Haas narrows down driver choice

The 2016 Formula one season will see the grid increase from ten to eleven teams as Haas F1 joins the ranks. The team based in the United States or ‘Murica‘ land have however yet to finalise their driver lineup. Speculation had been rife that current American GP2 driver Alex Rossi and NASCAR darling Danica Patrick could be inline … Read more

Daily #F1 News and Comment: Tuesday 1st October 2013

This page will be updated throughout the day. Please if you are on Twitter press the press the tweet button below. If you re-write and tweet individual story headlines (tweeted) with links, please make sure you use #F1. Pastor not looking so safe (07:30) Gutierrez has more to offer (07:30) Ferrari back Massa (07:30) Da … Read more

Perez taunts Di Resta on twitter, F1 Calendar 2013 to be finalised after the 1st race, De La Rosa back to McLren or Ferrari or Mercedes or Williams…, Gorgio Ascanelli returning to F1?

Follow thejudge13: Why not follow thejudge13 by email. Click on the button at the top right of the page to receive an email when (and only when) a new article hits the interweb.

I have now put 2 RSS feeds at the bottom of the right hand bar for those of you who know how to use them for updates.

Di Resta vs Perez: I posted a video a couple of days ago that showed Paul talking about various things F1 at the Autosport show (LINK). A number of other sites and print media wrote up his comments yesterday, but I was busy with my ‘Da Vinci Code’ story, buried in pages of Italian newsprint and blogs.

Anyway, here’s a few of the highlights. Di Resta revealed he held talks with McLaren over replacing Lewis. “I’m not going to give away too much, but yes, there were discussions,” Di Resta said. “Unfortunately in this sport now there’s a little bit more to it. There’s a commercial side and money’s tight. Perez has some good backing.”

Martin Whitmarsh has maintained all along that cash from Telmex owned by one of the world’s richest men – Carlos Slim – was absolutely nothing to do with the team’s decision when recruiting the young Mexican to replace Hamilton.

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Sauber given no choice, Mallya share scandal revealed, Who is Caterham’s new F1 boss? Austin – 1 year ago, Ecclestone cocks up the calendar

Sauber have no choice: If Sauber’s biggest sponsor has its way, Esteban Gutierrez will next year line up on the Formula One grid alongside confirmed 2013 driver Nico Hulkenberg. Gutierrez’s fellow Mexican Sergio Perez, who is heading to McLaren, was until now the cream of Sauber backer Telmex’s Formula 1 programme for the last two years.

But waiting in the wings all the time has been the one year younger Mexican reserve driver Gutierrez, who is this week testing Sauber’s C31 in Abu Dhabi, as is another 2013 candidate, the highly rated dutchman Robin Frijns.

Telmex chief and Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, however, could have a substantial influence on the final decision.

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Why Sauber will fall back in 2013

Not a lot to choose between them

The mid table teams can yo-yo around quite a lot, and I’ve heard many F1 drivers in retirement rue various decisions made to switch teams. Last year Force India finished the season on 69 points and Sauber with just over half as many points on 44. Here is the final table for 2011 and where we are in 2012 right now.

Final Table 2011 3 races to go 2012
1 Red Bull 650 1 Red Bull 407
2 McLaren 497 2 Ferrari 316
3 Ferrari 3
75
3 McLaren 306
4 Mercedes 165 4 Lotus 263
5 Lotus 73 5 Mercedes 136
6 Force India 69 6 Sauber 116
7 Sauber 44 7 Force India 93
8 Torro Rosso 41 8 Williams 59
9 Williams 5 9 Torro Rosso 21

Quite an interesting read. Although the season is not yet finished there could be a switch between McLaren and Ferrari, but based on the past several races it’s unlikely the others will change. Having said that Mercedes are not developing the car at all and given a couple of very strong results from Sauber they could yet overtake them.

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