F1 2012

[G]

McLaren I fear will struggle next year, JB is a good driver but he needs the car to be perfect to hook it up and Perez has gone backwards since he got his drive with them next year.

Brilliant drive from Lewis, should have won in Abu Dhabi and Singapore, think Whitmarsh needed that win as well - Ron Dennis has been quite noticeable at the past few races

Spot on about that,I think Whitmarsh is under pressure. His comments about Lewis having regrets I think were there to mask his own regrets about losing him and also his fears about Perez's performance's since he got the driive.Jenson said today last years car was more suited to his style then this years one,they'll probably rectify that next year.

Strong chance of rain in Sao Paulo on the Saturday according to some forecasts. Please make it so

[RichC]

Ron Dennis interview was pretty interesting. Sounds like Lewis wanted less team commitments and they weren't budging.

Think McLaren put their drivers through quite a heavy workload out of the car

[mick the click]

[QUOTE=rcasemore;2494856]Ron Dennis interview was pretty interesting. Sounds like Lewis wanted less team commitments and they weren't budging.

Think McLaren put their drivers through quite a heavy workload out of the car[/QUOTE]

Think most teams do - they have to. Raikonnen (sp) is a classic rebel on this front.

I had to deal with Ralph Schumacker on occasion when he was at Williams - total cnut. They know the commitments when they take the $$$ from the sponsors, yet the children sulk when they have to do the work. His big brother, on the other hand, is, allegedly, a dream to work with.

LH is, allegedly, not the most reasonable/rational of people.

[CJ]

Ron Dennis interview was pretty interesting. Sounds like Lewis wanted less team commitments and they weren't budging.

Think McLaren put their drivers through quite a heavy workload out of the car

It was in most of the f1 press at the time.

[CJ]

http://www.costco.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/cos_1,cos_1.2,cos_1.2.4/140490

I WANT ONE

[paulg]

My first Scalextric was the Mansell Red 5.

[CJ]

movements in the driver market

[Gaz]

Pic to Caterham for next season and Gutierrez will be replacing Kobayashi at Sauber

I've got to say i really don't like this culture of drivers getting seats just because they bring money with them, it's meant to be the pinnacle of Motorsport with the best drivers in the best cars, not the ones with the richest backers, granted they all have to have a certain skill level but it seems increasingly the more money a driver has behind him the better his race seat will be. I know this doesn't apply to the top teams like McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, Renault & Mercedes but for me it's sad to see teams like Williams having to resort to things like this to try and compete.

Before anyone points it out i know it's only done so they can try to compete with the top teams but couldn't the teams negotiate with the financial backers who are putting money behind certain drivers?

[CJ]

Sorry but go back to the 70s a pay driver by the name of Nikki lauda won the world championship.

You could argue its going to its roots. Also they are still accomplished drivers, pastor has won the gp2 category that is supposed to feed f1?

I agree that it doesn't feel right, I just don't think its that new.

[Daniel 7]

Its been around forever, but finance seems to carry more weight than talent at the lower end of the grid nowadays.

Gutierrez had a shambolic test, and there was real talk that any offers for him were going to be withdrawn, he was that slow - 2 seconds a lap slower than Koba

[Gaz]

Sorry but go back to the 70s a pay driver by the name of Nikki lauda won the world championship.

You could argue its going to its roots. Also they are still accomplished drivers, pastor has won the gp2 category that is supposed to feed f1?

I agree that it doesn't feel right, I just don't think its that new.

You're right it's nothing new but it does seem to be getting more prominent again recently. Don't forget Pastor still isn't signed to a seat for next year and potentially someone like Kovalainen who is a very good driver could lose his seat to someone who just happens to bring a lot of sponsorship money with them.

[Daniel 7]

You've just said what I said.

[Gaz]

You've just said what I said.

Yep pretty much

[Daniel 7]

Hamilton pole. Can't help but think McLaren have made a massive, massive **** up by letting Hamilton go just as he's about to go into his peak years. Both parties are utterly foolish.

Brilliant lap by Hamilton and scruffy ones from the title contenders. Vettel looked very intense after getting out of the car - I hope he doesn't do it tomorrow, I really don't.

[Daniel 7]

Toto Wolff is ****ing huge!