Vettel at Red Bull until start of 2016

smr · 11 Jun 2013 at 20:36

So he won't be driving for anyone else until 2016 at the earliest. Interesting...

I can see MW retiring from Formula 1 at the end of this season (just wished he'd have won that title in 2010 as he was in good form that season and it was his best shot). I like the bloke too but in Vettel he has a fiercely driven competitor.

I think Kimi will be joining Seb next year and will likely sign a two year contract to keep them both there for a couple of years.

More here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/22865133

deuse · 11 Jun 2013 at 20:51

Already mentioned http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18358463&page=81

Skeeter · 11 Jun 2013 at 20:53

I thought this was old news? Both Alonso and Vettel staying where they are until the end of 2015.

I think Webber will take the Porsche seat. He has unfinished business at Le Mans that I hope he seals with a win.

The_Abyss · 11 Jun 2013 at 22:18

I can't see Kimi or any other top driver wanting to be a number 2 driver at RBR. I feel it more likely one of the Torro Rosso boys will step up.

Pity for Webber, but he's underperformed in that car compared to Vettell.

Skeeter · 11 Jun 2013 at 22:28

You think any top driver would pass up the opportunity to drive a Newey car at the moment? If Webber announced his retirement tomorrow I guarantee a number of top drivers would be looking at ways to buy themselves out of their contracts.

And they won't be second to Vettel if they beat him, and given the opinion most people on here hold of him that shouldnt be hard...

Skillmister · 11 Jun 2013 at 23:09

Would be awesome to see another top driver go head to head with him in those cars.

Syla5 · 12 Jun 2013 at 15:35

newey has mastered this era of the regulations (as he has done previously), but next year is all change again. I have a feeling that the first year could see anyone of the top 4-5 teams up there, or even a curve ball from the mid pack (brawn 09).

Also the next couple of years could easily be heavily dominated by the engine performance as apposed to aero performance, as the engines have come out of a development freeze. The engines used to be a big part of performance, now its all about the engines. Roll on next year.

On a side note, i think Kimi would give as good as he gets at redbull if he were to get a seat. Redbull want a solid driver to fill that spot if it comes up, because they know all to well that the constructors championship pays the bills.

The_Abyss · 12 Jun 2013 at 22:13

Kimi's a little more than a solid driver though - at least, he has greater aspirations than that.

Skeeter · 12 Jun 2013 at 22:53

The aero changes next year are not that dramatic, certainly nowhere near as big as the 2009 changes. Its basically an evolution of the current regs designed to reduce the downforce the engineers have clawed back since 2009.

The biggest change is engines, or more accurately, 'power units'.

The_Abyss · 12 Jun 2013 at 23:09

We shouldn't forget that there will be a good deal more racing strategy in 2014, and that strategy will often span more than a lap. With over 30 seconds of electric power available every lap but no likely means to recover that much energy over a single lap, there's huge potential to plan overtaking well in advance. There's also the potential - as you say, Skeeter - for far greater differential in power storage and output.

2014 is definitely the year for a mid place team (McLaren?! - I'm a fan before anyone bites!) to seize control.

this_is_gav · 13 Jun 2013 at 08:23

Skeeter said:
The aero changes next year are not that dramatic, certainly nowhere near as big as the 2009 changes. Its basically an evolution of the current regs designed to reduce the downforce the engineers have clawed back since 2009.

Arguably the biggest change aerodynamically will be the modest reshaping of the engine cover and who can retain the best flow over the rear of the car.

Other than that it's basically a refinement of the current rules. The cars won't look substantially different.

Skeeter · 13 Jun 2013 at 17:46

The_Abyss said:
We shouldn't forget that there will be a good deal more racing strategy in 2014, and that strategy will often span more than a lap. With over 30 seconds of electric power available every lap but no likely means to recover that much energy over a single lap, there's huge potential to plan overtaking well in advance. There's also the potential - as you say, Skeeter - for far greater differential in power storage and output.

2014 is definitely the year for a mid place team (McLaren?! - I'm a fan before anyone bites!) to seize control.

Deployment of ERS energy is no longer driver controlled (or to be precise, no longer has to be driver controlled), and also isn't time limited like in the current rules. Its a set amount of energy that can be deployed per lap, and a maximum 'speed' that energy can be deployed. Using the current 'press a button for full power' method it does indeed mean 160bhp for about 35 seconds, but that doesn't mean that is how teams will use it. You could do 80bhp for 70 seconds, for example, or take it away from a driver and base it on throttle position, and work out what mapping to use based how to get all the energy deployed in a lap.

There is the potential for a car to run without the driver ever having control over the ERS. But I would expect to see a more combined approach with drivers having a 'boost' button or being able to fiddle with the power delivery through the steering wheel.

Its going to get very complicated, that's for sure.