Zitat von RagingjamaicanBig rumour that Hungary will be Hulkenberg's last race for Sauber while missing out the rest of the season, and that he's signed for someone else.
No word on who is replacing him.
In our German forum is the rumor, that Hulk will replace Gro after the next race " title="blink" /> I know no source " title="dunno" /> And: I cant believe it! " title="no" />
Some interesting information floating around it seems. All of the latest indications has been pointing to Red Bull signing Ricciardo. But then why did they have to wait until today to sign their driver? Right now the whole paddock is close together again with the upcoming race so it would be the easiest time to actually sign Kimi. They can get a hold of Ricciardo at any time, if the signing happened now, then the clues points more towards Kimi.
That being said the choice isn't straight forward, it is basically a choice in the racing philosophy that they would have to use for the next few years. If they go with Ricciado, they can just keep on being a team with a no.1 and no.2 driver, if they go with Kimi they would have to change their whole racing philosophy. There is advantages and disadvantages in doing so.
Red Bull can actually afford to take their time, they are getting some nice PR from all of the speculation. They have the best seat available, the drivers are not going to sign with other teams, they would all wait until the Red Bull seat is filled. Except for Kimi of course, he could just resign with Lotus. But Kimi has the same dilemma as Red Bull. Could he trust Red Bull to offer him a seat as a equal driver? Red Bull has politics and one of the Red Bull leaders (Marco) will already be against Kimi before he signs up. There is a lot at play for both parties, in the end it might just be to much of a difficult challenge to get around for both parties.
Everyone knows Hulkenberg is out of contract and he could move at any time, but moves in the middle of the season rarely happens in F1, especially at the top teams. I ve seen the stories about Hulkenberg doing seat fittings, but they seem a bit out of place as I dont see Hulkenberg moving in the middle of the year and it is still to early for 2014 seat fittings. I dont see why Lotus would just drop Grosjean right now. They get money from Total, Hulkenberg brings no money, and as of yet Lotus still hasn't received any money for the equity that they have sold. Lotus needs a cashflow more right now then another driver. If Hulkenberg is going to Lotus it would be next season.
ZitatRed Bull boss impressed with Ricciardo's performance in F1 test
Daniel Ricciardo's hopes of landing the second seat at Red Bull have been boosted after team owner Dietrich Mateschitz admitted the team was impressed with his recent speed.
The Australian driver is going up against Kimi Raikkonen for the vacancy alongside Sebastian Vettel, and was recently handed a half-day audition in the RB9 at Silverstone to show what he could do.
Despite running off the track at one point, and being unable to work on the car set-up because of FIA restrictions, Ricciardo delivered some consistent pace in the car.
With Red Bull hoping to make a decision over the summer break, Mateschitz has dropped a firm hint that Ricciardo is now in pole position to take the seat, although he also praised the job done by team-mate Jean-Eric Vergne, who still believes he is contention for the seat.
"There is no decision yet, and it is still under discussion within the team," Mateschitz told AUTOSPORT. "It will be announced after Budapest.
"But Ricciardo did an excellent job at Silverstone, and [Jean-Eric] Vergne was very good."
Raikkonen's management has been in discussions with both Lotus and Red Bull chiefs about what opportunities are available for next year.
Sources indicate that Raikkonen is keen to stay at Lotus in 2014, but is seeking guarantees that the outfit has the financial capabilities needed to keep up its push for victories.
That security will almost certainly rest on a major investment deal with Infinity Racing being sorted sooner rather than later, after team owner Gerard Lopez revealed that the situation was not as firm as had been previously indicated.
Lotus has won one race this year, and is one of the favourites for the victory at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.
ZitatShould Red Bull hire Kimi Raikkonen or Daniel Ricciardo for 2014? Here's the Debate! Sky Sports F1's David Croft and Ted Kravitz discuss who should partner Vettel
Ted Kravitz and David Croft debate who should partner Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull next season.
Kimi Raikkonen or Daniel Ricciardo - who should partner Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull next year? Ted: "I can't believe we are even having a discussion about this - it is such an easy choice. Do you take a guy that has never even been on the podium or got higher than fourth or fifth in his career or do you take a World Champion, multiple race winner and a guy who knows how to do the job?
"Yes, Daniel Ricciardo has been coached by Red Bull and nurtured throughout his career, up to the point that he is ready to take the top seat. Ready, yes - but it doesn't mean he should take it. He is not fast enough."
Crofty: "It is the nurture and the love that gives Daniel Ricciardo the seat as far as I am concerned. He might not have got the podium but he's only had 40 starts in his career. Sebastian Vettel once wasn't a race winner, wasn't a podium sitter, but was very much loved by the Red Bull stable.
"Christian Horner might want Kimi Raikkonen to come in - he might want the man of the moment to complement his team. But Helmut Marko and Dietrich Mateschitz - the men that put this whole Red Bull team together - they want one of their drivers to come through. Ricciardo is in pole position."
But can they afford to not score the Constructors' Championship points that Kimi might bring? Ted: "That is a very good point and that is really Christian Horner's argument. He says 'We get paid, we get the big money that allows us to race the way we do and spend the way we do by where we finish in the Constructors' Championship. So we are going to need two drivers that let us score the most the Constructors' Championship.'
