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Driver market 2012/13: major upgrades or minor developments?

James Stock — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:21:16 +0000

End-of-season photograph, Interlagos, 2011 - Photo © Force India/Sutton

Now that the 2012 grid is more or less finalised, there’s been a few shocks up and down the pit lane. Evergreen Barrichello gone for the first time since 1992 (when this writer was just about to celebrate his 3rd birthday!), solid Sutil out of the Force India se.at he’s occupied since 2007 when the team were under the guise of Spyker, and Trulli hasn’t yet gone to settle down in a vineyard

On the basis there’s little left to speculate on for the 2012 season, here’s a little thought on where we’ll be in six months time, as well as what the 2013 season might shape up to start out as. It’s a bit pessimistic to be predicting driver exits mid-season I’ll admit, but on the basis of the amount of driver changes over the last few seasons, it’s almost inevitable. So here goes.

Here’s what I think the grid will look by the end of the summer break:

Red Bull

Sebastian Vettel
Mark Webber

McLaren

Jenson Button
Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari

Fernando Alonso
Felipe Massa

Mercedes

Michael Schumacher
Nico Rosberg

Lotus

Kimi Raikkonen
Romain Grosjean

Force India

Paul di Resta
Nico Hulkenberg

Sauber

Sergio Perez
Jules Bianchi (Kamui Kobayashi incumbent)

Toro Rosso

Daniel Ricciardo
Jean Eric Vergne

Williams

Pastor Maldonado
Bruno Senna

Caterham

Heikki Kovalainen
Vitaly Petrov (Jarno Trulli)

HRT

Take your pick, whoever wins a triple rollover on the Euromillions (Pedro de la Rosa)
Ditto (Narain Karthikeyan)

Marussia

Timo Glock
Charles Pic

Just three changes – in that we don’t know who either of the HRT drivers will be, Trulli to be shuffled into retirement and Kamui to be sidelined for another Ferrari protege. It’s that last one which is the most controversial, unpopular and unlikely. I just get the inkling once Perez has a bit more experience he’ll be deemed suitable for team leader, which leaves Kobayashi with nothing to do for a team that is acting a little bit like a Ferrari support team. It would be a great berth for Bianchi to slide into, even mid-season, in a very nurturing environment. I’d rather not see Kamui moved out, but if there’s going to be a big name mid-season replacement I’ve got my eyes on him.

I’d be stunned if Trulli saw out the year. He’s no stranger to mid-season axes (2004 springs to mind) and his retirement has been on the cards since Toyota left the sport. The fact that he’s still here languishing in the no-mans land with Caterham, moaning about power steering and getting trounced by his team mate beggars belief. Petrov’s roubles must surely speak volumes at a team which doesn’t need to be carrying Trulli into his pension years. As for HRT? I think my opinions are becoming pretty clear. I’d be surprised if they survived the year.

So, with that stumbling block removed – who survives the cull going into 2013? Here’s my thoughts on the movers and shakers of the next 12 months.

Red Bull

Sebastian Vettel
Kimi Raikkonen (Mark Webber incumbent)

McLaren

Jenson Button
Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari

Fernando Alonso
Mark Webber (Felipe Massa)

Mercedes

Nico Rosberg
Paul di Resta (Michael Schumacher)

Lotus

Romain Grosjean
Timo Glock (Kimi Raikkonen)

Force India

Nico Hulkenberg
Vitaly Petrov (Paul di Resta)

Sauber

Sergio Perez
Jules Bianchi (Kamui Kobayashi)

Toro Rosso

Daniel Ricciardo
Jean Eric Vergne

Williams

Pastor Maldonado
Bruno Senna

Caterham

Heikki Kovalainen
Jaime Alguersuari (Jarno Trulli)

Marussia

Charles Pic
Robert Wickens (Timo Glock)

There is a somewhat more radical approach to my 2013 predictions, but allow me to explain. Firstly, a list of 2011/2012 drivers who I don’t think will be on the grid in 2013: Robert Kubica (injury), Adrian Sutil (damaged goods post-court case), Felipe Massa (damaged goods), Sebastian Buemi (not good enough), HRT drivers (because the team will have folded) and Michael Schumacher (real retirement).

