Formula 1: Mid-Season Report #1

2012 has been one of the best for action, drama and surprise.

Nine races gone and 2012 is shaping up as the binary opposite of last year; by this same time last year, Sebastian Vettel had all but won the championship, and anyone who said otherwise was either a fool or an blind optimist. Fast forward 12 months and the drivers' and constructors' championships are wide upon, with little indication of who will prevail when the chequered flag falls on the Brazilian Grand Prix in November. 

On a team by team basis, I look at who has impressed and who hasn't so far, as well as who might surprise in the races to come. First up, Red Bull Racing.

Red Bull Racing: A+

Drivers' Championship: 4th - Vettel, 2nd - Webber
Constructors' Championship: 1st

Red Bull have not had it all their own way in 2012, something that many failed to predict (myself included). One win for Vettel and two for Webber is by no means a disaster, but compare that to last season and their situation looks a lot worse. 

That being said, topping the constructors table and having both driver's in the hunt for the title is praiseworthy. On the whole, Red Bull have been the most consistently competitive team and their championship placings reflect this. Also, if Vettel's initial pace in Valencia is anything to go by, then Red Bull's rivals should be feeling very worried right about now. 

Vettel's triumph in Bahrain

Vettel has made mistakes (Malaysia, Canada) and has had some poor luck (Valencia) and is favourite to win the title in my mind. Alonso may be in the lead but Vettel has the best car to help him along. Couple that with the hunger to get three titles in a row and Vettel will no doubt be upping his game both in qualifying and the race. He's a dangerous man and his rivals know it. 

Webber has been consistently quick and has been rewarded with two solid wins in Monaco and Britain. This consistency could just work in his favour however; with his rivals tripping over their own feet, slow and steady might just win the race. His second place in the championship is evidence of this. He has been great in qualifying (beating Vettel 5-4) and, unlike 2010, has not been wasting points by colliding with Seb. I said before in my British GP Overview that Webber is the dark horse this year and I stand by it; he has the potential to go all the way. 

Red Bull are the ones to watch; their upgrades in Valencia mark them as pace-setters right now, but how long will that last?

Scuderia Ferrari: A-

Drivers' Championship: 1st - Alonso, 13th - Massa

Constructors' Championship: 2nd

Alonso has squashed Massa yet again

Unbelievably, after all the pre-season woes that Ferrari endured, their star driver Fernando Alonso sits atop the drivers championship. Masterful wins in Malaysia and Valencia were thrilling races won by the highly regarded Spaniard. An unwavering ability to drive around the cars initial faults, Alonso has been on top form all season, being there to pick up the pieces his rivals drop and capitalise on every opportunity. 

In recent races (Barcelona onwards) Ferrari have done a brilliant job at developing the pace of the F2012 and give Alonso the best chance of winning the world championship he has had since 2010. Their second place in the constructors is flattering however; without a driver of Alonso's calibre it could, and possibly would, be much lower.

On the flipside, Felipe Massa has had a disastrous start to the season; over 100 points down on Alonso, Massa has been utterly trounced. He found is feet at Silverstone, finishing 4th, but his second half of the year needs to see him challenged Alonso on a consistent basis. Even with Webber now out of the picture, his seat is far from secure and he needs to up his game.

Ferrari seem to improve with every passing race. They'll be determined to take the fight to Red Bull and win their first title since 2008. 

Lotus-Renault: B

Drivers' Championship: 5th - Raikkonen, 7th Grosjean
Constructors' Championship: 3rd

Grosjean has been a revelation this season

Lotus are the dark horses this year; a car that seems strong everywhere and a driver line-up that will get better and better, they can't be ruled out or written off. The highest placed team yet to win a race, Lotus have had the opportunity to reach the top step but fallen short.

