58 replies to this topic

[Tron]

After almost 10 years of service to Ferrari, and being Massa's "radio guardian", Rob Smedley is likely heading to Williams after Massa's departure.

 

Could it be that Massa is heading there as well?

 

And does this strengthen Slade's probable arrival to Ferrari?

 

http://autosprint.co...williams/10225/

[David Lightman]

I bet only his Mum calls him Robert.

[Artkab2013]

British team with great history. Good for him. Maybe they could also settle a seat for Massa - it was a good combo.

Edited by Artkab2013, 12 September 2013 - 14:00.

[CrashPad]

Yeah, just like Massa's Mum is the only one to call Felipe a baby....oh wait

[undersquare]

Hope it's in a more senior role.  

 

Not that I really know how capable he is, I just have a feeling he's been kept as an RE to shepherd Felipe all these years while other RE's have progressed up the ladder.

[Andrew Hope]

"Robert" Smedley makes him sound like a guy from a different era of F1, like he was a young guy in the 60s when everyone else in the sport was old and proper.

 

"I say Reginald, did you hear the news? It seems the young Yorkshire upstart Robert Smedley has been taken on by Scuderia Ferrari to hold pit signs over the wall for von Trips"

[Burtros]

This will only be good for Williams if it happens, and be interesting to see what sort of role he gets.

 

I dont want to see Massa in one of their cars though. I honestly think he is done in F1.

[Tron]

So here's the latest.

 

Maldonado might go to Lotus taking with him the sponsor, Pdsva, and Massa enters Williams with Brazilian petrol company, Petrobus.

 

http://autosprint.co...williams/10229/

[Artkab2013]

So here's the latest.

 

Maldonado might go to Lotus taking with him the sponsor, Pdsva, and Massa enters Williams with Brazilian petrol company, Petrobus.

 

http://autosprint.co...williams/10229/

Keep going! 

 

While arguably we will have the best pair with ALO-RAI, we also might have the deadliest one. 

[SPBHM]

So here's the latest.

 

Maldonado might go to Lotus taking with him the sponsor, Pdsva, and Massa enters Williams with Brazilian petrol company, Petrobus.

 

http://autosprint.co...williams/10229/

 

it's Petrobras, they sponsored (actually provided the fuel) Williams for like 10 years until the late 2000's

[Tonka]

What's up with Rob?  He's never been missing the cold & wet of England ?

 

Does he lose the house when his divorce from Felipe is finalised ?

[Tsarwash]

Williams would be a good place for Massa to go to next year. And Rob Smedley joining Williams is likely to get them a bit more attention, because the F1 TV editors like the sound of his voice. Win win. 

[Gorma]

Does this mean that Mark Slade is going to Ferrari?

[string158]

That would be a good move for him.  Hopefully he gets more responsibility etc, but it would be interesting if Massa ended up there too.

MAL & GRO at Lotus?  Hmmmmmm.  I guess that MAL would bring in that much needed money....

[MustangSally]

So here's the latest.
 
Maldonado might go to Lotus taking with him the sponsor, Pdsva, and Massa enters Williams with Brazilian petrol company, Petrobus.

Petrobras was a long time former sponsor of Williams. Reportedly, they fell out because Frank wouldn't have any Petrobras green on his blue cars.

There is some rationale to this speculation. With Massa out of a job and Esteban looking insecure, maybe Williams could corner the market in Brazilian presence.

That Pastor is a real mixed blessing. Blindingly quick but also brainlessly brain dead. His whole career has been one of throwing races followed by wins followed by disqualifications and dnfs. Hard to see the pattern ever changing.

Edited by MustangSally, 12 September 2013 - 14:53.

[William Hunt]

Nothing against Massa but I think the other Felipe (Nasr) would be a better choice for Williams

[GustavoB]

So here's the latest.

 

Maldonado might go to Lotus taking with him the sponsor, Pdsva, and Massa enters Williams with Brazilian petrol company, Petrobus.

 

http://autosprint.co...williams/10229/

 

Sorry, but it will not happen. The brazilian government is busy "spending" all the money that Petrobras can generate to try reelect our actual president, they don't have time to invest the money in racing cars.

[madrocker]

I, for one, hope that, wherever Massa goes to, he gets a new race engineer: he needs new air, a new atmosphere and forming new relations with another RE could be good for performance reevaluation.

Edited by madrocker, 12 September 2013 - 15:06.

[Artkab2013]

Well Smedley (or another lad like Slade) could worth extra couple of tenth. Before Smedley Massa was quite average during 2006, with him he become a really quick guy.

[F.M.]

I'm not going to be looking for quotes since this is from 2007 or 2008 or so, but Smedley has always said that he didn't want to be a race engineer his whole life, but that he and Massa have become like brothers and that therefor he will stay his race engineer for as long as he is at Ferrari. However, when Massa leaves Ferrari he wants to move on to an other job in F1 and move back to the UK to his family.

[jimjimjeroo]

Big change is afoot at Williams! I have a feeling in my water, team to watch!

[LuckyStrike1]

I bet only his Mum calls him Robert.

 

I think it was his mum who started this topic

[eronrules]

what is it with Williams F1??? have they become Ferrari retirement house or something??? First Barichello and now massa. weird.

 

back on topic, according to brasilian media, felipe nasr has a big package waiting for him to enter F1, so my guess is it's not massa but Nasr who has a better chance at williams.

 

but time will tell i suppose. 

[Baddoer]

Good move.

