The F1 Thread 2014 Season

Rado_N said:
It's Hamilton's birthday today; he's 29.

I must admit I was a little surprised when I saw his age, I still think of him as a youngster for some reason.

What do his fans think of his career so far? Jacques mk2? :p

Seriously though, I think he needs a very good year in 2014 as for my money, as good as he is, I do think that to a large degree he has failed to deliver on his early promise.
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Hoping Mercedes produce something competitive next season, the same goes for Ferrari as I want to see Alonso up there as well.
 
His career has been a mix of bad luck and naivety i think. If he didn't have the bad luck he could have gotten away with his naivety.
 
29, fecking hell. Feels like yesterday that he was fighting for the championship in his debut season.

I still think that was the best he's driven in his career.
 
You make your own luck but I don't think anyone can deny Lewis has been incredibly unfortunate since basically 2009, karma for that final lap of 2008 maybe.

2007 and 08 at times he was out of this world, but for McLaren's strategic incompetance he likely would have been a double World Champion in his first two seasons, leaving him out on tyres worn to the canvas at China 07 is still one of the worst feckups I've ever seen. I think the biggest thing with Hamilton is he has been unlucky in that Formula 1 moved away pretty quickly from everything that made him a super driver, he was all about ragging his car every stint knowing he could utilise its full potential every time he went out there, then in 09 McLaren built a dog, then in 2010 refuelling was ditched which meant a new skillset was required, then in 2012 Pirelli entered and it became more about tyre saving than actual laptimes, all this whilst Red Bull built unbeatable cars years after year.

He hasn't adapted as well as hoped that is for sure but 29 isn't exactly old, he probably has another 10 years in F1 if he wants them. They way Formula 1 is, politics and analysis I think thats where Hamilton loses out to the Vettel's and Alonso's, he wears his heart on his sleeve and lets factors outside of racing affect him, one week he will turn up to the weekend full of beans and another you would think the weight of the world was on his shoulders. It doesn't help that he splits up with and gets back together with Nicole every 3 months, just fecking marry her already.
 
The reg changes certainly conspired against him to some degree, but like you say he didn't adapt like someone of his talents should have, and his management choice a few years ago lead me to believe he was more interested in fame and fortune than being at the top of the sport. Something that some people may have seen coming with him turning up to races with Pharrell Williams along side him.

I'm by no means a fan of his but I hope he gets his focus right and drives well in 2014, and that the top teams all build cars on some kind of equal footing so we get some quality races. With Hamilton's Merc blowing up a few times to stop him winning the WDC of course. hehe.
 
I'm waiting on the Force India one, see if my insider isn't actually full of shit.
 
I think this season will be compeltely different from recent previous ones. The engine change will trigger a complete review of aerodynamics and the weight/power output of the car will be nothing like what the drivers are used to before. Both the maching and driving has to undergo a complete overhaul. Add in the pitstop/tyre changes it's a whole new season.

I'm predicting loads of DNF at season beginning. More on adaptability by drivers/engineers than pure driving skills, imo!
 
Leg-End said:
You make your own luck but I don't think anyone can deny Lewis has been incredibly unfortunate since basically 2009, karma for that final lap of 2008 maybe.

2007 and 08 at times he was out of this world, but for McLaren's strategic incompetance he likely would have been a double World Champion in his first two seasons, leaving him out on tyres worn to the canvas at China 07 is still one of the worst feckups I've ever seen. I think the biggest thing with Hamilton is he has been unlucky in that Formula 1 moved away pretty quickly from everything that made him a super driver, he was all about ragging his car every stint knowing he could utilise its full potential every time he went out there, then in 09 McLaren built a dog, then in 2010 refuelling was ditched which meant a new skillset was required, then in 2012 Pirelli entered and it became more about tyre saving than actual laptimes, all this whilst Red Bull built unbeatable cars years after year.

He hasn't adapted as well as hoped that is for sure but 29 isn't exactly old, he probably has another 10 years in F1 if he wants them. They way Formula 1 is, politics and analysis I think thats where Hamilton loses out to the Vettel's and Alonso's, he wears his heart on his sleeve and lets factors outside of racing affect him, one week he will turn up to the weekend full of beans and another you would think the weight of the world was on his shoulders. It doesn't help that he splits up with and gets back together with Nicole every 3 months, just fecking marry her already.
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Agreed for the most part, I think 2011 was the only season you can really attribute much in the way of blame to him. He'd have won the title in 2012 had it not been for the McLaren being so unreliable. He's turned into more of a knob over time, but maybe ageing will calm him down a bit. Still the quickest driver out there I think, when he hooks it all together.
 