Grosjean has been a complete revelation this season and having predicted he would struggle at the start of the year, I am happy to eat my words. He overcame some initial poor form in Australia and Malaysia to deliver some truly stunning performances in Bahrain, Canada and Valencia. He will hopefully take that all important win before the year is out and, if he can soon find consistent podium pace, challenge for the title.

Raikkonen has had a strong return to F1 but will probably be disappointed to have missed out on winning. Like Grosjean, Kimi will most likely get there in 2012 (Spa anyone?) and stay in the hunt for the title. He is only 40-odd points off the lead and things can, and will, quickly change before the end of the season.

They might not be right where they want right now, but Lotus have a lot of positives to take from the first half of 2012. It'll be onwards and upwards for them as they grow and develop both their car and their drivers.

Mclaren-Mercedes: C-

Drivers' Championship: 8th - Button, 3rd - Hamilton

Constructors' Championship: 4th

Mclaren have by every right to be kicking themselves after the first nine races. They finished the Australian Grand Prix 1st and 3rd with a car that looked and genuinely was the fastest of the lot. Now, in July, they are slipping backwards and need to desperately up their game. 

Hamilton clinches his first win of the year in Canada

Lewis Hamilton has impressed so far this season. He should be topping the standings right about now but errors in the pitlane have come frighteningly often; almost every race it seems, Mclaren mess up their star driver's pit-stops, costing the Briton vital points and places. His win in Canada was pure class however and shows the 2008 World Champion has lost none of that killer instinct. Possible wins in Malaysia and Spain have slipped through his fingers however and that has got to sting. Whilst not the favourite any longer, Hamilton is a definite contender whose stock has risen considerably since last season.

Button on the other hand has only seen his reputation shrink in 2012. Starting out in Australia with a win made it seem Jenson would be in the fight this year; 4 months later and Button has only scored six points since China. Hardly championship winning form. Blighted by lack of confidence in the car and the tyres, Jenson has been stuck in a downward spiral that has endangered his title hopes. Can he re-emerge as a contender? It's doubtful, but stranger things have happened.

Mclaren, down, but not out. Can they erase the errors and give arguably the best driver pairing on the grid chance to thrive?

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team: C

Drivers' Championship: 6th - Rosberg, 12th - Schumacher

Constructors' Championship: 5th

Mercedes will be glad to have gotten onto the top step of the podium so far this year; Rosberg win in China was commanding and full of promise. Likewise, his subsequent podium in Monaco and Schumacher's in Valencia mean that the Brackley based squad have a lot to be happy about so far this year.

They will however be concerned about their most recent results; Rosberg's dismal 15th in Silverstone hardly set the track alight. The young German is still in the hunt for the title (ahead of Button and Grosjean) but for how long? If Mercedes are to take win the crown this year they (like Mclaren) have to step up their game and win again before the summer break. 

Schumacher has been immensely unlucky not to have scored more in 2012; 5 DNF's is a poor record sheet despite only one being being his fault. For the rest of the year, there is every chance Michael win notch up win No. 92 but his title hopes were over before they started. Whether his indecision to commit to Mercedes for 2013 will affect how he performs remains to be seen.

Mercedes are slipping back from the lead pack and are eager to mix it up again at the front. Can they get back on top and show us that China wasn't just a flash in the pan?

Check out my initial pre-season predictions: Part 1 and Part 2.

I'll be posting Part 2 of my Mid-Season Report in the next few days!

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Film Review: The Amazing Spider-man

Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-man

How soon is too soon for a re-boot? Five, ten years? When Sony Pictures announced back in 2010 that a reboot of their lucrative Spider-man franchise was on its way, many people reacted with despair, proclaiming it too soon for Spidey to given the a rework since Spider-man 3 had only been in cinemas 3 years previously. Now, two years later, The Amazing Spider-man swings into cinemas a mere decade after the Sam Raimi original.  But does it live up to its namesake?

