Comments on: Brendon Hartley gets dual F1 test role

By: Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:10:51 +0000

It’s a prestigious assignment, considering that they could have chosen others from the Red Bull stable. And, it shouldn’t detract from his Euro F3 campaign, given the limit to testing miles. Good for him, he seems really quick and must have impressed the teams when he tested late last year.

By: Robert McKay

Robert McKay — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:45:20 +0000

“How are the young up and comers going to learn anything with the current lack of opportunities to drive the car?”

I think there is special proviso for a certain amount of test kilometres to be done with young/rookie drivers, although its probably not a lot.

“Pedro de la Rosa had it right a few days ago when he stated that the lack of testing will make it more dangerous for those drivers to climb into the cockpit for a race.”

May well be true, although surely Pedro’s got an agenda of his own to push, given his job?

For Hartley, at least being reserve driver for two teams does double the possibility of a drive, although that requires rather a negative frame of thinking that a driver will be hurt/ill.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 02:47:20 +0000

I understand the need for cost cutting in F1, but when are we going to stop? The whole ban on in season testing is not doing anything good for the sport. Pedro de la Rosa had it right a few days ago when he stated that the lack of testing will make it more dangerous for those drivers to climb into the cockpit for a race. Dank has it right too, how many testers have actually driven a car in the offseason? How are the young up and comers going to learn anything with the current lack of opportunities to drive the car? Surely, someone has to see that this is going to hurt F1 rather than help it.

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:31:54 +0000

I’m such a proud NZer at the moment, even though he may never actually get to drive the car

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:47:22 +0000

True, but he did test for them in the winter off-season and may do so after this season.

By: Dank

Dank — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:27:59 +0000

Not wanting to sound too pedantic, but Hartley won’t be ‘testing’ at all. He will be their third/reserve-driver, so the only action he’ll get is if any of the four Red Bull-backed drivers can’t participate for any reason this year.