad job, certainly no worse than Maldonado did last year.

 

Okay, how about killing 2 birds with one stone. Bottas to replace Massa?

 

Maldonado was excellent here last year, wrestled a pig of a car into Q3 somehow and then backed it up with a strong race in Monaco. I think he showed more in the first few races last year than Senna has this and Hulkenberg the year before.

 

Well the fact he's won a race would back your theory up. Plus it's monaco next, and he's something of a specialist around there.