"And one thing you have to say about Kimi Raikkonen is that he is a points vacuum - he sucks up all the points - if there is a point going he will get it. Take the race in Brazil last year for example, he seemed to being off track at any opportunity, went down a blind alley and found a gate at the end of it and had to turn back - he still got a point from that race! So if there is a point available he will get it and that makes him the only man for the job at the moment."
Crofty: "Are you telling me that Ricciardo is going to sit in a Red Bull and not get points and not get podiums and not challenge for wins? This is the best car on the grid - I think even you would agree with that, Ted! Raikkonen might be a consistent man and I take nothing away from his performances, but Ricciardo can do exactly the same job in the same car.
"He has twice tested for Red Bull and has not exactly looked shabby when he has been in that seat. And he is also a man that likes heavy metal - and on that point any man that goes to Download gets my vote for a seat in a top car."
Ted: "He is a lovely guy and he did that feature with you - but maybe he is too lovely a guy. I think you need to have an edge of a bit of a nasty man to be a real World Champion. Sebastian Vettel has proved that - I think Ricciardo might be too nice for his own good."
Crofty: "I am not going to let you have the last word because Sebastian Vettel will have the last word on this one and he is the man we need standing with us. Does he want Raikkonen - a man that is going to give him a hard time? Or does he want Ricciardo - a man he thinks he can beat but that we think could be a very good driver one day? He will have the last word."
ZitatHorner says Raikkonen's salary won't influence Red Bull's decision
Kimi Raikkonen's potentially larger wage bill will not be a factor when Red Bull chooses between the Finn and Daniel Ricciardo, says team boss Christian Horner.
2007 Formula 1 world champion Raikkonen and Toro Rosso driver Ricciardo are going head to head for the Red Bull seat made available by Mark Webber's 2014 sportscar move.
Although Ricciardo is likely to be a significantly cheaper signing, Horner said this was "not really an element in our-decision-making" when asked by AUTOSPORT if the financial aspect was important.
"Of course, finances are always a factor but you can also contrast that with the difference between first and second or second and third or fourth is a significant amount in the constructors' world championship so the financial element of it, if you don't make the right decision, it's going to impact you anyway if you are not scoring points," he said.
Ricciardo was given the chance to audition for Red Bull at the recent Silverstone young driver test.
Company chief Dietrich Mateschitz said earlier this week that Ricciardo had made a strong impression, and Horner agreed that the long-time Red Bull protege had "strengthened his case".
"There is no substitute for looking at a driver in your own car," said Horner.
"Obviously the test last week was difficult circumstances because fundamentally they weren't allowed to change anything once the test driver had stepped out of the car.
"Daniel acquitted himself very well. We had the ability to compare him against Sebastian who drove the car the following day and he acquitted himself well."
PRESSURE OF VETTEL COMPARISON
Asked by AUTOSPORT how Ricciardo's pace compared to Vettel's, Horner replied: "Daniel is certainly a very quick racing driver.
"Part of the challenge of being a driver at Red Bull is it's not just about being quick, it's about having ability feedback-wise to converse fully with the engineers, especially as we enter a new era of regulations where development is going to be crucial.
"For any driver to go up against Sebastian, there is inevitably a pressure that will come from being measured against him.
"You've got to be fairly broad-shouldered to deal with that so of course there is an expectation that there isn't perhaps in Daniel's current team. The scrutiny from you guys isn't there.
"The pressure on any driver in frontrunning team is always that bit greater. But what Daniel has demonstrated so far has been very positive."
Horner also confirmed that a decision was not far away.
"We will take the summer break to reflect and then after the summer break [the announcement] will be at Spa or Monza but it's certainly not going to be later than that," he said.
Mogul Dietrich Mateschitz is used to get what he wants. He is a real Mr. Bull when it comes to business matters.
When Mateschitz wanted to bring back the GP to Red Bull Ring in Zeltweg, he paid for it from his own purse. And now we have Austrian GP in the calendar next year.
In Hungary they see Austria's comeback as a setback. Hungaroring's organizers believe that they have to change turns with Red Bull Ring in the future and hence get only one race per season.
Then what about Red Bull's drivers next year?
Although Mateschitz praised young drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne on Thursday, which was taken as a vote of confidence to become Sebastian Vettel's teammate next year, the truth behind the scenes is however different.
Kimi Räikkönen's manager Steve Robertson is still negotiating with both Red Bull and Lotus. If Mateschitz decides to take Räikkönen, then it will also happen. Nobody else's opinions matter, nor does he have any specific needs to promote his own juniors.
I guess Red Bull's most talented junior isn't Ricciardo or Vergne, it's Carlos Sainz junior who's debut test in Silverstone was stunningly strong. Sainz isn't however yet ready for Red Bull's F1-pressures in at least 2-3 years.
In Räikkönen Mateschitz meets the Mr. Bull of the driver markets, because Kimi knows exactly what he wants and he won't agree to everything. However the compromise that these two bulls have rubbed will come true in time - probably during the summer break in August.
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Wed Jul 24, 2013 5:56 pm
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