Playing guitar and singing?


But that's NOT Renault problem.

"Good news, Jacques: we found a use for those thousands of unsold albums of yours. We've melted them down into race fuel."


Of course it's not Renault's problem. But given the way some people paint Heidfeld as being one of the fastest men on the grid, they'd certainly like Heidfeld's lack of a racing drive to be Renault's problem. Namely because Renault would then have to solve that problem.

Actually it's 15m €.

It's still a hell of a lot of money. I myself wouldn't know what to do with 1.5 million, much less 15.

I want to see Petrov on the grid but I don't think he's yet shown enough for what I want Renault to be. I want Nick to get the seat both for himself and for what it would mean to Renault and the team's belief in its ability to be a top team again.

I don't think Heidfeld going to Renault fits in with Renault's desires to be back at the top. And not because I don't think he's very fast.

However you look at it, Heidfeld's career is coming to an end. How many drivers have careers that last more than a decade? And how many of those drivers go on to twelve or fifteen years in the sport? Not very many of them, that's for sure. Heidfeld's career is going to be over sooner rather than later. Surely even the most die-hard Heidfeld fan can see that. He's not going to be around forever.

At the same time, Renault want to stop their freefall in 2010 and start climbing back up for 2011. If they're winning races, it probably won't be until 2012. And they're going to need money in order to do that. Heidfeld's career is slowly coming to a close and he offers no money; Petrov's career is only really beginning and he's flush with fifteen million Euro. So how does Heidfeld fit in with Renault's vision of their future?

To answer the question. JV has been racing a little bit of that and a little bit of that. 2nd at le mans, a win at spa 4th in his nation wide nascar debut in montreal etc. Simply put, he has had a bit of fun. No open wheel racing at all. Now when the cars are more suited to his style of driving (slicks, no refueling, JV is very easy on the tires etc) he wants back, simply because he thinks the cars will be fun to drive and he thinks he could go very fast in them. I also think he wants to end his F1 career on a higher note than being forced out, as was the case in 2006. JV is more motivated than ever and is training hard without even having a drive. He says he is i better shape than when he jumped in for Renault in 2004, and back then he was within a tenth of Alonsos pace in the third race. And as said, now the cars are more suited for JV and if he gets a chance I think he might surprise a alot of you. If Villeneuve is fit off course he is a better choice than Petrov if they want someone who can push Kubica. (JVs talent is way beyond Petrovs or Kubicas for that matter)
And I'm sure JV is among the ones considered for the seat, so if some of you don't want to discuss him in this thread - stop bashing him.

I can't believe that they are seriously entertaining Petrov as a long-term prospect. So it's a choice of two stop-gap drivers if we go for your interpretation. In that case, the question is are Renault more interested in scoring points, or taking Petrov's money. Even then, will the fifteen million Euros outweigh the extra prize money they'll get from finishing higher in the WCC with Heidfeld?

And that makes him more qualified for a race seat than a guy who has done three seasons in GP2 and went from the back to the front of the grid faster than anyone else?


If I was bashing him, I'd say "JV is sh!t, he can't drive". If I was arguing that he shouldn't be considered for a drive, I'd say "How is Villeneuve better than Petrov? Petrov has actually been racing in competitive open-wheel series for the past three years. What's JV been doing?"

Eric Boullier specifically mentioned five nationalities when he said that Renault may wait until after testing has begun to sign their second driver. He mentioned French, Russian, Chinese, German and Austrian drivers. I do not believe this is co-incidence given that Romain Grosjean, Vitaly Petrov, Ho-Pin Tung, Nick Heidfeld and Christian Klien are all known to be looking for drives, though I do believe Grosjean can be discounted and Boullier's mentioning of French drivers having to do with the fact that the team is French. He also said that the team was looking at two experienced and two rookie drivers, and the remaining four I've just mentioned can filled into these two groups: Heidfeld and Klien are exprienced, Tung and Petrov are rookies.

I'm sorry, but there's been nothing to indicate that Renault is even considering Jacques Villeneuve at all, unless he's gone and changed his nationality lately.

