147 replies to this topic

[alpiner]

Još će Vilijams na kraju uzeti di Restu ili Palmera samo da Kubica nebi oprao pod s Lensom 

Nisi razumeo poentu.. Tata Stroll je finansijer ekipe i onaj koji malom bude najpogodniji za učitelja dobija angažman. 

[alberto.ascari]

Ne verujem da Robert ima iole ozbiljnu šansu da sedne u Williams 2018. Jednostavno, taj nedostatak sponzora je odlučujući.

[alpiner]

Baš tako

 

Ako Masa želi i dalje da vozi ne vidim zašto bi ga menjali savršeno funkcioniše sa malim. Jedino da di Resta ima nekog ozbiljnog sponzora u šta sumnjam.

Edited by alpiner, 26 September 2017 - 21:42.

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

Dakle ostaje Palmer kao jedini s parama i 25+

[/13/Ален Шмит/]

Robert Kubica: Williams to give Polish driver two days of testing

Williams are to give Robert Kubica two days of testing this month to establish whether the Pole can make his comeback to Formula 1 after seven years away.

Kubica, 32, has not raced in F1 since he suffered life-changing injuries in a rally accident in 2011, and he has only partial movement in his right arm.

He tested for Renault three times in the summer but the French team decided not to take its interest further.

Williams now want to evaluate him as a potential replacement for Felipe Massa.

Is an F1 return possible for Kubica?
Kubica is due to test initially at Silverstone after the Japanese Grand Prix before moving on to a full assessment test at the Hungaroring and both outings are expected to be private.

Williams declined to comment.

The team plan to run for two days at the site of the Hungarian Grand Prix, with Kubica driving one day and Williams reserve driver Paul di Resta the other to provide a benchmark for Kubica's performance.

Di Resta, 31, also has an outside chance of being promoted to a race seat next season, but unless something changes, the decision over 2018 at this stage is fundamentally between Massa and Kubica.

The key question for Williams is whether Kubica is physically up to a return to F1.

Renault said in August that they still had "question marks" over Kubica's readiness to return to F1 after a day's test at the Hungaroring in their 2017 car.

But his manager says the driver is ready to make a return and Kubica will be determined to use the Williams test as a chance to prove it.

The main question marks are over the strength and mobility in his right arm, which was partially severed in the accident in 2011, in which he also suffered multiple fractures throughout his body.

Williams will want to establish whether he can manage the car in long, demanding corners, of which the Hungaroring has several, and can turn it around a tight hairpin.

His physical endurance in terms of the strength of his arm over a race distance is also a concern.

Di Resta filled in capably for Massa at the last minute when the Brazilian fell ill over the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend.

The Scot, who had last raced in F1 in 2013, qualified 0.7 seconds behind team-mate Lance Stroll despite not having sat in the car before qualifying started.

Massa retired at the end of last season because Williams intended to partner Stroll with Finn Valtteri Bottas this season and could not get a driver elsewhere.

But when Bottas moved to Mercedes following the retirement of world champion Nico Rosberg, the 36-year-old returned.

Although Stroll has impressed at some races, most notably Azerbaijan and Italy, Massa has comprehensively out-performed the 18-year-old Canadian rookie at most races this season, and has a sizeable advantage over him in qualifying of an average of around 0.7secs a lap.

But Williams are aware that Massa can be inconsistent and do not want to pass up the opportunity to take Kubica if he is close to the level he was before his acciden. He was regarded as one of the very best drivers in F1, with a talent comparable to that of Briton Lewis Hamilton and Spain's Fernando Alonso.

Stroll's father Lawrence is paying many millions of pounds a season for his son's position at Williams and is taking on an influential role at the team.

But he is said to have no say in the decision over who Williams recruits for 2018 and to be fully supportive of the team signing the best and most suitable driver.


http://www.bbc.com/s...rmula1/41483083

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

Felipe Massa says he is unaware of plans by Williams to test Robert Kubica and Paul di Resta as the team evaluates its driver options for 2018.

Massa told the media at today’s FIA press conference at Suzuka he won’t be attending the test. “I don’t know even if it’s true, the test, or not,” he added.

The team will use the 2014-specification car which Lance Stroll has been using for practice to run Kubica and Di Resta. However Massa doubts they will be able to glean much useful information from the running.

“Even if you do a test with a car which is four years before, completely different, cannot evaluate too much as well,” he said. “So it doesn’t change anything for me.”

Massa is in his fourth year with the team and said the test “doesn’t change anything for me” in terms of his chances of returning next year. “Williams know one hundred percent what I can give to the team,” he said.

The 36-year-old said he is “quite keen to do maybe another season” in 2018.

“I think I can give a lot to the team like I did already,” he said. “And I think maybe I can do another year but I don’t decide, the team decides.”

