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Grosjean started out extremely quick, but extremely erratic too. He seems to have improved his game in the intervening time period...Quote:
He was extremely erratic last time he had a half-decent car. I can't see why it would be different this time around.
Shall we have a quick recap of how things stand so far for 2014 (Oct 28th 2013)?
Bold = Confirmed (as far as I know)
RED BULL RACING - RENAULT
1.Sebastian Vettel
2.Daniel Ricciardo
FERRARI
3.Fernando Alonso
4.Kimi Raikkonen
MERCEDES
5.Lewis Hamilton
6.Nico Rosberg
LOTUS - RENAULT
7.Romain Grosjean
8.Nico Hulkenberg or Pastor Maldonado
MCLAREN - MERCEDES
9.Jenson Button
10.Sergio Perez (realistically I can't see Perez being ousted unless it's for Alonso only)
FORCE INDIA - MERCEDES
Paul di Resta, Adrian Sutil, Pastor Maldonado, Felipe Massa or Nico Hulkenberg
SAUBER - FERRARI
Sergey Sirotkin or Vitaly Petrov, Esteban Gutierrez, Felipe Massa, Nico Hulkenberg or Pastor Maldonado (not sure if any drivers other than those will get in really)
TORO ROSSO - RENAULT
16.Jean-Eric Vergne
17.Daniil Kvyat
WILLIAMS - MERCEDES
Valtteri Bottas, Pastor Maldonado or Felipe Massa (don't know who else has a serious chance)
MARUSSIA - FERRARI
20.Jules Bianchi
21.Max Chilton, Kevin Magnussen or someone else with cash going spare
CATERHAM
22.Heikki Kovalainen hopefully, or Charles Pic or Giedo van der Garde. Could be anyone really.
I would love to see Hulkenberg at Lotus. I like how Grosjean drives, he actually tries to pass (unlike many "top" drivers) other drivers, and since he stopped crashing cars every other rolling start, he has some great finishes. Hulkenberg would bring the same kind of vibe to Lotus.
I can't see Gutierrez staying on F1, unless:
*Sauber loses Hulkenberg to Lotus or any other team.
*Sauber has to hire Sirotkin to please their new backer.
*Sauber decides that they don't want 2 new F1 drivers in 2014, and they might as well retain someone who knows the team and has ties with a Mexican backer.
With all the troubles Venezuela is having right now, will Maldonado have a backer for 2014?
The Sauber is looking like a decent car now. If they can maintain that form into 2014 I hope they have a driver worthy of it. If they lose Hulkenburg maybe they could get someone like Sutil (fast but with some money too)
It looks like Ferrari took the right driver, since Kimi is now being asked to move over. :D
Quote:
Originally Posted by keysersoze
Itīs OK as long as no moron shout F...... idiot move out of the way!
Looking through the confirmed and likely seats for next year I really fear for the future of Paul diResta. Rumours suggest that Hulk is going back to Force India and they will keep Sutil, leaving diResta without a drive. There is one seat at the black team available alongside Grosjean but it looks possible that either Massa or Maldonado will go there, that leaves Sauber or Williams. Sauber look almost certain to sign Sirotkin in place of Hulk, so if they keep Guiterez (sp sorry) then that leaves Williams. Bottas will almost certainly stay and the rumour mill suggests Massa in the other car.
You have to deserv or buy a seat in F1.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anfield5
Paul di Resta may have earned a great reputation from his DTM career, but hasn't accomplished anything in F1 to make us miss him. He is a talented driver who can probably succeed in top level motorsports competitions. It looks like he could be joining a long list of "good but not great" drivers who were retired from F1 after 2-3 years (Kobayashi, Kovalainen, Petrov, Glock, etc)
Curiously, if Hulkenberg and Sutil are signed at FI, then the Indian team will have an all-German driver line up ;p
If Hulkenberg misses out on the Lotus drive, I hope he stays at Sauber. It would be a waste to go back to Force India and Sauber seem to be better after a bad start this year.