2012 season review part 3; mclaren sauber toro rosso and hrt
mclaren
@cbeSudha : With the car and drivers McLaren had they should have won the WCC and given Hamilton a real shot at winning the WDC. In the early part of the season, when they had the fastest car they squandered points through pit stops and errors. Then they endured a mid-season slump. When they again had the fastest car during the Asian Leg, reliability issues effectively ended their titles challenge. Another wasted year for this team who have not won a Constructors' Title for 14 seasons now.
@DarshanChokhani : "Reliability, silly mistakes" lead this team to somewhat a poor position. Although both Hamilton & Button got wins and scored good points, they were well out of contention from the main battles. The team had to suffer and fight for P2 in CC with Ferrari who had a below par car from McLaren in pace. They ended P3 in CC, they deserved better. The leaving of Hamilton at the end of 2012 is also a blow for the team.
@jo_johnson63 : Where do you start? They should have walked the WCC this season and Lewis could very well have clinched the WDD. The pit stop fiascos and reliability issues should not have happened. They have mostly had the fastest car on the grid but did do better in the second half of the season. That "five wheel"pit stop was fantastic!
@NigelBeechey : Where to start... what a season! Win the first race, look to be competitive and quite in control then the wheels fall off. Perhaps too much effort went into world record pit stops, I don't know. It's a pity they lost Lewis. As much I am a die hard McLaren fan, that's how it looks to me. Lewis and JB look to be an ideal pairing. Onwards and upwards.
@MarussiaF1Will : A very good season for them despite dropping down to third in the WCC with seven wins. Ultimately, the car's reliability let them down on many occasions and would have had a few more wins. Jenson had another good season and will do well as team leader next year. With Sergio Perez at the wheel too, they might get a few more wins.
@hedgeryhoops : As a member of McLaren, I've had my head in my hands for most of the season. It started so well, A McLaren 1-2 lockout for Australia, finishing 1st and 3rd. They then feel asleep in the development race, numerous pit stops were screwed up costs both drivers but mainly Hamilton points, and despite Hamilton's amazing victory in Canada, it wasn't until Hungary that they were finally on level terms. Then came the car failures, Jenson in Monza, Hamilton in Singapore and Abu Dhabi. Add these and Hamilton's retirements in Spa and Brazil that were of no fault of his own, Lewis should have been in a three way fight with Vettel and Alonso in Brazil for the WDC. Additionally, these failures at McLaren lead to them being overtaken by Ferrari for 2nd in the WCC, costing them millions of Euros. Now Lewis has left for Mercedes, in fearful for 2013.
@AFC_Harry34 : McLaren had a decent season. Button had a great start to the season, winning in Australia, but he failed to continue his early form. In contrast, Hamilton started poorly, but picked up his form having not been able to convert poles to wins, and won in Canada, but although he got a few more wins, failed to challenge for the title due to reliability issues, and pit-stop errors. Button will have to lead the team next season, as Lewis leaves and Perez joins from Sauber.
@DarshanChokhani : "Reliability, silly mistakes" lead this team to somewhat a poor position. Although both Hamilton & Button got wins and scored good points, they were well out of contention from the main battles. The team had to suffer and fight for P2 in CC with Ferrari who had a below par car from McLaren in pace. They ended P3 in CC, they deserved better. The leaving of Hamilton at the end of 2012 is also a blow for the team.
@jo_johnson63 : Where do you start? They should have walked the WCC this season and Lewis could very well have clinched the WDD. The pit stop fiascos and reliability issues should not have happened. They have mostly had the fastest car on the grid but did do better in the second half of the season. That "five wheel"pit stop was fantastic!
@NigelBeechey : Where to start... what a season! Win the first race, look to be competitive and quite in control then the wheels fall off. Perhaps too much effort went into world record pit stops, I don't know. It's a pity they lost Lewis. As much I am a die hard McLaren fan, that's how it looks to me. Lewis and JB look to be an ideal pairing. Onwards and upwards.
@MarussiaF1Will : A very good season for them despite dropping down to third in the WCC with seven wins. Ultimately, the car's reliability let them down on many occasions and would have had a few more wins. Jenson had another good season and will do well as team leader next year. With Sergio Perez at the wheel too, they might get a few more wins.
