F1 World Championship 2013 Thread

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Well, P1 did not go to Vettel this time.

 

[heslo]

Go Mark you ripper! Fingers crossed for a win before retirement

[MightyJordan]

 

Kimi Raikkonen?s car has failed a technical inspection following qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

 

Lotus team members have been summoned to the stewards after Raikkonen?s car did not pass a floor deflection test after he qualified fifth for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

 

A statement from the stewards said: ?car number seven [Raikkonen] did not comply with Article 3.17.5 of the 2013 FIA Formula One Technical Regulations as the front floor deflected more than 5mm vertically when the load was applied vertically to it at the point which lies 100mm of car centre line on the LHS.?

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2013/11/02/raikkonens-car-fails-floor-test-after-qualifying/

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

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[MightyJordan]

^ He might as well sit out the race now.

[123456789A]

What happened to Alonso?

[Noir Angel]

Lack of car performance

[simonlang]

incredibly dilletantic behavior of all these teams fighting for 2nd position in wcc. you really got to wonder if it was much closer in general redbull still would win it because they are at least consistent and less erratic than ferrari, mercedes or lotus. :laugh:

[MightyJordan]

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[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Man of the race: Sebastian Vettel. One of the most dominant showings of the season.

Reject of the race: Kimi R?ikk?nen.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

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[MightyJordan]

 

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix stewards have taken no action over the incident between Fernando Alonso and Jean-Eric Vergne during the race.

 

Alonso was investigated for ?allegedly leaving the track and gaining an advantage? at turn three when he overtook the Toro Rosso driver.

 

The stewards ruled that ?While car three [Alonso] did leave the track at turn three to four the stewards believe that he had no choice, as car eighteen [Vergne] closed on him.?

 

?Car eighteen was at the end of his stint with worn tyres and was fully committed to the turn as car three exited the pits. Telemetry confirms that car three was significantly faster, on option tyres, and had the advantage throughout the sequence. The drivers? explanations were completely clear.

 

?Therefore the stewards determine that neither car could avoid the incident, and no advantage was gained as a result of the incident.?

 

Alonso blamed Vergne for the incident, saying the Toro Rosso driver left him insufficient space.

 

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2013/11/03/no-penalty-for-alonso-over-vergne-incident/

[Lingwo]

Abu Dhabi lived up to its name as being a boring race  :laugh:

I don't know what is doing on the calender other than money.

[MightyJordan]

[MightyJordan]

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:laugh:

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

To be taken ###### grano salis:

 

The backsurgery ends up Kimi?s season

 

The Formula One season of Kimi Raikkonen is over!

 

The Finnish star of Lotus F1 Team ? keeping third position in the drivers? championship with 183 points ? will go through a backsurgery on next Thursday, and because of that cannot race in the two last Grands Prix of USA and Brazil.

 

Raikkonen has had problems with his back for a long time. During the practise in Singapore in September the pain got so bad, that Kimi would not have been able to participate the qualifying and the race without a cortisone injection.

 

Now after the race in Abu Dhabi a week ago Kimi?s back has been even worse. He has not been able to sleep properly without painkillers.

 

? The experts were recommending the surgery, and it will be done next Thursday in Salzburg, Steve Robertson, the manager of Raikkonen, breaks the news to Turun Sanomat.

 

After the operation Kimi is cannot do anything for four weeks. This means the current season stops here.

 

? Obviously, it is a disappointing way to end the relationship with Lotus after two successful seasons on Kimi's return to F1. However, Kimi cannot afford to delay anymore. It is crucial to correct the problem now to start 2014 fit and healthy, Robertson points out.

 

Most likely the car number 7 will be driven in Austin by Davide Valsecchi, the Lotus test and reserve driver. Valsecchi has tested the E21 car for two days in Barcelona and Silverstone. If Valsecchi gets the drive, he will be the first Italian to race in a Grand Prix since Jarno Trulli in 2011.

 

Source: Turun Sanomat

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Confirmed by Autosport now.

