10 replies to this topic

[jeze]

Let's see if I've got a hang on this but there are only three of them really confirmed so far (four if de la Rosa stays on at McLaren). Who do you expect to take the remaining sports, and who are in the running? Last year certainly proved that you'd better have a sharp reserve in case something happens (ask Ferrari ;) )

McLaren
Pedro de la Rosa (locked in unless he leaves), (Gary Paffett if de la Rosa leaves)

Mercedes
Anthony Davidson?, Mike Conway?

Red Bull
Daniel Ricciardo?

Ferrari
Giancarlo Fisichella (locked in, possibly retaining third-driver duties even if he'd sign with Sauber)

Williams
Andy Soucek (?) Otherwise I have no clue.

Renault
Romain Grosjean is a possible choice (if his deal is not terminated), as is Ho-Pin Tung and Vitaly Petrov. Depends on the second race seat, really.

Sauber
Depends on the second race seat, but Christian Klien is a possibility.

Force India
Should be Paul di Resta now, shouldn't it?

Toro Rosso
I'd say that Brendon Hartley looks set, now that Bortolotti's been thrown out of Red Bull.

Virgin
Álvaro Parente (locked in). They've signed Luiz Razia as fourth driver for good measure.

Lotus
Fairuz Fauzy (locked in)

Campos
Well if you have money...

USF1
Alex Rossi (?)

Which drivers do you expect for third-driver roles and who would you say is the sharpest? I'd go for Fisichella on the evidence of his P2 at Spa last year, and I'm unsure whether de la Rosa is fast enough anymore. If I was Peter Sauber, I'd know who I'd pick anyway... Nick Heidfeld...

[Jackmancer]

Third driver duties: Drive in a straight line 8 times during the season.

[jeze]

Third driver duties: Drive in a straight line 8 times during the season.

'Nuff said

[SAFC09]

Third driver duties: Drive in a straight line 8 times during the season.

Or if your names Christian Klien, prepare some snacks for the race drivers

[Mekola]

I think it's quite unfair in the case of Bortolotti sacked out by Red Bull; he did better in F2 than Hartley in WSR, despite the differences between the two series.

[William Hunt]

McLaren
Gary Paffett if de la Rosa

Mercedes
Nick Heidfeld or Mike Conway or Marcus Ericsson

Red Bull
Daniel Ricciardo

Ferrari
Giancarlo Fisichella
Jules Bianchi (4th driver)
Marc Gené (5th driver)

Williams
Andy Soucek ?
Dani Clos ?

Renault
Jerôme d'Ambrosio ?

Sauber
Bertrand Baguette (99% certain)

Force India
Paul di Resta
J.R. Hildebrand (4th driver?)

Toro Rosso
Brendon Hartley looks

Virgin
Álvaro Parente
Luis Razia (4th driver)

Lotus
Fairuz Fauzy

Campos
Roldan Rodriguez ?
Javier Villa ?

USF1
Jonathan Summerton ?
Alex Rossi ?

[piercey]

Interesting you guys think RBR and STR will have different drivers. I think they will do the same as last year, have the same driver. Ricciardo I think will be it, as Hartley left halfway last year as he did not like doing double duty.

As far as Hildebrand, Summerton, and Conway are concerned, let's see if any of them get Indycar seats first.

[KateLM]

Interesting you guys think RBR and STR will have different drivers. I think they will do the same as last year, have the same driver. Ricciardo I think will be it, as Hartley left halfway last year as he did not like doing double duty.

As far as Hildebrand, Summerton, and Conway are concerned, let's see if any of them get Indycar seats first.

I was thinking the same, I haven't seen anything to indicate they would go for seperate test drivers this year. Especially when, lets face it, with Tost's management its much more likely that there will be a free Toro Rosso seat mid-season than a Red Bull seat, which surely would go to Ricciardo over Hartley, unless Ricciardo has a shocker in WSR.

Jonathan Summerton has been tweeting cryptically again about his 2010 plans, who knows if that involves USF1 or not.

I'd be surprised if Force India went for anyone apart from Di Resta, unless another team snaps him up.

Edited by KateLM, 13 January 2010 - 17:34.

[jeze]

I was thinking the same, I haven't seen anything to indicate they would go for seperate test drivers this year. Especially when, lets face it, with Tost's management its much more likely that there will be a free Toro Rosso seat mid-season than a Red Bull seat, which surely would go to Ricciardo over Hartley, unless Ricciardo has a shocker in WSR.

Jonathan Summerton has been tweeting cryptically again about his 2010 plans, who knows if that involves USF1 or not.

I'd be surprised if Force India went for anyone apart from Di Resta, unless another team snaps him up.

Summerton actually told me on Facebook in a private message conversation that he's unsure even to have the money to continue racing at all

[Bouncing Pink Ball]

@jeze

If that's what Summerton's saying, I'm disappointed but not entirely surprised. Finding sponsors to fund a single seater career in Europe is very, very hard for NA drivers, possibly more so than for European-based ones. That's why so many land in some level of NASCAR or quitting altogether. This is my big hope with USF1, that they'll perk up interest among the folks with money in drivers from over here. (I still wish they'd gone less nationalist on that name; it's my pet peeve...)

[jeze]

@jeze

If that's what Summerton's saying, I'm disappointed but not entirely surprised. Finding sponsors to fund a single seater career in Europe is very, very hard for NA drivers, possibly more so than for European-based ones. That's why so many land in some level of NASCAR or quitting altogether. This is my big hope with USF1, that they'll perk up interest among the folks with money in drivers from over here. (I still wish they'd gone less nationalist on that name; it's my pet peeve...)

Excactly my thoughts. Jonathan is an incredibly friendly person, and pretty much a sponsor's dream... in a perfect world. I've told him I think he deserves an IndyCar seat ASAP, but those seats are occupied by wealthy latinos who really don't galvanise public interest (Matos, Viso, well even Doornbos though he's Dutch). Summerton told me last June that he'd never give up on open wheels (in a fund crisis around the time when he shifted series'), but that he felt extremely sad that he couldn't just go out racing Had I had some million bucks, I would personally have sponsored him. Guys like Jonathan is what IndyCar needs.