but surely even HIS name isn't worth that much! the man is a total waste of grid space, even if it is way down in number 17...

Because he was the rookie of the year in GP2 (5th place in the 2007 season), and is backed by Toyota. They thought promoting him would do better to develop his F1 racing abilities than another year in GP2. Didn't work out that well as he hasn't looked like he's improved.

Bruno was doing well, he had mistakes but given his relatively short carreer his results were not bad at all. There were and there ara drivers in F1 who were and are much less actractive so i don't really get why is this guy out of F1 now. At least for' god's sake it would be interesting to see what he really has. Take Nakajima Grosjean Buemi Trulli Kovalainen Alguersuari or i could have mention more example....Get Bruno in a F1 car and fire him after 4-5 races if he is hopeless. What is wrong with this ?
I think the cause of all is that Bruno is not part of any big company's nowadays very fashionable "driver development programme". He has no manager with connections with teams that's all.
I think his wins last year in monte carlo and in the wet in england were impressive enough to give him a chance. He was good from the word go at oreca too.

i disagree..they do come out flying....usually it's straight into a wall or other cars...

Don't know if this was mentoned before, but Bruno Senna expects to anounce his drive here in Interlagos.

The Toyota situation is interesting. Had they locked up Trulli and Glock with Alonso, Raikkonen, Kubica, Rosberg etc on the market, we'd chastise them and yet, they could end up with something worse than what they've got. I think the only saving grace is that I don't think Trulli especially and probably Glock will get a better offer.

1. Kovaloinen
2. Sutil

I think.

http://www.arivatanen.com/EN/ari-for-fia-p...ewsletters.html

That French article posted a few posts upthread claims a source from within the Renault team says Sutil's the current favourite.

And you didn't get me neither. But I guess the forum quoting system is at fault. I wasn't disputing that what the article said wasn't 100% confirmations. The post I quoted from you had also this quoted:



To which you replied:



Hence my "How about now?" . Lobato was right since Monza.

It sounds interesting... But Glock is too inconsistent, whereas Sutil is too nervous to be in a top car, that needs points, podiums and wins on a regular basis.

Heidfeld would be a good bet regarding set-ups, but it's been proved that he has a totally different style from Kubica, so that might hamper Renault depending on how their engineering development process are.

I'd go for Kovalainen.

You just don't get it. But it's OK - I will not try to force you to understand what I was doing in my post.

Sorry but answering this:




To me posting an Autosport article suggesting but not confirming the Alonso to Ferrari and Kubica to Renault moves has just one interpretation: you saying that nothing was officially confirmed at the time, hence refusing to say Lobato was right, and rightly so, it wasn't 100% absolutely completely unequivocally confirmed in that article. That's why I posted a "what about now" reply, once both moves were made official

Because he is an excellent driver. You clearly never saw him racing in GP2, he displayed a stunning pace on numerous occasions. I can remember a GP2 race at Silverstone that I saw with Nakajima racing through the field and setting fastest lap after fastest lap closing in on the leaders. He ended 3rd in that race and again 3rd in the 2nd race that he started 6th, in the final GP2 standing he was 5th and best rookie but it was his speed and ability to pass other drivers that really impressed me that year in GP2. His performances in the Williams were also not that bad. In 2008 he often matched and sometimes beat Rosberg, this year he had a huge amount of bad luck with his team messing up his pit stop when he could have scored points twice. Still I think his drop in form could be because it's not easy to drive next to a supertalent as Rosberg. With one of the new teams and no Rosberg next to him he might feel liberated and would show his true potential. It's also easy to lose track or grid position with a field so closely matched, you have to be 100% on the pace all the time. In the '80s or '90s there were much bigger gaps between the cars and he would have looked better in that era, I rate him higher as his dad. Nakajima still deserves to be in F1 in my opinion and I hope one of the new teams snap him up because he's got a lot of speed and untapped potentian in him and he certainly doesn't deserve all this bashing from so called armchair experts criticising drivers behind their pc.

It doesn't change anything regarding what I said. I said it cannot be used as 'proof' that it was correct. I was really just analysing what was in the article - they provided no proof whatsoever that Alonso is going to Ferrari or that Kubica is going to Renault.You cannot use it as 'proof', it was and still is just speculation in that article.

That article simply could not be used as proof that someone, for example Lobato, was right, and that still stands.

The team should concentrate on producing a car which scores good points every weekend before asking whether the drivers might be the weak point. Toyota were too frequently rubbish this year, but at circuits which suited the car their drivers delivered.

I read that bit, and it looks like they confirm Buemi and Alguersuari for 2010. However, GPUpdate.net adds that they haven't actually decided yet.

