23 replies to this topic

[Petroltorque]

I think the most interesting of the Brazilian race is to see who holds on to the tenth spot. As you will know there is no longer a Concorde agreement but rather an ad hoc agreement with the individual teams for signing up to compete for the next 7 years. I believe that Marussia have now signed an agreement with Ecclestone but that does not deflect from the fact that there is only a prize fund allocation for the top 10.

 Renault are asking euro 23 millions for their power train. Can Caterham afford that without a slice of the prize fund?

[PayasYouRace]

I hadn't even noticed that Marussia were ahead this year. It could be a repeat of last, with Caterham snatching it in Interlagos. I think there's been less focus on the "new" teams in the TV coverage this year.

[SenorSjon]

It is next to impossible with current reliability to score points as a 'new' team. They are in the business since 2010 and both haven't scored a single point whereas points awarded are top 10 now. Add HRT and the three teams have run 4 seasons without points. You can start to say, why bother trying?

[sopa]

I find it amazing that in 4 years we have not had a single race with no more than 10 finishers, which means a so-called new team would have scored points. In the past we had such races, like Monaco 2004, USA 2004, Australia 2008, where less than 10 cars finished the race. This was already in the era, when we had higher reliability rates in general. I think even in a race like Silverstone 2008 a Caterham would have stood a chance of top 10. Though with more than 10 finishers, some of the last guys (like Massa) were hopelessly slow and spinning.

 

Closest has been last year Brazil with Caterham getting 11th and Marussia 12th, which means 8 of the 18 "old team" cars hit trouble. Still always more than half get to the finish more or less fine.

[LuckyStrike1]

So if a Caterham places 12th with no Marussia ahead of it, the 10th spot goes to Caterham instead. 

 

As always this just comes down to luck and circumstances. A chaotic GP with rain and they could do it. Under normal circumstances - not. 

[Nustang70]

Caterham lucked out last year.  It's really unlikely it'll happen for them again.

[Roscoe]

They did luck out last year, but they've been the better team this year over the whole season.  I've said before the constructors needs a rule change for the back end teams not scoring points.  Seems silly that 18 out of 19 races will become completely irrelevant.

 

I hope Caterham sneak ahead but I very much doubt they will.

Edited by Roscoe, 22 November 2013 - 10:41.

[ArkZ]

Fingers crossed for Marussia they deserve it, Caterham lucked into it last year.

[Burtros]

Fernandes is more interested in his Football Club than his F1 Team it seems.

 

Good luck to Marussia IMHO.

[thomasbrianwright]

Best of luck to the Marussia team! I've been a big fan of them since the get-go! 

 

-Thomas B. Wright

[ApexMouse]

...why?

[hippie]

So if a Caterham places 12th with no Marussia ahead of it, the 10th spot goes to Caterham instead. 

 

As always this just comes down to luck and circumstances. A chaotic GP with rain and they could do it. Under normal circumstances - not. 

Marussia: 1x13th, 1x14th
Caterham: 3x14th

If a Caterham driver scores 13th or higher in Brazil while keeping both Marussia drivers behind him, Caterham rises to 10th in the WCC.

[charly0418]

So they need 5 DNFs from teams that have scored points. Yikes. If there's no lap 1 carambolage the its over

[joshb]

They haven't been able to get into the midfield like Force India did within 2-3 years. Their development rate has been about par with the others so if they were 3-4 secs back in 2010 and they're still 3-4 secs back now.

Surprised though inm 4 years, not one of them has got a point yet or we haven't had a really attritional race

[Petroltorque]

So they need 5 DNFs from teams that have scored points. Yikes. If there's no lap 1 carambolage the its over

Not necessarily. The times yesterday show that in full wet conditions Caterham has a car advantage but in damp/ drying conditions Marussia has better traction. It will depernd on what conditions are like on race day and whether or not the mid field runners suffer hiccups.

 IIRC last year Marussia had a significant performance advantage over Caterham from Singapore onwards and that was in a car not running KERS. In Brazil 2012 Glock had a 24s advantage over the leading Caterham till he was rear ended by Vergne under the safety car. In addition Pic's suicidal decision to lead cars through at the Murgello corner gifted the pass to Petrov.

 This year Caterham have been inept, starting the season with a 2012 hack chassis was just stupid.

[Petroltorque]

They haven't been able to get into the midfield like Force India did within 2-3 years. Their development rate has been about par with the others so if they were 3-4 secs back in 2010 and they're still 3-4 secs back now.

Surprised though inm 4 years, not one of them has got a point yet or we haven't had a really attritional race

One has to remember that the new teams entered the championship 1 year after the new rules started. It's just impossible to make up a years worth of development on a limited resource.

[SenorSjon]

FI is no comparison. As Jordan they were race winners and as such, the team basis is over 20 years old.

[DanardiF1]

Fernandes is more interested in his Football Club than his F1 Team it seems.

 

Good luck to Marussia IMHO.

 

Well he's going to have to pay a massive fine for breaching the Financial Fair Play restrictions in last season's stupid attempts to keep his team in the Premier League by hiring mercenaries on massive contracts. The fact he's doing the same this season in the Championship despite the fact he'll have to forfeit the money he'd get from the Premier League for getting promoted back up is just stupid.

 

http://www.mirror.co...ld-face-2802097

 

It seems that he's wasting a lot of money on QPR that could be put to Caterham, but as you say his priorities may have shifted a little.

[Ragnar668]

Weekend Forecast

 

Today Nov 23

Chance of rain: 80%

 

Sun Nov 24

Chance of rain: 70%

 

Edited by Ragnar668, 23 November 2013 - 09:41.

[SenorSjon]

So a dry race then.

[ATM]

Ah, come on, we've had dry races nearly all season. 

Let's hope for a wet race and see who fumbles where. It would end the season on a high (and it maybe would give us a chance of seeing somebody else other than Vettel win it- anybody, please, I don't care who, it could be even Stefano Domenicali riding a white horse - just gimme some diversity, please). \

 

Plus, it would give the back-markers  the break they've been looking for. Scoring a point is much more probable (not easier, though) in chaotic race wet conditions

Edited by ATM, 24 November 2013 - 11:47.

[Petroltorque]

Even with a wet race the back marker would have to gamble. It would mean putting a full wet setting on the car and hoping it stays wet. My guess is this is what Caterham have opted for as they have nothing to lose. The smart money would stick to a dry setup with a couple more clicks of front wing that you could dial out as the surface dries. Anyway we won't have to wait much longer!

[JHSingo]

Nothing about this race disinterests me more than the discussion of which, out of who teams who haven't ever scored a point, will claim 10th in the championship. Who cares? They're both as rubbish as each other, really.

[Kelateboy]

Caterham was lucky last year.

 

Marussia should bag 10th place this year.