@hedgeryhoops : As a member of McLaren, I've had my head in my hands for most of the season. It started so well, A McLaren 1-2 lockout for Australia, finishing 1st and 3rd. They then feel asleep in the development race, numerous pit stops were screwed up costs both drivers but mainly Hamilton points, and despite Hamilton's amazing victory in Canada, it wasn't until Hungary that they were finally on level terms. Then came the car failures, Jenson in Monza, Hamilton in Singapore and Abu Dhabi. Add these and Hamilton's retirements in Spa and Brazil that were of no fault of his own, Lewis should have been in a three way fight with Vettel and Alonso in Brazil for the WDC. Additionally, these failures at McLaren lead to them being overtaken by Ferrari for 2nd in the WCC, costing them millions of Euros. Now Lewis has left for Mercedes, in fearful for 2013.
@AFC_Harry34 : McLaren had a decent season. Button had a great start to the season, winning in Australia, but he failed to continue his early form. In contrast, Hamilton started poorly, but picked up his form having not been able to convert poles to wins, and won in Canada, but although he got a few more wins, failed to challenge for the title due to reliability issues, and pit-stop errors. Button will have to lead the team next season, as Lewis leaves and Perez joins from Sauber.
sauber
@cbeSudha : Undoubtedly the surprise team of the 2012 season finishing 6th in the WCC. For a mid-level team to have 4 Podium finishes in a season is a good result. But in between the highs, they endured through a lot of lows. From track to track their performance seemed to change drastically. They scored Zero points in 8 races and 2 or less points in 4 races. So the point scoring came effectively from 8 races. Really looking forward to seeing how they go with Nico Hulkenberg who is potentially the next F1 star in 2013.
@DarshanChokhani : Season of highs & lows for Sauber, they did beat SFI in CC and came close to toppling Mercedes but their inconsistent driving saw them lose some good points. They did get podium finishes which was really highlight of their season. Both drivers got into act but in patches. The car was good and pace in most of the races but in some races it was just the opposite. It was hard to predict as to how will they turn in a weekend. But credit to them in moving up in the CC from 2011.
@jo_johnson63 : I am a fan of Sauber and I think they had a very strong car this year although Kobayashi's performance was a little disappointing. Perez showed some good racing but made some mistakes.
@NigelBeechey : Not a particularly bad season, in fact, all things considered, the Sauber was quite an effective car part of the season. Remember Malaysia? a Second place was none too shabby and for Perez, perhaps the base marker for his future?! A pity Kobayashi was overshadowed and has lost his seat for 2013.
@MarussiaF1Will : A great season for them with four podiums, three by Sergio Perez and one by Kamui Kobayashi in front of his home crowd. Nico Hulkenberg showed he's one of the greats in the second half of the season. Esteban Gutierrez still needs to prove he can be in F1 for a long time, but once the European season gets under way, I'm sure he'll do very well.
@hedgeryhoops : The praise that has been directed towards them in 2012 is fully justified. A team with limited resources that managed to perfect the use of the Pirelli tyres long before any other team, and done with two very promising drivers. My only criticism would be that they did not keep on Kobayashi for 2013, despite that he was only on the podium in Japan he finished just six points behind Perez who got himself a McLaren drive!
@AFC_Harry34 : Sauber had a good season. They started well, and continued this form throughout the season. Perez started well, and ended up with a few podium finishes. H wil have to maintain his form at his new team McLaren next season. Kobayashi had a decent season, ending with his first podium finish ever in F1, but he has now left Sauber. New divers, rookie Gutierrez and Nico Hulkemberg, signed from Force India, I'll need to push on next season.
@DarshanChokhani : Season of highs & lows for Sauber, they did beat SFI in CC and came close to toppling Mercedes but their inconsistent driving saw them lose some good points. They did get podium finishes which was really highlight of their season. Both drivers got into act but in patches. The car was good and pace in most of the races but in some races it was just the opposite. It was hard to predict as to how will they turn in a weekend. But credit to them in moving up in the CC from 2011.
@jo_johnson63 : I am a fan of Sauber and I think they had a very strong car this year although Kobayashi's performance was a little disappointing. Perez showed some good racing but made some mistakes.
@NigelBeechey : Not a particularly bad season, in fact, all things considered, the Sauber was quite an effective car part of the season. Remember Malaysia? a Second place was none too shabby and for Perez, perhaps the base marker for his future?! A pity Kobayashi was overshadowed and has lost his seat for 2013.
@MarussiaF1Will : A great season for them with four podiums, three by Sergio Perez and one by Kamui Kobayashi in front of his home crowd. Nico Hulkenberg showed he's one of the greats in the second half of the season. Esteban Gutierrez still needs to prove he can be in F1 for a long time, but once the European season gets under way, I'm sure he'll do very well.