Emma Stone as Gwen Stacey

Thankfully, The Amazing Spider-man does it's best to diffuse that overbearing sense of familiarity we all feared. Yes, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is a shy, lonely high-school loser (again), is bitten by a super-spider (again), gains the ability to cling to walls (again), is responsible for his uncles death (again) and fights a big 'ol nasty baddie in New York (again), but director Mark Webb's (ba-dum-tish) new spin on the comic-book hero feels fresh, fun and cool thanks to a dash of great casting and lots of laughs.

This is (for the most part) thanks to the films hip, young protagonists Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker/Spidey-man) and Emma Stone (as spunky heroine Gwen Stacey). The chemistry between the two leads is infectious and entertaining, one of the best aspects about the movie. Garfield and Stone are brilliant together and they manage to act it more like a heartfelt romantic comedy at times, which is by no-means a bad thing. The banter the two shares is very playful and funny. Stone in particular showcases the same aptitude for laughs that we saw in Easy A. A stand-out scene where Peter asks Gwen out without being able to string a coherent sentence together is hilarious, and shows how Webb has used his previous work on rom-com 500 Days of Summer to extract maximum awkwardness from the duo.

Michael Sheen was a delight as the wizened Uncle Ben, but naturally his time on-screen is cut short to make way for the darker, angst-ridden revenge Peter dishes out as Spider-man. Likewise, Denis Leary as the committed and honourable police captain is another welcome addition. One thing that is noticeable when comparing Amazing Spider-man with "original" Spider-man is the distinct darker tone; Raimi's first film is, on the whole, a lot more cartoonish and brighter than this entry.

Inevitably with any re-boot, comparisons are going to be drawn with the existing work. Whereas Sam Raimi's 2002 Spider-man took the time to establish the specifics of Peter's spider powers and symptoms, Mark Webb discards much of this. Regardless of the films stand-out leads, Webb makes the first third of the film feel a little rushed, skating over much of the details surrounding Peter's transformation into your friendly neighbourhood Spider-man. One minute Garfield is, shy, introverted and 'orphaned', the next, he's tracking down and beating up his uncles killer with a cheeky cock of the head and a witty one-liner. It all feels a little too fast and the whole section where Peter is finding his feet and exploring his powers could have been fleshed out a little more.

Andrew Garfield finds his feet

No doubt these details were brushed aside to make way for "the untold story". The Amazing Spider-man attempts to distant itself from the original trilogy by trying to explore more of Peter's mysterious past and the disappearance of his parents. It's a nice addition to the story, one that interlinks well with the film's villain (Rhys Ifans as Dr Curt Connors/The Lizard) and one that will tie over into the already confirmed sequels.

Ifans is likeable (sans-scales) as the one-armed scientist Curt Connors, a talented geneticist with a link to Peter's lost parents. It is when he transfers into the snarling, tail-whipping Lizard that the cracks begin to show; the CGI is a little below par by today's standards and isn't overly impressive. The malice and villainy that Ifans brings is best on show when he is in Doctor Jekyll mode and not visa versa.

When the action kicks off near the films crescendo, it doesn't disappoint, a game of cat-and-mouse through the sewer systems being tense and brutal; Spidey is on the receiving end of some big slashes and cuts throughout the film.

Amazing Spider-man? Not quite, maybe The Entirely Adequate Spider-man is more apt. When judged on its own merit, Amazing Spider-man is a wholly entertaining film fully deserving of the moniker, amazing. Garfield and Stone are top-notch, a brilliant double-act who surpass Maguire and Dunst and the darker, hormone-fuelled high-school setting is a welcome choice. It's only when you consider it alongside those that came before it, that Amazing Spider-man is paled a little in comparison.


Overall, I give The Amazing Spider-man 7.5/10

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Formula 1: British GP Overview

Webber races to victory around historic Silverstone

A last minute dash to the finish saw Mark Webber zip past Fernando Alonso to win his second British Grand Prix in three years. The story of the race was Red Bull vs. Ferrari, with Lotus not far off and Mclaren well off the pace. 

