2009 F1 drivers: who will be dropped?
Will Nelson Piquet Jnr and Sebastien Bourdais still be F1 drivers in 2009?
Before the Italian Grand Prix ITV showed an interview with Sebastien Bourdais. The stress of knowing his F1 drive for 2009 is under threat was plain to see as he started crying at one point.
He’s not the only driver who’s place in F1 in 2009 is in doubt: Nelson Piquet Jnr is waiting to learn whether he’ll be driving for Renault next year. Which of these drivers deserves to keep their seat?
Sebastien Bourdais
Bourdais’ season began well as he scored on his debut at Melbourne. Without a late engine problem he’d have finished even higher, but it was a bright beginning.
Since then he’s had some problems – in fact four of his five subsequent races ended in retirement, and none of them due to car failure. Toro Rosso’s introduction of the STR3 also seemed to work out better for team mate Sebastian Vettel than Bourdais.
But he had some cruel luck in the last two races as well (as Christine noted here). Going into the final lap at Spa he was third, but as Nick Heidfeld blasted past him on the final lap using wet-weather tyres (Bourdais still on dry-weather rubber) Bourdais slithered wide and was also passed by Vettel and Robert Kubica, and then the flying Fernando Alonso got him as well.
At Monza his car stalled on the grid after he’d qualified fourth. He probably didn’t have Vettel’s pace over the race distance but without that critical delay a decent haul of points was definitely on the cards.
Vettel’s departure to Red Bull next year in theory eases the pressure on Bourdais. But with the team testing GP2 racer Sebastien Buemi and ex-Super Aguri pilot Takuma Sato this week, they may be considering an all-new line-up in 2009 (more on this from Wolf). There are even rumours Alonso could ‘return’ to the team next year (he raced for them as Minardi in 2001) but then, who hasn’t Alonso been linked to for 2009 at some point?
Read more about Sebastien Bourdais: Sebastien Bourdais biography
Nelson Piquet Jnr
Around the mid-part of the season Piquet seemed to have got on top of the problems he’d had earlier in the year. He raced well at Magny-Cours and nabbed a place off Alonso in the closing stages, and after inheriting the lead in fortunate circumstances at Hockenheim he did a commendable and mature job to bring the car home in second.
But he’s been knocked out in Q1 in three of the last five races. At Spa he spun on a wet kerb in practice – a forgiveable mistake in testing, but he committed exactly the same error during the race. Given his form in the rain at Hungary in GP2 two years ago I expected better from him in races like those we’ve seen recently at Monza and Spa.
Last year Heikki Kovalainen rebounded from a poor start to the season with Renault to end the year in excellent style – and still got dropped. Piquet hasn’t shown anything like that kind of improvement, but he does have a tougher team mate and a less competitive car. All the same, I think his financial backing will have a bigger say in whether he keeps his seat next year than his talent will.
Read more about Nelson Piquet Jnr: Nelson Piquet Jnr
Who else?
Kazuki Nakajima hasn’t been on Nico Rosberg’s pace but he has at least been consistent enough to score eight points – only one fewer than his team mate. But it will be his Toyota connections that keep him at Williams for another year.
If Honda lands Fernando Alonso, will Rubens Barrichello or Jenson Button face the axe? Presumably it would be Barrichello, given he has now been racing in F1 longer than anyone ever.
Force India seem likely to keep Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil.
F1 2009 season
F1 2009 drivers and teams
Which F1 drivers do you think will lose their seats in 2009? Could any of them, as Vee sugests, get dropped before the end of the year? Have your say in the comments.
Alex Cooper said on 19th September 2008, 17:35
Hey Mahesh – I stand by my comments about Kazuki Nakajima, although Rosberg’s not been brilliant either for that matter. Can’t help feeling he needs a team-mate to push him…?
Fergus Gallas said on 19th September 2008, 17:55
Keith – Isn’t it to soon to burn somebody’s name and work. I’ve posted here sometime ago about rookies and midia and stuff.
It’s TOO soon to say something about Piquet Jnr, Bourdais, or whoever. If you look at the standings who is around him or even under him? the likes of Glock and Rosberg, and they haven’t done anything so different or better than Piquet Jnr or Bourdais.
Besides his career background, titles all over it, his father trusts him and Piquet Snr is very hard on words about everthing and was never easy on the sons. But he believes Piquet Jnr is really good and i do agree with him.
On one thing i am pretty sure about is that Piquet Snr. would never let people burn Piquet Jnr. on a first year of F1. He will support him and he has means for it, not talking about money, connections are more important on this matter. Piquet Snr. has mates like Briattore and Bernie(he gave 2 f1 tittles to this man), was the main importer and dealer for BMW in Brazil for years(don’t be surprise here in the future, he is still very well connected with the factory-f1 title here), to mention a few of them.
