2011 Formula One Silly Season

[mlittle]

With the 2010 Formula One season now in the rear-views, it is time once again to start focusing on the 2011 campaign, which means it is time again for silly season to start.



2011 Formula One Driver Lineup(as of 17 November 2010)
--Scuderia Ferrari: Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa
--Force India F1: drivers tba
--Hispania Racing F1: drivers tba
--Team Lotus: drivers tba
--Vodafone McLaren/Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button
--Mercedes GP Petronas: Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg
--Red Bull Racing: Sebastien Vettel, Mark Webber
--Sauber F1: Kamui Kobayashi, Sergio Perez
--Renault F1: Robert Kubica
--Scuderia Toro Rosso: Jaime Alguersauri, Sebastien Buemi
--Marussia Virgin Racing: Timo Glock
--AT&T Williams: Rubens Barrichello

Hulkenberg leaving Williams announces manager Weber
--According to the Motorsport article dated 14 November 2010, Nico Hulkenberg's manager Willi Weber confirmed that the German was leaving Williams at the end of the 2010 season; 2010 GP2 champion Pastor Maldonado is expected to take Hulkenberg's seat


So anyway, my friends, what is silly season going to look like this off-season?

[Jim Watt]

Dear mLittle:

Not too much chatter these days re: next year's line ups. It looks to me like Kubica is still not being 'picked up' by Ferrari --a stupid move, no matter what little Phil's fans say, he's not good enough to partner Fernando! His forte used to be qualifying, but that seems history today.

Maybe the Hulk can get a ride at Renault? Can they afford to chuck the Ruskie's cash?

Whatever happens with the drivers, I hope to see some heads (and other body parts) rolling in Maranello. They can go on building theme parks next door to wretched circuits in the desert all they want, and they can coast for a long time on their name, but if the red cars don't get some decent management soon they're entering another dark age.

They'll be LUCKY --I say LUCKY-- to finish third or even fourth in the manufacturer's category next year despite having the best driver on the grid in their car. See my analysis under "Engine Thoughts".

cheers, Jim Watt

"Lets Lose Lucca!"

[mlittle]

Dear mLittle:

Not too much chatter these days re: next year's line ups. It looks to me like Kubica is still not being 'picked up' by Ferrari --a stupid move, no matter what little Phil's fans say, he's not good enough to partner Fernando! His forte used to be qualifying, but that seems history today.

Maybe the Hulk can get a ride at Renault? Can they afford to chuck the Ruskie's cash?

Whatever happens with the drivers, I hope to see some heads (and other body parts) rolling in Maranello. They can go on building theme parks next door to wretched circuits in the desert all they want, and they can coast for a long time on their name, but if the red cars don't get some decent management soon they're entering another dark age.

They'll be LUCKY --I say LUCKY-- to finish third or even fourth in the manufacturer's category next year despite having the best driver on the grid in their car. See my analysis under "Engine Thoughts".

cheers, Jim Watt

"Lets Lose Lucca!"

Unlike most years, I don't think there's going to be a lot of surprises in F1's silly season(compared to IndyCar silly season, it's almost angelically quiet......... ).

On Kubica to Ferrari...........Ferrari IIR have Massa down for 2011; no way they dump him in 2011, not after Order-Gate this year. I still think Massa's got it in him to be a solid #2 with the Scuderia. As for Hulkenberg.......I'm still surprised Williams let him go but those are the breaks in F1.....

As for the Scuderia in general, there's still talk of heads rolling in Maranello......until anything breaks, Jim, file it under "ain't gonna happen". Every time they have a sub-par year, they always talk of heads rolling but it never seems to happen..........

[Julian Mayo]

Look for a driver change mid season at Torro Rosso.

[mlittle]

Daily Mail: Glock Keeps Faith in Virgin for 2011

According to the article above, fill in at least one slot on Virgin's 2011 driver lineup as veteran F1 pilot Timo Glock confirmed he will be back for 2011.......