Mark Webber has been a fairly quiet achiever in 2012; a consistent start to the year followed by wins in Monaco, and now Britain, has put him in the picture for this year's title. On better terms with the RB8, the 2012 Pirelli's and driven to again show his worth, Webber has been calm, cool and understated so far this year. Something of a dark horse, Mark kept Alonso in sight for most of the race and didn't push too hard in the first two stints. When Alonso ran the less favourable soft tyres in the final stint, Webber made his move and made the pass around the outside of Brooklands. It was an impressive display of confidence for the Australian who will no doubt now grow in confidence as the year goes on.

Mclaren's hopes are teetering on the brink.

Likewise, Alonso has a lot of positives to take from Britain. Derided at the start of the year, Ferrari are now on par with Red Bull and fully capable of giving Alonso another shot at the title. Had the rain come down, or Ferrari chosen a similar tyre strategy to Red Bull, Alonso would most likely have won three races in 2012 now. Yet, he is still top of the standings and in command of a team focused solely on him. His team-mate, Felipe Massa, finished in fourth, his best result of the year.

In contrast to Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button suffered a torrid race at Silverstone. On the back foot after qualifying, Lewis had to run a different strategy to earn positions in the race. As it turns out, this was a mistake and instead he was confined to covering off those behind, like Grosjean, than attacking those in front. In the space of two races Hamilton has gone from outright favourite to rank outsider.

Jenson meanwhile barely featured and trundled home a disappointing 10th. Mclaren is a team renowned for being able to develop a poor car into a race winner; take 2009 and 2011 as examples, and they need to show that ability again now in 2012 if they have any chance at winning the title this year.

Grosjean and Hamilton duel on track.

Lotus did well to bring home Raikkonen and Grosjean in 5th and 6th, especially given the latter needed to pit for a new nose after lap three. From the back he then drove a stellar race to score some all important points. Mercedes had a mixed affair at Silverstone; Schumacher finished a distant 7th and Rosberg went backwards, starting 11th and finishing 15th.

Another big talking point was an incident involving Pastor Maldonado and Sergio Perez. Heading into Brooklands, the Mexican made a move around the outside of Pastor, only for the Venezuelan to clatter into the side of him and send them both into a spin. It was a crash that put Sergio out of the race and the blame firmly on Pastor. Maldonado's post-race fine, in my opinion was overly lenient and a grid penalty in Hockenheim would have suited better.

After a manic opening few months, F1 2012 is starting to slow down and establish a story. Red Bull are the pacesetters, Ferrari the challengers, Lotus the nearly-men and Mclaren the (recent) outsiders. Onward then to Germany in two weeks for Round 10 of 20.

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Film Review: Snow White And The Huntsman

Fairest of them all? - Kristen Stewart

It all starts with once upon a time, weaves it's way through familiarities like an apple, an evil queen with a black heart and a heroic huntsman, but Snow White and The Huntsman gives fresh life to an old fairytale, albeit not completely convincingly. 

In what seems like a growing trend, Snow White and The Huntsman offers a darkened and twisted take on an age old fable that is full of angst and moodiness. It feels like Medieval Twilight what with a pale and pasty heroine, a testosterone fuelled love triangle (more on this later) and a grim forest setting. This parallel is mainly thanks to Kristen Stewart's insipid performance as the titular heroine; she retains the same tired and stoned expression throughout the film. Why Stewart would be cast to play the "fairest of them all" is baffling, considering that there isn't a shortage of young female talent on offer. I put her inclusion down to her appeal to the Twi-hards, but she doesn't elevate the film so much as hinder it.

On the flipside, Charlize Theron, following on from Prometheus, is again outstanding. She is a brilliant mixture of wickedly evil and vulnerable as the malicious Ravenna. She commands the screen with every scene she is in, striding in front of her mirror mirror on the wall and shrieking with mirth. The opening scenes that establish her rise to power are some the best in the film; I liked that the film focused more on her relationship with Snow White rather than focusing solely on Snow.