Interesting!Renault has lots of choices.

According to F1-Live.com Senna has signed a contract with Campos. I think they are just speculating, it can be Manor just as well.

AMuS (German Equivalent of Autosport) is convinced it's Senna at Campos.

Sort of, the field is so tight though, they've neverhad a galvanising personality in the car.

+ PdlR

The portuguese Autosport thinks the Barrichello-Rosberg switch is a 100% done deal, and quotes AMuS on Williams being interested on a Petronas sponsoring deal (the reason why Williams blocked the 14th Qadbak entry). Petronas would prefer to sponsor an established team, even despite Lotus' malaysian connections.

They also say Glock and Kovalainen are yet to know what they will do next year. Kovalainen knows he won't remain at McLaren and is in contact with Renault and Toyota. If that fails, Lotus are interested in him, so he'll have a seat in F1 at least. Lotus has Glock on their list too (they want 2 experienced drivers), but the german would prefer to stay at Toyota as his first option. But knowing that Toyota will only decide their future in F1 after a meeting in the 15th of November, Glock has contacted Renault, Sauber and Force India.

Sato still chasing an F1 return.
Q & A with Takuma Sato.

If Toyota are about next year (which it seems they will according to rumours) I fear they may be a complete shadow of their former self, the budget they have to work with in 2010 will be meagre to say the least next year (again, according to rumours). It may not be the great opportunity it's made out to be.

Excellent drivers usually win races. Nakajima has only won 1 international race in his entire career, which proves hes far from excellent. The odd burst of speed is not enough to be classed as an excellent driver.

The constant rumour is Trulli will be driving for Lotus. Trulli and Gascoyne are very good friends and have worked together at Jordan, Renault and Toyota.

Interesting links. Will this dynamic duo make it 4 teams, then?

Kovaloinen = hard parasite in finnish I think Heikki Kovalainen is too nice chap to be called that...

But I agree with you that He is high in the list to drive Renault...

Brazilian press confirms that Barrichello has signed a 2-year deal with Williams.

No announcements will be made until the WDC is settled.

Good luck Rubens.

Great for Rubens- he deserves to complete his 300 GPs......

Also, it will be great for Hulkenberg to learn from Rubens.

Who will replace him?

Well, have you read anything about F1 on the recent days?

Probably that good looking guy with the long hair and tats. Forgotten his name.

...and don't forget the money...

According to Atlas forumers, this week, the driver will become an amoeba, split in two and drive for McLaren and RedBull, FOR SURE.

Gary Paffett will replace him

/wishful thinking.

More than you did. I still don't believe all of it.

Ah but you perhaps you just don't want to .. remember, if you strongly believe in something, it will come true, regardless of evidence. Kimi Raikkonen being the fastest man in F1 is a good example!

I dunno how it can be confirmed without official statement but anyway we will hear about Rosberg, Barrichello and possibly Button future only after Abu Dhabi.

BTW why Toyota doesn't try to sign Button if he became a WDC - great $$$, easy number one status.

Maybe Barrichello tweeted it somewhere..........

Seems to be the general consensus at the moment. Apparently the Brazilians also know that Kimi's deal with with McLaren will be announced in Abu Dhabi... which would be my guess as well.



Have no idea what the website is that the tweet is referring to..

well i am not convinced rosberg is better then rubens but one thing you will get from rubens is a excellent technical driver who has a fantastic feel for the car. thats something williams have not had and sam michaels sometimes hints with rosberg and nakijima.

Interesting. Button is free to do what he wants, Toyota has lots of money and a possibility to build a fast car.
As they had in Japan.

But IF Button goes to Toyota, (remember, I am not saying that he will, big if) who is then going to Brawn? Rosberg and who?
Now Ross naturally knows all the drivers very well. As Mercedes-Haug does.
Also he knows that some teams are going to catch up, have as good or better car as his 2010.

What do You think?

It could be Heidfeld. But I think it's impossible from any side.

And if Toyota won't sign any good driver they will probably pulled out and BMW with Fisi and Nick will stay in F1.

As a loyall Honda driver for many years - can't see Button going to Toyota...unless he has no other choice.

if jenson plays it cool, and kimi is confirmed at Mclaren THEN it leaves brawn with little to play with and give in to jensons right of having a bit more money (he took a big cut in salary this year). I am assuming that sponsors would prefer to have the WDC in the car for marketing exposure etc.

I think jenson is in a good position. As i don't think there is many other drivers on the same level as kimi/jenson available for brawn to choose from.

Guys, Heikki is gonna be leading Brawn next year.

errr thanks for that scoop i believe you. Now u can pinch yourself and wake-up