 

Kimi Raikkonen to miss rest of 2013 F1 season for back surgery

 

Kimi Raikkonen is to miss the final two races of the 2013 Formula 1 season after electing to undergo back surgery next week.

 

The Finn had been at the centre of a pay dispute with his Lotus bosses in Abu Dhabi last weekend, but it appeared that matters had been sorted so he could compete in the United States and Brazil.

 

However, in a fresh twist, the back issues that nearly forced Raikkonen out of the Singapore Grand Prix earlier this year flared up enough for him to choose to take early surgery.

 

Rather than travel to the United States for the final events of the season, Raikkonen will now fly to Salzburg for the operation

 

His manager Steve Robertson confirmed to AUTOSPORT that Raikkonen's 2013 campaign was over, as it is estimated that there is a four-week recovery period.

 

The news was first broken in Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat.

 

Had Raikkonen waited until after the season, then there was a chance that it could have impacted on his preparations for 2014 with Ferrari.

 

Robertson told AUTOSPORT: "In an ideal world it would have been nice to finish the season with Lotus in the final two grands prix.

 

"However, due to the severe pain that Kimi is having, sadly it is not possible."

 

It is unclear how Raikkonen's absence will impact on his pay issues with Lotus, especially with the team's new investor Quantum Motorsports having not yet finalised its 35 per cent buy-in to the outfit.

 

Lotus now has just a few days to decide on a replacement driver. It could decide to promote reserve driver Davide Valsecchi to the race seat or swoop for another available driver.

 

Source: Autosport

[mps69]

I'm sure Kimi is in a lot of pain, however the cynic in me really makes we wonder if the timing is rather convenient for both lotus and Kimi, this now makes the problem go away for both of them, just to stop the rather frosty atmosphere within the team.

This will suit Ferrari nicely, means after the four weeks convalescing Kimi can get on with his training before he jumps into the new car.

[MightyJordan]

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[Chasethebase Reporter]

I bet Ferrari and Mercedes are loving this news, it means that with Valsecchi probably taking up the drive, and I highly doubt he'll be able to take up the challenge to both teams.

[KiHu]

wharrgarbl

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

da00: We have a Silly Season thread for driver announcements,

[KiHu]

Shhh.

[MightyJordan]

Looks like another flying Finn might be coming in to replace R?ikk?nen for the rest of the season!

 

 

Lotus is poised to announce Heikki Kovalainen as the replacement for his surgery-bound countryman Kimi Raikkonen for the last two races of 2013.

 

It emerged earlier that the Enstone based team, despite having last year?s GP2 champion Davide Valsecchi as its reserve driver, had made an offer to Sauber?s Nico Hulkenberg.

 

Hulkenberg turned it down, but it was a clear sign that Italian Valsecchi was not in fact the obvious favourite for the role, as Lotus tries desperately to improve its position in the lucrative constructors? championship despite Raikkonen?s exit.

 

Team boss Eric Boullier told the Italian website blogf1.it: ?We are fighting for third place in the constructors? championship so we need a driver with experience who is used to the struggle of winning points.

 

?I?m not saying that Davide doesn?t deserve a chance, because he has done a great job and we are pleased with him. But he lacks the experience,? Boullier added.

 

Citing sources inside the Lotus team, blogf1.it said Finn Kovalainen will shortly be announced by Lotus as Raikkonen?s replacement for the last two grands prix of 2013.

 

A former team driver in Enstone?s works Renault days, Kovalainen is also a race winner for McLaren and has experience of this year?s cars and tyres due to his Friday practice work with Caterham, for whom he raced between 2010 and 2012.

 

?Heikki has been waiting for something like this,? fellow Finn Mika Salo told MTV3 this week, ?and if I was a team boss, I would take him rather than Valsecchi.?

http://www.f1zone.net/news/lotus-to-announce-kovalainen-as-raikkonen-replacement/21079/

[Crisp]

http://sniffpetrol.com/2013/11/13/more-drivers-drop-out-of-last-two-races/

 

:rofl: