2014 driver line up market

[Il_leone]

I thought Gutierrez is not backed by Telmex because it seems mystifying how Sauber did not have these financial problems last year and they have come up most recently

Hulkenberg is only on £500,000 a year

 

[Il_leone]

Maybe the Sauber overachieved last year and managed to nail the windtunnel to track and therefore the car was a potential race winner

 

[teabagyokel]

Il_leone - No doubt about that, really. Hulk is heading into the category marked "Derek Warwick"; he'd have won a race at Sauber in 2012.

 

[RasputinLives]

its a mis-conception that Gutierrez is backed by Telmex. He has no personal sponsors anymore(see article)

http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2013/6/14672.html

He has had to fight his way up like others but his leg up came because Telmex basically said last season that they were more likely to continue their deal with Sauber if they had a Mexican driver(and semi decents ones of them are hard to find).

Sauber also had half a dozen other Mexican sponsors too. Maybe just maybe these Mexican sponsors are being drawn away by another team with a Mexican driver.

 

[gethinceri]

I don't agree teabagyokel, Derek couldn't fit in a 2012 Sauber.

 

[Il_leone]

RasputinLives
That is what I thought about Gutierrez he was picked by Sauber because he was Mexican to please Telmex- funny how Sauber have ended up in this situation even after pleasing the sponsors

gethinceri teabagyokel means a talented driver who seems to join teams at the wrong time at the moment in his career

This week's Autosport covered articles how the driver market is going to be dominated by drivers who have big sponsorship with them and the chances of seeing those with talent are being reduced

Like for instance Sam Bird who maybe backed by Mercedes but does not have sponsors to get into other teams

Previous examples of driver backing were Alonso , Hamilton and Vettel by teams and be willing to invest and bring them through into F1

The other driver that people are looking out for is supposedly Kevin Magnussen


There is an article on Da Costa underachieving apparently in Renault World Series and may not get into F1 after early promise

 

[gethinceri]

Ah, I understand. Sometimes I just don't think things through.

 

[teabagyokel]

Some say he killed a man for using a grocer's apostrophe. Some say he's even more pedantic if the text is in Welsh.

All we know is he's called gethinceri.

I think Hulkenburg would have won in a 2012 Sauber. But not a 1985 Renault.

 

[RasputinLives]

I haven't see this weekends world series but I've been saying that about Felix Da Costa all season. Sainz Jr hasn't been much better in GP3 either so my money is on Danny Kvyat getting that Toro Rosso seat as he is a whisker away from the GP3 title and has blown away the competition in the last 2 rounds.

 

[Il_leone]

I don't think I remember seeing an article where a junior category is being classed as a failure before he 's even driven F1 race in this way because he fails to take his opportunity - a full 2 pages considering whether its the driver, the team or just pure luck

 

[Bill Boddy]

In race 1 at Monza Sainz was 2nd at the first chicane and appeared to have come out of it safely when Zamparelli, who had cut the first corner, came back onto the circuit in the middle of the chicane. He hit one of his team mates who then hit Sainz and caused general mayhem. This dropped Sainz well back but he recovered to ninth. He was also involved in someone else's accident in race 2, once again recovering to 9th.

Zamparelli was suspended from race 2, the incident was so dangerous he could not have complained about being suspended from the rest of the series.

 

[Il_leone]

when will Lotus announce who their drivers are for next season as they seem to think they are the next most desirable team to drive for despite no engine deal sorted

 

[RasputinLives]

Bill Boddy this is very true and Sainz Jr did have a good race but he hasn't taken a win all season and seems to get caught up in quite a few incidents. Kvyat (his team mate) had already beat him to pole and cruised to a lights to flag victory in the feature race, just like he had done 2 weeks earlier in the feature race at Spa. He also fought his way up from 8th to 2nd in the sprint race and seems to have the advantage iver Sainz Jr who everyone expected to be going for the title.

As for Zamperreli- his real victim was his team mate Teo Elinas who has been leading the championship for most of the season. Elinas was taken out (speared really) by Zamperelli meaninf he scored a zero in the feature race, had to start from the back in the sprint race and of course scored zero in that which has effectivly put him out of the title race following nearly exactly the same happening to him at Spa too.

Still think Kvyat is the natural choice for the Toro Rosso drive if its between the Red Bull junior drivers.

 

[teabagyokel]

Bill Boddy - That is absolutely sodding ridiculous. And into his team-mate just to put the cherry on the cake as well!

 

[Slyboogy]

On another note, I think Lotus should be looking at two new drivers.

Grosjean's not done much at all this year, been anonymous apart from in Bahrain, and in Hungary where he fluffed a good chance.

 

[cider_and_toast]

What's Grosjean's contract status? Renault haven't really got the cash to go paying drivers off.

At least he hasn't written off too many cars this year.

 

[RasputinLives]

Don't forget Germany.

Grosjean would be out of contract at the end of the year but due to being managed by Eric Boullier and being French for Total and Renault I think he's fairly secure although I'm guessing that might depend on who else they get in. A Massa/Hulkenberg line up might be too hard to resist.

I have a feeling that Massa's wage demands might be too high for Enstone.

 

[Il_leone]

Bouillier has admitted that the team is a medium sized team so it cannot afford all the resources to go up against the big teams

- So who is really in charge of Lotus for a start and what are the aims for the team long term?

Whoever Lotus select will have an indication of their aims.

Grosjean- I thought he was going to step up this year and he has not really? Total might save him due to wanting a French driver but for how long

Hulkenberg - he is ready to be a No1 driver and deserves a top team drive no doubt so do Lotus want to be build a future around him

Di Resta - the jury is still out on him despite his past success against Vettel

Massa - Is only a short term solution

Renault - how does their partnership with Lotus if is going to be increased going to affect Red Bull's

 

[Tuscan1969]

Total left field idea ......Lotus to mend bridges and re-sign Robert Kubica????????

DiResta should stay at Force India as they keep the merc engines.

 

[sushifiesta]

I think it's more arms that need fixing than bridges Tuscan1969 .