In the round-up: Rubens Barrichello could stay at Williams this year.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
Barrichello back in Williams frame (BBC)
“Rubens Barrichello, the veteran who has driven for the team for the last two seasons, is back in with a chance of staying with [Williams] for 2012.”
“According to Race Engine Technology magazine Pure Racing will have a Gilles Simon-designed 2014 F1 engine ready for dyno testing in July.”
Paul di Resta guns for Sebastian Vettel again (Daily Star)
“Monaco-based di Resta, who works for less money than he was paid when he won the 2010 German Touring Car championship, comes from a racing background.”
Rosberg: Missing test no problem (Autosport)
“It is the compromise between testing early enough and having enough time to develop. And they need to find a middle way – and they have decided that that is the best way to do it.”
Charity success: 19,000 USD for Kamui Kobayashi?s helmet (Sauber)
“The joint project between Sauber F1 Team driver Kamui Kobayashi and the rock band Linkin Park has been very successful: 19,000 US dollars have been raised for the one-off helmet with which Kobayashi raced at the finale of the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship in Sao Paulo.”
Follow F1 news as it breaks using the F1 Fanatic live Twitter app.
Comment of the day
The Limit wants to see how Sebastian Vettel performs under pressure:
The true test for Vettel will be when things do not go his way. When the car is not performing while others are, and when the media starts wagging and pointing their fingers and speculating as the why the double champion is no longer winning.
Other drivers have experienced that pressure recently, non more so than Lewis Hamilton and it is obviously a place no one wants to be in. But that is what you get when you are the supposed top man in your profession, and those who are quick to heap praise on the young German now will be also quick to pour scorn down the road when things get tough.
How he deals with the pressure if, for instance, Fernando Alonso has a strong 2012 or the McLarens improve is the million dollar question? Then we will see what Vettel is made of, in terms of his real personality and his ability to handle pressure. As far as his driving is concerned, he obviously is extremely talented, but I would like to see him perform in a sub-par car to really see how he gets on.
The Limit
From the forum
Have you been to the pit-lane tour at the Italian Grand Prix?
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Ajokay!
If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is by emailling me, using Twitter or adding to the list here.
On this day in F1
Happy birthday to Michael Schumacher who turns 43 today!
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
3rd January 2012, 0:05
Please tell me that today is not a public holiday in the UK. I need my fix of Formula 1 news!
I’m kind of disappointed. Rubens is a great driver, but I think he’s been in the sport a little too long. I was hoping Adrian Sutil might land at Williams. It would be interesting to see how he adapts to a new team, given that Force India was at the back of the grid when they started, and now they’re sixth overall.
Felipe Bomeny (@portugoose)
3rd January 2012, 0:58
Barrichello might have been in the sport for too long, but he’s been hunting for sponsors, and so far he’s netted 5 million dollars. Compare that attitude to Nico Hulkenberg, who decided not to seek out any sponsors as he was adamant that his talent alone would earn him a 2011 seat. Sure, it’d be nice to see a younger driver in that seat, like a Valtteri Bottas or a Sutil, but Rubens really does have motivation, and he provides better technical feedback than Sutil.
If either Senna or Barrichello get the Williams seat (and some GP2 Venezuelan gets the HRT seat), I think Sutil would benefit from becoming Ferrari’s reserve assuming Bianchi becomes Force India’s third driver. Sutil would then better his technical feedback skills and would become a worthy candidate to replace an underperforming Massa.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
3rd January 2012, 1:53
I’m well aware of that – it’s the main reason why I don’t like him.
I don’t mind Rubens at all. When he retires, I think he’d be great in a political role of some kind, like FIA president, or Formula 1 Commissioner (if Todt – or whoever replaces him – decides to revive it). But if Rubens is racing in 2012, then I want him to race because he’s still got the X-factor and not so that he can say he started his twentieth season. The problem is that the FW32 and FW33 haven’t been phenomenal (and Button thrashed him in the Brawn BGP-001), so it’s a bit hard to judge.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
3rd January 2012, 3:24
There’s a slight difference: Barrichello could be out from F1 even with those 5 millions in sponsors and never come back. Hulkemberg was out for a year and then he got a drive for Force India.