There's no guarantee they'll finish higher in the WCC with Heidfeld. And they kind of need the money now, not at the end of the season. It's all well and good to say "We'll take Heidfeld because he'll give us a higher WCC placing", but it doesn't really amount to much if Renault get through a few races and say "We're going to have to withdraw because we don't have enough money".

The owners are venture capitalists. They'll put more money in if it means they'll recoup it later along with a bigger profit. And you're right. There's no guarantee that they'll finish higher up with Heidfeld, but you'd imagine that the chances would be fairly good.

Renault still need a sponsor - even if Genii are willing to pour more money into the team, they're going to want to spread the expenditure around. It's just good business practice. Which sponsors does Heidfeld bring to the team?

Firstly I wasn't talking specificly about you when calling it bashing but to all of those making fun of his album etc. etc. Just the standard bull shit that has nothing to do with racing. And if you continue reading below the part where Im saying he has had fun, I'm sure you got my point. Or do I have to write it again?
As for Boullier: Among others he added. There are no "last four". Jesus, he is quoted from this week saying he looks at all active drivers available. Can you give me one quote where he denies interest in JV?

Can you give me one quote where he specifically mentions Villeneuve or a Canadian driver?

With Rubens, Michael Schumacher and Pedro de La Rosa on the grid, I wouldn't say that 32 year old Nick is in danger of being past it. He's still only as old as Damon Hill was near the beginning of his time in F1. The wear and tear of a decade in F1 haven't shown any signs of slowing him down, either.

Barrichello and Schumacher were - and still are - proven race winners.

No I can't find one where he is talking about anyone specifically except Nick and Petrov, when asked about them.
"So it's completely up to the team to decide what is best for the team. The driver could be French, but he could be Russian, Chinese, German, Austrian or whatever you want."

Jacques himself says he is talking to them regularly.

Barrichello, Schumacher and De la Rosa.

Whatever You Want ain't no country I ever heard of! Do they speak English in Whatever You Want?

[/Tarantino]

The fact is that Boullier makes no references whatsoever to Jacques Villenueve. So how can you say they're considering him? JV says he's talking to them, but are they really talking to him the way they're plainly talking to Petrov and Heidfeld, or are they just humouring him?

Okay, new approach: you say Villeneuve is a better choice than Petrov; I'm plainly not going to talk you around that. But how is Villeeuve a better choice than Nick Heidfeld, a man who out-scored him and who has been racing for the three seasons that Villeneuve has been off "having a good time"?


De la Rosa hasn't won any races. Neither has Nick Heidfeld. Unlike Barrichello and Schumacher, who are proven race winners.

That's what I meant.

Okay, so how many drivers have careers of a decade long without any race wins to their credit. I think you'll find they're in the minority ... or do you actually believe Nick Heidfeld will still be racing in 2020?

WTF is up with this 'proven race winner' BS. Kovalainen is a proven race winner, and what does it tell you about him?

I'm sure you just saw that Boullier said the 2nd driver can come from where ever. He has talked specifically about drivers he has been asked about. I haven't said Villeneuve is a better chose than Heidfeld have I? But from a personal view I think it would be mmore thrilling to watch JV race. I have nothing against Nick though, he deserves a seat and is the safer pick. JV out qualified Nick 7-5 and they were 6-6 in fastest lap times, pretty even match up. JV had some shunts and BMW managed to drop his engine resulting in a grid penalty etc. Edge to Nick point wise. But as i said these regulations and cars are much more suited for JV than the one he drove in 2006. Yet, I'm not saying they should pick JV over Nick - but after Nick I would defenetly chose JV.

He never mentioned Christian Klein or Alex Wurz or any Austrian drivers in that article, yet he did mention an Austrian as being a possible driver. Same with Ho-Pin Tung: he was not asked about Chinese drivers - he only said priority would not be given to Gravity drivers - but he did mention them.


