Pascal Wehrlein

So German born Pascal Wehrelein looks set to be the next new driver on the F1 grid joining the Manor team. If the PR is to be believed he's joining the Manor team at a good time as they set to jump up to the midfield pack. We have been promised that before though. As for Wehrelein himself most fo us will know him as the Mercedes test driver and DTM Champion but will have seen very little of him in single seaters. Thats mainly because Merc took him out of single seaters fairly quickly and he last did a full season of single seaters in 2012 doing mainly F3. His result were top end but not overly impressive but Mercedes obviously saw something.

Wahrelein is very much one of Toto Wolffs men and I think that has helped him a lot in finally landing him a drive where previous Merc test drivers (Sam Bird etc) have failed to do so. He is quite obviously quick in DTM but there have been accusations that he was shepherded to the title in 2015 by his team mates. He is quite obviously a quick driver but it will be interesting to see how quickly he adapts to F1. The last driver to jump straight from DTM to F1 was Paul Di Resta and the only other driver to do it before that was Christijan Albers (remember him? thought not) so its not a proven success rate.

Having read some of his twitter feed he seems a nice enough guy and whilst they'll talk about him being a young German its worth remembering that he has a dual nationality as he was actually born in Mauritius. That technically makes him the first F1 driver from the content of Africa for as long as I can remember. I suspect we only have South Africans prior to that.

Will eb itnerested to see how he goes, I'm slightly skeptical but am willing to be proved wrong. Anyone got any thoughts?

 

[RasputinLives]

Given his stand-in is a pretty big talent and a Ferrari test driver to boot (who are Saubers engine supplier) I wonder if the 'backers' might have to pay Sauber a bit more cash.

 

[The Artist.....]

Wehrlein is now going to miss China as well... given that he wasn't massively out shining his team mate in 2016, I wonder if his chances of ever returning to F1 are fading. If Giovannazi performs well this weekend, it could be fair well Pascal!

 

[RasputinLives]

It seems conspiracy theories are now ago go on real reason Wherlein is not racing. Could be the details of the injury were played down when the accident happened......could just be Sauber fancy Giovanazzi is better.

 

[Greenlantern101]

Pascal walked away from the crash at ROC and was interviewed after and said he was fine.

I think something else is going on. Maybe the money hasn't been paid.

 

[F1Brits_90]

Brilliant as its nice to see a Gp2 talent get a drive. Instead of cast adrift. But ok yes in wehirien defence you want him to drive if only 100%. Espically with the higher speeds & more G. But F1 is piranha pit espically at the back the grid. & give a driver another chance to impress & take his drive. Possibly end his F1 career. Without being harsh on the guy he's come over like a wimp when you think historically.

Lauda - was nearly burnt to a crisp at nurburgring & he cameback 2 months at monza. Racing in pain

Mansell - got 2nd degree burns ln his backside due to a fuel leak & was back racing 2 weeks later in zandvoort

Coulthard - finished 2nd in 2000 Spanish GP with 3 cracked ribs. Then put it on pole 2 weeks later & i quote "It was very important for me to be in Spain & drive the car, it would have been very easy not to have been, but I've got a job to do & I'm determined not to give up, or give an inch in my battle to win."

Webber - Food Poisoning, was so ill he later was sick in his helmet during the race. & still he raced

Alberto Contador - in Tour de France fell & carried on to ride 7 miles with a broken leg

 

[RasputinLives]

Johnny Herbert could barely walk and was driving. Didn't Webber break a leg pre-season once and still get back in the car?

All the above is a little harsh especially as its a back problem (they can be a bugger) but I can't think of many other examples similar to what's going on now. Perez pulled out after P2 in Canada a few years ago but that was after a knock on the head the race before and Bottas qualified last year but was in too much pain in his back to race but was back in the very next meeting.

It could be that it's a bigger injury than they let on (it's not great PR to have a driver injured at the ROC) but I'm leaning more towards there being something else going on like Greenlantern101 says.

I always thought a Merc driver being at a team that doesn't run Merc engines and Isn't about to run Merc engines was a bit odd. Can't think of another example of a driver from a junior programme being in that situation. Maybe that's it. Maybe Sauber were going to run Merc engines but have now signed a deal with Honda and therefore the whole Wherlein deal has gone south.

 

[Greenlantern101]

71 days today since his crash. Something odd is going on.

 

[The Artist.....]

The fact that Wehrlein was passed over by Mercedes as well may be a reason that he isn't rushing to get back in the car!

 

[RasputinLives]

Not sure I buy that. How is he going to get noticed and prove em wrong if he doesn't get in the car? Unless you think he is sulking and has given up?

 

[Rutherford]

However, in the paddock he has made a name for himself: Princess Pascal.

 

[sobriety]

I know it's motogp and therefor a bit different, but I give you Jorge Lorenzo, Assen 2013.

Broke his collarbone during Thursday Practice (the race is on Saturday), flew to Barcelona, had it plated (titanium plate and 8 screws, it was a mess) on Friday morning. Flew back, passed the Saturday morning fitness test, which included press ups. Got on the bike and finished the GP in 5th.

I think it may have smarted a little. Didn't do him much good the next year though (conditions were very similar to what he crashed in):

“Today has been 100 percent my fault and I want to apologise to the team, the people that work with me and the fans because I was unable to be brave or to be fast in these hard conditions like the other riders,”

He really struggles in the wet now unfortunately, doesn't fancy a repeat of the injury, and who can blame him, so maybe discretion is the better part of valour, but probably not when there's a good chance of someone else getting your drive!

 

[Galahad]

Sauber have to decide on their engine supplier for next year by 6 May. They may be playing Ferrari and Merc off against each other for the best deal?

 

[RasputinLives]

That's true. Although rumour has it they are with Honda.

Whether Wherlein is back for Bahrain will tell us more. If Givoanazzi does 3 grand Prix then he is no longer able to do the young driver tests. As that was part of the reason Ferrari signed him it will be interesting to see if they let him race for Sauber if Wherlein cries off again.

 

[teabagyokel]

We'll know more if Matsushita rocks up...

 

[Greenlantern101]

I just hope he had a lawyer go through his contract with a fine toothed comb or he could find himself penniless and sharing a one bedroom flat in Luton with Giedo Van Der Guard.

 

[Bill Boddy]

I used to share a bedroom in a house in Luton Greenlantern101.

 

[Greenlantern101]

and look how far you've come.

 

[Bill Boddy]

About 26 miles in a direct line Greenlantern101. If you want to continue this could we go somewhere more appropriate?

 

[RasputinLives]

If you want to continue this could we go somewhere more appropriate?

Luton?

 

[RasputinLives]

F1 fitness: here’s why Pascal Wehrlein isn’t rushing his return to action

This article (it's James Allen. Sorry) talks about the added physical pressures on the drivers this year and kind of concludes that if a driver has not had a rigid training programme to build up to racing then they might be off the pace - and thus Wherlein is right to be caution.

Whilst that is all well and good his replacement, Giovanazzi, jumped into the car on a few hours notice and can't possibly have known to have stuck to a rigid training programme or, as a rookie, even known where fitness would have been needed. Therefore either Wherlein is being a sick note or Giovanazzi was even more impressive.