“I’m pretty relaxed. Trying to enjoy the races, trying to give the best to the team and that’s the most important thing. I’m talking with the team, definitely, for next year, and we are in discussions.”

Although Williams “don’t have a deadline” for a decision on next year Massa is keen to know his future before his home race in one month’s time. “Definitely I think it would be good for the team and also for myself that was know maybe before the race in Brazil.”

[/13/Ален Шмит/]

 

 

It's official! Paddy Lowe: "I can confirm Kubica will be testing the car. If he shows the form from the past, he will be an option"

 

Odlična vest, sad je sve na Kubici. Pukovnik ili pokojnik situacija. On je i dalje najbolja opcija za Vilijams što se tiče brzine (ako ju još uvek ima), svakako je brži od Mase/di Reste. Palmerov angažman bi bio očajnički pokušaj po scenariju Moniše, dva "pay driver" vozača bi oštetilo Vilijamsov obraz i brend. Đaba istorijsko nasleđe i Martinijevo livreje od istorijskog značaja.

[/13/Ален Шмит/]

Al opet, khmm Kubica je brži, gladniji i da ne nabrajam. Jedino što menja brzine jednom rukom, jedini hendikep ako se to tako može zvati.

 

Opet postoji i druga strana priče, od 2008 F1 nije imala bolide s ludačkom aerodinamikom sve do sada (osim možda 2010 ali tada je Ferari uništavao Masu kojeg je već uništio feder) tako da Masina era u Ferariju nije relevantna u priči. Ako mu zaista ne paše "sapun" aerodinamika Vilijamsa kojeg tim tvrdoglavo gura od nove turbo/hibridne ere a rekli su da spremaju po prvi put agresivni aero paket možda Masu to privlači zbog stila vožnje i radi sve da ga tim zadrži. No 10 godina je previše vremena, toliko mu treba da se vrati na staro. Previše, i za nas i za Vilijams te za njega uopšte.

 

F1 - ’Professional’ Williams team would keep me - Massa

Felipe Massa seems unhappy with the Williams team.

Earlier at Suzuka, team official Paddy Lowe said that while the Brazilian veteran is still in the running for 2018, Robert Kubica and Paul di Resta will be tested "in the next few weeks".

Another rumour is that Pascal Wehrlein could get Massa’s seat, perhaps as part of a discount on Williams’ expensive Mercedes engine bill.

Massa said in Japan: "I’m concerned that the team could choose a path that could bring difficulties for the team.

"I think Lance (Stroll) has made a lot of progress through the year so perhaps Williams should keep the current lineup," he added.

So when asked about Lowe’s admission that plenty of candidates are under consideration for the seat alongside Stroll next year, Massa said: "Paddy knows what’s best for the team.

"Unfortunately, this is just formula one. I think if Williams acts professionally, they will leave everything as it is."

Massa, 36, actually retired at the end of last year, and only returned to Williams when Valtteri Bottas headed to Mercedes at the last moment.

Asked why he is now so keen to stay in F1 for another year, Massa explained: "In the past three years the cars did not suit my driving style.

"There was not much grip, the tyres did not work in a good way — it was not fun and I could not compensate with my style.

"Now, when I can feel that I can push to the maximum, the motivation increases. I still believe I can give a lot to the team," he added.
 
http://motorsport.ne...ssa,121118.html

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

WILLIAMS RACING‏Verified account @WilliamsRacing

We had a very special guest at Grove yesterday. Thank you for visiting us Professor Stephen Hawking, it was our pleasure to show you around.



7:40 AM - 10 Oct 2017

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

Williams is not releasing information about Robert Kubica's test that took place at Silverstone this week.

All a spokesman for the British team would say about the Pole's run in a 2014 car was that it had been "successful".

"We will not be releasing any further information at this time," the spokesman said.

But it is believed Williams will follow up Kubica's Silverstone run on Wednesday with a more comprehensive two-day test in Hungary next week.

That test will also be attended by Paul di Resta, another contender to replace Felipe Massa next year.

"We will test those two drivers," team technical director Paddy Lowe confirmed.

"We won't give away any information around what we do within those tests -- that's a private matter for us and I would stress that it doesn't mean they're the only drivers under consideration."

[4_Webber]

Felipe Massa believes that Williams would find itself heading in a “much worse” direction if it doesn’t retain him alongside Lance Stroll next season.

 

“Lance is growing a lot, and to be honest I’m really doing a great job with my driving, so I think the team has a direction that it can just be positive to keep it the way it is. If the team changes something, they can pay more than it costs to keep me!

 

Odavno nisam video ovakvu dozu samokriticnosti.

Edited by 4_Webber, 13 October 2017 - 14:11.

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

The second Williams seat (or is it the first one?)
October 13, 2017 by Joe Saward

Lance Stroll will be staying at Williams next year. He has not had a bad first season with team, but neither has he blown away Felipe Massa. There have been 16 races so far and Massa has outqualified Stroll 12-3, the remaining race was when Massa was unwell and handed over the car to Paul di Resta, who started from the back. Massa has scored points 10 times, Stroll six times, but when both cars have finished (only eight times) Massa has been ahead on five occasions and Stroll on three.