@hedgeryhoops : The praise that has been directed towards them in 2012 is fully justified. A team with limited resources that managed to perfect the use of the Pirelli tyres long before any other team, and done with two very promising drivers. My only criticism would be that they did not keep on Kobayashi for 2013, despite that he was only on the podium in Japan he finished just six points behind Perez who got himself a McLaren drive!
@AFC_Harry34 : Sauber had a good season. They started well, and continued this form throughout the season. Perez started well, and ended up with a few podium finishes. H wil have to maintain his form at his new team McLaren next season. Kobayashi had a decent season, ending with his first podium finish ever in F1, but he has now left Sauber. New divers, rookie Gutierrez and Nico Hulkemberg, signed from Force India, I'll need to push on next season.
toro rosso
@cbeSudha : STR had a very poor first half of the season. Toro Rosso had scored all of 6 points till the summer break in 11 races. They improved to score 20 points in the next 9 races. But ended up 9th losing one position in the WCC to Williams from 2011. James Key the new Technical Director who joined STR late in the season should make a big difference in 2013. Also Dietrich Mateschitz, Red Bull owner has put them on notice. An improved 2013 is very much on the cards and we can probably see the true talent of their young drivers.
@DarshanChokhani : They were nowhere to be seen on the grid for most of the season. Languished towards the end of the midfield battles. A new driver line-up was also a factor as both drivers took sometime to get into their act. Post season break, they looked better and bit consistent as they score more than double they did pre break. Towards the end, they did well on almost all tracks as both drivers matched somewhat equally.
@jo_johnson63 : Toro Rosso are getting stronger each season I think, although I think they should have given Buemi and Alguersuari another season to prove themselves. Having said that they did reasonably well with new drivers.
@NigelBeechey : There were some interesting races for Toro Rosso, their drivers looking quite similarly matched. Both drivers consistently inside the top 10 but perhaps not always getting the very best from the car? Lets not forget who the parent company are. As such, the addition of a Red Bull-type exhaust blown diffuser may just have been the missing ingredient...
@MarussiaF1Will : Haven't been following this team this year, an average season for them. JEV cost Marussia 10th place in the WCC with his stupid move on Timo Glock at the restart in the Brazilian race. Think either JEV or RIC will be dropped mid-season.
@hedgeryhoops : I've seen a lot of people have suggested that Toro Rosso's poor 2012 performance was because they disposed of Buemi & Alguersuari. I would say that's only half true, as I think Ricciardo is just as good. They had an awful car for most of the year, Vergne was often out after Q1 with the three new teams. They need to give these promising young drivers at least a decent car if they are to be able to prove their worth and challenge for a Red Bull seat.
@AFC_Harry34 : Toro Rosso had an average year. They failed to score many points in the early stages of the season, but then picked up the pace. Vergne and Ricciardo both had decent seasons, with the pair hard to split in quality. Qualifying on was however poor, with one of their drivers regularly dropping out in Q3. They must improve this. Both drivers deservedly retain their seats for next season.
@DarshanChokhani : They were nowhere to be seen on the grid for most of the season. Languished towards the end of the midfield battles. A new driver line-up was also a factor as both drivers took sometime to get into their act. Post season break, they looked better and bit consistent as they score more than double they did pre break. Towards the end, they did well on almost all tracks as both drivers matched somewhat equally.
@jo_johnson63 : Toro Rosso are getting stronger each season I think, although I think they should have given Buemi and Alguersuari another season to prove themselves. Having said that they did reasonably well with new drivers.
@NigelBeechey : There were some interesting races for Toro Rosso, their drivers looking quite similarly matched. Both drivers consistently inside the top 10 but perhaps not always getting the very best from the car? Lets not forget who the parent company are. As such, the addition of a Red Bull-type exhaust blown diffuser may just have been the missing ingredient...
@MarussiaF1Will : Haven't been following this team this year, an average season for them. JEV cost Marussia 10th place in the WCC with his stupid move on Timo Glock at the restart in the Brazilian race. Think either JEV or RIC will be dropped mid-season.
@hedgeryhoops : I've seen a lot of people have suggested that Toro Rosso's poor 2012 performance was because they disposed of Buemi & Alguersuari. I would say that's only half true, as I think Ricciardo is just as good. They had an awful car for most of the year, Vergne was often out after Q1 with the three new teams. They need to give these promising young drivers at least a decent car if they are to be able to prove their worth and challenge for a Red Bull seat.