2011 Formula One Driver Lineup(as of 3 December 2010)
-Scuderia Ferrari: Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa
--Force India F1: drivers tba
--Hispania Racing F1: drivers tba
--Team Lotus: drivers tba
--Vodafone McLaren/Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button
--Mercedes GP Petronas: Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg
--Red Bull Racing: Sebastien Vettel, Mark Webber
--Sauber F1: Kamui Kobayashi, Sergio Perez
--Renault F1: Robert Kubica
--Scuderia Toro Rosso: Jaime Alguersauri, Sebastien Buemi
--Marussia Virgin Racing: Timo Glock
--AT&T Williams: Rubens Barrichello

[mlittle]

D'Ambrosio To Partner Glock in 2011 For Virgin Racing

....and Virgin completes its' 2011 F1 lineup, signing 24yo Jerome D'Ambrosio to the seat occupied by 2010 driver Lucas di Grassi.



2011 Formula One Driver Lineup, 23 December 2010
--Scuderia Ferrari: Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa
--Force India F1: drivers tba
--Hispania Racing F1: drivers tba
--Team Lotus: drivers tba
--Vodafone McLaren/Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button
--Mercedes GP Petronas: Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg
--Red Bull Racing: Sebastien Vettel, Mark Webber
--Sauber F1: Kamui Kobayashi, Sergio Perez
--Renault F1: Robert Kubica
--Scuderia Toro Rosso: Jaime Alguersauri, Sebastien Buemi
--Marussia Virgin Racing: Timo Glock, Jerome D'Ambrosio
--AT&T Williams: Rubens Barrichello

[Thaddeus]

Force India's the most interesting team regarding driver lineup, I think. Most reckon Sutil will stay, and there are tons who could take seat 2.

I hope Hulkenberg secures a drive. I think he did well enough this year to deserve it, especially considering his stellar Interlagos pole.

.

[mlittle]

Karthikeyan Returns To F1 With HRT
---Indian driver Narain Karthikeyan, who previously competed in Formula 1 for a few years before competing in NASCAR's Camping World Truck Series in 2010, returns to the grand prix world, according to Speed's Adam Cooper



2011 Formula 1 Driver Lineup, 11 Jan. 2011
--Scuderia Ferrari: Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa
--Force India F1: drivers tba
--Hispania Racing F1: Narain Karthikeyan
--Team Lotus: drivers tba
--Vodafone McLaren/Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button
--Mercedes GP Petronas: Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg
--Red Bull Racing: Sebastien Vettel, Mark Webber
--Sauber F1: Kamui Kobayashi, Sergio Perez
--Renault F1: Robert Kubica
--Scuderia Toro Rosso: Jaime Alguersauri, Sebastien Buemi
--Marussia Virgin Racing: Timo Glock, Jerome D'Ambrosio
--AT&T Williams: Rubens Barrichello

[mlittle]

*dusts off the silly season board........."cough, cough......."..........*



2011 Formula One Driver Lineup as of 16 Feb. 2011
--Scuderia Ferrari: Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa
--Force India F1: Adrian Sutil, Paul di Resta
--Hispania Racing F1: Narain Karthikeyan
--Team Lotus: Heikki Kovalainen, Jarno Trulli
--Vodafone McLaren/Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button
--Mercedes GP Petronas: Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg
--Red Bull Racing: Sebastien Vettel, Mark Webber
--Sauber F1: Kamui Kobayashi, Sergio Perez
--Renault F1: Nick Heidfeld, Vitaly Petrov
--Scuderia Toro Rosso: Jaime Alguersauri, Sebastien Buemi
--Marussia Virgin Racing: Timo Glock, Jerome D'Ambrosio
--AT&T Williams: Rubens Barrichello, Pastor Maldonado

[cmlean]

So...Who has the biggest cheque book for the last available seat?
Or will we share it between numerous candidates?