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Drivers you reckon we'll see again..

Started by Andrew Hope , Jan 11 2011 00:52

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#1 Andrew Hope

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 00:52

With the return of Karthikeyan this year, as well as Schumacher, De la Rosa, Klien, and Yamamoto last year, the precedent for drivers returning to the grid after years away is fresh in everyone's minds.

This is just a discussion thread were we can speculate if we might see drivers that last raced in F1 pre-2010 back in the near future. The Fisichellas, Bourdais, Grosjeans, Piquets, Nakajimas, Satos, Davidsons, etc. of the world.

Whether you just have a 'feeling' we haven't seen the last of someone, or you have some evidence or theories of your own as to why _______ might be back on the grid sooner or later, let's just have some friendly banter.

So who wouldn't you be surprised to see back on the grid in the next few seasons? We don't need 'rules' here, but let's be reasonable. Let's say any driver that had at least 1 race since the 2003 or 2004 season and isn't going to be at Bahrain 2011 is fair game.

Edited by andrew., 11 January 2011 - 02:24.

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#2 KateLM

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 01:40

Well I certainly never thought we'd see Karthikeyan again so I'm probably going to be totally wrong about this, but Hulkenberg is obviously the main one springing to mind. I can see him getting back in with a midfield team in 2012 providing there is some sort of movement near the top with drivers - and with the doubts over Massa and the possibility of Schumacher and/or Webber retiring, that could easily happen. Barrichello and Trulli also aren't getting any younger so there is also more possible opportunities there.

I don't see di Grassi, Senna, Liuzzi (if he is out) or Grosjean getting back in. Chandhok perhaps has a slightly better chance - not that I think its particularly deserved on raw talent - but its still unlikely. And sadly I can't see Heidfeld ever landing a full time drive again as it looks like 2 seasons in a row where he won't be on the grid at the first race - and at his age I don't think there is any coming back from that. I only see him driving in F1 again if he has to deputise for an injured driver midseason or something like that.

Oh, and then there is Raikkonen....nah, not going to happen. After 2 years in rallying he is just not going to be the draw to the top teams that he once was, especially as there is always likely to be a big question mark over his commitment to F1.

#3 Kvothe

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 01:55

Kimi Raikkonen, i think he will get bored of rallying soon, and be given an offer he can't refuse, the only team he could probably join however is renault, as even in the next few years i dont see the drivers changing from the established teams bar Massa and possible Webber, though i'm sure red bull would pick daniel riccardo, and ferrari, someone they haven't screwed over, so definitely not Kimi...time will tell i suppose.

#4 PLAYLIFE

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 03:08

If greats like Karthikeyan are making a come back, why stop there, maybe we'll be seeing the likes of Ricardo Rosset, Gaston Mazzacane, Tora Takagi, Norberto Fontana, Giovanni Lavaggi, Toshio Suzuki, Jean-Marc Gounon, Phillippe Adams, Hideki Noda, Paul Belmondo, Franck Lagorce....

#5 DarthRonzo

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 03:23

Jos Vestrappen ?

#6 Nustang70

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 04:05

Niki Lauda thinks monkeys can drive modern F1 cars. Maybe he'll put his money where his mouth is. :)

#7 gm914

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 04:11

The Fisichellas, Bourdais, Grosjeans, Piquets, Nakajimas, Satos, Davidsons, etc. of the world.


Let's not forget about Scott Speed...

...actually let's all forget about Scott Speed.

#8 bourbon

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 04:26

Oh, and then there is Raikkonen....nah, not going to happen. After 2 years in rallying he is just not going to be the draw to the top teams that he once was, especially as there is always likely to be a big question mark over his commitment to F1.


As I see it, unless they start running F1 on tracks filled will snow, Sludge-mud, loose gravel and potholes the size of a tyre, Raikkonen isn't going to be interested in returning. He has said a zillion times that he does not miss F1 - and that he loves Rally. He's committed, I've submitted - Rally on Raikkonen!

Moving on - I reckon we'll see Senna again - and also, I would hope to see Piquet, Jr. back. F1 OWES some backpay and the debt is not fully paid yet. So yeah, I would like to see those two back for sure.

