Valsecchi still has chance to drive in Brazil, if Kovi does a bad job. I wonder what Lotus' expectations are of Kovi? Do they expect to challenge Ferrari? IMO they are deluded to think that.
Lotus want someone who is dependable to jump into the car for two races, and Kovalainen is that. Think of him as like Wurz or de la Rosa.
Could well be a make-or-break weekend for Kovi this one. If he's close to an in-form Grosjean in practice, quali and the race then perhaps he increases his chances of a better drive next season. Run around at the back of the grid and Caterham might not even want him next season. Going to be interesting to watch.
2014 has to be between Hulk's talent or Maldonado's money. Lotus need a really quick driver or one that is good enough and has decent backing. Kovi has none of those attributes. He is too middle of the road with no money for Lotus to consider him full time.
The longer the Lotus money thing drags on , the better I think NH will do to stay at Sauber for next year ( assuming they pay him )
Ferrari have an advantage with their V6. While Renault and Mercedes have overweight engines, Ferrari have no problems in this area and in fact have blocked a possible increase in the weight limit: Next year Ferrari, Sauber and Marussia will lock out the top six positions in EVERY race while the suspensions fail on the other cars, which will be unable to support the weight of their heavy engines!
Its interesting and makes sense, however Massa surely would have known this (if true) and plumped for the sauber next year? He made the point that he had decided on Williams because of the Merc engine. The proof will be in the first race and even if all these rumours about overweight, underpowered and thirsty engines are true they have a good while to develope and improve the workings of the engines themselves and the material used.
Yes Massa was so desperate to stay with a Ferrari engine he went to Williams which will be Mercedes powered... #DreamOnTifosi
I never meant to suggest that Lotus would be interested in Kovalainen, he hasn't got the sponsors nor age on his side. I more meant at the moment the only team really considering Kovalainen is Caterham, but a good performance over the next couple of races could perhaps increase his chances of landing a drive with a lower midfield team instead. Sauber probably need experience (and Kovalainen would be pretty cheap I imagine, despite his 2012 Caterham salary) alongside Gutierrez/Sirotkin for example. Admittedly I can't think of anywhere else he'd fit though.
It seems like every journalist is convinced that Mercedes will have the best engine, but there's no evidence - just rumours (probably deliberate from Mercedes to keep the shareholders happy). These rumours are what Massa is referring to: "you hear so many good things about the [Mercedes] engines". I doubt he would have information about the Ferrari engine, Ferrari made the decision to replace him before August. Also would Williams have given him any information about the Mercedes engine before he signed a contract with them? I doubt it. Just another note on 2014 engine weights, Renault said in a press release that their 2014 power unit is 80kg heavier than 2013 power unit (the rules only allow for 50kg). The drivers of Mercedes-powered cars have been the most vocal about the weight limit, and Button went as far as saying that they might not have any ballast on the car (though I'm not sure how much ballast is currently on the cars (maybe cosi can answer this?)). Anyway the fact that Ferrari have blocked an increase in weight limit shows they have the advantage in this area.
Oh and by the way, he had no chance to stay in a Ferrari powered car. He says: "I was talking to Lotus, but I was talking not only with Lotus. I was talking with Lotus, with Williams, with Force India and with McLaren. To be honest with everything that was happening, everything that I was looking for the future, I am more convinced that Williams was the right choice. Maybe a strong choice was going to be McLaren but McLaren chose a different direction for them. So in my opinion I think that Williams was the most constructive team for the future and I really believe that my choice was a very good one." No talks with Sauber.
Forza, equally though, you'd expect him to be better informed than we are. He's unlikely to be taking his rumours from newspapers, but rather from engineers he's spoken to. Perhaps it's more telling that he didn't choose Renault, rather than a reflection on Mercedes vs Ferrari.
Unfortunately, Sutil has a 2014 contract with Force India: http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/...s-ist-gut-einen-vertrag-zu-haben-7898399.html Also Button is already putting the pressure on Magnussen. I think he realises he could be out of McLaren if he doesn't beat Magnussen next year.
