McLaren interested in Vettel for 2013.

"WHITMARSH: MCLAREN INTERESTED IN SIGNING VETTEL FOR 2013

"I am open and honest enough to admit it," Whitmarsh confessed. "Sebastian is one of the great and promising talents, and we at McLaren wanted to have him. Unfortunately, we were not able to sign him at that time - but if he continues to develop so fantastically, then at the end of his contract I will try once again to get him."

http://www.silverstone.co.uk/news/la...ttel-for-2013/

I wonder when he said this and if Whitmarsh is still interested in Vettel after some of his mistakes this season. Hamilton and Button have both been superb this season and make the ideal driver line up imo, so who would he be replacing? Reading between the lines, could there be a rift within the McLaren camp?... or should we be expecting 3 man teams?

Could it simply be just mere talk, a ploy to keep Hamiltons asking price down if he believes they would replace him... and... keep Vetels price high when Red Bull seek to resign him?

I don't see any problem with what Whitmarsh said.

i can see Mclaren doing to lewis what they did to mika

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Originally Posted by thunderbolt

i can see Mclaren doing to lewis what they did to mika

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:eek: And that was what??!

I smell some bull poop!

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Originally Posted by thunderbolt

i can see Mclaren doing to lewis what they did to mika

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You think they will make Lewis their #1, right!!

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Originally Posted by Valve Bounce

You think they will make Lewis their #1, right!!

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There is no number one or two at McLaren and there never has been. It is the policy of Ron Dennis and has been from day one.

But they will favour the driver that is, come the end of the season in line to win the WDC.

In terms of Hakkinen - when Coulthard was his teammate the rule was that who ever was out in front first after the start, they would get to win.

Hakkinen was usually the quicker driver and he raced well - definitely equal to Schumacher, they both stood head and shoulders above the rest.

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Originally Posted by Saint Devote

There is no number one or two at McLaren and there never has been. It is the policy of Ron Dennis and has been from day one.

But they will favour the driver that is, come the end of the season in line to win the WDC.

In terms of Hakkinen - when Coulthard was his teammate the rule was that who ever was out in front first after the start, they would get to win.

Hakkinen was usually the quicker driver and he raced well - definitely equal to Schumacher, they both stood head and shoulders above the rest.

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Mike was a bit more consistent than Mika, though.

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Originally Posted by Saint Devote

There is no number one or two at McLaren and there never has been. .

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BS. Just ask DC. But, of course, you are entitled to your view and your elongated explanations to the contrary, of which I have no interest.

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Originally Posted by henners88

In 2013 Lewis will be 28 years old and in the prime of his career. If he is still driving the way he is now, and maybe have another championship under his belt, I can't see Mclaren pushing him aside in favour of Vettel. Both these guys are going to be on the top of every teams shopping list. I saw in the OP that there was a suggestion Hamilton's stock might reduce in value in the next 3 years. Does anyone actually believe that??

Lets not forget there is only 18 months between these guys in age, so both drivers are the future of F1 and within the same time frame. :)

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In three years time, nobody is going to remember this thread.

[quote="Zico"]

Well they stick with Hamilton who is a great driver, but makes plenty of silly mistakes too. Think Italy 2009 & 2010 where he crashed, Canada pit lane crash etc etc.

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Originally Posted by 555-04Q2

Well they stick with Hamilton who is a great driver, but makes plenty of silly mistakes too. Think Italy 2009 & 2010 where he crashed, Canada pit lane crash etc etc.

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In three years time, Vettel would have matured, and he will be one helluva driver all round. One of those guys who can only be beaten if they have mechanical problems or if some rash driver (like Vettel Mk 1) runs into him.

Strange comments for three years ahead. Who knows where we will be by then? Vettel might be a WDC and undisputed number one at red bull by then, or we could have some new hotshot blowing everyone's doors off.

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Originally Posted by Sonic

Strange comments for three years ahead. Who knows where we will be by then? Vettel might be a WDC and undisputed number one at red bull by then, or we could have some new hotshot blowing everyone's doors off.

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Well, there is one advantage about predicting what will happen in three years time. Who can remember? :D

Whitmarsh does state quite clearly that he will try to sign him if he continues to improve.
I can only speculate that he is doing this to get/keep Kettels’ attention, as there will be others trying to sign him as well.

Could be MW playing games. Better Seb think about McLaren in 2013 than his 2010 season with Red Bull. Now of course, Seb won't get distracted by that kind of talk, that is unless the media don't ask him and his team about it all weekend :p

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Originally Posted by ArrowsFA1

Could be MW playing games. Better Seb think about McLaren in 2013 than his 2010 season with Red Bull. Now of course, Seb won't get distracted by that kind of talk, that is unless the media don't ask him and his team about it all weekend :p

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I wonder how aggravated, and distracted JB and The Boss will get if the media peppers them with questions along the same lines :confused: :p :

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Originally Posted by Valve Bounce

BS. Just ask DC. But, of course, you are entitled to your view and your elongated explanations to the contrary, of which I have no interest.

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Coulthard was never on the same racing planet as Hakkinnen. He had some good races but Mika may have looked to be number 1 because of the Woking policy. Coulthard had as much chance in an equal car to that of Mika - problem is that Hakkinen was on the same level as Schumacher.