Working from the top down, I predict Mark Webber to have a reasonable year, but another hammering from Vettel will see him out of Red Bull. Kimi Raikkonen will come back and be the driver who impressed the paddock between 2001 and 2007, similarly impressing the top team. Red Bull would be a good fit for him and a great challenge for Vettel, not to mention being a fantastic marketing opportunity for the energy drink manufacturer.

McLaren will most likely remain unchanged. Button is under contract, and Hamilton will most likely re-sign. It’s a toss up between three leading teams for him, McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull. Ferrari is a no go while Alonso has much to say in the matter. Red Bull are too skeptical of the driver who got beaten by Button in 2011, leaving McLaren. I’m not sure they’ll be too disappointed by that either.

Ferrari have Alonso for eternity, and Massa will surely go at the end of the year. A championship-winning year aside, it’s hard to see him with the prancing horse on his car in 2013. Similarly in the current climate, where would he go? It looks like you’re either in the top teams, contributing a budget, or a youngster with a lot of potential. Massa no longer fits into any of these categories. For his replacement, Ferrari take a solid Webber. For Webber, it’s a lucrative one or two year deal pre-retirement. For the team, it’s a wealth of experience from the car that’s been at the front since mid-2009, as well as a driver who’s unlikely to challenge Alonso but consistently bring in points.

With Rosberg tying himself down to the Silver Arrows for a few more years, the only question mark remains over his team mate. Personally, I can’t see Schumacher continuing, it’s a minor miracle he’ll have seen out his contract, but surely Paul di Resta will be the better option for the team. Schumacher is very unlikely to set himself up in another team in his mid-40s, so his real retirement is surely on the cards. Known to Mercedes through his DTM years, after another solid year alongside Hulkenberg he will get his well deserved shot in a front-running team.

Lotus, having lost their star in Raikkonen, will have Romain Grosjean and a vacancy. There will no qualms about keeping Grosjean after a stellar return to the sport, banishing memories of 2009 for all concerned. Timo Glock may well fill that vacancy – after 3 years in the wilderness of blue flags and high lap times, Glock finally revives his career and gives himself another chance to get into Q3. The team, still in search of another Kubica – turn to the German to challenge Grosjean and hope to get the best out of both drivers.

Force India have to look elsewhere after losing di Resta to Mercedes. Vitaly Petrov, fresh out of a year split between collecting practice data for Caterham before playing a strong second fiddle to Kovalainen, comes into Force India who are looking to promote the team in Russia before the nation’s first Grand Prix in 2014.

Another unchanged line-up – at least from what it finished the previous season with – is Sauber. With Ferrari helping the team in exchange for assistance in bringing their two development drivers along. This has effectively become a shoot out to take Mark Webbers seat when his deal expires in either 2014 or 2015.

After both enjoyed great debut seasons, Vergne and Ricciardo were too difficult to split. With Raikkonen flying, Red Bull took the marketing decision to take him on instead. Both drivers are told to keep going, their seats are safe for another season. In what is becoming the most intense rivalry on the grid, the drivers come through it exceptionally. Whoever finally makes it will be well placed for a championship challenge in the future after such an intense couple of seasons just to get into a front-running car.

One of the surprises of the season, both the alleged pay drivers exceeded expectations. Taking the car to its limit and occasionally exceeding the expectations of the team, Williams have no hesitation in keeping the same driver line up of Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna.

Heikki Kovalainen would love to be back in a front-running car, but the constant progress being made by Caterham is sufficient for the Finn for the time being. As for his team mate, step forward Jaime Alguersuari. After a year on the bench at Mercedes, he realises he needs to be in a race seat somewhere. Anywhere. After Petrov and Trulli leave the team from the start of 2012, the door is wide open and Alguersuari is the best option on the market.

The now lonely backmarkers struggle forward for yet another season. Having finally lost their prized asset in Glock, the underfunded team is on a hiding to nothing. Charles Pic retains his seat with the team, and Robert Wickens gets his chance following backing from team owner Marussia.

