Robert Kubica's Seat?

[cider_and_toast]

I should think quite a few drivers - Sutil and Glock spring to mind instantly - will have asked their managers to see what options they might have in their existing contracts. It was thought that Renault were talking to Adrian about their second seat last year, though I don't know if that was genuine or just paddock talk.

Both Virgin and Force India used mash ups of last years cars in the first test so will have little idea about how their new cars will run this season. I imagine that Glock will have a good idea that Virgin won't be in any position to challenge on the scale of Renault so I expect he'd jump at the chance. For Sutil I'm not sure if it's such a clear cut choice.

 

[Galahad]

Obviously once more is known of Kubica's condition then things will become clearer.

Still I feel either Sutil or Glock should feel confident of being able to blow Petrov away and make themselves indispensable to the team, to the extent that it's not them who makes way when Robert returns?

 

[siffert_fan]

I think that if the choice is Senna, Renault will findling themselves fighting with HRT! They need someone that can develop the car, and that, most emphatically is neither Petrov nor Senna. Heidfeld would be the best choice, with Hulk as second choice. In any event, the main concern is for RK to make a complete recovery! Any chance they could buy out Rubens' contract?

 

[RickD]

Personally, I think they should give Senna a chance as it was difficult to see what he was like in that pile of crap he was driving last year. At least let him have a go at the test days before making a descision.

He''l probably be crap, but who knows at this stage?!? Otherwise go for Heidfeld, Hulk has proved too contentious with his chicane cutting antics from last year (wasn't that to keep a certain Robert Kubica behind him)..

 

[Jru]

Obviously once more is known of Kubica's condition then things will become clearer.

Still I feel either Sutil or Glock should feel confident of being able to blow Petrov away and make themselves indispensable to the team, to the extent that it's not them who makes way when Robert returns?

I agree that they may do better, but by how much? If they beat Petrov by 3/10s regularly that's all well and good but then without the Russian money coming to Renault they may lose 5/10s from both drivers due to a lack of a development budget.

Actually that could bring a whole new perspective on things - would they risk a driver much better than Petrov that could embarass them into having to lose him and the sponsorship? Perhaps exaggerating the need for money and Petrov's inability - he seemed fairly solid at times last season, let's just hope he isn't the Russian Yamamoto!

 

[teabagyokel]

I don't think its fair to judge Senna on a HRT year, so I'd like to see youth given a chance.

However, if I was Genii I think I'd be intent on bringing in Heidfeld or Hulkenburg if I possibly could.

So I'd like to see Senna get the seat, but wouldn't do it my self if I was an Anglo-French-Malaysian-Russian-Luxembourgian F1 team.

 

[sportsman]

Petrov is not that bad.He is capable of putting in a half decent performance if he is benefitting from runing with an experienced team mate such as Kubica.Senna could very likely do the same.
But neither of them have enough experience to develop the car over the course of the season.Take Perez 's recent test times at Valencia.Benefitting from Barichello's input in the previous two days he was capable of matching and even beating Barrichello's times.
Lotus Renualt must hire an experienced driver to have any hope of maximising the cars performance.

 

[RickD]

Am I missing something? Has Barrichello moved to Renault/Lotus/Lada?!?

 

[tooncheese]

Grosjean, I think he's learnt his lesson from 09, and with another year of GP2 under his belt he is ready to step up to become a regular F1 driver. I never really rated Senna, and I can' see Heidfeld leaving Pirelli/Merc or whoever he's with. Also Renault have 5 test drivers now, Senna, Grosjean, Fauzy, A chinese guy, and Some Czech bloke. I don't think the need any more.

 

[sportsman]

Am I missing something? Has Barrichello moved to Renault/Lotus/Lada?!?

No.I didn't really think that I needed to specify in the Williams.I assumed that everyone on here knew that.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

...Take Perez 's recent test times at Valencia. Benefitting from Barichello's input in the previous two days he was capable of matching and even beating Barrichello's times.
Lotus Renualt must hire an experienced driver to have any hope of maximising the cars performance.

Are you sure you don't mean Maldonado, not Perez ( who is in the Sauber team)?
And can you be sure that it was specifically Barrichello's input that enabled Maldonado to go faster than him, and not Maldonado's own input?

 

[sportsman]

Are you sure you don't mean Maldonado, not Perez ( who is in the Sauber team)?
And can you be sure that it was specifically Barrichello's input that enabled Maldonado to go faster than him, and not Maldonado's own input?

I did.Just realised my mistake and came rushing back to edit my post.
No I can't be sure that is was specifically Barichello's input.But Malsonado's times were quicker that Barichello's as I believe that the car had improved on Barrichello's feedback.Maldonado could have equally provided valuable input to improve the car to suit him.But Barrichello's feedback is reputedly to be excellent.

 

[sportsman]

No.I didn't really think that I needed to specify in the Williams.I assumed that everyone on here knew that.

Sorry Rick D.As has been pointed out I should have said Maldonado.

 

[teabagyokel]

The last time I can remember 2 "second season" drivers together in F1 was Kovalainen and Hamilton in 2008, and McLaren didn't do badly that year, did they?

Kubica can hardly be compared to Barrichello, if you argue experience is key, and it would also lead one to question Kubica's relative role in BMW development with Heidfeld alongside.

I can foresee your responses, but I'm not sure it is too big an issue if the right engineers are at Genii. Not sure if they are!

 

[MCLS]

Personally I would give it to Senna, he has the most to prove out of the lot and would be desperate to get out there and prove a point to the people at HRT. And its a PR dream as already stated

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Personally I would give it to Senna... And its a PR dream as already stated

Which is, I repeat, almost certainly why Renault took him on in the first place.

 

[RickD]

Sorry Rick D.As has been pointed out I should have said Maldonado.

No worries, just a bit confusing in a post about Kubica (or at least his seat)..

 

[sportsman]

Latest news on Kubica's condition.He will also undergo further surgery this week on his arm and foot.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89336

"Robert's medical evolution is excellent: he is able to drink and to execute small movements with the hand."
Although the hospital is encouraged with his progress, Barabino still thinks it could take up to one year for Kubica to fully recover from his injuries.
"It's difficult to make predictions," he said. "What's certain is that it's rare to find such a strong patient.
"A partial recovery will be possible within a few months: we'll see if he can reach a full functionality of his arm and hand. To reach an objective such as this, he would need one year anyway."

 

[JamesHunt]

I wonder what Giancarlo Fisichella is up to at the moment.........

 

[Jru]

To narrow down the poll a little

"We will look for Kubica's substitute: the names considered are Senna, Liuzzi and Heidfeld," said Renault's team principal Eric Boullier on Tuesday.

- BBC article

For my money:
1 Heidfeld is experienced, and could claim the greater track record of the 3. He has also at times matched Kubica before at BMW.
2 Senna has some level of commitment from the team, and is also a great PR stunt.
3 Liuzzi I can't see bringing much different from Heidfeld, just worse. I can only see him being picked if they decide Senna isn't the way forwards and also there are contractual problems in hiring Heidfeld.

I'm surprised no mention of Hulkenburg, but it would be a very sensitive issue to start talking about breaking other teams contracts - for that reason anyone currently in a team may also be on the list...
...so this possibly doesn't shed any light on the matter at all. Woops, sorry folks!