Of course he’s pushing for sponsors: he knows he’s not the favourite within the teams. Despite his massive experience, F1’s quite done for him…
Mike (@mike)
3rd January 2012, 13:16
If that’s the view you take on Rubens, what do you make of Pastor?
vjanik
3rd January 2012, 9:00
i think the hulk did the right thing by not sucking up to williams. now he is in a more competitive team. plus he still has his dignity.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
3rd January 2012, 12:10
How is helping them out when they need it the most “sucking up” to them? It’s a matter of course that drivers bring sponsors, and given the way Hulkenberg was so highly-rated in 2010, he should have had an easier time than aonyone else finding sponsors for the team. He could have kept his seat and kept the team afloat simply by doing what everyone else does. And to be fair, he did owe his career to Williams, since they signed up up to the team early and guided him through the junior ranks. The least he could do was find them a sponsor. Frankly, he doesn’t deserve a drive with his attitude. I sincerely hope he struggles in 2012. It would be the least he deserves for such hubris.
John H (@john-h)
3rd January 2012, 13:16
Williams dumped Nico. Why should he have to bring sponsors to a team off his own back just because they supported him in his younger years? Surely driving well for the team and earning points is bringing enough money to the team. Do you really thing Alonso approaches Santander first or do you think it might just be the other way around?
Perhaps you should be blaming the company for floating on the market before you go blaming their drivers for not finding cash to give them.
Well, wishing ill on others is pretty low.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
3rd January 2012, 14:10
@prisoner-monkeys
Garbage. He was the one holding the steering wheel when he won championships in A1GP, Formula Three and GP2. He deserves the credit.
I couldn’t disagree more. If only we could have 24 drivers in the sport who all proved they were good enough on merit without the sponsors coming into it.
Using this as a reason to dislike Hulkenberg is baffling. I don’t understand how as a fan you can prize sponsor-friendliness over raw ability. This is supposed to be a sport, you know.
celeste (@celeste)
3rd January 2012, 17:17
@prisoner_monkeys and @keith_collantine Being fair I think pay drivers are wrong, this are guys that don´t have the position and credentials to earn the drive for themselves. But is not the same that a driver get sponsor for a team when he knows that they need the money. Williams was honest with Hulkenberg, they knew they need it money and they asked for his help, he couldn´t bend his “honor” for the good of the team, he is not a team player.
Weber has Qantar (I don´t know the name of the Australian airline) and Vettel has H&S and Infiniti beside RB. Button has also has a contract with H&S and Hamilton with Gillete.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
3rd January 2012, 17:27
@celeste Perhaps I missed something earlier but when did Hulkenberg refuse to get a sponsor? Might it not be the case that he wasn’t able to find one? After all, there are several German drivers already in F1, and sponsors tend to choose drivers of a particular nationality.
But I say again, what a driver is able to do in the cockpit matters infinitely more to me than whether a sponsor likes them. I would have thought that was the case for most fans? After all, if it were up to the sponsors, F1 would be a contest between 24 Sakon Yamamotos.
celeste (@celeste)
3rd January 2012, 18:08
@Keith_collantine
In here:
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
3rd January 2012, 21:27
@celeste Thanks for that. OK, let’s take Hulkenberg’s words at face value and assume he was asked to find sponsorship to stay at Williams and refused.
But I have to say this quote from Hulkenberg only reinforces my view on this subject.
I fail to see how anyone can read this:
And think worse of Nico Hulkenberg for it.
He is saying racing drivers should earn their place in F1 by being good at what they do. Not by being a pretty face the sponsors like.
I appreciate people can have different opinions but surely as F1 fans we can all agree that F1 should showcase the best drivers in the world, and not just those who are best at getting sponsors?
celeste (@celeste)
3rd January 2012, 22:22
@keith_collantine I get your point, but my view is the one of a fan and bussines person, the economy is bad, the team is in trouble, they are honest with you… they NEED MONEY!!!!
As an employee I have seem it, people that work hard and sacrifice earnings for an enterprise, people that looks for clients (read as sponsors) for projects!!! Is doesn´t take anything from them, if any shows how comited they are to help the team, and for me thats important.
Hulkenberg was already on F1, he wouldn´t have been buying a seat, he would have been helping HIS team.
Even knowing the situation in that moment Hulkenberg asked for more money:
Yes a F1 driver should be amount the best driver on Motosport, but this time I think that the ones that were stubborn were Hulkenberg and Weber.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
3rd January 2012, 23:06
I suppose by that logic, Sebastian Vettel owes nothing to Red Bull.
Williams signed Nico Hulkenberg to their version of a young driver program early in his career, with the intention of guiding him through the ranks.
Unfortunately, the nature of the sport means that we can’t have that – and Hulkenberg should have acknowledged as much. his manager certainly knew it.
I don’t prize sponsor-friendliness of talent. I prize attitude.
