Yesterday, Felipe Massa announced he is leaving Ferrari at the end of the season. Today, Ferrari's officialy announced that 2007 F1 World champion and Former Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen will return to Ferrari of a two-year deal, to join Fernando Alonso from 2014 onwards.
Raikkonen who previously drove for Ferrari from 2007-09. When in his debut season for the team, he won the drivers' title ahead of McLaren duo Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso and the last driver to win the world championship for Ferrari. He left the team after a disappointing 2009 season and replaced by new team-mate Fernando Alonso, despite they paid him almost €20 million in 2010 not to drive for the team.
Just like I written from the Massa post, this will be the wrong decision in my opinion, "with a team like Ferrari, they need a number one lead driver and number two driver that can win races when needed like a Rubens Barichello, not two number one drivers in the same team, as I fill that the better number two driver at Ferrari would be either Nico Hülkenberg or Paul di Resta".
But, yet again Ferrari wants to properly challenge Red Bull in the constructors' championship and the drivers' title, and the option is to bring their ex driver back into Ferrari, and scarifying a number two driver maybe the best option to do it. Can they control two number one drivers', time well tell.
Meanwhile at Lotus, Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg is the hot favourite to fill Raikkonen’s seat next season, with the possibility of Felipe Massa might be up for Raikkonen’s seat as-well. If I was the Lotus team, I would hire both drivers for next season and don't renew Romain Grosjean contact for 2014 as you got a driver with race experience and driver who can be future Formula 1 world champion. Just my opinion at the end of the day.
As for Kimi Raikkonen, good luck at Ferrari. Maybe a second F1 world drivers' title is in future ahead at Ferrari.
End of blog for now, new post soon. Bye.
Felipe Massa has confirmed on Tuesday night (10/9/13), after eight seasons with Ferrari, the team has made its decision on 2014 and that he is no longer part of their plans he announced on his Twitter account were he "thank the team for all the victories and incredible moments experienced together".
In my opinion, this is not a big surprise this news has happen. I do believe its the right time for Felipe Massa to leave Ferrari, I believe that Ferrari do need a stronger second driver to challenge Red Bull in the constructors' championship, and I don't believe Felipe Massa is that drive to do so.
But, when you do look at his Ferrari career, I believe he should've won the drivers' title with Ferrari in 2008, but lost the championship by a single point. I believe he should have won more Grand Prixs' in his Ferrari career (Brazil 2007 and Germany 2010 to name a few). Finally his been a great number two for both Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher and great servant to the team.
Felipe Massa also stated on his twitter Twitter account that:
"For next year, I want to find a team that can give me a competitive car to win many more races and challenge for the championship, which remains my greatest objective."
His only option would be getting a drive at Lotus next season, I do believe this will not happen. His best option could be a return to the Sauber team next season. If not, this could be last season in Formula 1.
So, who would replace Massa at Ferrari then for 2014? It has been strongly rumoured and still is that Ferrari are set to re-hire former driver Kimi Raikkonen, despite they paid him almost €20 million in 2010 not to drive for them.
If it does happen, this will be the wrong decision in my opinion, as he was very unmotivated at Ferrari in 2009. Also, he never was at the factory to help developing the race cars compared to the likes of Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher. Also, with a team like Ferrari, they need a number one lead driver and number two driver that can win races when needed like a Rubens Barichello, not two number one drivers in the same team, as I fill that the better number two driver at Ferrari would be either Nico Hülkenberg or Paul di Resta.
Anyway, time will tell who would be Fernando Alonso team-mate is for 2014. As for Felipe Massa, good luck in your future endeavors. I hope the Brazilian will be in Formula 1 next season.
End of blog for now, new post soon. Bye.
2013 Italian Grand Prix review of round twelve of the F1 season at Monza, and thoughts on the race.
Good points
- Red Bull Racing (Sebastian Vettel, pole to finished with a race win; Mark Webber, finished 3rd)
- Ferrari (Fernando Alonso, finished 2nd; Felipe Massa finished 4th)
- Nico Hülkenberg (finished 5th)
- Daniel Ricciardo (finished 7th)
- Charles Pic (finished 17th, ahead of team-mate Giedo van der Garde and both Marussia drivers)
Bad points
- Kimi Raikkonen (finished 11th)
- Jean-Éric Vergne (DNF, Transmission)
- Force India (Paul di Resta DNF, Collision with Romain Grosjean on the first lap; Adrian Sutil, DNF, Brakes)
A dominating race weekend from Sebastian Vettel in the Red Bull, pole position on Saturday to conclude with an impressive race win on Sunday to give Sebastian his sixth Grand Prix win of the season.
Meanwhile, Fernando Alosno finished in second place in the Ferrari. While, Sebastian Vettel's team-mate Mark Webber finished in third place, in his Red Bull.
Sebastian Vettel still leads the drivers' championship from 46 points to 53 points ahead of Fernando Alonso in the standings with seven races to go.
End of blog for now, new post soon. Bye.
Predictions for this weekends Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, near Milan. For the home race for both Ferrari and Toro Rosso teams.
And so predictions for the race itself, Fernando Alonso for the win in the Ferrari,ahead of Lewis Hamilton in his Mercedes, and Nico Rosberg third in the other Mercedes. Don't forget the Red Bull drivers, McLaren drivers, Ferrari drivers and Lotus drivers or Felipe Massa either for a podium place as-well.
