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[andrew]

The 2012/2013 Silly Season seems to be well underway now with a few rumours of driver moves doing the rounds so probably time to open the thread for it.

So far it seems that the driver and teams line-up for the 2013 season will be as follows:

Red Bull Renault = Vettel and ??
McLaren Mercedes = Button and ??
Scuderia Ferrari = Alonso and ??
Mercedes GP = Rosberg and ??
Lotus Renault = Räikkönen and ??
Sauber Ferrari = ?? and ??
Toro Rosso Ferarri = ?? and ??
Force India Mercedes = ?? and ??
Williams Renault = ?? and ??
Caterham Renault = ?? and ??
Hispania Cosworth = Pedro de la Rosa and ??
Marussia Cosworth = Glock and ??

Lot of empty seats still to be filled so looks like the driver market is going to be extremely competitive.

As usual there are the rumours of Ferrari ditching Massa with Webber taking his place and Schumacher retiring for the 2nd time, wioth di Resta taking his place at Merc. I can see Sauber wanting to keep their current driver line-up as both are doing a good job, though this will depend on what teams come knocking on the drivers' doors.

The latest rumour hot off the press is that Hamilton is going to leave McLaren before the end of the season (linky dinky doo dah to a flimsy rumour). Can't see it for much the same reason that I can't see Vettel leaving Red Bull before their respective contracts expire - these teams are effectively their home in F1.

Discuss.

[LewEngBridewell]

Things look a little less certain than this time last year. It's about time this thread got started. The old one was getting... well... old.

[andrew]

There are a lot of contracts ending at the end of the season so there are a lot of seats up for grabs.

I can see Williams keeping Maldo. If nothing else he brings a load of cash. He has a lot of promise if he can unleash the beast in a controlled way.

[LewEngBridewell]

Seeing Glock still in that Marussia seat will be bloody depressing if the team make no further progress. The guy was so good, back in the Jordan and especially the Toyota days.

[andrew]

Glock is indeed a good driver and is going to waste at Marussia. I wouldn't be surprised if HRT and Marussia were absent next season.

[LewEngBridewell]

Glock is indeed a good driver and is going to waste at Marussia. I wouldn't be surprised if HRT and Marussia were absent next season.

I'm going to swing the opposite way, and say they'll probably still be there next season. Whether or not they'll still be way off the pace is uncertain.

[vlad]

Glock has sold his soul to the devil on that rainy day in Brasil, 2008...

[LewEngBridewell]

Glock has sold his soul to the devil on that rainy day in Brasil, 2008...

Oooooooooooo! Conspiracy!

That still remains an iconic F1 moment though, 3 and a half years later.

[darwin dali]

Glock is indeed a good driver and is going to waste at Marussia. I wouldn't be surprised if HRT and Marussia were absent next season.

I'm going to swing the opposite way, and say they'll probably still be there next season. Whether or not they'll still be way off the pace is uncertain.

As uncertain as a dog turd having an unpleasant taste??
[youtube]3oVmGF39Nyk[/youtube]

[andrew]

Glock has sold his soul to the devil on that rainy day in Brasil, 2008...

Thus why his career is going down the cludgy.

[LewEngBridewell]

Glock has sold his soul to the devil on that rainy day in Brasil, 2008...

Thus why his career is going down the cludgy.

He'll turn Marussia into winners yet, just like Schumacher did with Ferrari from 1996. Mark my words.

[vaptin]

Hulkenburg or Glock to Mercedes assuming they want a German driver.

Sir Jackie Stewart suggested Di Resta go to Ferrari as an understudy to Alonso, but it'll probably be Perez?

Webber to stay with Redbull maybe, I don't think he'll retire, I'm not sure about Ferrari, there are younger long term options on the grid with a fair amount of f1 experience, they've got Alonso to lead the team and provide race wins, they don't need the second driver to be fully developed.

It seems time for Bianchi and Bird to step into f1, but how many empty seats will there be for them?

It's almost guaranteed Torro Rosso will get rid of one of their drivers isn't it?

Is Hamilton back to being managed by his dad? I think that might make a difference.

[LewEngBridewell]

It's almost guaranteed Torro Rosso will get rid of one of their drivers isn't it?

If neither Ricciardo or Vergne are offered alternative deals, then I'm not too sure. Buemi and Alguersuari stayed together at Toro Rosso for a while, didn't they?

[vaptin]

It's almost guaranteed Torro Rosso will get rid of one of their drivers isn't it?

If neither Ricciardo or Vergne are offered alternative deals, then I'm not too sure. Buemi and Alguersuari stayed together at Toro Rosso for a while, didn't they?

You might be right, I think Alguersuari was parachuted in 2009?

But Torro Rosso threw both of them out to bring in the next generation, even they having at least one experienced driver probably would've helped them as a competitive team.

[LewEngBridewell]

It's almost guaranteed Torro Rosso will get rid of one of their drivers isn't it?

If neither Ricciardo or Vergne are offered alternative deals, then I'm not too sure. Buemi and Alguersuari stayed together at Toro Rosso for a while, didn't they?

You might be right, I think Alguersuari was parachuted in 2009?

But Torro Rosso threw both of them out to bring in the next generation, even they having at least one experienced driver probably would've helped them as a competitive team.

Yeah, Alguersuari replaced Sebastian Bourdais, who I've always thought was unfairly ousted from Toro Rosso and had his F1 career cut drastically short. From thereon, he was Buemi's team-mate until the end of 2011.