HRT won’t make the 2013 season, the way they’re heading. The team is running on a shoestring budget at best, and the likelihood of them having any backing at all is slim. Their attempt to become a Spanish national team is a great idea, until it’s remembered the country is bankrupt, and ploughing all the nation’s finances into a struggling F1 team is probably not the most popular way of spending money. Sadly, I don’t think HRT will be on the grid in 2013.

So there you have it, feel free to disagree/argue/berate my opinions, but I’d be intrigued to hear where other people stand on this.

Ferrari unveil F2012 (Pictures)

Jack Sargeant — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:26:28 +0000

Ferrari F2012, 2012 - Photo © Ferrari/Ercole Colombo

Ferrari have unveiled their new car, the F2012, at a rather snowy Maranello. The adverse weather caused the team to cancel their unveiling event and shakedown run on the Fiorano circuit.

The team’s website said the main changes from last year’s car, the 150º Italia, “concern the height of the front section of the chassis, the position of the exhaust pipes and the mapping for the electronic engine management. Practically every area of the car has been fundamentally revised, starting with the suspension layout: both the front and rear feature pull-rods, aimed at favouring aerodynamic performance and lowering the centre of gravity. The front wing is derived from the one introduced on the 150º Italia in the final part of its racing life and has been evolved from there.”

The car features the ‘stepped nose’ seen on all cars launched this season except the McLaren. The team explained: “The nose has a step in it that is not aesthetically pleasing: with the requirement from the regulations to lower the front part, this was a way of raising the bottom part of the chassis as much as possible for aerodynamic reasons.

“The sides have been redesigned, through modifications to the side impact structures, the repositioning of the radiators and revisions to all aerodynamic elements. The lower part of the rear of the car is much narrower and more tapered, a feature achieved partly through a new gearbox casing and a relocation of some mechanical components.

“In recent years, the area of exhausts has been crucial in terms of car performance and much effort was expended on this front, based on changes to the regulations introduced this year. The rear wing is conceptually similar to the one used in 2011, but every detail of it has been revised and it is now more efficient. Naturally, it is still fitted with DRS (a drag reduction system,) which is operated hydraulically. The front and rear air intakes for the brakes have been redesigned and work was carried out in collaboration with Brembo to optimise the braking system,” they added.

Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F2012 launch, Maranello, 2012

Ferrari F2012, 2012

Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F2012 launch, Maranello, 2012

Stefano Domenicali, Ferrari F2012 launch, Maranello, 2012

Ferrari F2012, 2012

Photos © Ferrari/Ercole Colombo

Force India reveal VJM05 at Silverstone (Pictures)

Jack Sargeant — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:46:24 +0000

Paul di Resta, Force India VJM05 launch, Silverstone, 2012 - Photo © Force India/Sutton

Force India have today revealed their 2012 car, the VJM05, at Silverstone. Drivers Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg were joined by reserve Jules Bianchi as the car was unveiled for the first time.

The car features the ‘stepped nose’ so far seen on every car launched with the exception of the McLaren MP4-27. Technical Director Andrew Green explained: : “The car looks more refined; a lot racier and a lot more purposeful. You can start to see the aerodynamic concepts coming through now. It looks quite a bit different to the previous years, and so far the performance in the tunnel has been encouraging.”

“We have set our sights on challenging for fifth place,” said Team Principal and Managing Director, Dr. Vijay Mallya. “To do so we will need to begin the new campaign by delivering the kind of form we showed in the second half of 2011. I believe this is a realistic goal and that we have the talent and determination to realise these ambitions.”

Paul di Resta, who will drive his second season in Formula 1 with Force India this year, added: “Seeing the new car built and complete for the first time is always an exciting moment. It’s when you realise that all the waiting is finally over and the season is beginning for real. I’ve had a good winter and I’ve recharged my batteries, but now I’m fully focussed on 2012 and looking forward to the start of testing. There’s a really positive feeling in the team, good stability and hopefully we can pick up where we left off at the end of last year.”

