Red Bull Racing has announced that it is going to keep the same driver line-up again in 2013. Sebastian Vettel is already under contract for next year and Mark Webber has now been signed on a one-year deal, which means that rumours of the Australian going to Ferrari to partner Fernando Alonso have failed to become a reality.
“I’ve been with Red Bull Racing since 2007 and have achieved nine grand prix wins during that time,” he said. “I’m high on confidence at the moment and firing on all cylinders. I know the team well and I’m very comfortable here; we have grown together over the years and it feels like absolutely the right thing to stay with Red Bull for another season. The team is constantly working hard to improve in all areas and we’ve shown that together we can win races. It’s great to be able to make this announcement off the back of the win in Silverstone at the weekend and I’m looking forward to competing on the edge and pushing myself in every race again next season.”
Well done, Mark.
Crucially should ensure support from the team for a title challenge this season.
No room for Webber at Ferrari as Kubica is going to pull a Lauda / Hakkinen comeback and put that Italian to use!
Is that before or after Bernie Ecclestone is named as the new Pope?
After, Ecclestone is already the Pope of F1, keep the faith
I thought “Angels and Demons” was supposed to be fiction.
Still many a true word said etc
Hope not Joe; it’s easier to get an audience with the Pope at the moment than with Bernie Ecclestone..
Catch you out that announcement Joe? No discussions of How the merry go round may be restricted?
Possibly only “Big” seat going will be Massa’s at Ferrari.
Schumacher probably still addicted to F1 and he’s doing enough with a poor car to get another year?
May Lotus will see through Kimi’s average performances and get rid….but probably not.
Mmmm. That’s your lot me thinks…Except for the minor placings.
If you don’t like what I write, don’t read it.
Exactly. What Joe said.
Crucially in the Red Bull press release, he notes the discussions with Ferrari which I believe you alluded to, Joe.
I love the fact I can keep my Red Bull branded merch, but I would love to see an Aussie (him or Dan Ricciardo!) at Ferrari.
Exactly right. Same nonsense on Andrew Benson’s blog about being biased in favour of Jensen, week in and week out. Good on you.
So the question has to be who will replace Massa at Ferrari? As much as I like Massa he’s lost his edge since he came back from his accident. Whether it’s the after effects of the accident, or changes to the tyres only he and Ferrari will know the answer.
The three candidates that stand out for me would be Perez, Di Resta (if he isn’t bound to Mercedes), and Grosjean. All three would be fast enough to keep Alonso on his toes.
I think if Massa puts in two or three more podium/close to podium performances again this year, he’ll secure his place again next year. I really don’t think Ferrari like the idea of taking on a young, barely experienced driver. They seem set up to waiting for other teams to develop them and then signing them up later in their career. Massa is ideal for them if he remains fighting for the 3rd to 6th placings.
If I was Ferrari I’d call Di Resta…and ask for his cousin’s phone number.
Great news for Mark! Hopefully he’ll have number 1 on his car next year too!
Although secretly I would have been happy to be buying Ferrari branded Webber kit!
Tough day for Ricciardo and Vergne.
They’ll probably move up in 2014 ?
Another year won’t do either of them any harm.
Neither has shown themselves to be anywhere near ready.
Jaime Alguersuari and Sébastien Buemi were a better pairing.
I think we’re seeing Marko’s success rate in the young drivers programme was limited to Vettel. Though I think Ricciardo and Vegne will get another season to show promise – or a similar massacre to last seasons Toro Rosso driver roster is pretty likely after that.
And half vettel also spent a fair bit of time at BMW so marko can’t even claim all the credit
Interesting article about Marko in GP+
It’s hard go gauge how good Ricciardo and Vergne are when the car is largely a dog.
One driver has done better than the other dog in races. One driver has half the F1 experience of the other. One driver has out qualified the other. There are clear patterns.
Don’t think they will have webber in 2014, although given the new regulations are meant to be coming in then they may want to keep him to help with development as he has alot more development experience than vergne or ricciardo would.
This makes sense for Mark. Am sure Red Bull will provide him with another Adrian Newy race-winning ‘gem’ for next season as well. If he went to Ferrari, there’s no telling what quality of equipment the Scuderia would provide him with. One thing’s for certain though; they’d provide him with a red-hot competitive team mate but he’s got one of those already.