Comments on: 2009 F1 drivers: who will be dropped?

By: Virgopunk

Virgopunk — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 09:08:27 +0000

Just a few points I’d like to make; in terms of car performance I think this is one of the most equal seasons for a long time. In terms of drivers, well there are a few who are not performing as drivers (ignoring whether the cars themselves have performed). Bourdais and Piquet could easily be replaced with some of the talent currently bubbling under in GP2 and to be honest I wouldn’t miss eaither of them. Strange though, Bourdais was such a great driver with the Champ Cars but he is maybe just a bit too highly strung for F1. This is one of the most competative and expensive sports in the world. There’s no room for teams to give chances to drivers unless there’s a very good reason (Nakajima / Williams for one). I’m a big fan of Honda and expect great things from them next season. It would be great to at least get an idea of how Barrichello would fare in the new car. Experience is a very valuable commodity and Rubens has often said that he doesn’t feel like retiring (but he has said that he’d like to write a book). However, maybe he’ll become Honda’s test driver and Alonso could end up with them. Stranger things have happened. And with DC retiring maybe Button will finally be able to get round circuits without colliding with a Red Bull ;o)

By: Sebastian

Sebastian — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 21:10:43 +0000

I think it”s wrong to drop them out after the only one season. Give them one more chance.

By: Pride

Pride — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 16:23:22 +0000

For me Sato has been given many oportunities to show what he can do. Not too much. And the test drive in Jerez was pure marketing so the headlines in Tokyo were Red bull gives him an Drive. I think next year the drivers will be Bourdais and Buemi

Piquet did not impress but probably he will repeat his dish especially if Alonso stays.

Nakajima will probably stay depending on Sato so one japaneese remains in the grid. I beleive he deserves more than Sato this drive.

By: the limit

the limit — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 05:07:22 +0000

I have a sneaky suspicion that Rubens Barrichello will be shown the door this year, and will be raplaced by the out of work Takuma Sato, who will inturn please the bosses back in Tokyo by having a Japanese driver back in the fold. Nakajima and Rosberg, lets face it, have been given a ‘mutt’ of a car by Williams. Williams really are stuck in the rut at the moment, and progress is slow to put in mildly. Both drivers are pretty compatible in terms of performance, and with the Williams still recieving Toyota engines, I can’t see them dropping a Japanese driver and risk upsetting their engine supplier.
Nelson Piquet Jnr, who has his father’s millions behind him, may well escape the chop, but then again it will depend on what decision Fernando Alonso makes concerning his future. If Alonso stays, Renault may decide on keeping Piquet Jnr, but if Alonso walks, they may just decide on having a complete new lineup.
As for Bourdais, I am confident he will keep his seat at Toro Rosso. He has not been blessed with a lot od luck, but he is experienced, and that does count, especially if his team mate is a novice next season.

By: Gman

Gman — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 05:04:21 +0000

First off, I admire Bourdais for bucking the trend in F1 of having new drivers come in very young, after being developed by the team’s young driver setups. Bourdais is a case of a guy who is an excellent driver in many different series who earned his way into F1- not through sponsorship or name recognition, but through on-track results. STR should absolutley keep him- what would Sato give them that Seb dosen’t have? He’s a mature guy who will improve next season.

Piquet will get one more year, and indeed having one of the world’s wealthiest men in your corner sometimes can buy you a place at the table in F1. If his name weren’t Piquet he’d be in real danger of being dropped, but he’ll be safe for another season.

Nakajima hasen’t been the best driver but hasen’t been the worst either- he got the seat to keep Toyota happy in my view, and he’ll get another year at least. I doubt Button will retire anyitme soon- he’s still got alot left in the tank, but Rubens may indeed pack it in at the end of the season, as I’m sure he dosen’t feel very confident given the Alonso rumblings.

As for Force India, Fisi will do one more year and then retire, which will make way for whomever Vijay has lined up as his first Indian superstar. After all, you don’t think he’d have Force India race at the new Indian Grand Prix without an Indian driver on his team, do you?

And murray, you think Button, Trulli, and Webber should all be dropped? Three good drivers there my man- as good as most other drivers on the grid IMHO. Give them a good car and they’ll bring home the wins.

By: Gustavo

Gustavo — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 01:34:45 +0000

Pizzonia is “dead”. He´s driving in an awful brazilian car series, with terrible drivers. Probably the end for Rubens “the man” Barrichello.

By: Filipe

Filipe — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:52:00 +0000

Someone asked about Pizzonia he was driving the brazilian equivalent of Nascar (which is a true cemitery of former F1 drivers: Burti, Zonta, Marques). And he will be doing that F-Superleague till the end of the year.

By: Filipe

Filipe — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:46:22 +0000

Piquet doesn’t bring any money to Renault. I’d guess the second Renault seat will be between Piquet, Di Grassi and Grosjean. I suspect Renault will let Grosjean (who is still a little green) run another GP2 season, drop Piquet, and keep Di Grassi.

From what I understand of the Toro Rosso situation, one of the seats belong to Red Bull and the other to Berger, with Red Bull announcing Buemi, I’m guessing Berger will keep Bourdais (unless BMW drops Heidfeld).

By: ninguen

ninguen — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 15:52:54 +0000

Piquet funding Alonso´s money?

Waht sponsor does he bring to renault?

ING was before and no connection
ELf, french, another time no connection

Mutua Madrileña: Spanish it goes werever Alonso goes

Pepe Jeans: english, maybe i don´t know but i think they were there last year

the rest are so small that i don´t think they will bring many money but non of them are brazilian, mabe even southamerican

No sponsor comes with Piquet as far as i know, last winter there was especulation Telmex (mexican) would pay alonso as long as theere was a south american partner in the second car but finally no agreement was reached.

And to the most of it all if Somebody would be paying for having a brazillian maybe di grassi could be keeping happy wahtever it would be,

So i´m betting for piquet out and di grassi in

And the force india drivers, i wouldn´t be so sure, maybe somebody with the cash could make the spot

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 14:58:10 +0000

KingCobra - I would definitely have replied to your email, but I'm afraid I don't remember receiving it. Perhaps drop me a line again on the contact form (which had been playing up so I've just installed a new one) or if you use Facebook I'm on that as well.