In terms of World Championship points the score is 34 – 32, with Stroll having benefited from his somewhat fortunate podium in Baku, when both Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton hit trouble (Vettel’s self-inflicted, Hamilton’s caused by a loose headrest). In addition, Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen retired and so it was a rather unusual event. Without that, Stroll’s numbers would be less impressive. Having said that, overall the Williams team has been underperforming significantly, given the fact that it has Mercedes engines. The team has scored only 66 points, while direct rival and fellow Mercedes customer Force India has collected 147. That is a massacre. What is required, therefore, above all else, is a better technical package for 2018 because (these days) there is no driver in the world who can take an uncompetitive car and beat competitive machinery on a regular basis. So, the pressure is on Paddy Lowe and his crew to deliver a better bolide. When it comes to the drivers, it all really depends on how one rates Felipe Massa. The 36-year-old Brazilian has won 11 Grands Prix in his 14 and a half seasons in F1. His last victory was his most famous one, in Brazil 2008 when he seemed to be World Champion for a few seconds before Lewis Hamilton snatched it from him.

In 2009 Felipe suffered significant head injuries when he was hit by a flying part that had come off another car. He returned to Ferrari in 2010 but has never won since. He joined Williams in 2014 and is popular with the team and with the sponsors, but was not going to be retained this year (the score in qualifying was 17-4 in favour of Valtteri Bottas) and he retired (the only other option was to be dumped). Nico Rosberg’s shock decision to quit handed Massa a second chance as Bottas went to Mercedes, leaving Williams with a seat to fill.

It is always difficult to put drivers into a pecking order, particularly as they develop over the time, but on paper Bottas was better than Massa and he is better than Stroll, and thus in F1 terms Stroll is no match for Bottas, who has not been as competitive as Lewis Hamilton. In other words, Stroll is not another Hamilton. And what Williams needs is a driver who will not only score well, but also motivate the workforce and drive the team forward. Keeping Massa is unlikely to do that. Paul di Resta, the team’s reserve driver, who has been out of F1 races since 2013 (except for his own race as stand-in for Massa). Prior to that he had a largely-unsuccessful three-year stint with Force India being in the shadow of Adrian Sutil in 2011 and Nico Hulkenberg in 2012 but then beating Sutil in 2013. He then returned to his career in DTM. In his favour are the facts that he is British and over 25, which is important to the team’s title sponsor Martini.

Robert Kubica, who has been testing for Williams this week, has not raced an F1 car since 2010, at which point he was very much a rising star and had a deal to drive for Ferrari. He lost it all when he hurt himself very badly in an accident while competing on a minor rally in Italy. His right arm was significantly damaged and it is only after a string of operations that he has got to a point where he can drive an F1 car again. He has to convince the team that he still has all the necessary elements to be an F1 star despite, in effect, driving with one arm. It would be a great fairytale if it were to come true, but Robert needs to be convince Williams that he is the man it needs. The downside for Robert is that Renault had the chance to take him in 2018 and did not do so. The final option appears to be Pascal Wehrlein, who has driven well this year with Sauber. He’s young and he’s strong, but there seems to be little interest at Sauber to keep him because it has thrown its lot in with Maranello and is expected to take Ferrari youngsters Charles Lecclerc and Antonio Giovinazzi next year. Wehrlein is a quality driver, which is why he is a Mercedes protégé but his shyness sometimes comes across as arrogance and he lost out to Esteban Ocon for the Force India drive this year. He is probably the best best for Williams, if Mercedes is willing to provide practical support. The question Mercedes has to answer is whether it has too many young drivers. There are Ocon and the young George Russell, and it is no secret that the team’s first choice as a replacement for Lewis Hamilton or Valtteri Bottas is Max Verstappen. One can envisage a future line-up of Verstappen/Ocon in the mid-term.

In the end we might end up with a three-driver combination with two actually driving and the third being used as an ambassador (as Mika Hakkinen is used by Johnnie Walker). Martini wants a driver over 25 to help sell its vermouth and Stroll/Wehrlein is too young a combination. If one looks at the use of Martini branding one sees Massa is full kit and Stroll with different shirts and caps, although the cars remain the same. This is because the alcohol industry has a voluntary agreement not to use stars/models under 25 to promote its goods. Thus Massa does the Martini work. Without him, neither driver could do it, but he could stay on (if it suited him) as a Martini salesman.

[4_Webber]

Jasno je da je Masino povlacenje prosle godine bila farsa. On nije zeleo u penziju, samo mu je bilo glupo da ostane bez mesta i onda je smislio pricu da se povlaci.

[/13/Ален Шмит/]

Meh