@AFC_Harry34 : Toro Rosso had an average year. They failed to score many points in the early stages of the season, but then picked up the pace. Vergne and Ricciardo both had decent seasons, with the pair hard to split in quality. Qualifying on was however poor, with one of their drivers regularly dropping out in Q3. They must improve this. Both drivers deservedly retain their seats for next season.
hrt
@cbeSudha : They did not have their car ready for testing and did not make the 107% rule in Australia. Later in the season the car was dangerous to drive with brake failures. The extremely poor season ended in tears with the team being shut down.
@DarshanChokhani : A similar start to their season, we were used to it though. But they always give a sense of relief when they go through without any hitches. A consistent driver line-up throughout the season was something new. They were battling Marussia at the start but once they got ahead, it was a inter team battle as HRT failed to get some decent upgrades post season break. They promised a lot but due to lack funds it couldn't be maintained. And now as we the team is off the list and will not be racing in 2013. Sad for the people working for them but that's how F1 is.
@jo_johnson63 : I don't think this team really stood a chance with such a low budget and Narain seemed to be a hinderance more than a help to the team...always getting in the way of everyone! Although it's a shame that a team is missing from the grid, I don't think HRT will be missed.
@NigelBeechey : Well, last with out a point. As much as they'll be missed, HRT never had the budget or technical expertise to be competitive in F1. Being Spanish based was also likely hinder any potential team sale given the isolation and relocation costs.
@MarussiaF1Will : To say they had under half the number of staff Marussia have (less than 100), they had a really good season, sometimes qualifying in front. Pedro delivered some great laps (Monaco and Suzuka for example), while Narain didn't do very well once again. Their reliability was strong but worsened towards the end of the year. A huge shame that they won't be on the grid in 2013.
@hedgeryhoops : Admittedly I started the season by mocking them making jokes at the expense of them, but by the end of the season I had gained a massive respect for them, as their financial situation took a turn for the worst, employees were made redundant and the cars were using parts that went beyond their usage limits. I hav sympathy for drivers like De La Rosa who just wanted to drive, he could have stayed as a McLaren test driver if he wanted but he wanted to get back on the track and actually race, while Narain Karthikeyan, well was useless. Sorry.
@AFC_Harry34 : HRT had a very difficult season. They struggled financially, and on-track performances were not much better. Pedro De La Rosa edged Karthikeyan in the driver battle, and the team did sometimes manage to out qualify Marussia. At the end of a long season they announced they would be leaving F1 due to financial reasons, which is sad for the sport, and everyone employed by them.
@DarshanChokhani : A similar start to their season, we were used to it though. But they always give a sense of relief when they go through without any hitches. A consistent driver line-up throughout the season was something new. They were battling Marussia at the start but once they got ahead, it was a inter team battle as HRT failed to get some decent upgrades post season break. They promised a lot but due to lack funds it couldn't be maintained. And now as we the team is off the list and will not be racing in 2013. Sad for the people working for them but that's how F1 is.
@jo_johnson63 : I don't think this team really stood a chance with such a low budget and Narain seemed to be a hinderance more than a help to the team...always getting in the way of everyone! Although it's a shame that a team is missing from the grid, I don't think HRT will be missed.
@NigelBeechey : Well, last with out a point. As much as they'll be missed, HRT never had the budget or technical expertise to be competitive in F1. Being Spanish based was also likely hinder any potential team sale given the isolation and relocation costs.
@MarussiaF1Will : To say they had under half the number of staff Marussia have (less than 100), they had a really good season, sometimes qualifying in front. Pedro delivered some great laps (Monaco and Suzuka for example), while Narain didn't do very well once again. Their reliability was strong but worsened towards the end of the year. A huge shame that they won't be on the grid in 2013.
@hedgeryhoops : Admittedly I started the season by mocking them making jokes at the expense of them, but by the end of the season I had gained a massive respect for them, as their financial situation took a turn for the worst, employees were made redundant and the cars were using parts that went beyond their usage limits. I hav sympathy for drivers like De La Rosa who just wanted to drive, he could have stayed as a McLaren test driver if he wanted but he wanted to get back on the track and actually race, while Narain Karthikeyan, well was useless. Sorry.
@AFC_Harry34 : HRT had a very difficult season. They struggled financially, and on-track performances were not much better. Pedro De La Rosa edged Karthikeyan in the driver battle, and the team did sometimes manage to out qualify Marussia. At the end of a long season they announced they would be leaving F1 due to financial reasons, which is sad for the sport, and everyone employed by them.