Nico Hulkenberg, who spent 2011 as a reserve driver for Force India said: “I saw the new car in the wind tunnel a few times and followed its progress during the winter. It looks aggressive and fast, but we won’t know where we stand until we get out there and compete against the others. Preparations for the new season have been full-on with simulator sessions and lots of fitness training. I feel ready to get back to racing and I’m excited to find out what the new car feels like next week.”

Paul di Resta, Nico Hulkenberg, Force India VJM05 launch, 2012

Jules Bianchi, Paul di Resta, Nico Hulkenberg, Force India VJM05 launch, 2012

Force India VJM05, 2012

Paul di Resta, Force India VJM05 launch, Silverstone, 2012

Photos © Force India/Sutton

Narain Karthikeyan seals HRT drive

Jack Sargeant — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:27:49 +0000

Narain Karthikeyan, Hispania, Shanghai, 2011 - Photo © Motioncompany

Hispania have announced that Indian Narain Karthikeyan will drive for the team in 2012, completing the grid. He will participate alongside Pedro de la Rosa in his second season with the team, leaving Tonio Liuzzi without a drive for the first time since 2008.

Karthikeyan said: “It has taken a lot of hard work to make this happen but I am absolutely elated to feature on the 2012 grid with HRT F1 Team. I was pleased with our strong performance at the Indian Grand Prix, in front of my passionate home fans and I look forward to building on this result in 2012.

“I have been training hard since the end of 2011, ensuring I was ready for the rigours of F1 if an opportunity arose. I am delighted to have signed with HRT F1 Team. With the new management, Pedro, and the team, there is definite potential for progress.

“We need to understand that F1 is new to India, we hosted our first race only last year which was a resounding success. To build on that momentum, an Indian driver will certainly keep the interest engaged throughout the season. I am proud to secure an opportunity to forge a stronger connection between India and Formula 1 once again.”

Team principal Luis Perez-Sala added: ”I am pleased to count with Narain for this season, as he will contribute continuity and stability. He is a quick, intuitive and secure driver who met his expectations despite a lack of continuity last year. Of the eight Grands Prix he contested in 2011, he only failed to finish on one occasion and had a great performance in the last race he took part in.

“I’m sure that the fact that he will continue to work and drive on a regular basis will help him take a step forward this season. And if he advances, so does the team. This is a year in which you could say that the team starts from scratch and everyone’s input will be fundamental.”

McLaren launch MP4-27 (Pictures)

Jack Sargeant — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:30:37 +0000

McLaren MP4-27, 2012 - Photo © McLaren

McLaren are the first big team to unveil their 2012 car, with the MP4-27 launched today by drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton at the team’s factory in Woking. “This is a beautiful car, unlike some of the others you are going to see this year,” commented Button.

Hamilton explained some of the changes from the MP4-26 and the team’s new model: “We’ve made it tighter at the back, as snug as possible to improve aerodynamics. We’ve tried our best to improve the floor, now that the blown diffuser has gone; we don’t have that this year, so that is really the biggest loss for us and we’re trying to regain it in other ways. It’s a lot trickier to drive now so I think, as we get into the season, we will really improve and find out where that downforce will come from.”

Martin Whitmarsh has set the team ‘tough’ targets for the season ahead, wanting to win both the Drivers’ and the Constructors’ Championships: “I’m sure it’s no surprise to everyone here that our goal is to win two World Championships this year. That is our goal every year and we don’t always succeed. We don’t like losing and coming second the last two years has had its frustrations. We’re proud of some great moments in those years but we want to win World Championship.”

Oliver Turvey will be the first to drive the car, in Jerez next Tuesday.

McLaren MP4-27, 2012

Photos © McLaren

Caterham unveil CT01 (Pictures)

Jack Sargeant — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:53:29 +0000

Caterham are the first team to unveil their 2012 challenger, the CT01, featuring a rather distinctive (and a not too pretty) nose.

Mike Gascoyne, the team’s technical director said that the design of the car has progressed since early last year, and is “the first year of real stability” for the team known as Lotus last year, on the technical side of things.

