The 2012 Formula One Season

I think Rubens should retire he has had more chances than anyone ever to be world champion and was always the number 2. Williams will not be winners next year, well unless they produce the same thought of thing that Brawn did but I think it will take them a few years to get back up there.

Bruno I think showed he has what it takes to be in F1, but I don't think he's that great as some people say. He was as good as Petrov though which is why they probably got ride of him.

Given his lack of adequate F1 testing I think he was overall more impressive than Petrov, he was definitely far too inconsistent and infident prone but that was to be expected. He wasn't as failtastic as Piquet Jr who had a lot of testing prior to his debut whilet Bruno basically had half a day in a Honda then a gap of over a year and then straight into free practice in a Hispania. To still be within a chance of a full time drive now is a good achiement in all fairness.

I don't for one second think he's champion material but given some actual time to prepare he'll be as competent as any other in the midfield group.

It's the line-up of him and Maldonaldo though that doesn't inspire confidence. Pastor was at best ocassionally moderately quick last year but he never really put it together in the races. Him & Bruno are still effectively rookies and both would benifit hughely from Barrichello's experience. Now Rubens career no longer has potential for advancement as a F1 driver but he's no idiot, he's a safe pair of hands and he can effectively coach a younger driver in how to interact with the team to provide the engineers with the best possible feedback. I think both Maldonaldo would be a far better prospect after a year alongside him.

People may not expect Barrichello to be able to get ultimate results anymore but in all realistic ness the car isn't going to up to it either.

True enough about the car. They'll have a very different performance level to what they had last time they raced with a Renault engine. I'm guessing the best they can hope for is a midfield car.

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well, why not get rubens AND senna in the team. the one can be tester (one of them both or maldonado, of course). WILLIAMS can trade them, use rubens mostly as a tester but he will still be able to put experience into play



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2012 01:08AM by mitadumapaga.

I very much Barichello would bother being a tester, he knows that if he did this there is no way he would ever get a seat again in F1. He either fines a full time seat or we've seen the last of him in F1.

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The 3rd driver / testing role worked out fine for Panis and de la Rosa (though arguably both were poorer drivers when they did return), but I can't see Rubens hanging around patiently year after year. He's got too much energy, and will want to race. I'd imagine he'd fit into a sportscar team effortlessly.

It's sad, as I've been a huge fan of Barrichello since Donny '93 (overshadowed by Senna, but it's an easy argument to suggest he was the better driver that day), but it looks like he's going to have to bite bullet and at least take a year out of F1, and judging by the majority of last season, I don't think he could have expected anything else.

If Rubens doesn't have a full time race drive in F1 this year then really he needs to accept that it is over as a way back in afterwards for someone with little longterm potential is going to be very unlikely.

I agree he could slot into endurance / GT racing very well, though I also sense he might end up in Brazilian Stock cars.

Definitely, in an ideal world Rubens and Senna would make a pretty good driver pairing in all kinds of ways. Damn Maldonado and his PDVSA backing, grrrr.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2012 07:49PM by EC83.

Senna confirmed for Williams! List updated

Cheers,
Iain.

Only one Team left, and i don't believe Sutil will drive for HRT i'm sure he is out too.

Just Petrov to Caterham then that we are waiting for.

I do think Rubens is going to pop up somewhere though, as a reserve driver or developer. Perhaps Mercedes. Or McLaren. Or Renault.

He has too much knowledge to let go of that easily.


Jenson drives it like he owns it; Lewis drives it like he stole it

Mclaren have lost Pedro, and its clear Paffet lacks speed, and of course the crucial experience needed to be a good test driver/developer.

Mclaren would do well to bag Rubens. But as he said himself, its a race drive or nothing. He'll go enjoy family time and who know's, he may pop up driving that Williams Jag at Le mans (heres hoping) .

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"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL

Wow!
I never thought it was really on. They must have a lot of faith in him if they've chosen him over Rubens.

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/2012 09:23PM by EC83.

Yeah, I think the f1 race drive opportuinity is now completely dried out for Rubens. I'd like to see him try Le Mans. I don't see him remaining in F1 as a test driver because there would be practically no opporunity for him to drive the real thing. It'd just be simulator work and the odd demo in outdated machinery.

I think Rubens would make a excellent driver coach though.

:D

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"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL

Have I missed something but normally at least a team thanks an outgoing driver. I haven't seen anything for Rubens. I sort of feel Frank and Patrick liked him when they took him on in 2009 but since then with Parr its been very frosty. I think Bruno does have real potential but its a team on the major slide. Sadly could see them not even there in 2013 or purchased on the cheap by some pariah.

Williams have never been good at showing their drivers due appreciation in public, and Rubens wouldn't be the first one if he doesn't get publicly thanked.

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Trulli today states he has his contract and has no fears or the Petrov rumours. He is having a seat fitting for the new car on Monday.

Trulli's drive for 2012 was supposedly sorted well before the end of last season, so if anybody else but him ends up with the drive it'll be a pretty @#$%&-up action by Caterham. Petrov might end up as a reserve driver for them though.

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Alleged sketches of the 2012 Ferrari... lots of McLaren and RedBull influences!

Pull rod suspension, dipped sidepods, exploiting the safety impact area rules and creating winglets in front of the sidepod.

Clever. They must be at make it or break it point!

Pull rod was last seen on the 2000 Arrows/Minardi from 2001 - coincidently driven by Alonso.

If this pushes Ferrari back up to the top, we could very well see low noses once again! Yippee!




Jenson drives it like he owns it; Lewis drives it like he stole it



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2012 11:44AM by danm.