#9 KateLM

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 04:53

As I see it, unless they start running F1 on tracks filled will snow, Sludge-mud, loose gravel and potholes the size of a tyre, Raikkonen isn't going to be interested in returning. He has said a zillion times that he does not miss F1 - and that he loves Rally. He's committed, I've submitted - Rally on Raikkonen!

Moving on - I reckon we'll see Senna again - and also, I would hope to see Piquet, Jr. back. F1 OWES some backpay and the debt is not fully paid yet. So yeah, I would like to see those two back for sure.

Yeah I know Raikkonen doesn't want to come back, I was working off the hypothetical case of "even if he wanted to". Sorry if that wasn't clear.

And the sport does not owe Senna or Piquet anything.

#10 Richard T

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 06:11

Yuji Ide?

#11 Guest_4L3X_*

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 06:47

Pantano? Bordais? Piquet Jr.? Montagny? Doorbos? J. Wilson? Albers? Monteiro? Patrick Friesacher? Pizzonia? Paffett?

Heh. I wouldn't think Karthikeyan would have any more or any less chance of coming back than any of the above. And he is probably faster (in an F1 car) than the likes of Gary Paffett too, others, so good for him.

#12 hughcdavies

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 11:52

My money's on Ralf and Panis!

:cry: :cry: :cry:

#13 glorius&victorius

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 11:58

Christijan Albers! in 2011 with HRT!

Because of his good buddy relationship with Kolles.

#14 Tsarwash

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 12:03

Doesn't Damon Hill have some unfinished business ? Saying that, it would be great seeing Stewart and Ecclestone going head to head on the track.

#15 billm99uk

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 12:25

I'll go for Romain Grosjean

#16 lustigson

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 12:45

Drivers we'll se back on the F1 grid? Nico Hülkenberg, no doubt, and perhaps Romain Grosjean and Bruno Senna, too.

#17 Atreiu

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 12:48

Mansell.
:)

#18 primer

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 12:56

If Narain can make a comeback, we might soon see the likes of Alex Yoong, Zsolt Baumgartner and Gastón Mazzacane also returning. :rolleyes:

#19 johnmhinds

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 13:16

I think Karthikeyan is just an anomaly.

All of the other drivers mentioned so far (apart from maybe Hülkenberg) were booted out or left for good reasons, and they aren't going to make a come back.

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#20 hughcdavies

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 13:26

There may be a few on here http://f1rejects.com/main.html
A fun site with some very big names who just didn't get on in F1. Alex Zanardi and Jan Lammers for instance.

#21 midgrid

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 14:31

Max Verstappen ?


Fixed. :wave:

I think that Grosjean and Hulkenberg will re-appear at some point, and possibly Heidfeld as well.

#22 Absulute

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 14:41

Jacques Villeneuve?




:lol:

Edited by Absulute, 11 January 2011 - 14:46.

#23 SteF1an

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 14:48

JUAN

PABLO

MONTOYA

#24 jimjimjeroo

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 15:13

JUAN

PABLO

MONTOYA

I bloody well hope so!

I think Mika Salo never got a fair crack he drove very well in the Ferrari!

I'd like to see Sebastien Bourdais come back!

#25 Smile17

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 15:32

Nelson Piquet Jr, I hope so.

Edited by Smile17, 11 January 2011 - 15:33.

#26 MortenF1

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 16:34

Niki Lauda thinks monkeys can drive modern F1 cars. Maybe he'll put his money where his mouth is. :)


Is this a joke that went way over my head? When Lauda explicitly said that, a good few years ago (around the time you joined the board I think), he did test an F1 car.

#27 sir jackie walker

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 16:57

Hülkenberg will (deservedly) re-appear. Seeing Yamamoto's and Karthikeyan's returns it is apparently too early to write off past-their-prime pay drivers, but who else are there with recent(-ish) experience and able to raise sufficient funds? José María López (although it's debatable if we would be seeing him again), Albers, ..? I also think certain drivers of more quality, but without the dough have potential to make short appearances, like Heidfeld, de la Rosa and Grosjean.

Is this a joke that went way over my head? When Lauda explicitly said that, a good few years ago (around the time you joined the board I think), he did test an F1 car.

