36 replies to this topic

[gillesthegenius]

With Red Bull's own Sebastian Vettel setting the f1 world alight, the energy drinks company has now set its eyes on finding their next 'Vettel'. That search continued this off-season with Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne being summoned to drive for Red Bull's junior team at the expense of Sebastien Buemi and Jamie Alguersuari on the back of their failure to convince the Red Bull hierarchy that they had it in themselves to make a succesful transition to Red Bull's senior team.

If either Ricciardo or Vergne, god willing, impress their Austrian bosses that they have it in them to make that final step up to Red Bull's senior team in 2013, an opening will develop at STR. I would like this thread to be a place where we can follow the potential candidates for such an opening.

The Favourites for that slot are...




Name: Luiz Felipe Nasr
Age: 19 (D/O/B:21/08/92)
Nationality: Brazillian
In 2011: British F3 Champion
In 2012: (Formula Renault 3.5 Championship?)

After successfully following on the footsteps of his Red Bull backed predecessors in the British F3 championship - Alguarsuari, Ricciardo and Vergne - by winning the title in 2011, the next natural step for him seems like a race seat at STR when one of its current two drivers vacates a seat. But untill that he will have to probably race elsewhere. Will he follow Ricciardo and Vergne into Formula Renault 3.5; and if he does, could he clinch the title that eluded both his Red Bull backed predecessors there? Being the next in line for a seat at STR, a title could do no harm for his aspirations to progress into f1.




Name: Carlos Sainz jnr
Age: 17 (D/O/B:01/09/94)
Nationality: Spanish
In 2011: Formula Renault 2.0 Runner-up
In 2012: British F3 Championship entrant

There are rumblings that this enormously talented son of World Rally Champion, Carlos Sainz, is the man who could, god willing, ultimately take the challenge to Vettel. But before that he will have to deal with the immense pressure of being Red Bull's 2012 driver at the British Formula 3 Championship - a championship in which Red Bull backed drivers have won for the last four years. But a stellar showing in it could see him leapfrog Nasr to
an STR seat when an opening does arise.




Name: Lewis Williamson
Age: 22 (D/O/B: 11/11/89)
Nationality: British
In 2011: 8th in GP3 Championship
In 2012: Formula Renault 3.5 Championship entrant

Having been signed up into the Red Bull Development Program only this year, he has become the dark horse in the race to be STR's next race driver. But the fact that he has been signed up by Red Bull at an age when most other not-so-good drivers are dropped, probably indicates that he is held in high regard by his new bosses. With him set to compete at the 2012 Formula Renault 3.5 Championship, he could go head to head with Luiz Felipe Nasr in what could turn out to be a straight battle for a race seat at STR in 2013.

As pointed out by DanardiF1 and dank, Felipe Nasr is no longer a Red Bull backed driver. So that leaves Sainz jnr and Williamson as the favourites to take up any vacancy at STR.

But I hope we can follow their pursuits in the 2012 British F3 Championship and the 2012 Formula Renault 3.5 Series respectively and discuss about their performances in this thread. Also we could keep an eye on Daniil Kvyat and any other driver that Red Bull signs up for its development program in the future.

Btw Apologies for my huge blunder.

Edited by gillesthegenius, 31 December 2011 - 19:35.

[Concorde]

Good thread, will be interesting to follow those guys through 2012.

I've seen Nasr race and he's pretty handy imo and have heard good things about Sainz jr, dunno about Williamson strange that's he was added to the RB program at age 22 but let's see how they do next year.

[karne]

JFC, Dan and JEV haven't even sat their backsides in their new seats yet and people are already replacing them!


It would almost be funny if Webber re-signed with Red Bull again for 2013 (even I though I hope he won't and don't think he will), just to see the expression on Marko's face, and the enormous traffic jam as RB have to suddenly find seats for all these youngsters.

[jamiegc]

It would almost be funny if Webber re-signed with Red Bull again for 2013 (even I though I hope he won't and don't think he will)

Don't be stupid. If RB produce a good car and win the WCC then Horner will obviously want to keep him. Webber would be mad not to stay on with the best car and the chance to win races.

If RB produce a poor car and lose their WCC then they will be looking for an experienced teammate for Vettel to get it back.

Either way, 2014 is far more likely to be the season for an STR driver to potentially step up.

[george1981]

JFC, Dan and JEV haven't even sat their backsides in their new seats yet and people are already replacing them!


It would almost be funny if Webber re-signed with Red Bull again for 2013 (even I though I hope he won't and don't think he will), just to see the expression on Marko's face, and the enormous traffic jam as RB have to suddenly find seats for all these youngsters.

I think the original poster said if either Ricciardo or Vergne impress and then in 2013 make the step up to Redbull if Webber retires, although given the way the Redbull organisation treats their young drivers I think both Ricciardo and Vergne know they could be dropped mid season if they fail to impress.
I doubt Webber will be offered a new contract in 2013 regardless of his performance.