Some estimates suggest that by the middle of the 2010 season, the cars will be generating more downforce than they did in 2008. The 2008 cars were an evolution of the 2007 cars, which were an evolution of the 2006 cars.

Have Renault announced who their lead sponsor is for 2010 does anyone know?

They don't have one. Not yet. If Petrov is their driver, they'll likely have Gazprom or Sberbank as their sponsors. Maybe MegaFon, though they're not one of Petrov's backers (I say MegaFon because they're Russian and might like the idea of a Russian driver). If they don't take a sponsor, they'll probably just end up being the Renault team, like in the 1980s.

In the original article he did. Though you need know how to read French, but I translated it for you anyways.

Well, I can only read English and Russian. And I'm not fluent in Russian.

JV is signed to Gravity and raced alongside Tung at SPA 12h last year in case you didn't know.

So? It doesn't mean he gets priority - Boullier himself said it. And if he referred to "Gravity drivers", he could have meant any driver under Gravity's banner. No, I'm still after a direct reference to Villeneuve, one that cannot be interpreted as meaning something else (like the Gravity reference). It could be as explicit as Boullier naming Petrov or Heidfeld, or his referencing Canada.

according to motosport-total, Petrov is bringing sponsor money worth 15 mill € via Sberbank and Gasprom

renault: yellow and black, total: red, gazprom: blue, sberbank: green.

This would result in some really messy livery

well they can mix any color from RBG

united colours of benetton!

Reading news and interviews it seems they are looking for a pay driver so IMO unfortunately Heidfeld chances are slim, JV none unless he brings sponsors, best bet is Petrov (finished 2nd gp2 so he has talent and sponsors). Kubica is already an experienced driver and a rookie driver Petrov. Something similar to williams.

Hopefully I'm wrong but it looks like Heidfeld will not be with Renault.

Moska's livery looks awesome

show me the money!!!

http://en.espnf1.com/renault/motorsport/story/7085.html

As for Petrov to Renault:

"I am looking for talent first and foremost, but then after that I do need to consider the sponsorship opportunities. People say we are only looking at Petrov because he is bringing a lot of money, but he is not the richest driver we are talking to.

Who do you think is the richest driver he is talking to tightpants?


"Obviously it would be wrong of me to ignore his nationality - he could potentially open up a new sponsorship market for us in the future. Russia is not an easy market and today F1 is not as popular there as it is in some other countries. It would be interesting to combine talent and future prospects, but he is not top of my list. "

So...

Update for today.
Mr. Boullier says Petrov "not top of the list"
.. then Heidfeld signs for Mercedes as the 3rd driver.

JV still looking for a seat....

damn, never thought i would say that, but they'd better sign JV now... I mean... I'm totally against such comebacks and really hate schumi is back, but well... Anything better than a paydriver for a team I hope will surprise us this year.

I don't buy it - I see Petrov coming in with a big thump next week...can't quite figure out how the GAZPROM logo will look like on the new Renault...

And maybe Sato?
It just doesn't seem right to buy yourselfe a place in Renault.

Maby Sato or Thung.



LOL

you never gave up!

Are you suggesting Thung could bring more money than Petrov??? No way.
JV on the other hand made over 20 mil. USD per year in BAR. He could invest money in the team as he did in BAR. But I'm not sure he would. But it is likely Villeneuve he refers to.

Yes way, I don't knew about his sponsors, but here is a thought: huge Chinese market and economy = plenty of potential sponsors. (Just a thought)

Who's Thung? Do you mean Tung?

Anyway i'm pretty sure Petrov will get the nod soon, he seems most likely IMO.

Then Thung is even more unlikely to bring that kind of cash Of course, Tung it is.

I think it's going to be Petrov or Villeneuve, Villeneuve is probably good for marketing, but not sure how competitve he would be and he might be a destabilising influence in the team. To that end I think Petrov, coming to the table with wads of cash, is a nice safe bet.

So with Renault taking a pay driver we can officially remove them from the list of top teams. :/

(don't tell me Alonso is a pay driver...)

Yes, you can remove them even now and since then they won't be top team anymore