Williams was losing sponsors. They knew it was coming. They asked Hulkenberg to give them a hand. He was highly-rated, so he should have had a very easy time of finding sponsors. But Hulkenberg said no – he wanted to be judged on his talent, and his talent alone. Which would be an admirable sentiment if his 2010 season had been mind-blowing. But it wasn’t. Aside from one pole position, nobody can name anything Nico Hulkenberg achieved in 2010. And here he is saying “I won’t bring sponsors because I deserve to be judged on my talent” when other, more impressive drivers have their own sponsors. Hulkenberg’s attitude just reeks of hubris, like Ralf Schumacher proclaiming that he was the third-best driver in Formula 1. How on earth can I appreciate Hulkenberg’s talent when he’s so full of himself?
BasCB (@bascb)
4th January 2012, 9:18
I must say, I am a bit late to this discussion, but I will join in nevertheless because I think that the view presented here by PM is really amiss.
Thank you @celeste for providing the quotes, to keep it from wild speculation on “he said this or that”.
As for @prisoner-monkeys view of Hulkenberg, do not forget we are talking about press statements made in a negotiation process. And if you want to dismiss a driver for these words, take into account that said driver since parted ways with his manager, clearly a sign that he himself was not satisfied with how it ended at the time!
I fully agree with @keithcollantines view, that we should be glad of a driver who wants to be in the sport for his talent and skill, not for money.
And I think it highly likely, that would Willi Weber have been able to find German (or any others) sponsors to back his driver with money even getting a third to what Maldonado brought, he would not have hesitated a moment to bring this into the deal. Either ending Rubens career a year earlier or keeping Maldonado off the grid.
Even Weber did not mangage that with so many Germans, amongst them Schumacher and Vettel bidding for German sponsors. But do not forget that Frank Williams has always been known a hard bargain when drivers are concerned and might have been bargaining for too much too.
Girts (@girts)
4th January 2012, 10:16
@bascb @keithcollantine @celeste I think the key here is that we cannot take Hulky’s words at face value, that is, read them as a refusal to try to find a sponsor. In Hulk’s website, you can see emblems of different German enterprises – Dekra, Katjes, Rheinwaal. I assume they are his (not the team’s) personal sponsors and I also believe he had some in 2010. I guess that Williams then wanted more sponsor money, Hulk was simply unable to get it (not that he didn’t want to) and this was just the way how he talked up himself.
AD (@ad)
4th January 2012, 19:10
I think the problem with Hulkenberg’s alleged position is that it shows a lack of motivation. If I was in Hulkenberg’s shoes I would have spent every spare minute I had to get sponsorship. Driving in Formula 1 is a dream for so many that it’s hard to see why Hulk would be content with Friday drives in 2011 when he could have had a full time drive if he brought more sponsorship. He could be the best driver on the grid but no-one would know if he doesn’t have a drive and if his team doesn’t have resources for a fast car.
I actually suspect that Girts is on the right track – Hulk looked for sponsorship but couldn’t find any because the grid is flooded with other good German drivers. The story about not wanting to contribute sponsorship money to the team is just an attempt to put a positive spin on the position.
aka_robyn (@)
3rd January 2012, 13:36
@portugoose @prisoner-monkeys Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought Hülkenberg was probably getting some questionable guidance from Willi Weber in that situation. Was it really Nico being “adamant” about it, or was a young driver putting too much of his faith where it didn’t necessarily belong? It wasn’t too long after that that he fired Weber as his manager.
Felipe Bomeny (@portugoose)
3rd January 2012, 17:54
The point of my first comment was to demonstrate Rubens’s massive motivation; I used Hulkenberg as an example as he was also in a similar position as Barrichello at the same team. Hulkenberg will definitely be a better driver than Rubens as he matures. I’m not criticizing Hulkenberg; he’s an up-and-coming driver with great potential and talent, which is different than Rubens, who is past his prime but still has the drive and the experience to help Williams. I just think that Rubens searching for sponsors instead of giving up the pursuit of the seat (which, in Hulkenberg’s case, was acceptable, as many teams were eyeing him) showcases his desire to keep on racing, and not for the sake of longetivy records. I think a better comparison could be made against Trulli, who’s “old” like Barrichello but doesn’t seem motivated at all (he reliquinshed his seat to Karun Chandhok , who’s not quite an Ayrton Senna, in Germany).