But if Junior spoils a second year, no one need to ask for his head. Piquet Snr. will be the first to tell his son to find another job.
Smitty said on 19th September 2008, 18:48
Concerning Piquet – I think he will remain at Renault next year, but if he doesn’t do well next year, he’s out.
Concerning Nakajima – I think he will remain as well.
Concerning Boudrais – I’m not too sure, Buemi looks really handy in the Red Bull cars at Jerez, so he will get Vettel’s seat. As to whether Boudrais will stay or Sato will replace him, I’m not sure. I want Boudrais to remain though.
Rabi said on 19th September 2008, 19:17
Bourdais > Sato.
As for Nelson, if Renault decide to pay Alonso’s salar he’s out.
Eddie Irvine said on 19th September 2008, 19:22
For me Bourdais is by far beter driver than Piquet. However , whoever stays I would like to see Anthony Davidson back in a racing seat, he really is a magnificent driver, highly underrated
GO Ant !!!
nicho said on 19th September 2008, 19:24
Sebastien Bourdais, Nelson Piquet Jnr & Kazuki Nakajimaa are overrated…
Eddie Irvine said on 19th September 2008, 19:31
Nicho in every case I don’t wanna loose Kazuki .He has this special ability of holding your interest in a gp even if Hamilton is leading by 1 min , a safety car ,some debris , spectacular entries in the pits stops who knows??
He would be a very good adition in the grid in Shumacher years…
Keep going Kazuki!!!
‘If you can’t drive a suzuki
you should hire a Kazuki’
Eddie Irvine said on 19th September 2008, 19:46
Does anybody know what happened to
Pizzonia ???
Pride said on 19th September 2008, 19:46
I think there is a constant media pressure in order to discredit us open wheel race. An Bourdais is a victim of this attack. Whenever he did something good this year he has not been potentially lifted as Vettel. I really think it is a shame because he is European, he has won F3000, f3 and this is his first season in a team which has changed dramatically from poor to great. And at this time of the year when he is demenonstrating good results and he deserves good support to continue improving he even gets the oppossite and does not receive a vote of confidence from his own team. Sometimes I feal Berger has a lot of pressure from Marko to change drivers and he tries to discredit Bourdais publicly so then leaves the team to decide to keep him. But this could be a double edge knife because I am sure he will demonstrate good results in the last 4 races and he would probably be in a position to decide between other teams to go.
As for Piquet nothing impressive but he probably needs another season.
Nakajima started well but he has dropped in the last races
Ratboy said on 19th September 2008, 20:29
The only reason for keeping Piquet is to see if he will do his dads karate kick if he is takin out of a race by a back marker, however seeing as he doesn’t stay in the race long enough I doubt we will see this.
I think Barrichello will be going mainly because the other teams have got there own youth development schemes so they would be cheaper and possibly be abit quicker.
I also think Fisichella should retire because he just isn’t that good, he was routinely beaten by Alonso when in the same car and I think that Sutil ia already much better than him.
Dan M said on 19th September 2008, 20:29
Any word on whats going to happen with Red Bull/STR engines? Will they be switching or would Ferrari like to keep them away from a Webber/Vettel duo?
Obviously RBR would like to take them but that may hurt Ferrari over the course of the season. If Seb B does come back but gets stuck with the Renault engine his pace may look that much worse.
I assume any engine improvements made by Renault would not be shared with a close competitor.
Inez said on 19th September 2008, 20:30
Bourdais alongside Alonso would be a great combination.
Bourdais just needs another season to find his feet and I think we’ll see his real talent shine through
Brar said on 19th September 2008, 21:18
Keith
I dont see Piquet bringing a money to Renault. Perhaps I´m wrong but there is no new sponsor that come in with him. A sponsor with cash that would help to pay the Alonso would be very noticeable.
I think that Briatore will replace him by one of the Renault program. Someone said that Di Grassi had some money too…
Eric M. said on 19th September 2008, 21:57
I really hope STR keep Bourdais. I think he’s done well enough to earn at least a second season in F1. To drop him and go for a completely new line-up would be foolish of STR, in my opinion. If STR do drop him, I hope he can move over to Renault and replace Piquet, who hasn’t really done aything at all to impress me.
Wesley said on 19th September 2008, 22:49
Piquet Jr. hasn’t done anything to impress really,but I think Bourdais deserves another season.He kicked some serious butt in Champ car,just wait till he gets back on those slicks that he is familiar with.Plus I think he has just had a difficult time adjusting to the high profile fast game of the F1 world.(maybe a sensitive chap)…hopefully he can hang in there.