F1 2012 - Teams and Drivers - Who goes where?!

[FrankJH]

I was thinking that if you left F1 to go eslewhere you may drop out of the shop window. I suppose Grosjean disproves that to some extent... I would use Kimi as an Example, but Ex-champions don't seem to have issues coming back at the moment!

Ex-champs are a totally different kettle of fish though (as they have actually proved themselves in f1), and they will be a relatively cheap option to get valid experience in x car. Someone like Alguersuari who has only been with TR (I think anyway), and hasnt really done anything amazing is less likely imo to be selected once he chooses/if he chooses to leave f1 and go somewhere else.

I suppose there is always the chance that Alguesari may go from expecting pay from a team, leaving f1 for 1 or 2 seasons before coming back as a sponsor-payed driver (I dont know whether Alguesari was payed in 2011 or payed for his seat, but you get the idea even if the driver isnt accurate)

imo the ONLY way you can leave f1 for one or two seasons and come back successfully is if you are an ex champ (and even then you have to accept a car lower down the grid on your come back) - currently Grosgean (sp?) is the exception that proves this rule

 

[howler]

Wouldn't have to leave F1, if he can land a test / reserve driver role and then race in another series to keep his skills sharp I'm sure he would be considered next season when it is likely there will be more seats available

 

[GravyMonster]

More stupidity coming from the HRT press office this morning about who their second driver will be.

First off they've stated that there's no point hiring a driver nearing retirement... even though their lead driver is Pedro de la Rosa. Who's 40.

Secondly, they say it would make no sense having a Spanish second driver. Despite a couple of months ago saying they wanted to be an all-Spanish team. I assume this is simply due to Jaime Alguersuari having no/not enough money to give them for a seat.

Ambrosio, Petrov and Senna are thought to be the ones in the running.

 

[Indy500]

I don't think they hired PDLR to "race", they're probably using the race weekends to test like they did in 2011...

 

[Duke]

I don't know whether you can technically "race" in the HRT anyway

 

[Indy500]

I don't know whether you can technically "race" in the HRT anyway

Ricciardo managed it, he didn't fluke into the STR drive...

 

[GravyMonster]

According to reports in Germany, Adrian Sutil will stand trial for wounding Genii's Eric Lux in Shanghai. 2 day trial at end of January

Prosecutors pushing for a year in chokey for Adrian Sutil. bit.ly/vYXRll

Sounds like Sutils career is finished.

 

[JRS]

Sounds like Sutils career is finished.

Hamilton is being called as a witness as well. Not sure how much he did witness given that he was bundled out of there as soon as it all (allegedly) kicked off, but he must know enough about what happened to be called up.

That story would have been so much better back then if instead of getting 'rescued' by his bodyguards Hamilton had waded into the fight as well....ah well, another footnote in the catalogue of missed opportunities that the universe has pitched up

 

[Indy500]

I already posted a thread about that earlier

 

[unKn0wn]

Development on the spare Williams seat. Looks like Bruno has a good chance of getting it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula_one/16544865.stm

 

[GravyMonster]

I already posted a thread about that earlier

Sorry! Completely missed that one

 

[Skeeter]

Ricciardo managed it, he didn't fluke into the STR drive...

Being a Red Bull backed driver, nothing Ricciardo did in the HRT effected his progression. He was going to end up in an STR regardless.

 

[Indy500]

Being a Red Bull backed driver, nothing Ricciardo did in the HRT effected his progression. He was going to end up in an STR regardless.

My point was DR was good enough to demonstrate that there was performance in the Hispania that its regular drivers weren't getting. Alonso did the same with Minardi, regardless of his long-term contract being with Briatore.

 

[Kevin Clark]

Brazilian blogs are reporting Senna has signed for Williams. No official news yet though.

 

[Skeeter]

Good for him on one hand, in that he is on the grid.

But on the other hand, it is a massive step back. I don't see Williams being ahead of anyone but HRT this year...

 

[sunama]

What is actually wrong with Williams?
It would appear that they are going backwards with every year that goes by.
Is it purely down to lack of funds OR is there something more fundamental which cannot be solved so easily?

If it is purely money, surely they could hire some top sales staff who will aim to get sponsors who pay more money?

Williams have a huge name and there are some key personnel who know what it takes to make a team that wins "everything". So what is the problem?

 

[Skeeter]

In my personal opinion, Frank and Patrick.

They are old boys who were running and old school team the old school way, and the sport has just evolved and progressed faster than they could keep up. And now they are just 'going through the motions' without really going anywhere.

They need to sell up, get someone younger with some drive in there and drag the team forward.

 

[.Lethal]

In my personal opinion, Frank and Patrick.

They are old boys who were running and old school team the old school way, and the sport has just evolved and progressed faster than they could keep up. And now they are just 'going through the motions' without really going anywhere.

I don't think it's that simple at all.

 

[sunama]

OK then, why don't you offer a possible theory?

 

[Guerrilla]

2010 wasn't that bad for Williams... 2011 was horrendous though.

They came up with that neat little back end but either they invested too much into it to the detriment of everything else, or it just didn't work well. Whatever the reason that car was terrible.