2014 Silly Season

[truefan72]

well it looks like maldonado to lotus is all but a formality with an announcement predicted to come sometime this week.
Shame really because I think that if Hulkenberg would have gotten that drive, he would surely win at least 1 GP next year if the team manages to maintain its form. Speaking of quality teams, I think ti also a mistake if Hulkenberg switches back to Force India. I honestly feel that Sauber is still the better package. They have better personnel, better infrastructure and usually don;t deliver 2 bad cars in a row. Given Hulkneberg's luck, I can just see Sauber doing very well next year will Force India takes yet another step back.

Perez seems all but sure to be in that Force India seat alongside Hulkenberg, with sutil and his 9 lives securing the other Sauber seat. Only because he brings funding to the team, otherwhise, I could clearly see DiResta in that seat. As to DiResta, I think it would be wise of him to take up a 3rd driver role at Mercedes and see what 2015 looks like. With the new tersting rules in place, he would get some time in the car throughout the year.

[jens]

I'm worried about this too; the Sauber has actually looked pretty good for the second half of the season..

To be honest, this doesn't mean anything, especially considering we have rule changes. It sounds like someone saying in 2008 that Toro Rosso and Renault would be great in 2009, because they improved a lot in the second half of 2008 and were fast.

Well, we remember, how this thing really was...

[truefan72]

Sutil Joins Sauber
leaving only the other Sauber seat as the remaining quality slot

I would love to see Kobayashi snag that seat. but I think gutierrez might retain his seat ( and the money that comes with him)

[N. Jones]

What has Sutil done to deserve any seat? He was out scored AND out qualified by di Resta!

[DazzlaF1]

What has Sutil done to deserve any seat? He was out scored AND out qualified by di Resta!

You only need to look at his race cap to see why, he brings sponsorship

[dj_bytedisaster]

What has Sutil done to deserve any seat? He was out scored AND out qualified by di Resta!

Mainly he has no history of moaning about the team in public, that counts for a lot. He also wasn't as bad as the numbers made him look. Remember that he basically dropped off the lead in Australia, when the Pirelli's went jello after just 5 laps. Had he scored a podium or even a win, you wouldn't ask that question.
I don't think money is the deciding factor. Yes he brings a bit of Medion sponsor money with him, but it's nowhere near the amount of Moullah you could pick up with Maldonado or van der Garde. On top of that - DiResta is a Mercedes man with a long history of working with the Germans. That doesn't probably sit too well with Ferrari, too. Third: In contrast to DiResta, Sutil is somewhat reliable. DiResta is either really good or just spectacularily bad, nothing in between, while with Sutil you can reliably expect a bit of base performance. That's exactly what you need in a year where so much changes.

[N. Jones]

Force India use Mercedes engines and are getting help from McLaren if I am not mistaken.

[zako85]

Force India had too many mishaps and too much bad luck early in the season, although I don't remember any more which one of the drivers was hurt the most by this. There was the race where the wheel nuts got stuck and another race where the cars were both accidentally called into pits. Some DNFs, etc. Sutil definitely should stay because he has the hottest gf.

[RS]

Gutierrez confirmed at Sauber; good move. He had a dodgy start but got better as the year went on and is surely more suited to the second seat than Sirotkin (who is test driver)

[Eunos]

So that's pretty much all the Seats that actually give you a chance to score Championship points taken then.

Looks like it's back to DTM for Di Resta unless he wants to spend a season stuck at the back of the grid.