[Concorde]

It would almost be funny if Webber re-signed with Red Bull again for 2013 (even I though I hope he won't and don't think he will), just to see the expression on Marko's face, and the enormous traffic jam as RB have to suddenly find seats for all these youngsters.

Quite a nice "problem" to have, a decent driver like Mark whom he can resign at will, two promising drivers in the STR and a few talented youngsters in the pipeline. Dr. Marko will be smiling all through 2012 me thinks.

[purplejohn]

Luiz Felipe Nasr looks the mot likely from the stats shown, not really into the Son of a champion getting sponsorship because if it.

[KavB]

It makes me sad that soon we will get drivers reaching Formula 1 who are younger than me

[gillesthegenius]

Quite a nice "problem" to have, a decent driver like Mark whom he can resign at will, two promising drivers in the STR and a few talented youngsters in the pipeline. Dr. Marko will be smiling all through 2012 me thinks.

Myself thinks so too.

[gillesthegenius]

It makes me sad that soon we will get drivers reaching Formula 1 who are younger than me

That has already happened to me. Sebastian Vettel even became the first one younger than me to become a world champ.

[DS27]

It makes me sad that soon we will get drivers reaching Formula 1 who are younger than me

You wait till they are considered past their best and ready for retirement while still being younger than you - then you will be really depressed.

[joshb]

Luiz Felipe Nasr looks the mot likely from the stats shown, not really into the Son of a champion getting sponsorship because if it.

me neither. How often do managers play their sons in the starting XI or a famous players' son gets picked on merit in any sport?

[DanardiF1]

Felipe Nasr isn't supported by Red Bull anymore is he? He went with Kimi's management instead...

[dank]

Felipe Nasr isn't supported by Red Bull anymore is he? He went with Kimi's management instead...

Indeed. Signed up with Steve Robertson back in 2010, so bit of an epic fail by the original poster.

These are the current Red Bull Junior drivers, plus Lewis Williamson.

Edited by dank, 31 December 2011 - 18:25.

[DanardiF1]

Indeed. Signed up with Steve Robertson back in 2010, so bit of an epic fail by the original poster.

These are the current Red Bull Junior drivers, plus Lewis Williamson.

Perhaps Nasr was wary of Red Bull's program elevating him to F1 only to chuck him aside once someone new needs pushing up? Whereas Steve Robertson can help him get to F1 in a more secure position, only being at the whims of his own performance and not a program of drivers.

[dank]

Perhaps Nasr was wary of Red Bull's program elevating him to F1 only to chuck him aside once someone new needs pushing up? Whereas Steve Robertson can help him get to F1 in a more secure position, only being at the whims of his own performance and not a program of drivers.

There's an element of truth in that. I recall reading at the time that he was attracted to Steve Robertson as he would be able to give him his undivided attention, whereas Red Bull have a handful of drivers on their plate at the moment.

[gillesthegenius]

Indeed. Signed up with Steve Robertson back in 2010, so bit of an epic fail by the original poster.

These are the current Red Bull Junior drivers, plus Lewis Williamson.

An epic fail indeed!!!
Was totally lost on the fact that he decided to go with the Robertsons just more than a year ago.

Edited by gillesthegenius, 31 December 2011 - 19:03.

[gillesthegenius]

There's an element of truth in that. I recall reading at the time that he was attracted to Steve Robertson as he would be able to give him his undivided attention, whereas Red Bull have a handful of drivers on their plate at the moment.

Yup thats right. He had this to say after his decision to part ways with Red Bull.

Actually I preferred to be managed by Steve Robertson, whose resume includes two champion drivers (Raikkonen and Jenson Button).

He is 100 per cent focused on me, which is different from Red Bull who are looking at five or six drivers at a time.

Edited by gillesthegenius, 31 December 2011 - 19:09.

[Risil]

me neither. How often do managers play their sons in the starting XI or a famous players' son gets picked on merit in any sport?

Two of the best midfielders in the world, Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets, got their first games at their fathers' clubs. As did Paolo Maldini.

Valentino Rossi's dad was one of the quickest Grand Prix riders of the late 1970s. And, erm, Jacques Villeneuve was quite fast as well. You might have heard of him. Sporting success usually runs in families (especially since "professional sportsman" became a legit career option), the quality of these examples shows that nepotism is an inadequate explanation. But given how shitty the road to the top is in professional sport, without those family connections any of those athletes might not have made it.

[Bloggsworth]

It makes me sad that soon we will get drivers reaching Formula 1 who are younger than me

That's been happening to me for 48 years!

[V8 Fireworks]

JFC, Dan and JEV haven't even sat their backsides in their new seats yet and people are already replacing them!

Crikey why do Red Bull have so many drivers...

So they just move in two new ones - while they are lining up three more to replace them already! Meanwhile the ones they dumped were perfectly competent point-scoring F1 drivers, with very young ages and plenty of room for improvement. If Massa was with Red Bull program and not Ferrari much more slow-moving development program, he would have been dumped long before he won races and scored within a point of the WDC... is it really a good thing that RBRs program is so rapidly paced?