Chris Hemsworth's portrayal of The Huntsman was hit and miss. He brought the necessary bulk to the role and stepped effortlessly into the 'tough, rough, gruff' hero persona that he has honed so well as Thor.

The film's biggest selling point for me was the impressive visuals and gloomy aesthetics. Twisted forests, sloppy mud and bogs, creepy crawlies and even creepier trolls, this isn't the sweet and innocent "whistle while you work" Snow White remember. On that note however, the dwarves in this film are thankfully not as creepy or gloomy as the rest of the kingdom; they are welcome comic relief from actors like Nick Frost and Ray Winstone.

Kristen Stewart's selection as Snow aside, the most baffling addition was that of Sam Claflin as William. Constructed as a childhood friend of Snow's, William spends the majority of the film seeking out the princess he hasn't seen for over a decade and fears is dead. Why? Apparently because he had a schoolboy crush. His character is simply padding, and what I suspect is an attempt to construct a Twilight-esque Edward vs. Jacob love triangle for the teenage girls, I mean, the audience to faun over. His inclusion makes the film over complicated, messy and he is, on the whole, just plain pointless.

Another downside is the lack of resolution at the end; there is a horrible dawning realisation once the credits roll that this isn't simply "once upon a time".

Overall, I give Snow White and the Huntsman 6 out of 10.

Check out some of my other film reviews here.

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Film Review: Brave

Pixar lands yet another arrow directly in the bullseye with Brave, a magical and dazzling movie that introduces the studio's first female protagonist, Merida.



Brave is Pixar's first completely original movie since 2009's Up. In between the two we've had two sequels of contrasting quality in Toy Story 3 and Cars 2. Despite not being as memorable or as lovable as Finding Nemo or The Incredibles, Brave is a great addition to the Pixar's growing pantheon of film.


The films central device is the relationship between parent and child. Like Nemo and Marlon before them, Merida (voiced by Kelly MacDonald) and Elinor (Emma Thompson) begin at each other throats over the former's pre-arranged marriage. It's a heart-warming tale that has a strong message at its heart, one that kids won't find hard to grasp and one that adults won't be bored stiff by. One thing that Pixar seems to consistently achieve throughout all of its film's is widespread appeal to people of all ages. Brave is no different in this respect to the studio's best and brightest, with big laughs and tender emotional moments alike.

The most impressive thing about Brave however, is the beautiful aesthetics and distinctive look. Pixar have brilliantly captured the wild, murky colours and shades of the cold Scottish highlands from twisted and tortured forests to crashing waterfalls and high cliffs. Visually, it's up there with Toy Story 3 as one of the best. It's not just with sprawling vistas that the film is impressive however. I found myself nearly hypnotized by the attention to detail given to just Merida's curly orange hair or the individual textures of a table or a tapestry; the fact that a lot of thought has been given into even the slightest of details the experience so much more impressive.

Brave tries to compensate for a lack of male protagonist by ensuring that the majority of its supporting cast will appeal to the male portion of the audience. Whilst Merida learns poise, precision and how to be a perfect princess, the rowdy rabble of Scots that compete to win her heart hold the interest of the boys. The above trio of Scottish lords, Dingwell, MacGuffin and Macintosh, played by Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd and Craig Ferguson sustain the laughs alongside my personal star of the show, Billy Connolly's King Fergus.

At its heart though, Brave isn't about the boys, but the relationship between Merida and Elinor. In a twist not hinted at in any of the preview material, their bond is put to the test and both are made to consider each other by Julie Walters' evil, hook-nosed witch. Like I mentioned earlier, it is a truly heart-warming and endearing tale told in a way appealing to those of all ages. This is the film's greatest selling point; that is a family film anyone can enjoy, from your Nan (who might remember King Fergus personally) to the tiniest tot.


