2014 driver line up market

[Mephistopheles]

I hope the Koby thing is true he's the only driver I care about for the remaining seats if I had my way he would replace Sutil...

 

[Greenlantern101]

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns27159.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

The Italians are reporting that Caterham is close to confirming Koby and Marcus Erricson as their line up.

 

[RasputinLives]

How Erricson is in contention for an F1 drive when he made such a hash of GP2 last year I don't know.

I'm not saying the boy isn't quick or skilled (I'd put him above VDG) but if there was a way to throw a result away last year Erricson found it. Meanwhile poor old Sammy Bird and Mr Leimer don't get a look in!

 

[Bushi]

How is Erricson in contention?

 

[Mephistopheles]

Yeah well Caterham aren't ready to kiss and tell yet..

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/199589/1/caterham-downplays-driver-reports.html

 

[Greenlantern101]

TP Cyril Abiteboul confirms Pic has gone from caterham.
Driver announcement expected Tomorrow morning.

http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12433/9126014/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[sushifiesta]

Van der Garde is off to Sauber to be reserve driver so Caterham will have a completely new line up for 2014: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/112204

Kobayashi/Erricson looks very likely then.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

Not sure if this has been mentioned - Marco Sorensen about to be confirmed as Lotus test driver?:
http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2014/01/20/sorensen-for-lotus/

 

[RasputinLives]

Sorensen was racing for Enstone's junior team in 3.5 last year and, after a poor start where he couldn't get his set up right, he started to look quite impressive by the end of the year so glad to see him getting some time in with the F1 team and possibley some Friday runs.

As for Van Der Garde leaving Caterham and not being in the field anymore I can't say I'll miss him. He was all speed and no control just sometimes without the speed.

I will be interested to see how Ericson does if he gets the drive as he's always been rated highly and always been quick. He had a dog of a year last year though.

 

[Josh]

It's going to be Kobayashi and Ericsson at Caterham next season.

http://www.caterhamf1.com/news/2014/caterham-announces-f1-and-gp2-line-ups

 

[Greenlantern101]

At last we have the final line up.
Huge victory for the F1 fans getting Koby back into F1. Over £1 million of his sponsor money is from fans groups. Great to have him back.
Very interested to see how the rookies do especially Magnussen.

Redbull - Vettel & Ricciardo
Ferrari - Alonso & Kimi
Mercedes - Hamilton & Rosberg
McLaren - Magnussen & Jenson
Lotus - Maldonado & Grosjean
TorroRosso - Kvyat & Verne
Williams - Massa & Bottas
Caterham - Kobayashi & Ericsson
Force India - Hulkenberg & Perez
Sauber - Sutil & Gutierrez
Marrusia - Bianchi & Chilton

 

[F1Yorkshire]

If the fans can pay to get koby back in F1 how much will we have to raise to get Vettel out?

 

[Greenlantern101]

Just need to boycott a certain energy drink.

 

[Brogan]

Looks like we need two new driver threads then: Kvyat and Ericsson.

 

[RasputinLives]

I have a day off on Friday and know the drivers pretty well Brogan so happy to do em unless someone else fancies it?

*edit*- Ok my bus was stuck in traffic so I did them on the way home! Enjoy.

 

[RasputinLives]

Van Der Garde reckons he could have stayed in the race seat at Caterham if he wanted too.

http://m.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/305526/van-der-garde-i-could-have-stayed-at-caterham/

hmmmm. As this is the man who offered 7 million Euros to drive an HRT once I think the idea he walked away from a drive in a lower car to take a test drive in a 'higher' team has a distinct smell of male cow's poo poo.

 

[FB]

Redbull - Vettel & Ricciardo
Ferrari - Alonso & Kimi
Mercedes - Hamilton & Rosberg
McLaren - Magnussen & Jenson
Lotus - Maldonado & Grosjean
TorroRosso - Kvyat & Verne
Williams - Massa & Bottas
Caterham - Kobayashi & Ericsson
Force India - Hulkenberg & Perez
Sauber - Sutil & Gutierrez
Marrusia - Bianchi & Chilton

So we have three leagues - the know good, the know bad and the unknown. I'll let you draw your own tables about who fits where.

 

[sushifiesta]

I'll bite with a five category system:

No doubts: Vettel, Alonso, Kimi, Hamilton, Rosberg, Button, Grosjean, Hulkenberg, Bottas, Bianchi

Point to prove: Kobayashi, Perez, Maldonado, Ricciardo

Last chance saloon: Massa, Sutil, Vergne

Need a miracle: Chilton, Gutierrez

The rookies: Kvyat, Magnussen, Ericcsson

 

[RasputinLives]

Gutierrez might surprise you this year.

 

[siffert_fan]

I will say that having Koby back goes some way towards offsetting the double-points nonsense. There may be hope yet!