2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bull!!

[alfablue]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

What do the specifications for the cars look like for next year? Is the hybrid motif still around with perhaps a few tweaks? Mercedes engines are clearly dominant and they will more than likely continue into next year.

Few more years- the engines are allowed a percentage of parts to change, and less the year after. Ferrari and Renault have been asking dearly for more changes than what the rules allow, but Mercedes is holding firm to the rule.

[Craig P.]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I've read stories to the effect that Vettel trained himself to drive in a somewhat non-intuitive way to take advantage of the pre-2014 handling characteristics of the car, where getting on the gas earlier would tend to increase downforce because of the blown diffusers and similar aerodynamic design. It does seem like the looser, more tail-happy handling this season hasn't really suited him. I'd say I'm surprised he's had as much trouble as he has, but he's still done pretty well, sitting in 4th in the championship table (and say what you will about the engines, but he's ahead of everybody with a Mercedes power plant not named Mercedes). It's really only Ricciardo's surprising success that's shown up Vettel, though it does seem like he's had some really solid drives in the past few races.

[MattS]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

That was somewhat of an anti-climactic end to the season. I would have loved it if Rosberg's car had not had electrical/braking issues. I still Hamilton was going to be next to impossible for Rosberg to overtake and get enough help from the Williams to win the WDC but it would have been fun to watch him try. I don't particularly like the Abu Dhabi track but it delivered some decent battles in the midfield.

I am saddened that yesterday was Alonso's last race for Ferrari. I am really struggling with Vettel in red. Ugh. I will be similarly saddened if yesterday was Button's last F1 race. I think he is one of the genuine "good guys" in the paddock. I think his only hope of keeping his seat is his relationship with Honda but I am not sure that is enough.

I really, really, hope that Williams can deliver a good car next season. If they do it is going to be fun to watch them. I think that they have a potential WDC in Bottas and of course Massa being there also make me cheer for them.

With the way Ferrari keeps their musical chairs for Team Principle, I am thinking of applying for the job. I figure this new guy will last until about April and my qualifications are at least as good as his.

[Timothy A]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Ferrari is a trainwreck. Domenicali gets fired, Mattiacci gets hired to replace him, basically forces the best driver on the grid out of the team, then he gets fired. In between, Montezemolo, their boss, gets fired. I wonder what Arrivabene would have done with Alonso? I'm concerned Marchionne is going to be an issue going forward, he was not a meddler in Ferrari's F1 team until this year. The timing of all these moves is just *** up.

I may have to go back to just rooting for German drivers like I used to and not ally with any certain team unless Ford gets back into the mix, and I hope they don't for the sake of their overall financial healthiness, unless they maybe just do engines like they did with Cosworth years ago. It seems that their Ecoboost could be easily marketed with F1 or Indycar.

[MattS]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Can they run 2014 cars and not worry about crash testing?

I read this morning that the FIA & F1 Commission has granted Caterham permission to run it's 2014 spec car next season should they be able to compete.

I assume that this is also OK for Marussia, but since their assests are being auctioned off on December 16-17. I doubt they are going to compete.

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I read this morning that the FIA & F1 Commission has granted Caterham permission to run it's 2014 spec car next season should they be able to compete.

I assume that this is also OK for Marussia, but since their assests are being auctioned off on December 16-17. I doubt they are going to compete.

Quick! Buy a car. Work a deal out with Ferrari. Go F1 racing in 2015!! (Oh, and pray you meet the 120% qualifying rule...)

[MattS]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Quick! Buy a car. Work a deal out with Ferrari. Go F1 racing in 2015!! (Oh, and pray you meet the 120% qualifying rule...)

If you front me the cash, I'll do the driving! I'm a very good driver.

[Timothy A]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Quick! Buy a car. Work a deal out with Ferrari. Go F1 racing in 2015!! (Oh, and pray you meet the 120% qualifying rule...)

I am too old and too fat. I can fix the fat thing, but not the old thing.

Indycar is keeping double points and ditching standing starts. Yuck and Yuck. I am fascinated to see the aero kits play out.

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Indycar is keeping double points and ditching standing starts. Yuck and Yuck. I am fascinated to see the aero kits play out.

Meanwhile, F1 just announced they are ditching double points and the very shortlived standing restarts. However, they are adding Korea, which makes absolutely no sense at all for various reasons. I bet it falls off the calendar just as quickly. Oh, and F1 also passed a rule you must be 18 to get a superlicense. Of course, the rule doesn't take effect until 2016 when Max will be 18, which makes sense considering the number of lawsuits which would have taken place if they suddenly pulled the rug out from under Max.

[MattS]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I'm shocked! My ear plugs that were my reward for giving money to the Caterham crowd sourcing came in the mail today. I didn't think I would ever see them since I was in the US. Anyway the ear plugs are the cheap foam kind but they came in a nice metal container that is British racing green and says "Caterham" on it.

[alfablue]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I'm shocked! My ear plugs that were my reward for giving money to the Caterham crowd sourcing came in the mail today. I didn't think I would ever see them since I was in the US. Anyway the ear plugs are the cheap foam kind but they came in a nice metal container that is British racing green and says "Caterham" on it.

5 cent ear plugs in a $1 container. Yea, that's F1 all right.

[MattS]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

5 cent ear plugs in a $1 container. Yea, that's F1 all right.

Plus shipping!

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

So, it's Alonso and Button at McLaren.

And, apparently the delay in the announcement was due to the negotiations with Button getting complicated. So, Button knew all along he was going to stay, and yet up to the day before, he was still tweeting out comments about the delay. The guy would make a great spy...

[alfablue]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

So, it's Alonso and Button at McLaren.

And, apparently the delay in the announcement was due to the negotiations with Button getting complicated. So, Button knew all along he was going to stay, and yet up to the day before, he was still tweeting out comments about the delay. The guy would make a great spy...

beat me to it- http://www.mclaren.com/formula1/team...tton-for-2015/

Interesting news. So McLaren becomes the senior citizen team (with all due repsect to all of us old farts). Talk about experience- 3 titles and 500 GP starts combined. Plus, Jensen is re-united with Honda.

[MattS]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

beat me to it- http://www.mclaren.com/formula1/team...tton-for-2015/

Interesting news. So McLaren becomes the senior citizen team (with all due repsect to all of us old farts). Talk about experience- 3 titles and 500 GP starts combined. Plus, Jensen is re-united with Honda.

I am thinking that Button's connection to Honda and Japan is what got him the seat over Magnussen.

For those who care and are too lazy to look elsewhere here is the lineup for next season:


Infiniti Red Bull Racing
D. Ricciardo
D. Kvyat


Lotus F1 Team
R. Grosjean
P. Maldonado


McLaren Honda
F. Alonso
J. Button

Reserve/Test
K. Magnussen
S. Vandoorne


Mercedes AMG Petronas
N. Rosberg
L. Hamilton


Sahara Force India F1
S. Perez
N. Hulkenberg


Sauber F1 Team
F. Nasr
M. Ericsson


Scuderia Ferrari
S. Vettel
K. Raikkonen


Scuderia Toro Rosso
M. Verstappen
C. Sainz Jr.


Williams Martini Racing
F. Massa
V. Bottas

Reserve/Test
S. Wolff