Overall, I give Brave 8 out of 10.

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Formula 1: European GP Overview

Fernando Alonso crosses the finish line to win at home for a second time

Hamilton leads the Lotuses.

Fernando Alonso put in an impeccable performance in Valencia to become the first man to win two races in 2012. In a topsy turvy race that saw Alonso start 11th, Vettel, Grosjean and Hamilton all fail to finish and Schumacher finish on the podium, the circuit itself was the biggest surprise, delivering its first memorable race. 

Who would have pegged Alonso to win the race after qualifying? Failing to even make it through to the final session, it seemed as though Ferrari had made a gross error of judgement in not sending the Spaniard out for one last run. 

Starting from pole was, of course, Sebastian Vettel. Whilst it is important to laud Alonso with the plaudits of winning, it is even more important to note Vettel's performance in Valencia. The reigning champion was ominously dominant in the first half of the race; behind him, Grosjean, Hamilton and Raikkonen had nothing to answer with. 

Had the alternator on his Renault engine not given up the ghost, Vettel would have certainly won this race. He was untouchable. Alas, the pendulum did not swing in his favour in 2012 as did so often in 2011. Grosjean's Lotus had an identical ailment and also would have had a shot at victory without his technical difficulties.

Vettel's start was lightning fast.

Down at Mclaren, it was an afternoon to forget. JB had another mediocre race, only finishing in 8th; hardly championship winning pace. Hamilton on the other hand had a promising race. He was undone however by yet another pit-stop calamity; Hamilton's stop was a full 14 seconds long, dropping him behind both Raikkonen and Alonso. It cost him another shot at a win and worst of all, it left him fighting over the same piece of track with Maldonado by the penultimate lap.

With Lewis' tyres falling away rapidly, Maldonado dived around the outside of Turn 12 and hopped across the kerbs straight into the side of the Mclaren. It put Lewis out of the race and Pastor out of the points. The over-ambitiousness of Maldonado's move was a gross error of judgement and highlights his lack of experience. Whilst it cost Williams' a podium, it was even more costly for Hamilton. With the season as close as it is, Lewis lost important points to rivals like Alonso and Raikkonen. The only solace he can find is that he is in the same boat as Vettel and Grosjean.

With the ending to the race as chaotic as it was, there were many drivers surprised with their final placing. Schumacher, Webber and Rosberg all gained places as a result of the Hamilton/Maldonado incident. Both Force India's also added points to their tally; Hulkenberg was hugely impressive en route to finish fifth and Di Resta made a one-stop strategy work well to finish seventh.

Two teams that had a mixed bag this weekend was Toro Rosso and Caterham. Vergne and Kovalainen's crash was what brought out the safety car and Ricciardo and Petrov also came together late in the race. The Italian squad continue to have a unsatisfying season; with only six points overall, Toro Rosso sit in a lonely 9th place. They are a full 38 points behind Force India and have only the three new teams behind them.

The biggest winner of the day for me was the venue itself. Never having set itself apart as being a classic racetrack, the Valencia street circuit surprised everyone by putting on such a fantastic race full of overtaking, drama and action. 

Next stop, Silverstone, where Mclaren will be looking to step up their game and take a third win of the season on home soil. Expect Red Bull and Lotus to be leading the pack however, as well as Ferrari, Mercedes, Williams and Sauber all thrown into the mix. Add a dash of the inclement British weather and who knows what might happen!

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Formula 1: The Silly Season Gets Under Way

2008 World Champion, Lewis Hamilton

Barely a week goes by in Formula One without there being another news story relying speculation of a possible driver/team move - Hamilton to Mercedes, Webber to Ferrari and so on. With so much chatter surrounding these high profile names, how much truth is there to F1's self-proclaimed "silly season". With so many drivers supposedly up for grabs next season, who will land where when the wheel of fortune stops spinning?