But it is still a great mystery to human race whether a monkey could drive a modern F1 car. We know Niki Lauda couldn't, though.

#28 phil1993

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 17:28

I hope Grosjean, because I still think he's one of the best young drivers around. I mean he was doing well in GP2 in 2009 and he jumped at the chance to run with Renault (well, he didn't have an option). Going to Renault proved a disaster. Team was in disarray, the car was absolutely woeful, he had Alonso as his team mate, he didn't know most of the tracks he visited and he had no testing in the R29. But he won AutoGP easily in 2010 and shone on occasion in GP2. Problem is he might not get another chance.

Bourdais has said he's never coming back to F1 as I interviewed him a few months ago for an online mag. Montoya won't come back and Raikkonen probably won't either. Maybe Nakajima will return - he's still young & has said he still has F1 ambitions.

#29 Victor

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 19:29

I went through the list of ex drivers since 2003 and the only one I would really love to see back at the wheel of a competitive car would be Montoya. The name of Markus Winkelhock also springs to my mind. I remeber him leading is first (and only) GP, although it happened under extraordinary circumstances.

#30 MortenF1

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 19:39

I went through the list of ex drivers since 2003 and the only one I would really love to see back at the wheel of a competitive car would be Montoya. The name of Markus Winkelhock also springs to my mind. I remeber him leading is first (and only) GP, although it happened under extraordinary circumstances.


I honestly don't understand how race fans would want Montoya back, but not Räikkönen. Unless you're talking persons, not drivers, as there are polarised opinions on both guys regarding their off-track persona.

There's a handful of drivers I'd like to see reappear (Räikkönen particularly, but I'm not holding my breath. Montoya; is that realistic to hope for? He loved USA before F1 and he's fallen back in love again I think), and several I think deserves a second chance.

...especially when the likes of Karthikeyan and Petrov have seats!

#31 noikeee

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 19:41

I think that Grosjean and Hulkenberg will re-appear at some point, and possibly Heidfeld as well.


Those were the three names I was thinking of. I can see a few others popping up again if they can get sponsorship (ex Albers) but those are pretty much the exclusive club of the guys that can actually come back on talent.

Though I'm not sure what are Grosjean and Heidfeld up to for next year.

#32 midgrid

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 19:45

Those were the three names I was thinking of. I can see a few others popping up again if they can get sponsorship (ex Albers) but those are pretty much the exclusive club of the guys that can actually come back on talent.

Though I'm not sure what are Grosjean and Heidfeld up to for next year.


Blick reported a couple of days ago that Heidfeld will return to third driver duties at Mercedes. I'm not sure what Grosjean is doing, but I could also see him as a test and reserve driver as he has quite a bit of experience with the Pirelli tyres now.

#33 Nustang70

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 21:38

Is this a joke that went way over my head? When Lauda explicitly said that, a good few years ago (around the time you joined the board I think), he did test an F1 car.


Ah, I completely forgot about that! And yes, it was just a joke.

#34 Johnrambo

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 21:57

MS for the third time in 2017 in a Hispania.

#35 Pink Snail

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 23:31

Justin Wilson back in F1 for 2012 with Torro Rosso....unfinished business. What JW did in a Minardi earned him a berth at Jaguar when things were not so good. Remind me...what happened to the Jaguar team and if JW had stuck with it what might have been. A couple of others with unfinished business worth a shot would be JPM and Ralf along with Olivier Panis and Mika Salo.

#36 ryan86

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 23:39

I know it might be an unpopular opinion, but I want to see Piquet Jnr back, as if to prove myself right as I thought he was a better driver than his stint at Renault showed him to be.

#37 PNSD

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 23:42

pizza boy

#38 r4mses

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 23:58

I'm crossing fingers for...
Nico Hülkenberg
Bruno Senna
Nelson Piquet Jr
Jacques Villeneuve
Kimi Räikkönen
Romain Grosjean
Nick Heidfeld

#39 gd2

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Posted 12 January 2011 - 00:10

Pantano? Bordais? Piquet Jr.? Montagny? Doorbos? J. Wilson? Albers? Monteiro? Patrick Friesacher? Pizzonia? Paffett?

