Possible seat changes for 2012?

[bella]

it does work, but if you want the original link it's the one that @f1enigma linked to on twitter on omnicorse here:
http://www.omnicorse.it/magazine/143...adra--spaccata

[strider]

Thanks bella. As you've probable seen on Twitter, the popular choice seems to be for Rubens to stay. I can't deny the logic.

[bella]

yeah, it is sensible, particularly if you consider who's in the other seat. i'm with you on bruno though, i'd love to see him get a good full season in a team. it's a shame the team can't take him for a test and see how well it works like they'd do in most other non-f1 series!

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by strider

What the article says is that there is a split within William's about the second driver. Adam Parr, who apparently did get on very well with the now totally departed Patrick Head, wants to sign Senna, but the engineering staff want to keep Barrichello.

In fact, neither faction may make the decision, because the team has lost its major sponsor in AT&T and is still in talks with a Quatari bank. If the bank does decide to come aboard, I think it will have the final say.

William's need some continuity..If they can calm down it will come back to them. They should keep Ruben's for this year because as you say he is popular within the team and therefore I would think he will give good technical feedback on the new car..

AT&T were at the end of their sponsorship deal I believe..

[Paradise City]

Well, if we put aside the finance thing for a minute, Barrichello has been very iffy on track. If do they rehire him, it'll be for him being a stable quantity in relation to car development, rather than speed. If the measure was simply on track pace, he wouldn't warrant a 2nd thought.

He's a slow old foggie and, if the F1 world was just, a promising rookie or an established youth should be in that seat.

[JeremySmith]

Of course they need to develop the car..One could fit a hot shot into his place and from a technical standpoint learn nothing at all except "I am doing the best I can"

And he is not slow, older yes, but not slow...

[SJA]

So is the popular logic this? (Bold = confirmed):

RBR-Renault: Vettel, Webber [Buemi]
McLaren-Mercedes: Button, Hamilton [Paffett]
Ferrari: Alonso, Massa [Fisichella, Gene]
Mercedes: Schumacher, Rosberg [Davidson]
Lotus-Renault: Raikkonen, Grosjean [d'Ambrosio]
Force India-Mercedes: di Resta, Hulkenberg [Bianchi]
Sauber-Ferrari: Kobayashi, Perez [Gutierrez]
STR-Ferrari: Ricciardo, Vergne [Buemi]
Williams-Renault: Barrichello, Maldonado [Bottas]
Caterham-Renault: Kovalainen, Sutil [Trulli, Chandhok]
HRT-TBA: de la Rosa, Alguersuari [Karthikeyan]
Marussia-Cosworth: Glock, Pic [Petrov, Wickens]

[Bononi]

Well, Senna is now considering the role of reserve driver as a good option...

[bella]

and alguersuari really isn't going to be driving for hrt. the "it won't happen" rumours on that one are pretty convincing.

for some reason i can see him in wrc, but maybe that's just the red bull connection and the life outside of racing thing that thrives there with ken block et al.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

And he is not slow, older yes, but not slow...

Agreed. In any off-season Kart racing he's usually ahead of the new boys. And he kicked Hulkenburg's butt in 2010.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by bella

and alguersuari really isn't going to be driving for hrt. the "it won't happen" rumours on that one are pretty convincing.

for some reason i can see him in wrc, but maybe that's just the red bull connection and the life outside of racing thing that thrives there with ken block et al.

Are Alguersuari and Red Bull still connected?

[Marbot]

The taking up of the remaining seat at Williams' could all depend upon who their new title sponsor is going to be!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96881

[bella]

Originally Posted by Mr V

Are Alguersuari and Red Bull still connected?

there's not been any noise either way, has there? if buemi still is, then perhaps jaime is too. the fact he's absolutely not going for the hrt drive would point towards there still being a connection perhaps - why would they want to place him in a f1 seat when they're already going to use buemi to keep vergne and ricciardo on their toes?

that's all based on logic though, which as we know has absolutely no place in either f1 or red bull

[Peter Mallett]

There are two elements of this thread that really are upsetting to me.

1) Williams. The decline of this team beggars belief. If one looks at Benetton/Renault as a contemporary then the question arises as to what is going on? Lotus may provide the solution. Chapman was never a corporate man, thus when he developed technologies, he was either copied or banned. Williams, to an extent are very similar. However, I hope the QTel/QNB Qatar thing comes off and they find a good young driver with ability (similar to Button) to move them back to the front. Rubens is history.

2) Both Buemi and Alguasari are very good racers. The lack of testing and so forth, means that the teams only have the race option to evaluate drivers. It is complete rubbish. All this is doing is reducing the sport to the lowest common denominator. Who really wants to see F1 with a grid full of Karthekyans?

[nobster]

Originally Posted by Marbot

The taking up of the remaining seat at Williams' could all depend upon who their new title sponsor is going to be!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96881

in advanced talkings with another telecom company.... maybe Embratel?
That would bring in Senna after all.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by nobster

in advanced talkings with another telecom company.... maybe Embratel?
That would bring in Senna after all.

I thought the big money was coming from the Middle East.

Do the Slim's own a telco in that region?

[strider]

There's this from Joe Saward.. Nothing to do with Carlos Slim.

QTel have already dabbled in F1 sponsorship so would know Rubens.

[Taprobane]

Does anyone else find Joe Sayward quite rude and exceptionally arrogant when someone challenges his opinion? Especially with regards to Liuzzi.

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by Taprobane

Does anyone else find Joe Sayward quite rude and exceptionally arrogant when someone challenges his opinion? Especially with regards to Liuzzi.

At times he can be a little arrogant, but most of the time he is so spot on that I forgive him for that.. I promise I will talk to him about it when he comes to Austin..

How arrogant is that..

[strider]

Yes, he's very arrogant if you disagree with him. He's had the belief for ages that Liuzzi is very good, even when the cumulative evidence suggests otherwise.

[JeremySmith]

He does have a thing for Liuzzi, which I am interested to know more about..

[bella]

i tend to find the more... established the journalist, the more they completely forget that they also have their favourites through friendship, past work history or elsewhere. if a fanboy or fangirl was waxing lyrical about their favourite in the same way theyd'd be the first to point the finger of shame

[wolfhound]

Buemi has been confirmed as Red Bull & Toro Rosso reserve driver.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96889

[OZ_HCR32]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

Buemi has been confirmed as Red Bull & Toro Rosso reserve driver.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96889

So is that a reflection on RB thinking he is the pick of the two STR drivers?

Or, Jaime has other options, things to do so went his own way and Buemi the last one standing making the choice easy.

Will be interesting to see what Caterham do with Trullis seat. Cant see Williams going to anybody but Rubens. I can see Caterham as upstarts with the right approach and may chose to take a punt on Jaime

[bella]

autosport magazine today suggested that boullier thinks that d'ambrosio is in with a shot at the 3rd driver role with caterham. perhaps indicative of the state of trulli's drive? i doubt d'ambrosio would be bringing much cash.