The Motorsport Thread 2013

I hope he has a room in his house that's just full of those clocks.

I can confidently say that happened at Spa, and he hasn't lost since. I hope it rains in the remaining races, about the only way we'll have someone else win.

Oh, and Kubica wrapped up the WRC2 title on Sunday, 5 wins, a 2nd and a 6th, not bad for his first full year of rallying!

This might be of interest, Super Aguri have been restarted for the Formula E championship next year as Super Aguri Formula E (SAFE) with Aguri Suzuki and other ex team members in charge. Didn't see that coming and it sounds like they're very ambitious, intending to completely design build and run an entire car of their own as soon as they can (first year it'll be a one make series though).

Clearly this weekend has a Charles Pic victory written all over it

I called for 2 Webber wins this year, technically...this is still possible.
He's on pole, maybe this can be one!
Oh wait, he'll be in 4th by turn 2




Still no word on a seat for Massa in '14? I know it's early but man, imagine if no one picked him up, poor guy!


Edited by JJLehto - November 02 2013 at 14:13

JJLehto wrote: I called for 2 Webber wins this year, technically...this is still possible. He's on pole, maybe this can be one! Oh wait, he'll be in 4th by turn 2 Still no word on a seat for Massa in '14? I know it's early but man, imagine if no one picked him up, poor guy!

Shockingly dominant run by Seb. He's also better at doughnuts than Webber as well. Good race behind and superb 6th for Di Resta, holding off Hamilton to the end.

Just read that it's almost certain that New Jersey and Mexico wont be on the calendar for next year. NJ has long been in doubt but it seems that Mexico City needs more time to get the track fixed up and is expected to make a 2015 return. A shame, as I would have rather have seen racing at those 2 tracks than the new Russian and returning A1 Ring tracks.

And congratulations to Dean Stoneman on nearly winning the GP3 series final today. He was the 2010 F2 champion, had a successful test with Williams and then was diagnosed with testicular cancer, from what I gather it was bad enough to make it a miracle he's still alive at all. This was his first single seater event since the F2 championship 3 years, with only power boats, Radicals and Porsche cup races in between. He finished 0.2s behind the winner, so not a bad comeback at all.


Edited by sleeper - November 03 2013 at 12:30

Major story, Raikkonen wont be racing in Austin and Interlagos as he's elected to undergo surgery on his back now rather than the end of the year where it could hamper his preparation for next year. So far no suggestion that it's anything to do with the fact he hasn't got paid at all this year. No word on who will replace him, reigning GP2 champion Davide Valsecchi is the teams test driver but if I was them I'd hire Kovalainen for the last two races, he's good, experianced and as he's driven several Friday practice sessions for Caterham this year he's not exactly rusty.

The only teams in F1 that are remotely OK financially are Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes thanks to big business backers and F1's massively inequitable pay outs. Lotus could win the constructors championship with Ferrari and/or Red Bull non scoring for the whole year and still get paid less than them, and with the scarcity of sponsors it's no surprise that all other teams are struggling (Hulkenberg hasn't been paid in a while either). I'll stop there before I launch into a 10000 page rant.

As for the surgery, might have been Ferrari that pushed for it. Rumor is that there'll be a tyre test in Bahrain in December for 2014 tyres and they'll want him fit for it. 

And as expected, Massa has been announced as a Williams driver for next year.