How much longer will Massa reside
 in the stable of the Prancing Horse?

In my opinion, the epicentre of this year's driver market is Brazil's Felipe Massa. Massa has been hugely disappointing for the Scuderia since his return from injury in 2010 and has grossly failed to match Fernando Alonso. The chances of Massa being retained by Maranello in 2013 is, quite frankly, slim to say the least. 

Which of course, leaves a huge gaping hole in the ranks of our sport's most successful team. Where can Ferrari go for a replacement? Well first off, and the driver most widely tipped to fill the void is Australia's Mark Webber. Webber has been taking his season's one at a time at Red Bull Racing and has made it clear in the past he aims to end his career at the Milton Keynes based squad. 

But surely a contract from Ferrari would tempt him away? How could anyone refuse? In what would most likely be another one year contract, Mark would no doubt slot effortlessly into the role of second-driver to genuine friend, Fernando Alonso. It's a move that makes sense and would feel natural, in my eyes. What's more is, he deserves it. 

Whilst Sergio Perez looked the favourite for the seat at Ferrari back in March, it is thought that Ferrari are looking to keep him at Sauber for at least another season to gain experience. Don't rule him out however; another eye-catching drive like we saw in Sepang and Montreal would put him back in the picture for Massa's seat. He has been mightly impressive in comparison to the highly regarded Kobayashi.

Is Schumacher outstaying his welcome at the
Silver Arrows?

Meanwhile, over at Mercedes, the team bosses there are undoubtedly stressing over their 2013 driver line-up. With Michael Schumacher out of contract at the end of the year, the Silver Arrows have some thinking to do; do they keep on the seven-time World Champ and hope he rediscovers his form or do they opt for a more up and coming talent like, say, Paul di Resta or even Nico Hulkenberg?

Rosberg is locked in as thier 'lead' driver for the forseeable future so they have that seat filled. But 5 DNF's in 7 races for Schumacher is disastrous. Would he really want to extend his contract with Mercedes? He's not exactly getting younger and hasn't had the desired success in his comeback.

Finally, the biggest question mark hangs over the future of 2008 World Champion, Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton has rediscovered strong form so far this season and is one of the favourite's to win the title, but reliability issues, pitstop mishaps and silly blunders by his Mclaren team are costing him dear. So the question is, were would he go if, and it is a big if, he were to leave Mclaren. Well, there are a multitude of options open to Hamilton right now. We could see him replace Schumacher at Mercedes, Webber at Red Bull (if the Australian were to retire or move to Ferrari) or even replace Massa at Ferrari.

Whether any of these options will ever come to fruition, it is too soon to say. I think it would be unlikely that Hamilton would move to either Red Bull or Ferrari, teams that have such clearly defined lead drivers already in Vettel and Alonso respectively.  For Hamilton to thrive in a team, he needs one he can mould around himself in the same way Vettel and Alonso have done. For that to happen, I can only see him staying put at Mclaren. The faults and fumbles might cost him now, but in the long run, sticking at Mclaren and building a network of people around him is his best option. His recent win in Montreal also shows he still has the ability to win at Mclaren. Also, with Button's form plummeting of late, staying put at Mclaren and becoming a clear and defined leader would benefit Lewis to no end. 

Lewis Hamilton's future is wide open
Mclaren, Red Bull, Ferrari or Mercedes?

Other teams like Lotus seem to have a fairly stable future ahead of them driver-wise. Raikkonen and Grosjean are a talented pairing and one that will grow and improve as time goes on. Will we see the injured Robert Kubica ever step back in at the Enstone team? I doubt it. Will he ever race an F1 car again? I doubt that also. The more time passes, the more unlikely it is we will ever see the talented Pole back in the sport.

With so many options open at the "big four", who knows where everyone will land when the music stops? Karthikeyan to Ferrari? Stranger things have happened. Well, not really...

Let me know in the comments box what you think! Who'll be where in 2013?

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