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[Big Takeover]

These are some great moves by Mercedes. Old and busted being replaced with top shelf guys. I'm not sure how quickly it will pay dividends, but things are certainly looking brighter for the turbo era.

My biggest concern is that political problems have plagued them in the past. Hopefully these changes are an attempt to fix that. Although short of Bernie himself, nobody is more political than Niki Lauda...

 

[Mastah]

He doesn't look too happy

He is, he is:

Ian Gordon ‏@iangor

Phone red hot at the MTC in Woking. Some guy called Lewis keeps on calling Whitmarsh about a drive.

 

[navanman]

Pat Fry will probably go back to McLaren now as they have no lead TD when Lowe leaves.

 

[Adam Scott Aukerman]

The Jordan has spoken:

Sounds suspiciously like they just want to neuter McLaren as they have no use for Lowe in a regular capacity.

 

[BrokenSymmetry]

What the heck is going on at Mercedes? Did Lewis sign up for this?
Personally I always really liked and admired Ross Brawn and his calm approach, and with Lauda it's quite the opposite.

 

[Adamm]

Wonder where brawn would end up if he does leave mercedes

 

[Adam Scott Aukerman]

Wonder where brawn would end up if he does leave mercedes

Almost certainly in retirement.

 

[ClassyPenguin]

Mercedes certainly needed a refresh.
Going to need a few races before we know if it worked or not.

 

[Adam Scott Aukerman]

Mercedes certainly needed a refresh.
Going to need a few races before we know if it worked or not.

It's going to take much longer than that. They went on an extensive talent hunt a year or two ago, and those changes were only really starting to take effect recently.

It's hard to know what the real story is over there at the moment, but it's certainly coming across as actions of impulse, which could really fuck them over in the long run if so.

 

[DrM]

Full effect of this charade at Mercedes will be seen in 2014

 

[Xun]

Not sure how I'd feel if Brawn left, personally.

 

[Wax Free Vanilla]

Bianchi and Razia at Force India?

http://thejudge13.com/2013/01/21/fo...ers-log-jammed-over-both-2013-driver-choices/


Razia has $30M and Bianchi has cheap Ferrari engines.

 

[DD]

Bianchi and Razia at Force India?

http://thejudge13.com/2013/01/21/fo...ers-log-jammed-over-both-2013-driver-choices/


Razia has $30M and Bianchi has cheap Ferrari engines.

Wait, what?! How the heck Razia managed to raise all that money? Seriously, I highly doubt that. =P

 

[Ark]

I'm going to hazard a guess that all this re-shuffling at Mercedes has been a long time coming. I could be totally wrong, but I suspect Suttgart wanted some big changes for 2014 if they were to sign the concorde agreement.

 

[dubc35]

Are we doing an offseason thread or are we running the course on this one?

...actually I now think I recall the offseason one would start around car launches/testing in Jerez....right?


In other news, F1 needs Super GT's circuit safaris! It's basically a bus that drives the track while the cars run the track, not during the actual race of course. FF to about 3:34 to get away from the wet window view.

 

[JehutyRunner]

Really hope that Brawn doesn't depart for at least another year. For as bored as I was of Schumacher's early noughties run, I have a ton of respect for Brawn for making it happen. Not to mention, Brawn GP's brilliant season in 2009. It'd be a massive shame.

Bianchi and Razia at Force India?

http://thejudge13.com/2013/01/21/fo...ers-log-jammed-over-both-2013-driver-choices/


Razia has $30M and Bianchi has cheap Ferrari engines.

Don't see it happening until 2014 at least. Di Resta is as safe as they can get in terms of a seat. Bianchi, sure, that one is pretty much a given for Hulkenberg's seat. But kicking Di Resta out for a money driver and Bianchi? Nah, can't see it happening (though money talks, etc).

 

[Leunam]

Are we doing an offseason thread or are we running the course on this one?

...actually I now think I recall the offseason one would start around car launches/testing in Jerez....right?

Since I've been putting it off over and over I'm going to call it a pre-season thread instead of just off-season, since I should have it up in time for launches and tests.

 

[Chris R]

Might as well just stick in this thread until Australia

 

[Adam Scott Aukerman]

Di Resta is as safe as they can get in terms of a seat.

Apparently, not so much. I saw a rumour the other day that any driver contracts that have already been signed (which Di Resta presumably already has since he's had a seat fitting) are conditional on the team not being sold. Which may well be why the team have gone out of their way not to officially announce him yet.

With the team allegedly scrambling for cash, Di Resta is about as unsafe as he can be. Were they just looking for performance, yes he'd be quite safe.

 

[Adamm]

Might as well just stick in this thread until Australia

I want a new thread!

 

[moojito]

I want a new thread!

Yeah, any opportunity to get in the OT instead of down here in the dungeon should be taken, so we can lure in a few unsuspecting juniors and the like.

 

[Psychotext]

Yeah, any opportunity to get in the OT instead of down here in the dungeon should be taken, so we can lure in a few unsuspecting juniors and the like.

Sounds so wrong...

 

[Adamm]

Yeah, any opportunity to get in the OT instead of down here in the dungeon should be taken, so we can lure in a few unsuspecting juniors and the like.

New thread for every race I say!

 

[Lach]

New thread for every race I say!

Well, all we have to do is get 20k posts per race...which is totally doable if we manage about 2 posts per second during quali and race...

 

[Psychotext]

Well, all we have to do is get 20k posts per race...which is totally doable if we manage about 2 posts per second during quali and race...

Could probably manage it if someone pisses off pretty much every fan of any particular driver.

 

[Shaneus]

Well, all we have to do is get 20k posts per race...which is totally doable if we manage about 2 posts per second during quali and race...

