2012 Formula One

[fj40cruzapete]

www.lshunter.tv

[JustinSpiderholden]

Let us know the results? No sky!

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OH AND WELL DONE MITCH!!!

absolute torture watching that race...

GP2 next year for our boy

Don't be so sure on that 1 jsut yet

[.:O4AGTZ:.]

Let us know the results? No sky!

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OH AND WELL DONE MITCH!!!

absolute torture watching that race...

GP2 next year for our boy

Don't be so sure on that 1 jsut yet

From what I understand it is the money side of things that would stop that happening! What a trooper though, thats an achievement not to be sniffed at. I think that GP3 is perhaps not given as much attention in NZ as it should. I am sure those people who do not follow motor racing religiously do not realise how big an achievement it is. Can certainly lead to bigger things (GP2, Formula Renault...maybe F1 in the not too distant future?).

McLaren are showing some dominance as of late. I was discussing with a friend this morning the fact that Alonso and Raikkonen are consistent performers (consistently in the points) and on that front they have somewhat of an advatange come the end of the season. If Alonso remains consistent, I dont see him being beaten at the end of the year.

If Hamilton manages to finish more races in the high points he could take it all the way to end I reckon. If Hamilton manages to take out this season, will he stay with McLaren? I dont see them wanting to lose him.

[Mr Ree]

Yep, its always about the money.

Somewhere in the region of $2M for a GP2 season, and thats provided you dont go breaking the car each weekend.

Hopefully, with his $400k prize money, and having Colin Giltrap, Mark Webber, and Christian Horner in his corner though, he will somehow be able to make the step up as it will be a travesty if he cant.

Also, now that he has won the Cup, in typical NZ style, all of a sudden people will want to align themselves with him, so hopefully that leads to some more personal sponsors hopping onboard to help pick up the tab.

Its a HUGE shame that Mitch will get almost no recognition for what he has achieved, as if its not an egg shaped ball, people in this country just couldnt give a flying one...and for him to make it this far is a far bigger challenge than for any of the other entrants who live in Europe and have the benefit of bigger sponsors to help pay their bills.

I think its quite fitting that Mitch has been helped by Mark to get where he is, as Mark completely understands just how much of an uphill battle it is to get onto the world stage if you live down under.

Whats the bet that tonight, there will be far more focus on the power cut at the cake tin (again) than of one of our own winning the worlds 3rd most prestigious cup in open wheel racing?

[.:O4AGTZ:.]

Whats the bet that tonight, there will be far more focus on the power cut at the cake tin (again) than of one of our own winning the worlds 3rd most prestigious cup in open wheel racing?

yeah but thats just the culture of NZ isnt it. We have always been a rugby nation, probably because we have always had a big footprint when it comes to rugby. Motorsport...we have had limited successes in and it doesnt hold the same cultural value in NZ. I agree its a shame that such an achievement wont be given enough attention. There will be plenty about it on the news, but most wont blink twice when they see it. Couldnt really have better ties into F1 that Mark Webber and Christian Horner could you! Hopefully everyone will jump on the sponsorship bandwagon now they realise we have some presence in open wheel track racing.

[Mr Ree]

Oh completely, I understand we live in a rugby culture, its just a shame the media in this country couldnt just give a little bit more time (30 secs) when it comes to the news articles on our international sportsman who have struggled to make it to where they are with no help from the country.

Either way, Im proud as punch

[fangsport]

Yep, its always about the money.

Somewhere in the region of $2M for a GP2 season, and thats provided you dont go breaking the car each weekend.

Hopefully, with his $400k prize money, and having Colin Giltrap, Mark Webber, and Christian Horner in his corner though, he will somehow be able to make the step up as it will be a travesty if he cant.

i believe it is already sorted thanks to Colin and his supporters.
$2M isn't that much to find if needed, if Hayden Paddon wants to climb the next WRC rung, i would take a guess that at least double that is required for a season.
HAHA, Colin gonna have to sell plenty of exotics to keep those 2 drivers on the world stage !!!

Also, now that he has won the Cup, in typical NZ style, all of a sudden people will want to align themselves with him, so hopefully that leads to some more personal sponsors hopping onboard to help pick up the tab.

