New F1 season kicks off this weekend (Page 32 of 33)

So I say Mercedes are actually threatening the unthinkable. I suspect a threat is what it is, just to get the boys back on the straight and narrow. But the reality is, that if Rosberg doesn't win the title this year and Hamilton, against the odds does, next year won't be very pleasant with these two around.

There is already a hint of '82 when Pironi duped Gilles Villenueve and outright war broke out between the two at Ferrari, ultimately resolved with the latters sad death at Zolder in practice and Pironi's career ending injuries later at Hockenheim.

These are high stakes. Not everyone walks away from big shunts.

But who would go, and where, if it came to it. Merc has signed Rosberg for 3 more years already. Alonso has pledged now his future, again, to Ferrari. So, McLaren/Red Bull are the only options and that would depend on Vettel moving. He is pretty fed up and might fancy having the Honda development, but then again, he really likes winning and he won't be winning with Honda straight off the bat. But Vettel's own career, despite 4 World titles, is devalued by it all being with the best car and team of the era. He would need a move and more wins to tick all the boxes in everyone's mind. Vettel is not a happy bunny this year and at middle 20's he already too old for Red Bull. Especially as they are now signing 16 year olds!

Hamilton to Red Bull then? Stranger things have happened. It would certainly suit Rosberg. Unless Vettel were to come to Mercedes. Might be funny to see who out of the two of them got their beach towel on the deckchair first.

Clearly! Lewis had his back to Nico the whole time, in the post-race room.
I thought the TWO mistakes from Nico, at the same spot, was a little suspect - or just me being cynical !
Whatever...Congrats to Lewis.

Rosberg would never agree to 'let' Lewis win, or get by, in the current climate, and Mercedes would certainly not attempt to 'engineer' a result for the same reason.

Often when drivers overcook their corner approach under braking the resultant action looks clumsy and less than impressive. It tends to be slower speed because of the excessive braking which just accentuates the clumsiness.

Rosberg had to avoid flat-spotting his tyres as that would have condemned him to a full stint with an extremely badly balanced car and the likelihood of a premature stop that would have cost him the race anyway. He pretty much got away with the first one but for the second he was just under pressure and surprised to be.

Hamilton had opted to risk being out of rubber at the end of his final stint in order to harry Rosberg whilst his tyres were new. It paid off. Rosberg knew Lewis was faster and he lost the corner while he was working out his tactics should Lewis get by. It is a fascinating duel now. It is isn't over yet. Rosberg will surpise us yet again. He is a tough cookie. I expect them to fight fair now. Nico will dig deep and still surpise Lewis. This title could yet be won by an unforeseen mechanical failure for one of them over the final races. But even if stays like this with double points on offer at the final race Bernie will probably get his wish with the winner only revealed at the final race.

What an unsatisfactory end that will be. If that is the deciding factor then it renders the championship victory worthless in my view.

The cynical amongst us might speculate that Nico's problems were a Mercedes punishment for his actions during the previous race ...

However, Lewis drove a good race and deserved the win. 

Not looking forward to the double points fiasco for the last race.

Surprised this wasn't updated given the titanic upheaval in the sport over the last days. I was in the UK myself and couldn't get online for a bit.

Firstly, Terrible bad luck for Bianchi. Lot of knee jerking going on right now. It was bad luck...........but that said, this incident was avoidable as would any be when a car hits a rescue vehicle. I have always thought it wrong to have these lumbering vehicle trudging over the kitty litter when the race is still on. Perez today is quite right in what he says. Double waved yellows, yeah...they lift....but not much.

So, we don't know. There was a lot more water on the circuit it was harder to see. Waved flags Bianchi lifts, hits water, aquaplanes and hits the rescue vehicle which is there removing another car. If he was slower would he have hit it? we don't know and maybe never will.

I saw a Lambo race at Brands once. First corner one off at Paddock hill bend. While he was getting out the marshalls had to scatter cos another was off at the same place and hit the stranded car. Next lap, still waved yellows, so the same again.....and it was dry!

