Seb signs with RBR until 2015: http://www.microsofttranslator.com/...vettel/verlaengert-bei-red-bull-bis-2015.html
Piss off. This is it now. Seb will retire at Red Bull, Lewis at Mercedes and Alonso at Ferrari. One of the greatest eras for drivers wasted because no team principal has the balls to put two of them together.
I'm a little disappointed as I really wanted to see him racing for the Scuderia, but he'd be bloody bonkers to leave Red Bull.
Will this rule Kimi out for the other seat, then? I know they're friends but that doesn't mean Kimi will want to be Seb's pussy boy - business is business.
Seb sounded sceptical when he was asked about Raikkonen as a team mate. I was hoping he'd replace Seb because I can't see him anywhere else. Lotus are skint, McLaren's a no-go, Mercedes are sorted for drivers. Massa's out of contract, but I can remember either Luca or Stefano saying some **** about not having two roosters in the same hen house or some crap. And it didn't end great last time. He had a seat fitting at Williams a couple of years, but they're uncompetitive and I'd expect them to keep their current line up. Webber's seat's the only one left really. Edit: http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/vettel-unsure-if-raikkonen-as-teammate-realistic/
Well, it does look as if Lotus have run out of steam (i.e. money) already but surely Kimi would be the number two driver if he goes to RBR; I can't see that somehow - not yet, at least.
I can't see Vettel losing this one. He's not showing any dip in form or motivation. Unless the car suddenly goes backwards or he loses both his thumbs in a freak strimmer accident, he's 4x WDC imo. Blimey, it could be 6x by the time his contract is up. Edit: So do we expect another season for Webber at RBR?
In what sense? He'd get equal machinery. He doesn't seem the type to whine on about "emotional support" and I imagine he'd be quite happy to be left alone to get on with his job. It depends on Webber first and foremost. He was pretty pissed off after Malaysia but it doesn't change anything going forward, they just race to the chequered flag now. Apparently he negotiates his contract with Mateschitz personally so it'll will be on his terms if he leaves. If he leaves Marko will want Vergne or Ricciardo in, I imagine Horner will go along with it because they'd probably be easy to manage. Kimi's only hope is if Mateschitz wants a star line up. He's investing a **** ton of money in this and you'd have to say it's been well spent so far. But the team is unpopular and Raikkonen's a popular driver, it would be the most exciting line up on the grid.
I would be stunned if Webber got another season at Red Bull; he is the product of a bygone era and we're moving onto new machines, I think he's going to be one of the casualties, like Heidfeld and de la Rosa were last year.
RBR are probably after a driver who they can control, Kimi cannot be controlled but the 2 youngsters can. Webber might get 1 more year with RBR as they could use his experience for the first year with the new cars rather than a newblood.
I just want a team boss to grow a pair and put two of the big four together in a team. It would be a shame for this era to end with none of them racing each other in the same team (Apart from Hamilton and Alonso).
RBR and McLaren would, lets face it the relationship between Webber and Vettel is probably worse than Haimlton and Alonsos was at McLaren. I very much doubt Alonso would have the balls to partner one of the top drivers again, I think he's settled at Ferrari with a probable drivers veto clause in his contract. Vettel and Hamilton would excite me more, I think they'd race each othe rhard and fair and you wouldn't get the crying to the media bollocks everytime things don;t go his way that exists with Webber. The real problem is the WDC and how much it means to the team, 2 top drivers in the same team is a handicap unless they have a car streets ahead of everyone else, something McLaren know about. tbh I doubt it'll happen yet, I think Vergne is going to get the 2nd RBR seat when Webber leaves, but the 2016 season it may be different, could he move then? Alonso's contract is up in 2016, if he hasn't won the WDC by then could they say ciao?
Depending on what goes down at Mercedes in the future we could see Vettel and Hamilton partnered. I think they'd push each other to an even higher standard than they are at now. What you need though is a strong and fair leader to stop any fight getting dirty and counter productive. Horner can't do the job and neither can Whitmarsh. Brawn is due to fall on his own sword soon so who does that leave to control the drivers at Mercedes? Ferrari are a 1,2 team and I can't see that changing any time soon, it works for them because the number two driver is not under any illusions as a team principle talks up faux equality.
So Helmut Marko wasn't wrong when he said Vettel wouldn't forget what Ferrari tried to pull at Brazil 2012. What next pigs laying eggs?
La Gazzetta say that the deal to get Vettel to Ferrari in 2014 was close, but they (Gazzetta, not Ferrari) say Alonso and his mind games stopped the deal going through. To extend by only one year is interesting though. I wonder if Ferrari have any clauses in Alonso's contract to get rid of him a year early.
It seems crazy for a team to willingly get rid of Alonso but it could happen. Vettel is obviously in demand and Ferrari are more than happy to be ruthless. Alonso for ever criticising the car and never saying its the best must be rubbing some at Ferrari the wrong way Webber and Alonso do seem good mates and I think Webber would be up for a 1 year contract. He brings experience and good knowledge of Red Bulls secrets to where ever he goes. I'm of the opinion he's better than the current day Massa and may fancy a 1 year last hurah at Ferrari to tell the grand kids Works For Ferrari to if they want to give Bianchi a go but let him develop some more at a feeder team.
a One year extension doesn't scream out commitment to Red Bull for me. Its more like options were not open.
I think it's more about ending speculation before it starts. It's getting to the point of the season where everyone would be asking him if he's going to Ferrari, he doesn't have to deal with that now.