@prisoner-monekys Like @keith-collantine, I disagree with you. As Keith pointed out, Hulkenberg dominated every junior class he raced in by himself. Plus, Ferrari displayed interest in him after Massa’s 2009 accident. So even if Williams did not sign him for their junior development scheme, I’m sure Ferrari or McLaren (Whitmarsh revealed he was interested in Hulkenberg after voting him in as one of the 10 best drivers in F1 2010) would’ve snatched him up.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
3rd January 2012, 23:10
And if he dominated Formula 1, I could understand his expectation to be judged on talent alone. But he didn’t. Despite all the hype about him, I didn’t see anything from Nico Hulkenberg to suggest he could be the next Lewis Hamilton – I just saw a kid who was incredibly slow off the line and tended to qualify much better than he raced. Hardly traits that set the world on fire.
Fixy (@)
3rd January 2012, 18:38
I’m happy, because although I recognise Sutil has had a great year, I like Rubens more. ;)
Harvs (@harvs)
3rd January 2012, 0:16
Really good COTD
Macca (@macca)
3rd January 2012, 0:55
I’m not so sure it is.
Now everyone here knows just how much of a Vettel fan I am not, so it really pains me to say what I am about to say.
I don’t think the car was as good as everyone made it out to be last year, I just think Vettel is that good.
Now I’m going to have a stiff drink to wash the bad taste out of my mouth that those words left. :)
celeste (@celeste)
3rd January 2012, 1:06
@Macca Awwwww that wasn´t that bad… and you just earned a cookie … there there…
TommyB (@tommyb89)
3rd January 2012, 10:50
Agree, I don’t understand why anyone would say Vettel hasn’t been under pressure. Were they watching in 2010?
He had some bad moments (Turkey, Silverstone, Spa) where the press was right on his back.
Even this year after Germany people expected him to crumble but he came back even stronger from all the criticism.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
3rd January 2012, 13:27
Well, @tommyb89 & @macca @keithcollantine was kind enough to prepare good information regarding performance (which you’ve probably seen) http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2011/12/29/2011-statistics-car-performance/
I think it’s a known fact that the RB7 wasn’t leading the pack in terms of performance as much as the RB6 but perhaps that’s over-shadowed by the contrast in seasons Vettel has had, like you said.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th January 2012, 9:27
I do think its a good COTD @tommyB89, the Red Bull car was the best car in the top notch team the past season and Vettel never had any big setback nor a team mate to put the kind of preassure on him that TheLimit refers to.
I must say I would like to see a Red Bull with only the 3-5th quickest car, problems with reliability and see Vettel harness that. I expect it would be a great sight to see, as I feel he will only impress us even more than he did so far.
To me that would be wonderfull, as it would put his skill to another kind of test, something that makes sport fascinating to see the best athletes shine.
celeste (@celeste)
3rd January 2012, 1:04
Is good, but I think Vettel has already been under pressure, specially 2010 when people was pointing fingers at him and question his talent and his speed.
I think somehow people still understimate what Vettel has done, in a car that certainly was fast but that sometimes was not the best, he beat the rest of the grid in a way that we haven´t seen in years.
When the car is the best is normal that the wins are shuffle between teammates, i.e. 2007 Alonso and Hamilton, 1988 Prost and Senna, but this time it hasn´t happened.
Maybe what people mean is what will happened when Vettel won´t has one of the top three cars?, and of course it will change his performance, and of course we won´t see him smiling as much, but then I don´t think he will get that much interviews if he is not winning, but I think his approach is the right one, he told it himself “his moment in the sun will end” so at least he is conscious of that he in part needs a decent car to win.
Alfonso, Button, Vettel, Schumacher didn´t start in a winning car and that gave them a maturity that in my opinion helps and will help to deal with the pressure when they don´t have the “winning” car.
raymondu999 (@raymondu999)
3rd January 2012, 5:27
Agreed. However theres something I’d add to your comment. If your first car was a Toyota and you drove it for 3 years without trying other cars, that’s ok. But switch to a Maserati for 3 years, and driving a Toyota will be difficult.
It’s one thing to have experienced a good car, but another to endure a bad car after a very good car
Bleeps_and_Tweaks (@bleeps_and_tweaks)
3rd January 2012, 8:32
Yeah great COTD. My thoughts exactly really, but written in a more articulate way!
The trend of the last few years RB5-7 shows a fantastic ‘base’ car, that has been able to be altered to accommodate the new F1 gadget’s, but essentially it’s been the best car since 2009. With this in mind I can’t see the RB8 being a million miles off the front, unless Ferrari or Mclaren are able to pull a rabbit out of a hat. It would be so interesting to see how Vettel performs now in the 2nd or 3rd quickest car.
adzz36 (@adzz36)
3rd January 2012, 0:21
Guh, I wouldn’t mind Rubens staying in the sport but I’m not really keen on him taking up another seat on a grid that’s missing the likes of Sutil, Alguersauri, Buemi etc. for next season.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
3rd January 2012, 0:24
I heard a rumour the other day that Bruno Senna has signed a contract with Williams, but the team will not announce it until the first payment from his sponsor has been made.