The article you quoted was from a Finnish newspaper, so surely can also only be counted as rumours, maybe to keep Ferrari fans from panicking that the engine was thought to be inferior to the others?
Did he really have a choice? I seriously doubt he turned down Lotus and McLaren. Williams were probably the only team to offer him a drive, maybe he could've got in at Caterham too. On the engines, no one knows how they're going to perform because no one's run one in the back of a car yet (as far as I'm aware). The rumours are being based on leaked information which may or may not be accurate. It was important for Mercedes to have everyone believe they were going to have by far the best engine because they needed to lure a top driver to their works team; would Hamilton have moved there if the Renault was going to have 80 extra horsepower? That mocked up Sauber actually doesn't look too bad. Obviously the droop is a bit stupid but it's nowhere near as bad as last year's designs.
Count it, 100 more hp than Ferrari, with pictures and engine sounds on a dyno to boot. From Ferrari we have heard nothing which suggests they're strapped for time or are majorly struggling with this new engine already considering both Mercedes and especially Renault could of raced it this year already... What have Ferrari to hide? It's much too late for Renault and Mercedes to try and copy their design because it took them 2-3 years to design theirs... they will be testing them come January, how can anybody copy that kind of structure + testing + modification in 2 months lol? Mercedes' budget on V6t engines was in the bracket of 450+ million and a whole new division of Mercedes AMG product cars, (solely manufactured) to hold this engine in the future, and this with Renault at a budget of 220 million. I doubt Ferrari will spend anywhere near as much as Mercedes and I bet anything what Ferrari thought up with their engine, Mercedes thought it up last year and that includes custom materials. Even Red Bull are better at discovering these things than Ferrari as evident with their wings for example for the last how many years again? That will be passed down to Renault/Infiniti ASAP since RBR have been heavily involved with this new engine so I HIGHLY! doubt Ferrari have some sort of material weight advantage over Red Bull who are the kings in that department and in some respects had a few things used by the one and only NASA + Stratos jump all thanks to Red Bull Technology. I would also love the hear more of this fantasised "lightweight material" this garbage journalist has got from, more like he/she plucked it from an episode off star trek and based it off the SS.EnterBull****! All this is just to calm down the Finns because their man Kimi is probably walking into a ****storm and that Alonso is trying to bail out of Ferrari as quickly as possible now! Renault have had the most time to develop this longer than any other engine maker. It's been in the making since 2010 when the design was for V4t before it got upgraded to a V6t, the design remained the same though and would of been ready for the 2012 season. Renault were going to pull out of the sport if the FIA didn't leave the V8 behind and get with the times that 'people cars' make much more money than 'rich people cars with massive engines', while Ferrari were dragging their heels and threatening to leave F1. Face the facts Ferrari as a company do not fit the ethos of the now much larger market in F1 with places like China and India unable to buy Ferrari's but with the new business(wo)men skyrocketing all around and wanting a lovely new Mercedes V6t! I give it 3-4 seasons in the new engine era until Ferrari pull out and Fiat takes over the name of the team again. 'Ferrari' would still be there, but the name will change to stick with the brand ethos, small turbo engines/ low fuel consumption /cheaper prices / green credentials. All 4 which have ZERO relation to Ferrari, FACT!
Very interesting post SC. I had not thought about Ferraris engines etc , you make A very valid point IMHO .
Perez apparently in talks with Force India: http://www.caranddriverthef1.com/fo...ca-firmar-por-force-india-con-ayuda-whitmarsh
This reddit thread is well worth a read. Seems Quantum might actually be a con being run by someone with a history for them. The chances of them actually delivering any money to Lotus look very slim. Suggests Maldo to Lotus and Hulk to stay put/go back to Force India could be on the cards.
Pretty much seems that Maldo is a safe pick now. Would probably mean Hulk isn't getting a drive next year though. Also, Forza was right, he said a couple of weeks ago that this Ijaz character is shady
