2012 Predictions / Driver Line-up / News etc...

Just typed HRT into Google because I was curious how they were funded and it came up with Hormone Replacement Therapy. They're so low profile, I can't see how they're making any money, they have little or no sponsorship, they can't get that much from pay drivers, and they stand to lose massively if they don't make the cut this year. If they hadn't stole ahead of Virgin for the 11th place prize money I reckon they'd have gone under by now.

 

So long as their total income exceeds expenditure, it's a worthwhile venture. My knowledge of Hispania's bank-funding is poor, so I would be wrong to make any wild-guesses but believe it essentially relies upon being on the grid, rather than doing anything special.

And so long as they are within 107% of the fastest car, their 'slowness' is not considered to impact on either Safety or Spectacle. Therefore this must remain their primary goal. Everything else is a bonus for them.

 

Didn't their cars carry "Your Ad Here" messages the whole season? And we thought Sauber were struggling back in 2010...

 

Marcin Budkowski (leading member of McLaren's aerodynamics team) is the latest man to move from McLaren to Ferrari.

I don't know if I've mentioned this already but Jonathan Heal also joined recently.

 

So erm.. Alonso's marridge ends but now he is spotted with a new bird

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Model tchoumitcheva... :O

 

It's just rumours based on a few pictures of Fernando and Xenia together. I'm not too bothered about the gossip surrounding his personal life - the important thing is that Fernando's personal problems this year did not affect his performance on the track

 

I know but hes gotta be tappin' that? right?

 

Just rumours but I'll report them anyway:

• Rumor has it that Red Bull could present their new RB8 on February 5 at its headquarters in Milton Keynes (source not verified)
• From the same source, RB8 initially was 3 tenths slower than the RB7, managed to increase downforce and much faster now

 

According to the swiss magazine "Blick" Buemi will be reserve driver for Red Bull & Toro Rosso.

 

I heard the RB8 was a completely new design and not an improvement on the RB7.

 

Edit
I think it warrants a thread on it.
So I'll move it.

 

I'm reminded at this point of a character in a novel I read who spends his entire career as the loyal underling of a major player and, his use exhausted, finds himself discarded and tries, hopelessly, to ignore that fact and carry on his political career regardless.
The best thing for Buemi to do will just be to drop into a lower formula again, perhaps even move to the States - the reserve driver in modern times doesn't usually find his way back into a racing seat - on merit at least...

 

New Marussia F1 team logo

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lovely.

 

Benson over at the BBC website reckons 'his sources' say that Barrichello may be back in the frame at Williams. If you'd like to waste time reading speculation backed up by quotes from Brazil, be my guest.

 

I hope either Sutil or Senna get the seat. Barrichello needs to retire. He's had his time.

 

Key point by Benson I think is actually in the comments:

Barichello vs Sutil. I really hope it's the latter.

 

Every journalists "sources" tell them its down to X vs Y.

So far i've seen
Sutil vs Barrichello
Senna Vs Barrichello
Sutil vs Senna

Based on that i reckon Petrov will get the drive.

 

Or Mansell


Just remembered I read somewhere that despite the added in season test the teams aren't getting any extra test days. So if thats true the mid season test could be a right mix.

Less than 5 weeks to testing!

 

Don't know if it's been mentioned but Mercedes are skipping the first pre-season test. Rosberg seems cool with it.