The F1 2014 season

JHeaton · 20 Nov 2013 at 20:04

Abu Dhabi as the season finale? Boo!

deuse · 20 Nov 2013 at 21:44

JHeaton said:
Abu Dhabi as the season finale? Boo!

That's ok because if next season is like the last two we just don't watch it

DcD · 20 Nov 2013 at 22:07

Indy500 said:
He'll have tough competition for that seat from Hulkenberg, Calado, Di Resta, and others that have $$$.

Isn't Hulkenberg mainly being entertained by Lotus, or has that fallen through? I sincerely hope Maldonado doesn't end up there, or any paying driver for that matter. It'd be a shame for Lotus to end up as a paid for drive team. :/

Indy500 · 20 Nov 2013 at 22:22

DcD said:
Isn't Hulkenberg mainly being entertained by Lotus, or has that fallen through? I sincerely hope Maldonado doesn't end up there, or any paying driver for that matter. It'd be a shame for Lotus to end up as a paid for drive team. :/

They couldn't pay Kimi Raikkonen so I doubt it.

DcD · 20 Nov 2013 at 22:57

Indy500 said:
They couldn't pay Kimi Raikkonen so I doubt it.

Very true, Hulkenberg isn't carrying a tonne of money then? It's a shame because he'd be bloody good at Lotus.

Indy500 · 20 Nov 2013 at 22:59

DcD said:
Very true, Hulkenberg isn't carrying a tonne of money then? It's a shame because he'd be bloody good at Lotus.

A small amount from Dekra, certainly nowhere near what Maldonado and Perez can bring.

MooMoo444 · 20 Nov 2013 at 23:11

Dropping Interlagos as the finale would be major suck

TaKeN · 21 Nov 2013 at 08:13

Brazil is the best place to close a season. Epic circuit!

Mr Jack · 21 Nov 2013 at 08:28

Merlin5 said:
the Grand Prix of Russia will be held for the first time at the Sochi International Street Circuit in Sochi

Nice to see the Poison Dwarf is carrying on with his plan of chumming up to brutal and oppressive regimes :rolleyes:

I'm actually really looking forward to next season. Kimi to Ferrari should be fascinating, the new kid at McLaren, and so on make for an interesting set of driver stories while the new regs will - hopefully - shake things up a bit and throw Newey off his perch and give us some interest in the championship.

this_is_gav · 21 Nov 2013 at 08:40

The only reason to drop Interlagos as the season closer should be to reinstate the Australian GP at the end.

Skeeter · 21 Nov 2013 at 11:41

Shock as Mexico and New Jersey don't make it. That was blindingly obvious.

Good news that Korea has gone too, total waste of money. Its a shame for the track though, its going to just fall into disrepair like Valencia now.

Guerrilla · 21 Nov 2013 at 12:38

Skeeter said:
Good news that Korea has gone too, total waste of money. Its a shame for the track though, its going to just fall into disrepair like Valencia now.

Wonder how often this will happen with the likes of them and India, build circuit use for a few years then admit defeat and bin it off...

It's a shame we can't stick with good tracks fans and drivers like where people will turn up to watch.

Skeeter · 21 Nov 2013 at 12:41

Its unfortunate that the countries with government funding don't intersect with the countries with F1 fans and decent tracks.

JeditOjanen · 21 Nov 2013 at 12:44

Just noticed that the driver list in the OP has Sirotkin confirmed at Sauber. He's actually confirmed as not driving for Sauber in 2014, with Perez and Maldonado both linked to the seat and Nico Hulkenberg being happy to remain if the offer is made.

Indy500 · 21 Nov 2013 at 12:49

JeditOjanen said:
Perez and Maldonado both linked to the seat and Nico Hulkenberg being happy to remain if the offer is made.

Except that Maldonado is also talking to Lotus. Not sure about Perez, wouldn't they retain Gutierrez instead? How will Sauber pay Hulkenberg? They can't even meet their supplier debts. (Sauber pay 1 of 57 debt claims)

413x · 21 Nov 2013 at 12:51

It's not really right to government fund tho. It's not like the Olympics. They would be crucified

Indy500 · 21 Nov 2013 at 12:56

al4x said:
It's not really right to government fund tho. It's not like the Olympics. They would be crucified

Quite a few F1 races are...the Australian GP sanction fee is largely taxpayer funded, for example. (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vi...he-f1-grand-prix/story-e6frf7kx-1226559617047)

GravyMonster · 21 Nov 2013 at 13:02

al4x said:
It's not really right to government fund tho. It's not like the Olympics. They would be crucified

The Olympics shouldn't be either, but that's a whole other thread.

Skeeter · 21 Nov 2013 at 13:31

JeditOjanen said:
Just noticed that the driver list in the OP has Sirotkin confirmed at Sauber. He's actually confirmed as not driving for Sauber in 2014

When was that confirmed? The last I read he was in, providing he got a Super License. Has the Russian deal fallen through?

Indy500 · 21 Nov 2013 at 14:45

Skeeter said:
When was that confirmed? The last I read he was in, providing he got a Super License. Has the Russian deal fallen through?

http://richlandf1.com/?p=13938

Sirotkin confirmed just prior to the Italian Grand Prix weekend that he will test a 2011 Sauber F1 car later in the season, in order to reach the required mileage for a super-license. Kaltenborn told media in the Monza paddock that Sirotkin will be racing for the Swiss squad in 2014 if he gets his super-license.

She said: “As far as generally our driver line-up is concerned, we know that we would like to have Sergey next year as our driver but he still needs a super-licence and that’s something which you should take seriously. People shouldn’t think that we just feel that he’s just going to get it like that.”

Kaltenborn added that she is confident he can get his super-license and they will do their best to prepare him for his F1 debut: “We are convinced he can do it, we will do our best to prepare him and there still is a big step. If that all works out we will see what options we have and announce that in due course.”