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Andre Lotterer replaces Kobayashi at Spa [confirmed]


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#401 Petroltorque

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Posted 03 September 2014 - 15:39

I think the days when Ecclestone was capable of helping teams by smoothing payments are long gone. Nor can he influence the stewards interpretation of FIA rules unless he seeks to bribe them. ( tongue firmly implanted in cheek.) As much as you can believe the numerous cut and paste stories on the interweb, Lotterer was right to refuse to give up an FP session. He is still a novice. Kolles is clearly trying to squeeze as much money out of every avenue possible and ended up taking the piss. If Mehri is due to do free practice he must have secured the super licence. Just as well sign him for the rest of the season since his commitments won't clash with the remaining F1 races as much as Lotterer's.

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#402 Petroltorque

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Posted 03 September 2014 - 16:51

FIA rules regarding Free Practice participation; [...] each team will be permitted to run additional drivers during P1 and P2 provided : the stewards are informed which cars and drivers each team intends to use in each session before the end of initial scrutineering, changes after this time may only be made with the consent of the stewards ; no more than two drivers are used in any one session ; they carry the race number of the nominated driver they replace ; they use the engine and tyres which are allocated to the nominated driver ; they are in possession of a Super Licence.

#403 derstatic

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Posted 03 September 2014 - 17:10

FIA rules regarding Free Practice participation; [...] each team will be permitted to run additional drivers during P1 and P2 provided : the stewards are informed which cars and drivers each team intends to use in each session before the end of initial scrutineering, changes after this time may only be made with the consent of the stewards ; no more than two drivers are used in any one session ; they carry the race number of the nominated driver they replace ; they use the engine and tyres which are allocated to the nominated driver ; they are in possession of a Super Licence.

Shouldn't this mean Mehri can't do FP1 either?



#404 Mohican

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Posted 03 September 2014 - 18:15

If Ericsson is really in possession of as much backing as you say (it is not apparent) he should go off to Sauber or Marussia and let Caterham sink.

#405 KWSN - DSM

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Posted 03 September 2014 - 19:04

If Ericsson is really in possession of as much backing as you say (it is not apparent) he should go off to Sauber or Marussia and let Caterham sink.

 

Possibly Sauber and Marussia get more from Sutil, Ferrari, Telmex and Chilton than what Ericsson can bring?

 

:cool:



#406 HistoryFan

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Posted 03 September 2014 - 19:04

Shouldn't this mean Mehri can't do FP1 either?

Yes, that was my thoughts: How could Merhi do Free Practice but not the rest of the weekend if you need a super license for both!



#407 KWSN - DSM

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Posted 03 September 2014 - 19:25



Yes, that was my thoughts: How could Merhi do Free Practice but not the rest of the weekend if you need a super license for both!

 

 

:cool:



#408 pdac

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Posted 03 September 2014 - 21:18

Yes, that was my thoughts: How could Merhi do Free Practice but not the rest of the weekend if you need a super license for both!

 

Indeed. Clearly written in the 2014 Sporting Regulations - 19.1b. Obviously Kolles and Albers are ignorant of the regulations (I guess they don't have much experience of F1)



#409 Petroltorque

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Posted 03 September 2014 - 21:53

They are not only ignorant of the rules but Mehri would have to complete a race distance in FP1. Which would mean putting 300km on an allocated engine.

#410 noikeee

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Posted 03 September 2014 - 22:04

I don't think it's surprising though. Lotterer in F3 was rated far more highly than Ericsson was(since it's the only two series we can really compare them on) and he's had far more overall racing experience(not to mention results) and at higher levels. Factory-level prototype racing is not a bad training ground, albeit probably not a likely route to F1.

 

That's an odd way to look at it. I recall Ericsson being tipped as pretty promising at a point in F3 too. Lotterer's been ages ago and I didn't follow junior series then but his stats don't look from another level. Then, you'd expect the guy that's been driving this car the whole year to have a massive advantage over a guy that's not driven an actual F1 car in years regardless of how many other top level type cars he's been driving.