But this directly contradicts Senna’s statements that his family do not want him to drive for Williams, for obvious reasons.
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
3rd January 2012, 8:51
Bruno admits that he’s talking to Williams & 2 other teams
i think Williams has already made a decision about the second driver they cannot lose anymore time & Bruno is well known about bringing huge sponsorship
but i don’t know why they are waiting for payment from his sponsor if they signed a contract with Bruno is there any risks that the sponsor will not pay them at time or just this is a normal procedure ?
GeeMac (@geemac)
3rd January 2012, 10:24
Wonder which “other teams” he means.
I doubt he’d be talking to HRT about a race seat, he’s been down that road to nowhere already. I can only assume that, assuming he doesn’t get the Williams drive, he is trying to get hold of the reserve driver seats at either Force India or “Lotus Renault GP”.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th January 2012, 9:41
I guess the “lotus” team is a certainty in his talks @geemac, and he might be talking with Caterham as well.
Adam Tate (@adam-tate)
3rd January 2012, 0:26
I had a feeling Williams might retain Rubens. Di Resta really better be prepared to back up all this big talk when he lands at a top team one day.
Craig Woollard (@craig-o)
3rd January 2012, 0:28
Happy Birthday @Ajokay and to Schumacher!
Barrichello staying at Williams wouldn’t be too big a surprise…
Completely agree with the COTD, but unlike Hamilton and to a degree Alonso, Vettel has a very good head on him for someone of his age, as we saw last season, in quali and races, I can only recall 2 errors last season!
MylesW (@mpw1985)
3rd January 2012, 0:42
It’s very hard to commit errors when you’re constantly at the front of the pack. I’m not trying to belittle Vettel- as much of a Hamilton fan as I am, I’m still willing to admit that Vettel is quite talented and one of the best in the sport. But I feel like the COTD hit the nail on the head. I don’t think anyone will deny Vettel is quite talented, but we have yet to see him encounter any REAL adversity. In 2010, when he was faced with a not quite so dominant championship position, he showed quite a lot of flaws. I’m still not convinced, and I know many will disagree with this, that he can do things with the car that Hamilton and Alonso can, especially in regards to overtaking. But, the jury is still out on that, and I’m sure that Vettel has plenty of time to prove me wrong.
David-A (@david-a)
3rd January 2012, 1:27
He did show quite a few flaws, with rather clumsy mistakes in Turkey, Hungary and Belgium, which all attracted quite a bit of criticism, I won’t disagree with that at all. But from Italy onwards, he seemed to have put those behind him and claimed the title, despite the setback (engine failure) in Korea.
I’m convinced that somewhere down the line, SV will be in even more difficult positions, and he will prove the remaining people wrong.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
3rd January 2012, 3:29
Well, we all thought the same about Schumacher in his dominant years but then in 2005, when the Ferrari wasn’t working, he got quite a lot of things wrong.
David-A (@david-a)
3rd January 2012, 4:32
But still beat Fisichella and Montoya in the Renault and Mclaren to take 3rd.
matt90 (@matt90)
3rd January 2012, 15:56
It did help that he had an extra race to do it in though.
matt90 (@matt90)
3rd January 2012, 15:57
An extra 3 over Montoya, although you could argue that was Montoya’s fault. He did well to stay in touch, but without Indy he would have been 3rd.
matt90 (@matt90)
3rd January 2012, 3:51
They were 2 pretty massive errors though…
ScuderiaVincero (@scuderiavincero)
3rd January 2012, 0:29
There is some hope for me after all :) Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am ecstatic that Rubens could stay for another year. I really am.
snowman (@snowman)
3rd January 2012, 0:41
You would think Di Resta beat Alonso in his rookie year and not lost clearly to Adrian Sutil, the way the British media go on about him.
Mike (@mike)
3rd January 2012, 3:11
Pretty much what I was thinking…
matt90 (@matt90)
3rd January 2012, 0:54
Argh, why can’t we get rid of him!
celeste (@celeste)
3rd January 2012, 1:11
@matt90 Rubbens or Di Resta?
matt90 (@matt90)
3rd January 2012, 3:47
Rubens. Always Rubens. Except for when you hear that Trulli has also been given a contract extension. But even then it’s still mainly Rubens.
Mike (@mike)
3rd January 2012, 13:22
Why? What has he done so wrong to deserve that?