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

It's down to Bianchi and Sutil now...

Some interesting points in that article.

• The article suggests Sutil has no visa issues - it makes me think the reason for Force India's delay is because they're assessing whether an engine discount is worth more than an extra place in the constructors.
• Buemi was 'informed by the team that he is out of the running'. Could this be because they have made a decision or have they only narrowed down their options as Roger Benoit believes? To me it seems wierd that they would only recently narrow their shortlist down to two.
• The article says Bianchi was not as impressive as Hulkenburg was the previous year, it makes you wonder why would Ferrari keep him in their academy and offer Force India a cheaper engine deal. I think the reason why Bianchi wasn't as impressive is because he had problems adapting to the Pirelli tyres, like Sutil and Webber did in the first half of 2011...but then I'm biased.

 

I didnt think Bianchi looked that bad in FP. Hulk also had a years experiance under his belt.

 

Bianchi looked decent, would probably be a safer bet than Sutil, as he has more recent experience. Sutil is proven, but in a different age. F1 moves quickly now.

 

Wonder if Force India could potentially do what Red Bull did way back in 2005 and have the drivers drive a certain number of alternate races, then make a decision one way or the other by the season's end.

Realistically I expect them to bring in Sutil this year and bump one of the drivers out for Bianchi in 2014... unless Ferrari have other ideas.

 

well if they do take on Sutil then they will need to find someone to drive in china, USA and canada due to his criminal conviction. Maybe this is what they will do. Personally I hope they dont mess around and move on from Sutil

 

Not sure how much can be read into this, but Kovalainen seems to still be doing the things you'd expect of a Caterham driver, like watching QPR games. Unless he's developed a liking of the club independent of Fernandes' influence, I'd have thought he'd be out of contract and no longer have a need to?

 

I thought Sutil said that wouldn't be a problem?

 

All the talk seems to be around Force India's last driver, but let's not forget that there is also a remaining Caterham seat, which seems very hush-hush at the moment.

 

From what i've seen it looks to be between Petrov, Senna and van der Garde, with the first two more likely.

 

Russia report Petrov has the seat at Caterham.

 

Not comrade Petrov again

 

Russian Sources say Petrov and Brazilian sources say Senna. I haven't seen any good sources do more than lean one way or the other.

 

So where has all this bullshit: "Force India will reveal full lineup before New year" gone?

If its taking this long it must be Bianchi, Sutil would of already been cleared for the job already if he got it.

 

Yeah, Bianchi seems to me to be the obvious choice at the moment considering Ferrari said they think he should be driving in F1 this year.

 

good point

EDIT: though FI are not the best team at keeping organised and hitting deadlines

 

Caterham have tweeted that they have 'big news' to be announced tomorrow. Unless it's details of their launch, I'm assuming it'll be their driver announcement?

Edit: Ah, possibly a false alarm, it's a tweet from their composites department, so more likely to be car than personnel related.

 

I'd like to see Sutil back, he's a better driver than Bianchi, I'd expect him to score more points in 17 races than Bianchi would in 20 (assuming that's how long the season will be and Sutil misses three), and Bianchi would get three races anyway if Sutil has visa issues, so I don't think his conviction should be an issue.

 

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Good news everyone. Caterham have made a racing car!!

 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104989

The fight for Formula 1's leading seats may have been over months ago, but
the battle for cockpits further down the field remains intense as judgements
loom on the final two vacancies.
Force India and Caterham are the only remaining outfits that have yet to
finalise their line-ups, but with just one month to go before the start of 2013
testing, decisions are now expected within days.

The increasingly tough economic climate worldwide means that teams at both
ends of the grid have had to be more mindful of commercial considerations when
it comes to drivers, which is why neither outfit is having an easy time making
its choice.

Force India: Bianchi vs Sutil

The Force India vacancy is a plum seat, with Nico Hulkenberg having shown at
the Brazilian
Grand Prix that the team has the capability to fight right at the front.

Although Paul di Resta has not yet been confirmed, his performances last year
left the team in no doubt that he justified another opportunity for 2013, so his
place is secure.

Towards the end of last season, the list of candidates for the seat alongside
di Resta stretched to double figures though, as youngsters like Luiz Razia, out
of work men like Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi, and current racers like
Bruno Senna and Kamui Kobayashi vied to fill Hulkenberg's place.

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Although each driver had varying amounts of sponsorship behind him,
Force India CEO Otmar Szafnauer told AUTOSPORT at the end of last season that
the decision would ultimately rest on ability rather
than backing.

He made it clear his preference was for speed to ultimately win out, because
that would be the only way of ensuring both its men performed.

"I am a believer that you need someone like that," he said. "Not everyone
does, and it is a subconscious thing.

"You think you are driving the best you can, but there is nothing like
competition for us humans to really sharpen our focus, attention and skills in
all sort of stuff. If you have competition you end up driving yourself
more."

That process has culminated in the selection whittling down now to what
appears to be a straightforward decision between veteran Adrian Sutil and rising
star Jules Bianchi.

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Sutil: No legal issues preventing return

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Bianchi
'ready for F1'

Sutil has the experience and speed to keep things moving forward after
Hulkenberg, and would bring some funding from his long-term backers.

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Bianchi would be more of a gamble on the driving front - because he
has yet to race in F1 – but he has the added attraction of closes ties to
Ferrari.

The Frenchman has been retained as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy for
2013, and a long-term deal could tie in to a potential engine partnership for
2014 and beyond.

Ferrari is currently working on sorting out its future customer engine plans,
and may need to secure another partner with Scuderia Toro Rosso likely to make
the move to Renault after this season.

The final call on Force India's drivers rests with team principal Vijay
Mallya, who will need to weigh up both the short-term and long-term benefits of
either candidate.


Caterham: Petrov, Senna or van der Garde?

At Caterham, there is an equally tough decision to be made as to who will
partner youngster Charles Pic.

The Leafield-based outfit may have secured its 10th place in the
constructors' championship at the 11th hour with Vitaly Petrov's result in
Brazil, but it remains eager to bolster its commercial situation even more.

Heikki Kovalainen is unlikely to be kept on for another year, with the
leading candidates for the role now being Petrov, Bruno Senna and Giedo van der
Garde.

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Kovalainen accepts
2013 chances slim

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Van der Garde 'making
huge strides'

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Senna: I would be
stronger in 2013

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Petrov added nearly $10 million to Caterham's coffers with his
11th-place finish at Interlagos that got the team back in the top 10 of the
constructors' championship, so there is an obvious reason to retain him.

Furthermore, Petrov has the potential to unlock more sponsorship from Russia
with the Sochi Grand Prix looming on the horizon for 2014.

However, Senna has valuable backing behind him right now, and has the kind of
profile and attitude that the team would benefit from.

Like the decision facing Mallya, Caterham has candidates who each easily
justify their place, but in the end there is only space for one man.

2013 Formula 1 line-up so far:Red Bull Sebastian Vettel Mark WebberFerrari Fernando Alonso Felipe MassaMcLaren Jenson Button Sergio PerezLotus Kimi Raikkonen Romain GrosjeanMercedes Lewis Hamilton Nico RosbergSauber Nico Hulkenberg Esteban GutierrezForce India Paul di Resta seat still availableWilliams Pastor Maldonado Valtteri BottasToro Rosso Daniel Ricciardo Jean-Eric VergneCaterham Charles Pic seat still availableMarussia Timo Glock Max Chilton

 

Considering Mallya's financial problems, I wouldn't be surprised to see Sutil and Bianchi sharing races. Therefore, the team receives money from both Sutil's backing and probably some Ferrari money (and engines in 2014) from Bianchi.