We can only post once every 30 seconds, so that'll mean we'll need at least 15 people on deck.

 

[acm2000]

Could probably manage it if someone pisses off pretty much every fan of any particular driver.

this young sir, sounds like a challenge!

i will start...

Alonso, the guy is a f*cking arrogant prick, he has talent sure, but stuck at a sh*tty team who do nothing but artificially inflate the guys ego, massively sore loser, and an even worse winner, and to make him even more unlikable, he has the FIA eating out of his pocket making the sport almost as corrupt as yonder years. I honestly cant stand the guy, my hatred for him is up there with michael schumacher

/flame shield up

 

[Psychotext]

 

[cmr-94]

http://twitter.yfrog.com/ny61vzwlj

hard tyre now orange striped

 

[acm2000]

http://twitter.yfrog.com/ny61vzwlj

hard tyre now orange striped

well f*ck my legs, 6 very distinct different colours?!?!! common sense prevails!

 

[Shaneus]

What colour was it before? White?

 

[RayStorm]

http://twitter.yfrog.com/ny61vzwlj

hard tyre now orange striped

So it's now soft->hard Red-Yellow-White-Orange, instead of a more sensible Red-Orange-Yellow-White?

 

[Goldrusher]

What colour was it before? White?

Silverish gray.

And how it will look in races:

 

[captscience]

So it's now soft->hard Red-Yellow-White-Orange, instead of a more sensible Red-Orange-Yellow-White?

The way they have it now avoids races with red and orange tires which might look too similar.

 

[Ark]

This makes me happy:

Nick Heidfeld gets full-time Rebellion LMP1 seat for 2013

 

[RayStorm]

The way they have it now avoids races with red and orange tires which might look too similar.

I did consider that once I posted, but still... I fear I will be more confused by that illogical sorting of colors and consider the orange tire the softer one when not used with the red (which will not be the case very often anyway).

 

[Adamm]

Kubica Expects Formula 1 return

Really? I thought this was all over

 

[fu3lfr3nzy]

Kubica Expects Formula 1 return

Really? I thought this was all over

He's just wishful thinking like Rubens :lol

 

[DD]

http://youtu.be/96VMkT5rj7s

English after 1:15

 

[Pimpwerx]

The shakeup at Merc sounds interesting. I'm sure it was planned before signing Lewis. I assume they left it until now so they wouldn't disrupt the completion of the 2013 car. That's my optimistic guess anyway.

I was hoping Brawn would be around for Lewis, but if he is, it'll probably only be as a strategist or race engineer. His days as principle seem numbered. PEACE.

 

[cmr-94]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA1mR71QFQo

haha.. funny interview before the chinese gp this year. Alonso was on the verge of pissing himself when he had to speak

 

[Big Takeover]

http://youtu.be/96VMkT5rj7s

English after 1:15

Good stuff, thanks.

I've always wished the sport did more to promote their own history. It was good to see these guys up on the podium doing interviews this year (and that's apparently going away), but I want to see more done to keep them involved. Independent teams, independent tracks, independent sponsors, independent TV deals, and rules governing body... does Bernie spend a dime on the promotion and care taking of the sport as a whole? I don't think so. Maybe it's my American point of view, but there needs to be more periphery provided by F1 itself.

 

[Sleeplessnights]

Well, all we have to do is get 20k posts per race...which is totally doable if we manage about 2 posts per second during quali and race...

Get some of Football GAF and PopGAF here and you got that done in an hour.

 

[Nevasleep]

The chances of the Valencia street circuit making a return to F1 in future appear to be falling after Spanish media reports that the venue is starting to fall into a state of disrepair.

Having first been used in 2008, the circuit hosted its final F1 race in June last year but didn't feature on the calendar for 2013; being replaced by New Jersey before that race was then delayed by at least twelve months.

According to a report in Marca, the street circuit is already starting to fall into a state of disrepair, barely seven months after home hero Fernando Alonso secured a stunning victory in last year's European Grand Prix.

A video filmed at the circuit shows missing electronics and wiring, flooded access tunnels and sewers without any manhole covers – also stating that 'a bridge that cost two million [is] now only used by homeless to spend the night'.

“Only seven months ago, the last Grand Prix of Europe was held at the track,” the report read. “Now, far from the glamour, the neighbours complain that there is no supervision and that thieves have taken everything that was worth anything.”

Although only one source, and I assume they could always bring it up to standard again.
Was one of my favourites, well on the codemaster games.

 

[Adamm]

Although only one source, and I assume they could always bring it up to standard again.
Was one of my favourites, well on the codemaster games.

I didn't think anyone would miss it

 

[Wax Free Vanilla]

Pat Fry will probably go back to McLaren now as they have no lead TD when Lowe leaves.

Christian Nimmervoll ‏@MST_ChristianN
james #allison on the verge of leaving #Lotus_F1Team. more info to follow shortly.

Lotus will launch their car on the 28th.

 

[brotkasten]

I didn't think anyone would miss it

The last season made even Valencia exciting.

 

[Psychotext]

Brawn gonna fuck some shit up if people step out of line.

Brawn: I am the team principal

There are a lot of things Toto will be doing which are complementary to what I am doing in terms of running the team. But you have to have one reference. Everybody knows the only way a racing team will work is to have one reference, and I'm that reference. I am the team principal and I am in charge of sporting, technical and racing matters.

http://www.planetf1.com/driver/3213/8431538/Brawn-I-am-the-team-principal

 

[Wax Free Vanilla]

Brawn gonna fuck some shit up if people step out of line.


http://www.planetf1.com/driver/3213/8431538/Brawn-I-am-the-team-principal

Lauda will fuck his shit up. Brawn will be at Williams in 2014.

 

[DrM]

Fernando will skip first test, so Felipe and PdlR will drive