Thought I'd get this started for discussing all things related to the 2013 season. The FIA has announced the 2013 Formula One entry list and the field has gotten smaller with HRT dropping off the grid. With 22 cars and two fewer mobile chicanes I wonder if we will be better off.

While the top three teams have confirmed their driver line up, as has Mercedes, Lotus is yet to confirm who will partner Kimi for next season. The official entry-list is below:

http://www.autosport...t.php/id/104676

No. Driver Full team name Chassis/Engine
1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing Red Bull-Renault
2 Mark Webber Red Bull Racing Red Bull-Renault

3 Fernando Alonso Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari
4 Felipe Massa Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari

5 Jenson Button Vodafone McLaren Mercedes McLaren-Mercedes
6 Sergio Perez Vodafone McLaren Mercedes McLaren-Mercedes

7 Kimi Raikkonen Lotus F1 Team Lotus-Renault
8 tba Lotus F1 Team Lotus-Renault

9 Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP Petronas F1 Team Mercedes
10 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes GP Petronas F1 Team Mercedes

11 tba Sauber F1 Team Sauber-Ferrari
12 tba Sauber F1 Team Sauber-Ferrari

14 tba Sahara Force India F1 Team Force India-Mercedes
15 tba Sahara Force India F1 Team Force India-Mercedes

16 Pastor Maldonado Williams F1 Team Williams-Renault
17 Valtteri Bottas Williams F1 Team Williams-Renault

18 tba Scuderia Toro Rosso Toro Rosso-Ferrari
19 tba Scuderia Toro Rosso Toro Rosso-Ferrari

20 tba Caterham F1 Team Caterham-Renault
21 tba Caterham F1 Team Caterham-Renault

22 tba Marussia F1 Team Marussia-Cosworth
23 tba Marussia F1 Team Marussia-Cosworth

 

Can't wait to see Perez with Mercedes !

On a side not, i think Toro Rosso has confirmed both drivers (Ricciardo and Vergne) for next year. Also, Hulkenberg confirmed for Sauber. I remember reading Van Der Garde for Catherham, but not sure.

 

Damn i seems like no time ago i was getting pumped up for Melbourne 2012. Hopefully i can go again next year but might just go normal entry not grandstand. My gf has already told me she wants to go so should be good times.

All i want from the 2013 Season is for Red Bull and Vettel not to win the f@#king drivers championship. Sick to death of him. Also looking forward to seeing how Perez makes it at McLaren

 

FIA announces tweaks to calendar and rules - one more European race (possibly Turkey), no free DRS use other than designated zones in practice and the removal of force majeure for qualifying in addition to other sundry changes
http://www.racer.com...article/271225/

 

Grosjean was confirmed to stay with Lotus for next season;

http://www.lotusf1team.com/Ticket-To...n.html?lang=en

 

Kobayashi confirms that he wont be on the grid in 2013


To All the fans,



Thank you for the big support. I am very appreciated that many of you have donated and trying to make donation.

I must mention this that since the donation started, it has become quite big news in Japan. And because of your big support, it gave huge influences to some of Japanese companies and I started receiving good support from them.

And I was in the position to bring a budget of 8 million Euro at least. If you could imagine the time I had, it was overwhelming reaction and it shows there still is a great potential from Japanese companies.



Unfortunately, the time was still short and I am not able to secure the seat with competitive F1 team for 2013. I have to admit that it is very sad and feel sorry for fans and Japanese companies who supported me. But I am still confident to make it happen in 2014.



I would like to stop the donation for now and while I will save all the money for 2014, I start to look what is the best option for 2013 and also 2014. My main priority is to secure the competitive F1 seat in 2014.

I have no interests to race any other categories.



I will make an announcement as soon as I make a decision for 2013.

So, please wait and really looking forward your support for coming year, too.



All the best,



KAMUI KOBAYASHI

Tokyo, Japan
December 18, 2012

 

i will miss kobayashi next season and i hope he is able to return to f1 in 2014. i'll miss voting for him almost every race, to at least stand upon the podium. I am now set free to connect with a secondary team/driver for the 2013 season. i like to watch driver/teams in that second tier/mid pack of f1 competing to move up on the leaders. laughingly, maybe it will be hamilton in the merc, and i'm not even a LH fan. if caterham could come out strong from winter testing, i could go with them. oh well, enough to do before all that. MERRY CHRISTMAS or what ever you do for the holiday to all of you for now.

 

Sad news Kobayashi doesn't have a seat. He made races exciting with his daring overtaking moves. I hope he can get a seat for 2014!

 

Will Buxton tweets the following pic after being confirmed as NBC's pit lane reporter

Buxton will be joining Leigh Diffey, David Hobbs, and Steve Matchett on the 2013 NBC commentary team. With a promised 100 hours of coverage and another promise to send reporters to a few races (Buxton will be at every round), NBC's coverage for next year is sounding pretty awesome.

There is also a chance that Buxton will be alongside Diffey during IndyCar broadcasts next year as the pit reporter there. That has not been announced quite yet.

 

silly season is not so silly this season.