Madonado -> Lotus, Massa -> Williams, Hulkenberg -> Force India, Sutil -> DTM 

Everyone happy 

[Andrew Hope]

Good move.

Madonado -> Lotus, Massa -> Williams, Hulkenberg -> Force India, Sutil -> DTM 

Everyone happy 

Everyone might be happy, but Sutil's the best driver of all four there.

[Baddoer]

Everyone might be happy, but Sutil's the best driver of all four there.

Nice joke.

[Tron]

Good move.

Madonado -> Lotus, Massa -> Williams, Hulkenberg -> Force India, Sutil -> DTM 

Everyone happy 

 

I don't think Hulk will be happy with that.

[Tarzaan]

Nothing against Massa but I think the other Felipe (Nasr) would be a better choice for Williams

Why? He doesn't even win a race in GP2.

[eronrules]

Why? He doesn't even win a race in GP2.

he's not a stellar performer, but a consistent one. his campaign so far is pretty damn good. if we praise kimi for his consistency, then Felipe should also be praised. and like kimi, his retirement at monza and spa has cost him dearly in the points standing. he's had 3 second place, 2 third place and couple of good points finishes as well so far. 

 

but this is seriously OT regarding to the OP 

[Amphicar]

There is some rationale to this speculation. With Massa out of a job and Esteban looking insecure, maybe Williams could corner the market in Brazilian presence.
 

Eh? Esteban Gutierrez is Mexican not Brazillian

[PayasYouRace]

Nothing against Massa but I think the other Felipe (Nasr) would be a better choice for Williams

 

How about both? It's been too long since the commentator's nightmare paring of Martin Brundle and Mark Blundell.

[William Hunt]

it's a pitty that Murray Walker is not commentating F1 anymore, it would be massive fun to hear him confusing Felipe Massa with Felipe Nasr all the time

[Fastcake]

As long as they keep broadcasting his messages, we'll be fine

[William Hunt]

Why? He doesn't even win a race in GP2.

 

I rate Nasr as the most complete driver in the GP2 field of this year: He uses his brain, hardly makes driving errors, is very consistent but also quick, he knows when to attack and when to hold back and has a good understanding of tyre wear. If he had a bit more luck he would have been leading the championship and a race win is long overdue for him. 

 

Add his sponsors in the mix and he is a very attractive package to F1 teams looking for a talented driver with money. I would certainly pick him over Massa, without a single doubt.

Edited by William Hunt, 12 September 2013 - 23:56.

[Spillage]

I don't think this means anything regarding Massa - just that Smedley was loyal to Felipe and now Felipe is gone he is moving on with his career - perhaps, as has been suggested here, to a more senior role than he held at Ferrari.

[KiloWatt]

So here's the latest.
 
Maldonado might go to Lotus taking with him the sponsor, Pdsva, and Massa enters Williams with Brazilian petrol company, Petrobus.
 
http://autosprint.co...williams/10229/

Grosjean and Maldonado in the same team?! Are they out of their minds? What idiot thinks that will be a good idea?

[BiH]

Good move.

Madonado -> Lotus, Massa -> Williams, Hulkenberg -> Force India, Sutil -> DTM 

Everyone happy 

 

More like Paul out from Force India and Sutil staying.

 

Sutil wipes the floor with any of those other three.

[JHSingo]

How about both? It's been too long since the commentator's nightmare paring of Martin Brundle and Mark Blundell.

 

Reminds me of a moment when I attended the British Grand Prix several years ago. I think it was 2009, when Nasr was in Formula BMW, and there was an announcement over the PA that "Felipe Nasr has been put to the back of the grid owing to a technical infringement." Cue confused looks on people nearby and people repeating that Felipe Massa had been put to the back of the grid. Those with the better hearing had to then correct them...

[William Hunt]

More like Paul out from Force India and Sutil staying.

 

 

di Resta still has a contract for 2014, Sutil does not

[sopa]

My first thought reading the title was that Williams needs someone to tame Pastor's aggression. "Pastor baby stay cool, think before you overtake!"

[BRG]

di Resta still has a contract for 2014, Sutil does not

Not to mention more WDC points than Sutil.

[Frankbullitt]

I could see Massa going to Williams, but Williams is not a friendly place for Brazilians, they have a habit of ending their careers.

[V3TT3L]

I could see Massa going to Williams, but Williams is not a friendly place for Brazilians, they have a habit of ending their careers.

Not friendly to Britons either, just ask Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill.

[garoidb]

I could see Massa going to Williams, but Williams is not a friendly place for Brazilians, they have a habit of ending their careers.

 

Piquet got a WDC there, and continued his career.

[Tron]

Not friendly to Britons either, just ask Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill.

 

A certain very young Button was shoved out of the way for Montoya's arrival too.

As was Coultard for Villeneuve.

[V3TT3L]

Just wanted to pinpoint that Williams is hard on everybody [Frentzen, Webber, Schumacher, etc], not just Brazilians ane even Britons.

 

Its not very savy to mistreat your most important employee[s]. After all a company is all about employees.

[Option1]

I'm sure Sir Frank will be very pleased to receive all this management advice from experts who've obviously overseen far more World Championship success than he ever has...

 

Neil

[V3TT3L]

How about this advise: Frank, give Newey a partnership in your team or you might end with a Wolff later.

[Tron]

How about this advise: Frank, give Newey a partnership in your team or you might end with a Wolff later.

 

[hogstar]

Not friendly to Britons either, just ask Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill.