F1 2012 Championship Thread

[MacLeod]

Well no doubt he was deemed to have caused an avoidable accident.

[MacLeod]

In latest F1 news dounble-DRS banned for 2013 and stepped noses could go as well

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlin...2/9/13848.html

Could that mean McLaren who where one of the few teams not to use a stepped nose have an advantage for next year should the rest of the teams decide instead of masking the stepped nose to follow McLarens smoother nose design?

I for one won't miss stepped noses, the only car which looked aesthetically pleasing is the McLaren.

and if anyone missed it Webber handed time penalty dropping him to 11th for the Singapore GP.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlin...2/9/13841.html

[MacLeod]

LH moves to Mercedes for 2013 with Perez moving to McLaren

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/19755236

[junxon]

GO PEREZ!!!!

[Lonemagpie]

Holy shit! Lewis to the Silver Arrows, and Sergio Perez to McLaren (hey, why not DiResta to keep it British?) Where does this leave Schumi? (and the £6million in sponsorship he just got for next year)? I think Hamilton's missing a trick by moving now instead of waiting till next year when there are all the new rules and stuff... http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/19755236

[MacLeod]

Well it's actually 2014 when the rules change, but a works team might be better then.

[Holdfast]

Lonemagpie wrote:

---

I think Hamilton's missing a trick by moving now instead of waiting till next year when there are all the new rules and stuff... http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/19755236

I thought that at first, but the likelihood is that the team will begin the design process for the 2014 car sometime during the second half of the 2013 season. It would make sense for Hamilton to be able to influence its creation from the start, rather than have to make changes once the 2013 season ended and Hamilton moved from McLaren to Mercedes in the alternative hypothetical scenario.

Don't get me wrong, I still think Hamilton's made a silly move here, but if he and Mercedes really genuinely do think that the rule changes for 2014 will create a title-winning opportunity, then having Hamilton in place during the 2013 season would offer a better chance of optimising the design process for that 2014 car.

[MacLeod]

I too think it was a mistake to leave McLaren, but I'm happy to be proved wrong.

Though I don't think McLaren helped themselves, with all the points they have cost Lewis over the past seasons. Pit stop errors, bad pit stop calls etc..

[Geckothan]

As both a McLaren and Hamilton fan, I'm disappointed, but as a Perez fan, I'm very excited; hopefully they don't ruin his season next year like they have done to Hamilton this year.

[MacLeod]

Only time will tell.

[Geckothan]

If the new engines really are to be scrapped as has been reported, then Hamilton has definitely screwed up.

[MacLeod]

I doubt the new engines will be scrapped, money will already have been spent on development of them. And besides don't the new engines better suit the engine manufactures like Mercedes, for purposes of Road cars?

And besides McLaren have to start buying their engines either next year or the year after. And over recent years the Mercedes engine has been the best engine. So it is possible that McLaren might not be able to afford them.

Also the Vodafone deal is coming to an end I believe, unless it's renewed. And with the loss of LH it might have an impact on sponsership deals.

[junxon]

i've noticed the local santander only has jenson button adverts in the window today

[Geckothan]

MacLeod wrote:

---

I doubt the new engines will be scrapped, money will already have been spent on development of them. And besides don't the new engines better suit the engine manufactures like Mercedes, for purposes of Road cars?

And besides McLaren have to start buying their engines either next year or the year after. And over recent years the Mercedes engine has been the best engine. So it is possible that McLaren might not be able to afford them.

Also the Vodafone deal is coming to an end I believe, unless it's renewed. And with the loss of LH it might have an impact on sponsership deals.

Perez is pretty well connected with Telmex (and Carlos Slim himself), is he not? I'm sure they'll bring in more than enough money to keep things running neat and tidy. Mercedes will still want to sell their engines to other teams, and given how reliable and quick their current engines have been over the years, I'm sure McLaren will still be first in line to buy them. Telmex McLaren Mercedes, anyone?

[MacLeod]

Sure McLaren will no doubt want to buy them, but for each £1 they spend on engines they have £1 less to spend elsewhere on the car.