Ubik said:
Agreed for the most part, I think 2011 was the only season you can really attribute much in the way of blame to him. He'd have won the title in 2012 had it not been for the McLaren being so unreliable. He's turned into more of a knob over time, but maybe ageing will calm him down a bit. Still the quickest driver out there I think, when he hooks it all together.
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2011 he lost the plot a bit didn't he, Vettel went dominant out of the gate and nobody stood a chance, it got to him. I think I'm also right in saying that was the same season their were rumours of behind the scenes stuff, issues we now know were directly related to his relationship with Ron Dennis. Then the whole father fallout thing, Sutil glassing thing in China, tripping over Massa nearly every weekend, it was a really weird season for him and his worst ever but even at his best nobody was catching Vettel anyway.

2012 he had a legit shot at the title without doubt, that Singapore retirement was brutal.
 
Looks like Button has chosen number 22 as his driver number




Numbers known so far

Red Bull
Sebastian Vettel: Yet to be announced.
Daniel Ricciardo: Yet to be announced.

Ferrari
Fernando Alonso: 14.
Kimi Raikkonen: 7.

Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton: Yet to be announced.
Nico Rosberg: 6, 5 or 9.

Lotus
Romain Grosjean: 8, 29 or 11.
Pastor Maldonado: Yet to be announced.

McLaren
Jenson Button: 22
Kevin Magnussen: 20.

Force India
Sergio Perez: 11.
Nico Hulkenberg: Yet to be announced.

Sauber
Adrian Sutil: Yet to be announced.
Esteban Gutierrez: Yet to be announced.

Toro Rosso
Jean-Eric Vergne: 25, 21 or 27.
Daniil Kvyat: Yet to be announced.

Williams
Felipe Massa: 19.
Valtteri Bottas: 77, 17 or 11.

Marussia
Jules Bianchi: 7, 27 or 77.
Driver still to be confirmed.

Caterham
Driver still to be confirmed.
Driver still to be confirmed.
 
Will be nice seeing the 22 on a McLaren again!
 
While this is not a news update for Schumacher, it's come to my attention that there is a fake link being offered around twitter (and probably elsewhere) claiming to be the leaked schumacher helmet camera video.

In reality this is a virus that allows hackers open access to the users computer. Obviously, don't open any links claiming to be the accident video.
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Saw this on P-F1, already posted it in the thread in CE but thought I'd put it here too so as many people see it as possible.
 
Hmm, few interesting things about that list (many of which will just be me looking to deeply into things). Lotus and Marussia still "subject to confirmation"? McLaren still listed as "Vodafone McLaren" [belated edit - that's the company name though, more interesting that team name is just "McLaren Mercedes" - no title sponsor this year?], although that's likely just using their old name till the new one's confirmed. Chilton listed as a Marussia driver but with no number... And Hulkenberg goes for the 27.
 
Ubik said:
Hmm, few interesting things about that list (many of which will just be me looking to deeply into things). Lotus and Marussia still "subject to confirmation"? McLaren still listed as "Vodafone McLaren" [belated edit - that's the company name though, more interesting that team name is just "McLaren Mercedes" - no title sponsor this year?], although that's likely just using their old name till the new one's confirmed. Chilton listed as a Marussia driver but with no number... And Hulkenberg goes for the 27.
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They were suppose to announce the sponsor last month but they never said anything, rumour going around that Sony will be the next sponsor.
 
hp88 said:
They were suppose to announce the sponsor last month but they never said anything, rumour going around that Sony will be the next sponsor.
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Yeah I have a feeling they'll announce that a deal will begin in 2015 when Honda comes on board. In my dreamland they'll have an orange interim livery this year, but we'll see come the 24th.
 
Lotus are fecked, turns out they haven't paid Valsecchi in 2013 as well as Kimi, and probably others.

Also there's rumours their nose design has been ruled illegal, which with cars being designed from front to back will basically screw up their entire design, and they're yet to confirm an engine partner so what have they been designing their chassis around?

Kimi did the right thing in getting the hell out of there, expect them to be running at the back of the field, if they even make the grid.
 
The fact that they are still to obtain the nose cone crash test lends some weight to the rumour that their nose cone has been ruled illegal.

Really not looking good for them if it is true.
 
Sad news about John Button, RIP.

Something ain't right at Lotus that is for sure.
 
I can't read the Tweet you've linked, hp88.

Looks like he's stepped down as head of F1, or whatever he is. Good riddance, hope he doesn't come back.
 
Count Orduck said:
I can't read the Tweet you've linked, hp88.

Looks like he's stepped down as head of F1, or whatever he is. Good riddance, hope he doesn't come back.
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I can't see it either for some reason.
Bernie Ecclestone has stepped down from the board of F1, but will continue to run the sport on a day-to-day basis 'subject to increased monitoring', following confirmation he is to face trial in Germany later this year.
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Ron! Whitmarsh's days look numbered to say the least.
 
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