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[LewEngBridewell]

Mark my word, Kobayashi will score Caterham's first WCC point in 2014. How's that for an addendum to your siggy Lemony?

I bloody hope so! It's about time those green cars were a bit further up the order!

[NHcheese]

Obviously he wil win points. He will win the championship in that car. That car is the fastest there.

[What's Burning?]

That Kobayashi pass on Vettel was pretty entertaining and as if Vettel didn't already have the sound bite of the weekend, "Are you kidding, honestly? Tell him to get out of the way. Unbelievable! He's got new tyres, of course he's quicker!"

[Jabberwocky]

I read somewhere he was only given the job because the needed someone to beat Bianchi

[myownalias]

I read somewhere he was only given the job because the needed someone to beat Bianchi

Why is that odd? surely any team employs a driver to beat their rivals?

[Jabberwocky]

Yes but to name the driver he has to beat is odd. I suppose it also goes to show that Caterham and Marussia did not expect to jump forward this year

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[myownalias]

I don't think Caterham or Marussia ever will move forward because of the lack of financial resources they have; this is why Kobayashi has to beat Bianchi for the extra millions in prize money for 10th place. I honestly don't ever see the F1 newbies every breaking into the midfield as things stand!

[Jabberwocky]

I think this year was there best chance as the new rules almost wiped the slate clean. One good idea would of brought them up the grid.

Maybe that is the problem, they have to be conservative because if the go extreme and it is wrong they will be dead in the water.

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[myownalias]

That would make sense; the financial gulf between top teams and the also-rans (let's call them what they are) is near £200m; whatever these teams start the season with is; for the most part what they will end the season with as there is zero budget to continue developing the car in any significant way!

[LRW]

I think this year was there best chance as the new rules almost wiped the slate clean.....?

But did they really? Mercedes / Ferrari etc will have been working on the designn of their new car, at least at some level, for the last couple of years. No way Caterham and Marussia will have had the resources to do that.

[myownalias]

The new formula certainly didn't wipe the slate clean; Mercedes & Ferrari have an advantage as they had access to the specs and size of the new power unit before customer teams, allowing for the cars to be designed around the power unit from the outset, so they have a definite advantage during 2014, although you wouldn't believe it in Ferrari's case.

[Jabberwocky]

I am on about them moving into the mid field. Not fighting the works teams

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[myownalias]

I am on about them moving into the mid field. Not fighting the works teams

Still comes down to money; the more funds, the better people you can hire; the better people you hire, the better design, ultimately you get what you pay for!