Gasc0yne discussed the major changes made on the car from last year: “Aerodynamics is always the main focus of performance and improvement. Last year it was all about the blown diffuser, which we struggled with because not having it in 2010 meant we were always playing catch up throughout the 2011 season in comparison to other teams.

“The fact it’s banned this year certainly plays to our advantage. Other teams had so much more development time, they were able to get much more out of it than we were ever able to, so that eliminates a little of the competition in terms of technical development. But really, aerodynamics is always one of the main features of development and that’s why we’ve put so much additional resource into it.”

He also said that having KERS on the car will be an added advantage for the team: “Having KERS embedded into our 2012 car is another good step forward for us. We had our best ever qualifying in relation to the cars ahead of us in Brazil, and with KERS we could have possibly out-qualified a few of them. So, again, we have another good reason to be very positive about 2012.”

Unfortunately, Gascoyne said that we can expect to see such a nose on most of the cars throughout 2012: “The regulations have changed to limit the height of the nosebox to try to ensure that noses don’t get too high. Our challenge is that you always want to get the chassis as high as possible to allow clean air flow to the underside of the car, and what you see on the CT01 is our solution to that. As we’re the first car out it is obviously stirring up a lot of debate, but because of the 2012 regulations I think you’ll probably be seeing this type of nose on most of the cars this year.”

Team principal Tony Fernandes says scoring the team’s first point is the target for 2012: “Target wise, I have been quoted as saying I want us to score a point this year and that really has to be the aim. It has to be.

“Towards the end of last year we were so close to the midfield cars, but our lack of KERS limited our capabilities.

“This year, however, with the people and facilities we have in the factory and the wind tunnel, and with KERS, I am confident that we will become a danger to many of the midfield teams, and yes, I want us to achieve a point somewhere in 2012 – maybe two if we are very lucky.”

Caterham CT01, 2012

Lotus confirm d’Ambrosio as 2012 third driver

Jack Sargeant — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Lotus have confirmed former Virgin Racing driver Jerome d’Ambrosio as their third driver for 2012. He will step in for race drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean if they aren’t able to take part in a Grand Prix.

“It’s a great feeling to be joining Lotus F1 Team. It’s an exciting next step in my career,” d’Ambrosio, who drove in the team’s driver development programme under their previous guise as Renault.

“I contested a complete season in F1 as a race driver for a smaller team where I learnt a lot about Formula 1. Now, I have the opportunity to work with one of the top teams with great potential for my future development.

“With my recent race experience, I know I can make a valuable contribution. Of course, I would love to be racing, but racing with a top team.

“Being associated with Lotus F1 Team should be more beneficial and this is the choice I have made. This opportunity is one I couldn’t afford to miss. My desire to get back in a race seat in the future is motivating me to do the best job possible in my new position.”

Team principal Eric Boullier added: “In Jerome we have someone we know well who integrates beneficially with the squad. He impressed as reserve driver for us in 2010 and at the end of that year he made a strong showing in the young driver test.”

Bruno Senna seals Williams drive

Jack Sargeant — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:13:09 +0000

Bruno Senna will drive for Williams in 2012, it has today been announced. He will partner Pastor Maldonado having replaced compatriot Rubens Barrichello.

The Brazilian spent the latter half of last season at Renault, having made his F1 debut in 2010 with HRT. For this season, he’s driving for the same team his uncle Ayrton did 18 years earlier. Senna said: “I feel very privileged that Williams has selected me as one of their race drivers. The team has a great heritage and I hope I can help write a good chapter in their history.

“The evaluation process has been intense and methodical but the time I have spent in the factory has demonstrated that the team has great people and all the resources needed to achieve better things this season.

“It will be very interesting to drive for a team that my uncle has driven for, particularly as quite a few of the people here actually worked with Ayrton. Hopefully we can bring back some memories and create some great new ones too.

“I also want to get some good results in return for the support my country has given me to help get me to this position today. I am very proud to be Brazilian and more motivated than ever to demonstrate what I can do. Ever since I first sat in a go-kart I never wanted to do anything else.”

