How was the Brawn in a class of its own at the start of the season? The Red Bull won in China and the Toyota locked out the grid in Bahrain. Over the course of the entire season the Red Bull had the best car and if Vettel had not of made mistakes in Australia, Malaysia, Turkey and Monaco he would of won the championship.
I don't get the Phillip Morris bit, I thought tobacco advertising was banned in F1? Apart from that I'd heard all of what please log in to view this image said posted on here. Got a feeling everything will be the same again next year but with a midfielder replacing Massa. Nothing major has happened since 2009 really.
The Toyotas were running light on fuel in Q3 thats why they locked it out.And Vettel won China because it was raining on race day stopping the advantage of the DD and that Seb is pretty handy when it rains. Malaysia though can't really go down as a mistake as the whole circuit became a river, it's impossible to control a car when it becomes a boat.
I think the tobbaco thing is Subliminal Advertising - there was a survey done a year or so back and I think a very high % still assoicaited Ferrari with their original Tobbaco sponsership and this was refelected with cigarette sales and F1 events. Obviously I dont know how true that is because I suppose surveys/questionaires can be led.
Trulli only pitted one lap earlier than Button, and Vettel qualified ahead of Button as well and had more fuel in the car. What does it matter that it rained? The Red Bull was still the faster car. Besides the Red Bull was still quickest in the dry quali anyway. Maybe, but others did not spin out. And even if you do not count that then the other mistakes still cost him the title.
To be fair I have heard the pundits say multiple times that the Red-Bull was the best car over the 2009 year as a whole and Vettel could have taken it but for mistakes. The general belief seems to be that the Brawn was easily the best for the first 5 races (save for in the rain) and that the Red-Bull was fastest in general from Turkey onwards save for the odd race like Spa and Monza. It seems to be that Button was the best at making the most of his car when it was at its best and then not making mistakes/keeping the points haul going when it wasn't, whereas Vettel was a faster driver but made some vital errors that lost him the championship. However that was then and this is now and I think Vettel would cane Button in the same team.
I have to think though, if Webber goes to Ferrari, and Horner gets his wish and Hamilton isn't signed, what do RBR do? The toro rosso pair aren't good enough for a top team, the previous pairing were probably better, but can you see Marko admitting he was wrong to fire them?
Vergne and Ricciardo are better than Buemi and Alguersuari. And they're probably good enough for the second seat. The problem is if Vettel leaves as well and they end up with a pairing of Vergne and Ricciardo in the RBR team because they passed up the opportunity of signing Hamilton. This will be where Horner would be interested in taking him on, Mateschitz would love him there for the publicity. It could happen.
If webber does leave don't be suprised if Jaime is the guy to pair vettel for 2013. Seems Vergne and Ricciardo arn't good enough to replace Mark for next year after all.
Why does everyone suddenly seem to think Vettel is leaving Red-Bull? Alonso wouldn't let a driver who can challenge him have the second ferrari seat, so unless Vettel and Hamilton did a switch, I can't see Vettel moving. Plus he still has the best car so it makes no sense.
I think its because Vettles contract runs out next year, he has made comments in the past to drive for another team and according to Benson, an inside Ferrari source claims that there is a Pre Contract agreement for Vettle to race for Ferrari in 2014. It could be aload of BS, but I cant see Horner and Newey wanting to lose Vettle and not have another marque driver in the team.
lewis should be leading the championship by atleast 8 points now,which would put him 39 points ahead of jenson already. that unfuelling penalty alone cost him 21 points imo,and yet again he was told to change his clutch setting just before the start of the race in monaco,it backfired like in aus. sometimes it seems like they are slowing lewis down because they desperately want jenson to catch up,he is whitmarsh's golden boy after all. ppl need to accept lewis at his best will beat jenson everytime,instead we are false fed into believing they are equally as good. lewis shouldnt leave mclaren,whitmarsh should.get someone in who will make sure both drivers are treated equally,and mistakes are kept to a minimum.
Jaime would have been out of f1 for a season, there is no way RBR/Marko would re-hire him after deeming him not good enough.
Well with the way F1 is, you cannot assume there is an element of sabotage, why wreck Hamilton's pole laps for Jensen?
Vettel and Hamilton both moving on to Mercedes together wouldn't actually surprise me. I believe they could both beat Alonso at Ferrari but they would have to have faultless seasons to do so, Alonso is just that good and that consistent. Mercedes has the skills and backing to make a title challenge and it may just be a way off feeling but I think Vettel and Hamilton could work together, maybe even respect each other more than say the average paring.
The thing about Buemi/Alguersuari is that they were never deemed "not good enough", it was just that they no longer fitted the Toro Rosso mission statement of putting rookies in the car. This can be seen in Buemi's taking the reserve driver role at Red Bull.
But even so, would Red Bull hire a driver who has been out of action for a season, rather than sign Hamilton, or promote from within?
Depends how much work with Pirelii said driver had managed That said I can only see a 'strong' driver getting a seat with Red Bull right now. Webber is the first name that comes to mind, puts in the performances for the WCC but isn't quite there when it comes to mucking up Vettels WDC chances.