Heh. I wouldn't think Karthikeyan would have any more or any less chance of coming back than any of the above. And he is probably faster (in an F1 car) than the likes of Gary Paffett too, others, so good for him.


Faster than Paffett, in his dreams maybe!

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#40 Collective

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Posted 12 January 2011 - 00:11

I hope Hulkenberg and Grosjean.

Heidfeld would be nice too. And Raikkonen in a half decent drive would be pretty cool too.

There should also be some rotating seat for F1 rejects. Imagine the potential: Ide, Albers, Nakano, Yamamoto, Yoong, et al fighting for the best of the worst award. Same equipment. PDVSA could provide the funding via Milka Duno doing 2 or 3 races.

#41 weareracing

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Posted 12 January 2011 - 00:20

Only 1 Driver will re-appear and he should NEVER have lost his seat.
Commercial pressures are the only reason Nico Hulkenberg is not in a race seat at the START OF 2011, he will be on the grid in the future.
A potential World Champion replaced by Petro$$.

#42 froggy22

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Posted 12 January 2011 - 00:45

Takuma Sato. just watching this vid makes me miss him :p there arent enough crashes these days
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related
i know we've got Kobayashi, but even Kobayashi wasnt as kamikaze as Sato. looks like the americans have been finding that out last season as well lol

#43 Hole

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Posted 12 January 2011 - 03:35

JUAN

PABLO

MONTOYA


That would be bloody awesome. But it's not likely as he seems to be happy in the states. I think it's more likely Kimi coming back with Ferrari as team boss of Alonso than Montoya returning...

#44 teejay

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Posted 12 January 2011 - 06:50

Satooooooooooooooooo!!!

#45 BRK

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Posted 12 January 2011 - 07:42

Nelson Piquet, Nico Huelkenberg, Romain Grosjean, Karun Chandhok, Nick Heidfeld. Some would take different routes to the rest but we should see them back in the sport at some point..

#46 apoka

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Posted 12 January 2011 - 07:58

I hope for Heidfeld and Hulkenberg. It really depends on how many drivers retire next year. Webber, Barrichello, Schumacher, Trulli may end their career. Massa, Petrov, one TR driver, Maldonado, di Resta, Perez could be dropped in case they don't deliver as expected. Overall, there could be about 6 or 7 free seats, which certainly helps some drivers to come back.

Edited by apoka, 12 January 2011 - 08:31.

#47 Crafty

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Posted 12 January 2011 - 08:05

Justin Wilson back in F1 for 2012 with Torro Rosso....unfinished business. What JW did in a Minardi earned him a berth at Jaguar when things were not so good. Remind me...what happened to the Jaguar team and if JW had stuck with it what might have been. A couple of others with unfinished business worth a shot would be JPM and Ralf along with Olivier Panis and Mika Salo.


Not a chance, he's earning far too much in the US to even think of coming back to a midfield (at best) team.

#48 FigJam

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Posted 12 January 2011 - 08:59

6 months ago I would have certainly said Kimi Raikkonen.

Now that looks very unlikely, unfortunately for us fans. :well:

#49 H0R

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Posted 12 January 2011 - 09:03

Stirling Moss is long overdue for a championship. One could say Mercedes "owes him one". I bet he'll take Schumacher's seat one day.

#50 iotar

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Posted 12 January 2011 - 09:54

Only 1 Driver will re-appear and he should NEVER have lost his seat.
Commercial pressures are the only reason Nico Hulkenberg is not in a race seat at the START OF 2011, he will be on the grid in the future.
A potential World Champion replaced by Petro$$.


What Petrov has got to do with Hulkenberg not having a seat? He will be a reserve driver for Force India, so if you want to blame someone blame Di Re$$ta or $$util. Wait, wasn't he driving Williams - they chose Barrichello over "potential world champion" and are willing to pay him, no "commercial pressure" there. Or maybe it's because of Kobaya$$hi, Alon$$o or Kubi$$a? Did they replace Hulkenberg, too?
Above applies also to whining Heidfeld fans. He only can blame himself - he could have stayed at Sauber (after 2009 season).
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