Its a HUGE shame that Mitch will get almost no recognition for what he has achieved, as if its not an egg shaped ball, people in this country just couldnt give a flying one...and for him to make it this far is a far bigger challenge than for any of the other entrants who live in Europe and have the benefit of bigger sponsors to help pay their bills.

exposure breeds exposure and sponsors. look at the battle guys like Chris Akinson and Paddon have had in rallying........ there biggest current issue is lack of manufacturers in the championship, and lack of global exposure for the WRC, whereas open wheel racing has massive coverage in Europe.

I think its quite fitting that Mitch has been helped by Mark to get where he is, as Mark completely understands just how much of an uphill battle it is to get onto the world stage if you live down under.

the best thing in Mtch's favour is his appearance, whilst Brendon Hartley adopted his 'rock star' appearance and drives well, he dosn't come across as being a fully marketable package.
how is Richie Stanaway going these days, don't hear much of him??

[Mr Ree]

He seriously injured his back in a crash at Spa so has sat out every race since then A huge shame as he was one of the favourites in the FR3.5 series.

Hopefully he can bounce back next season and still have a seat, as there is no doubt he has the skills to get to the top if it all pans out for him.

Regarding Brendon Hartley, even though he lost his RB backing, I think he still has a sniff of coming back somehow. Given his role as Mercedes development/simulator driver, he is still deply involved so lets cross our fingers for him

[rolla_fxgt]

He seriously injured his back in a crash at Spa so has sat out every race since then A huge shame as he was one of the favourites in the FR3.5 series.

Hopefully he can bounce back next season and still have a seat, as there is no doubt he has the skills to get to the top if it all pans out for him.

Regarding Brendon Hartley, even though he lost his RB backing, I think he still has a sniff of coming back somehow. Given his role as Mercedes development/simulator driver, he is still deply involved so lets cross our fingers for him

I think Heartley's problem was that he was too accomodating for RB, he allowed himself to try and do everything they wanted, without thinking about how it could affect his racing.
I think he even said as much after RB pulled the pin on him.

Great to see mitch do so well. Hopefully he can get the sponsorship he needs.
The likes of Fisher & Paykel, Zespri, Tourisim NZ, Rakon etc, that do a lot of business in Europe should be stepping up and supporting him in his quest for GP2 next year.

[JustinSpiderholden]

Will be interesting to see if Mitch goes to GP2 as Redbull have never been big fans of GP2

I know Mitch is not in the Redbull driver program (Thank $&#$% Marko Helmut is a $&#$% muppit) but will be interesting to see if Webber and Horner have the same feeling on the costs of GP2 compared to WRS

[Mr Ree]

The last thing I would want to see is for Mitch to get put into the RBR driver programme, as with all their backlog of drivers, and the fact that a seat in a Toro Rosso is never going to achieve what Vettel did in 07 (in the Newey designed STR) and Helmut will always use that as the unrealistic yardstick by which to measure the new drivers, before cutting them from the programme.

The best thing he could do imho, is have a respectable year, or two if need be, in GP2/FR3.5, and earn his seat with another team on the F1 grid.

Either way, I really really really hope we can finally cheer on a Kiwi in F1 again in 2 or 3 years

[rolla_fxgt]

He'd be better looking at somewhere like force india, or sauber, maybe even Williams, as long as they keep decent form, after a few years of GP2.

A couple of years in a lower formula such as GP2 proving race wins, and a steady hand wouldn't be a bad thing for him. Would prove to team owners that he's a safer bet than someone like Grosjean who thinks its a dodgem race. No body likes a driver who's costing them money and dirty looks from other team owners

[2jayzgte]

Don't Scuderia Ferrari have a drivers program I thought I heard something about Perez coming through there or something along those lines..

See Ya Massa hello Sergio Perez..

[Scottie]

Yea. Perez was in the Ferrari young driver program. It will be interesting to see who ends up in what cars next year.

As for Mitch, I'd say one year in GP2 and when he wins the championship - onto F1

[2jayzgte]

What are everyones thoughts on the Schu this year and last is the guy a spent force in F-1 is he taking a seat of another un-named driver??