There have been many near misses. Grosjean said today, 2 metres to the right, or 4 to the left....nothing happens. Well now it has. The vehicles have no reason to be on the circuit. If they can't slow the cars down and won't use a safety car, then get a much bigger crane with hydraulic reach that can access the entire run off from BEHIND the wall.

So now we know, or we don't. Vettel to Ferrari. Well done him. If anyone can do it, it should be him. Success there would validate his career. He shouldn't have to, but while he has never won anywhere else there will always be the question. How good was he really?

Alonso. Big risk. If it is McLaren I hope he is able to leave the past where it should be left. Maybe it is unfinished business. I like the symmetry. So go on Fernando. Go back and win it this time. With that roll out what happens to Jenson? Could be times up. Shame. He put in a brilliant drive on Sunday and should have been on the podium. He has still got it, no question.

I would like to see the worlds richest women come together, buy Caterham, rebrand it, install Jenson, to bring on a group of female F1 drivers. Its the only way they will ever get the chance. Bernie, think of the marketing and publicity! Newey, go there and design a world beater for them. Can't see it happening though. In the 70's maybe............

I missed the race, saw the short clip like Tres and was sick. I fear it came down to money. Long reach cranes are always around, but usually are rented for the event by the venue and are much more expensive and difficult to position since they are not mobile once the stabilizers are set. A tragic accident and hopefully there will be changes.
Rick

Nice to see Philipe Massa back in action.Marina Owners club! A lot of us bikers will purposelessly.I agree with the above comment.

So the axe is starting to fall.

Both Caterham and Marussia will miss the final 2 races of the season, and in all likelihood we won't see these two teams in their current guise again. Personally I find it a great shame, especially so as Bianchi still lays critically ill in hospital.

F1 does itself absolutely no favours. 18 cars on the grid for these last 2 races and no one should forget how close Sauber came to disappearing earlier in the year and even Force India were unable to pay bills at the beginning of the year.

The money the teams get first of all, is only a fraction of what is being taken by Bernie's employers, but I have no sympathy for them in this respect as they were too spineless to force a better deal. But the money they do get is unequally distributed amongst the competing teams. They are all part of the show, so it makes no sense that Marussia (or Caterham or previoulsy HRT) should get no bonus money for finishing last. They have similar fixed transport costs as the others and yet are deprived of the income.

All three teams came into F1 as a result of the FIA's plans to reduce the costs of GP racing back in 2009. Max Mosley's idea wasn't at all hare-brained, not unless you were the principal of Ferrari, RedBull or McLaren and latterly Mercedes. Now, they might have egg on their faces as under the terms of the contracts they signed they may well be obliged  a 3rd car each to make the numbers up.

This would definitely improve the show as a 3rd RedBull is going to be much more competitive than a Caterham, but this would be bad news for Force India and Sauber! Cheaper option would be if they all got together and put a financial package together to rescue both Marussia and Caterham, part fund them for the next 3 years and use them to bring forward their next tranche of young drivers in the way RedBull do with TorroRosso.

Trouble is that the ego's and snobbery of F1 would rather see these 2 teams fold, 400 people lose their jobs, whilst they wring their hands and blame somebody else.

F1 has been great this year, thanks to Mercedes, but that in itself shows it to be a one (or two) horse show. That isn't good for the sustainability of the sport. Mosley was right, the new engine formula has been introduced under the wrong parameters. Renault should have only got their way if the could prove they could supply the motors for under 6 million dollars a year to teams instead of the 15-20 they are costing. Of course, Renault and the others say costs will eventually come down as the cost is spread over a longer term. Trouble is, how many teams will there be left by then?

It is a great shame. Marussia (nee Manor) and Caterham (nee Lotus) were conned to come into F1. No sooner had they committed to it the goalposts were moved. They have admirably continued and received very little for their effort, enthusiasm and dogged determination in the face of insurmountable odds. Sad that their legacy might be remembered only for the tragic events of Suzuka this year.

Rant over..........

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