End of post/blog for now, new post soon. Bye.
It has been announced yesterday (2/9/13) that Toro Rosso driver Daniel Ricciardo will be Sebastian Vettel's team-mate in 2014 and 2015, after Red Bull announced him as its new driver who is replacing Mark Webber, who is off to drive with Posrche with their new LMP1 team in 2014.
Ricciardo will make the jump up to Red Bull after two full seasons with Toro Rosso, and a half a season for the HRT team in 2011.
In my opinion, this is not a big surprise this news happen. Two weeks ago, Kimi Raikkonen was the more than likely option, until his management he was not driving with Red Bull next season. Also, silly of the silly season rumours that Fernando Alonso could possibility be Sebastian Vettel's team-mate next season was a no go. Also, this is good for Red Bull junior program that two talent race drivers from that academy (Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo) that can win races and world championships in their top team. As for Daniel Ricciardo, good luck to your new drive at Red Bull for 2014, now the young Australian has nothing to lose and everything to gain in 2014.
End of post/blog for now, new post soon. Bye.
Review of Round four of the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship at Interlagos in São Paulo, Brazil. Audi Sport Team Joest team won the race overall and WEC LMP1 class too of André Lotterer, Marcel Fässler and Benoît Tréluyerto in their Audi R18 e-tron quattro. While, the second Audi of Allan McNish, Loïc Duval and Tom Kristensen took second place in their Audi R18 e-tron quattro to make an Audi R18 one-two finish in the six hour race. Meanwhile, third place was the Rebellion Racing team of Nicolas Prost, Nick Heidfeld and Mathias Beche in their Lola B12/60-Toyota 3.4l V8.
In LMP2 class, the G-Drive Racing team of Roman Rusinov, Mike Conway and John Mart in their Oreca 03 with a Nissan VK45DE 4.5 L V8 engine won in LMP2 class and 4th place overall. While in GTE Pro class, was won by AF Corse team of Gianmaria Bruni and Giancarlo Fisichella won in their Ferrari 458 Italia GT2, finished 9th overall as-well. While in GTE Am class, was won by Aston Martin Racing team of Jamie Campbell-Walter and Stuart Hall in their Aston Martin Vantage GTE and finished 14th overall.
Next Stop 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas in three weeks time for round five of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
End of post/blog for now, new post soon. Bye.
Review of round twelve of the 2013 MotoGP season at Silverstone, UK. And the news of Scott Redding signing a two-year deal with Gresini Racing in MotoGP too.
In the MotoGP race (V-twin, V4, or Inline-four 1000cc four stroke class), that was won brilliantly at the end by Yamaha Factory Racing rider and current MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo in his works Yamaha YZR-M1, which will be most likely the best race of the season in the premier class with the all race battle between the current MotoGP champion and the current MotoGP points leader.
Second place was Repsol Honda Team rider, current MotoGP points leader and 2012 Moto2 Champion Marc Márquez, in his works works Honda RC213V, he was under eight hundredths of a second behind Lorenzo at the end. While third was the other Repsol Honda Team rider Dani Pedorsa in his works Honda RC213V, he was only one and a half second behind Lorenzo at the end.
In CRT class (Claiming Rule Teams, street bike engines rather than non prototype engines), the Power Electronics Aspar rider Aleix Espargaró won CRT class and finished 10th overall in his ART (Aprilia), he was 53 seconds behind Lorenzo at the end.
In the Moto2 race (Inline-four 600 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Marc VDS Racing Team rider of Scott Redding on the Kalex for his third win of the season and also on home soil too. Second was Italtrans Racing Team rider Takaaki Nakagami on the Kalex, he was a full second behind Redding at the end of the race. While, third was Interwetten Paddock Moto2 Racing rider Thomas Lüthi on the Suter, he was eleven tenths behind Redding at the end of the race.
While in the Moto3 race (single-cylinder 250 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Luis Salom on the KTM. Second was Estrella Galicia rider Álex Rins on the KTM, he was just five hundredths of a second behind Salom at the end of the race. Third was the other Estrella Galicia rider and Marc Márquez younger brother Álex Márquez on the KTM, he was over seven tenths of a second behind Salom at the end of the race.
It has been recently announced before the British GP at Silverstone (29/8/13) that Moto2 Championship leader Scott Redding will graduate into MotoGP paddock next year after signing with satellite team Go&Fun Honda Gresini on a two-year deal till the end of the 2015 season. He will partner current Gresini rider Alvaro Bautista.
Instead of using the prototype Honda RC213V as his team-mate Alvaro Bautista he rides, he will use Honda's new production bike dubbed "Honda RCV1000R", which will be a privateer version of the RC213V prototype, featuring steel rather than pneumatic valves and a conventional rather than seamless-shift gearbox. Also, the RCV1000R will also be fitted with the full control ECU system, but is eligible for extra fuel and more engines compare to the RC213V.
In my opinion, a good move for the current Moto2 Championship leader. But, I wished he got the fully works Honda RC213V prototype bike rather than Honda RCV1000R production bike. Nether-less, if he does a very good job next season and Alvaro Bautista leaves Gresini Racing, he might get his hands on the RC213V after all. Now his got the MotoGP deal in place for next season, he now needs to win the Moto2 Championship this season ahead of Pol Espargaro to prove he really deserves a prototype bike rather than a production bike in the premier class.
End of blog for now. New post soon. Bye.