There rather seems to be an excess of reasonably credential drivers compared to race and test seats. It seems that long gone are the days where Sato or Klien (on the back of some third place in an F3 series) will hog a seat "just because" they match the nationality of Honda or Red Bull etc...?

None of these contracts went so well for Honda's fleet of junior drivers for example.



I suppose some will find places in Indycar, endurance racing, touring cars etc.




And why do Red Bull put their drivers in FR 3.5 instead of GP2. Is it because they are too cheap to pay for it? Wouldn't it better to go straight to GP2 from F3, after all Raikkonen went straight from FR to F1.

Edited by V8 Fireworks, 01 January 2012 - 00:12.

[jee]

GP2 is too serious business, none of their drivers won the series and most of them haven't done so well in GP2. It seems to me like they are just taking the way of least resistance were their drivers can win more easily.

[GX390]

GP2 is too serious business, none of their drivers won the series and most of them haven't done so well in GP2. It seems to me like they are just taking the way of least resistance were their drivers can win more easily.

Yeah I agree, the drivers in FR 3.5 don't seem to be as strong as the drivers in GP2 e.g Ben Hanley done pretty well in 3.5 but in GP2 he was near the back, also I hope Williamson will be the chosen driver

[apoka]

Crikey why do Red Bull have so many drivers...

So they just move in two new ones - while they are lining up three more to replace them already! Meanwhile the ones they dumped were perfectly competent point-scoring F1 drivers, with very young ages and plenty of room for improvement. If Massa was with Red Bull program and not Ferrari much more slow-moving development program, he would have been dumped long before he won races and scored within a point of the WDC... is it really a good thing that RBRs program is so rapidly paced?

I'm not sure whether it is really more rapidly paced than other programmes. In F1, it is not that rare that drivers lose a seat after 2 or 3 years. Especially, when the situation at the top teams is stale and not many drivers are retiring, which basically causes a fluctuation of drivers in backmarker and midfield teams instead of the standard driver development cycle (starting at the back of the grid, getting to better teams when performing well and finally retiring after 10 years).

[F1ultimate]

I wonder how long it's going to be until other teams protest Red Bulls dual team ownership.

[DanardiF1]

I wonder how long it's going to be until other teams protest Red Bulls dual team ownership.

I'm surprised there's no provision for monopoly/competition laws in F1, because having two extra cars on the grid that have no intention of winning over their parent team, and are then used extensively as selective roadblocks, can't be right.

[Dolph]

Indeed. Signed up with Steve Robertson back in 2010, so bit of an epic fail by the original poster.

You are the epic failure here.

[F1ultimate]

I'm surprised there's no provision for monopoly/competition laws in F1, because having two extra cars on the grid that have no intention of winning over their parent team, and are then used extensively as selective roadblocks, can't be right.

Let's see how competative Torro Rosso will be next year. I would love to see Vergne or Ricciardo cause controversy by mixing with the top ten and finding themselves in the way of a championship pursuing Vettel.

[Risil]

You are the epic failure here.

[Wi000]

Have high expectations of little Sainz and hope they dispose of Williamson, we don't need another mediocre brit on the grid.

I'm surprised there's no provision for monopoly/competition laws in F1, because having two extra cars on the grid that have no intention of winning over their parent team, and are then used extensively as selective roadblocks, can't be right.

It's inevitable Red Bull + Toro Rosso and Ferrari + Sauber.
Had they listened to de Montezemolo re 3 cars teams and more testing this could have been avoided.

[GX390]

Have high expectations of little Sainz and hope they dispose of Williamson, we don't need another mediocre brit on the grid.


It's inevitable Red Bull + Toro Rosso and Ferrari + Sauber.
Had they listened to de Montezemolo re 3 cars teams and more testing this could have been avoided.

Another? Which Brit is mediocre then?

[chrisblades85]

Another? Which Brit is mediocre then?

Probably the rookie of year, Paul Di Resta.

I mean, surely two world champions can't be mediocre, can they?

QUOTE (dank @ Dec 31 2011, 20:23)
Indeed. Signed up with Steve Robertson back in 2010, so bit of an epic fail by the original poster.

You are the epic failure here.

Why?

[scheivlak]

The 2010 WCC winning Red Bull RB6 will be given a demonstration ride in Moscow July 14/15 as a part of the FR 3.5 weekend over there.

Interestingly the driver will new FR 3.5 star Robin Frijns http://www.robinfrijns.com/

[Ross Stonefeld]

I believe it's always the current points leader

[scheivlak]

I believe it's always the current points leader

The current leader is Sam Bird - OK, by 0 points http://www.forix.com...&...mp;c=30&s=0

[DanardiF1]

The current leader is Sam Bird - OK, by 0 points http://www.forix.com...&...mp;c=30&s=0

And he works with Mercedes already.

[Brandz07]

Antonio Felix da Costa anyone?