 

I suppose on hindsight you could make sense out of it, particularly given how amazingly off the pace of his team-mate Ericsson's been all year, but it's telling absolutely nobody in here expected this outcome before the qualifying in Spa.



#411 SonJR

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Posted 04 September 2014 - 11:08

Yes, that was my thoughts: How could Merhi do Free Practice but not the rest of the weekend if you need a super license for both!

Probably got a provisional one, if there is such a thing.



#412 Ross Stonefeld

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Posted 04 September 2014 - 12:57

...but it's telling absolutely nobody in here expected this outcome before the qualifying in Spa.

 

Our perceptive powers are perhaps overrated :p



#413 Risil

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Posted 04 September 2014 - 17:52

Our perceptive powers are perhaps overrated :p

 

Didn't read many people "out there" predicting that Lotterer would be faster than Ericsson either. Mind you, your comment could justly apply to the human race as a whole.

 

I bet there are dogs and dolphins out there who know how fast Max Verstappen's going to be in 2015 though.


Edited by Risil, 04 September 2014 - 17:52.


#414 Nonesuch

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Posted 04 September 2014 - 17:55

Probably got a provisional one, if there is such a thing.

 

I don't know about the current situation, but there used to be; a certain Kimi Räikkönen received one.



#415 CoolBreeze

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Posted 05 September 2014 - 01:19

I feel for Koby. He's really being mistreated. That guy has talent and he's just being pushed around. 



#416 SonJR

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Posted 05 September 2014 - 07:21

I feel for Koby. He's really being mistreated. That guy has talent and he's just being pushed around. 

From reading his comments on Autosport, he pretty much signed his rights away and has to do their bidding. IE: he couldn't turn down the drive, as it would've resulted in refusal to work when so obliged and would've led to legal action, whereas he can't 'claim' the drive when they give it to someone else.

 

Should've read the fine-print. Reminds me of Liuzzi at HRT in 2012, being obligated to stay on as reserve because despite having a multi-year deal, it had a clause that stipulated he could be demoted if they found a driver who would pay the team.



#417 noikeee

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Posted 05 September 2014 - 08:45

After reading Kamui's comments, and assuming they're true (no reason not to), I do feel a bit sorry for him - pretty unprofessional of the team to communicate he's not driving 2 days before the race and without even giving a reason as to why.
 
It was cool seeing Lotterer in the car, but it seems increasingly clear to me the motivation must've been a good old fashioned paydrive.


#418 Shambolic

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Posted 05 September 2014 - 11:02

I never thought I'd dislike Caterham more, but now the glossy BS merchant has sold up they've managed to scrape even harder at the barrel bottom. As much as I want to see at least 13 teams (and ideally more, with pre-qually if needs be) I'd not miss Caterham in the slightest if they quietly vanished up their own tailpipes.

 

I understand they need to chase money, and drivers can mean sponsor deals or pay per race, but this swapping out of their better driver, whilst keeping the accident in waiting in the other car is bordering on insulting to F1 and the fans.



#419 pdac

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Posted 05 September 2014 - 13:13

I never thought I'd dislike Caterham more, but now the glossy BS merchant has sold up they've managed to scrape even harder at the barrel bottom. As much as I want to see at least 13 teams (and ideally more, with pre-qually if needs be) I'd not miss Caterham in the slightest if they quietly vanished up their own tailpipes.

 

I understand they need to chase money, and drivers can mean sponsor deals or pay per race, but this swapping out of their better driver, whilst keeping the accident in waiting in the other car is bordering on insulting to F1 and the fans.

 

I starting to feel even worse than this. I'm starting to hope that the whole operation collapses before the next race.



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#420 KWSN - DSM

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Posted 05 September 2014 - 13:29

I hope that Caterham will weather the storm, manage to get through the season and still be here for next, I hope they will be more competitive than what they have been this season, I hope the same for Marrussia, Sauber and Lotus.

 

:cool:



#421 pdac

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Posted 05 September 2014 - 17:04

I hope that Caterham will weather the storm, manage to get through the season and still be here for next, I hope they will be more competitive than what they have been this season, I hope the same for Marrussia, Sauber and Lotus.

 

:cool:

 

I wish I could capture that feeling again.