There is a good chance Hamilton may get his seat next year if so is that it for the great man as to me he is a shadow of what he was and will even go onto say making up the numbers I think there are possibly 8-10 guys better than him in F-1 at the moment.

I personally think he needs to hang it up and give someone else a go.

[fangsport]

What are everyones thoughts on the Schu this year and last is the guy a spent force in F-1 is he taking a seat of another un-named driver??

There is a good chance Hamilton may get his seat next year if so is that it for the great man as to me he is a shadow of what he was and will even go onto say making up the numbers I think there are possibly 8-10 guys better than him in F-1 at the moment.

I personally think he needs to hang it up and give someone else a go.

i liken Schuey to Loeb, a legend when the team was built around him. good driver, but past his prime.
Hamilton to another team.......... unlikely, he was part of Mclaren when the was a teenager in go-karts.

[Mr Ree]

I am not going to say Michael is still as strong as when he was dominating the sport, as time waits for no man, but you simply cannot use the last 3 years as an accurate barometer of the mans talent, and say he is past it. If he was driving a Mclaren/Ferrari/RBR/Lotus he would be winning, thats a fact.

The Mercedes has been an average car, at best, for the past 3 years, and only once has it won a race (in a race where Nico Rosberg Won, and Schuey was chasing close in second until the team incorrectly fitted a wheel)

He has had so much "bad luck" this year, with almost more car failures than the rest of his entire 20 year career. The only error he has made this year was second guessing Senna's movements in Catalunya.

Did it take him a while to get back in the groove when he returned after 3 years off to new tyres/aero/drs/kers? Yes. Did Nico have the better of him for the first year? Yes. But since mid last season, Schu has been the stronger of the two, almost constantly during the race, and its only been misfortune and an underperforming car that has hampered his success. His commitment is still clearly evident, you only need to watch his steering inputs and corrections on the fastest corners on the calander to see he has lost none of his balls, and at 43, its pretty hard to overstate that fact. He is racing guys wheel to wheel who are half his age, with twice the testosterone, and still doing as good of a job as the car/tyre combo he currently drives can offer...

I can see why a casual observer might jump to the conclusion that he is past it, as he set the bar so high in the first part of his career, that now, if hes not winning, then surely he isnt as good, right?...but I think we all know F1 doesnt work like that. He knew when coming back to Mercedes that it was going to be an extremely big uphill struggle, what with the team being the first to dump hundreds of its staff to stay afloat and to work within the RRA, while the other big guns kept running factories with hundreds more staff, bringing huge updates to EVERY race etc.

The main issue is that due to the high deg of the Pirelli tyres on the Mercedes, they are always having to defend from other cars, rather than just concentrate on tidy lines, and keeping tyre temps under control. So it becomes a downward spiral at that point...again down to the car/tyre combo, not the driver.

There are some very interesting rumours circulating at the moment about driver movements, but Im not going to jinx anything by saying what I think might happen. All I will say is that it will be a massive loss for the sport to lose Schuey before him being given a car that can compete for the podium at every race, as he brings so much more global interest to the sport, than Vettel, Raikonnen, or Hamilton ever could, thats a fact.

[2jayzgte]

For me I think its like Schu is wounded and alot of these drivers especially the younger brigade are like sharks and are in for the kill.

To me though you could say the same of Alonso Ferrari gave him an absolute DOG come day 1 of the season but Alonso has dragged with the help of the team that Ferrari back to the top of the tree.

I personally think Schu in his prime may have been able to do exactly the same thing but now I seriously doubt he could do it now.

I will give the man credit his records and numbers don't lie but I fear regardless his time is past and I'm afraid I don't see him getting better wherever he goes because he's past his best.

[Mr Revhead]

And while you guys are arguing about the Shoe, in sneaks Kimi, 3rd place 1 point behind Hamilton.

[2jayzgte]

^^^^^^

Yep good to see to I've always liked Raikkonen I thought his last year at Ferrari the team did him a huge in justice after winning it in 07 with masterful driving display he put together in those last 5 races to win the championship over Hamilton.

He's another guy just for straight out speed very few are faster than Kimi.