Team owner Frank Williams added: “Bruno only started racing when he was 20 years old but quickly proved his talent in F3 and GP2.

“In a tightly fought 2008 GP2 season, Bruno finished second in the championship with notable victories in Monaco and Silverstone, the latter in the wet. The circumstances of Bruno’s two seasons in Formula One have not given him an ideal opportunity to deliver consistently so it was essential that we spent as much time with him as possible to understand and evaluate him as a driver.

“We have done this both on track and in our simulator and he has proven quick, technically insightful and above all capable of learning and applying his learning quickly and consistently. Now we are looking forward to seeing that talent in our race car.”

Buemi and Alguersuari react to shock dumping

Jack Sargeant — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:54:56 +0000

Former Toro Rosso drivers Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari have reacted with surprise and disappointment after hearing that they were to be dropped by the team for 2012, in favour of Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne.

“Completely [surprised], I fell from the sky!” Buemi was quoted as saying in Swiss newspaper 24 heures. “A few days earlier, I had been discussing things for the next season. I was in the simulator yesterday morning at Red Bull Racing in Milton Keynes, where Franz [Tost] and Helmut [Marko] called me…

“Obviously I’m disappointed, but it is their decision and I respect it. I have not forgotten that without them I would never have come this far, they helped me tremendously for a long time, almost since my debut in Formula BMW, then F3, GP2 and F1.”

Asked whether he would be able to find a seat on the grid in 2012, Buemi said: ”I cannot say right now. Apart from the fact that I am no longer with Toro Rosso for 2012, the doors are not completely closed for me at Red Bull. We did a good job together until now and there is a good foundation. For my future, there are plenty of things possible. I will stay positive and thoroughly motivated.”

Alguersuari gave his rather philosophical thoughts to Spanish newspaper Marca:

“I am very surprised by the decision, just a week ago I talked with Helmut Marko and Franz Tost and they told me they had plans for me in 2012. They did it with enthusiasm and showed a lot of confidence in me.

“I am not a victim because for seven years I have enjoyed the privilege of being with the best team in the world and the best means, they brought me here, they won me the British F3 International Series at 18 years old and they have achieved the best results from a driver of 21 years old in Formula 1 in 2011.

“It is a drama, because I have many plans for present and future, at all levels. The surprise lasted me a couple of hours, I needed to speak with my family. I was watching the street where I was in Madrid, and realized that life is full of opportunities and challenges.

“When I came to Barcelona on the AVE [train] and read the newspapers, they pointed out that there are five million unemployed in Spain. We can only return to this country with confidence and optimism, thinking of fighting and improving every day. And that’s what I will do from tomorrow, I promise to all the fans and I appreciate their support.”

Hulkenberg and di Resta in at Force India for 2012

Jack Sargeant — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:19:02 +0000

Force India have announced that Nico Hulkenberg has been promoted from reserve driver to race driver for 2012, and will participate next season alongside Paul di Resta after replacing Adrian Sutil.

Hulkenberg, who participated in a number of Friday Practice sessions for the team last season, said: “I’m obviously delighted to be staying with Sahara Force India and to be given the chance to race next year. It wasn’t easy to watch from the sidelines this season, but I did my best to help the team and show what I was capable of.

“I’m extremely motivated for 2012 and would like to thank everyone for believing in me and giving me this chance. I’m keen to get down to work over the winter to develop our new car and help the team build on this year’s achievements. The first test in Jerez can’t come soon enough.”

Team Principal Vijay Mallya said: “In Paul and Nico we have two extremely talented drivers with tremendous potential.

“I think Paul caught the eye of everybody in the pit lane during his rookie season. His speed, maturity and racecraft confirmed that we were right to believe in him and we look forward to working with him again next year.

“As for Nico, we identified him as a rising star at the end of 2010 and chose to evaluate him during the course of this season. Despite having only limited time in the car, he convinced us that he deserved a race seat for 2012.

“Our new line-up means we say ‘goodbye’ to Adrian Sutil, who has been with the team since we entered the sport. He has been an integral part of our success over the past four seasons and we wish him well for the future.”