But if you know anything about McLaren you would not be sceptical. Unless of course think that people such as Mika, Ron Dennis and Jo Ramirez are liars.

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Originally Posted by Tazio

I wonder how aggravated, and distracted JB and The Boss will get if the media peppers them with questions along the same lines :confused: :p :

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Neither Lewis nor Jense have the average weak and pathetic attention span that most people have.

F1 racing drivers have the attention span that elite combat troops and pilots are trained to learn.

Ergo - they would tell the moronic journalist [politely] not to ask such stupid quetions - because the good scribes in f1 would never ask such a pointless and groundless question.

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Originally Posted by Saint Devote

Neither Lewis nor Jense have the average weak and pathetic attention span that most people have.

F1 racing drivers have the attention span that elite combat troops and pilots are trained to learn.

Ergo - they would tell the moronic journalist [politely] not to ask such stupid quetions - because the good scribes in f1 would never ask such a pointless and groundless question.

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But they would bother Vettel with them?
I think you’ve lost the plot slick! :down:
Once again you’ve stuck your nose into an inquiry I had addressed to another member’s comment who I quoted.
To say nothing of ignoring the smiling emoticon indicating I was being facetious :down:

:s ailor: Nice troll bro! :monkeedan

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Originally Posted by Saint Devote

Coulthard was never on the same racing planet as Hakkinnen. He had some good races but Mika may have looked to be number 1 because of the Woking policy. Coulthard had as much chance in an equal car to that of Mika - problem is that Hakkinen was on the same level as Schumacher.

But if you know anything about McLaren you would not be sceptical. Unless of course think that people such as Mika, Ron Dennis and Jo Ramirez are liars.

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Which part of the last 5 words of my post did you not understand?

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Originally Posted by Saint Devote

...the good scribes in f1 would never ask such a pointless and groundless question.

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Really? You don't think that they might just ask JB or LH about MW's comments? Something like "Lewis, how would you like to have Seb as a team-mate?" or "Jenson, Martin has suggested he's interested in signing Seb. What does that mean for your future at McLaren?"

Given that the current McLaren line up are both champions I doubt they'll lose sleep over it.

All part of the game.

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Originally Posted by I am evil Homer

Given that the current McLaren line up are both champions I doubt they'll lose sleep over it.

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:up:

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Originally Posted by SGWilko

All part of the game.

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:up:

Having to participate in all the Pr activities of their jobs I really don't think a comment in regard to an event 3 years away will have any meaningful affect on Kettle.
But there may have been a little gamesmanship in Whitmarsh's comment FWIW ;)


[youtube]u_AGA-tA4ac[/youtube]

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Originally Posted by Tazio

Having to participate in all the Pr activities of their jobs I really don't think a comment in regard to an event 3 years away will have any meaningful affect on Kettle.
But there may have been a little gamesmanship in Whitmarsh's comment FWIW ;)


[youtube]u_AGA-tA4ac[/youtube]

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Is that the Red Bull two seater?

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Originally Posted by ArrowsFA1

Really? You don't think that they might just ask JB or LH about MW's comments? Something like "Lewis, how would you like to have Seb as a team-mate?" or "Jenson, Martin has suggested he's interested in signing Seb. What does that mean for your future at McLaren?"

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The sort of question it is, would usually be asked by someone from a daily paper general news rag - usually rubbish.

People such as Roebuck and Co put pertinent questions to people in f1 - and any machinations behind the scenes will be a kept confidence. It is essential that the real journalists build and maintain cedibility.

The drivers have limited time to speak to anyone and I guarantee you that anyone publicly asking that question would in future find further access incredibly difficult.

Problem is that reporters have to cater to their audience and have instructions from their editors - tough job being an f1 reporter.

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Originally Posted by Valve Bounce

Which part of the last 5 words of my post did you not understand?

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Its not the words - its your accent!

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Originally Posted by Saint Devote

Its not the words - its your accent!

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You obviously have a reading impediment. :rolleyes:

Who cares now, what is going to happen in 2013. :p :

But regarding Vettel, maybe it would be good to relax and think about the positive interpretation of his current situation - perhaps losing two WDC's in a row would be useful for something else in the long run. Like it was for Prost, who became a WDC-machine after those losses.

I would be worried. Lewis Huh.

Assuming Whitmarsh is still there in 2013, McLaren's interest will pobably have shifted to signing Maldonado, the 2011 & 2012 WDC for Williams.

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Originally Posted by jens

Who cares now, what is going to happen in 2013. :p :

But regarding Vettel, maybe it would be good to relax and think about the positive interpretation of his current situation - perhaps losing two WDC's in a row would be useful for something else in the long run. Like it was for Prost, who became a WDC-machine after those losses.

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Uhh, just realized this thought from September. But looks like Vettel did this "positive interpretation" already in late 2010 and managed to win in the end.

Vettel keeps getting included in rumours to Ferrari/McLaren, but as long as Mateschitz keeps pumping in the money into the project and the technical staff stays in place, he has no reason to leave. Unless he simply wants to prove himself in 'another environment', like apparently Button wanted from 2010. But too early to guess about that at the moment.

It should be interesting to see if MacLaren is able to compete with RBR next year.

Another beating, well Lewis is already asking questions.