Heinz is in, Felipe is out...

[senna12]

http://f1.racing-live.com/en/index.html


Looks like Heinz has a ride for '03. What about Felipe's future?

[Sato san]

thats a big shame for Massa , but i suppose its healthy for F1 for a team to show commitment for a older experienced driver like HHF . Especially as its the team that has set the trend of taking up drivers from junior formula's .

[paulzinho]

I'm a bit disappointed, Massa has put in some good performances this year and has kept Heidfeld honest despite the difference in experience.

OK je's made mistakes, but thats how we learn and improve right?

[Sato san]

i agree totally Paul !.....big shame for massa...i wonder if he will be picked up by another team ?

[NiceGuyEddie]

Like I have said before, there is some poetic justice in drivers finding their way back home. I also feel Barrichello should return to Jordan in a season or two.

Shame about Massa. I don't see the justification for the critizism he got from the team, so I hope he will be picked up for another raceseat. Perhaps Toyota are willing to give him a go?

[mac]

The only places I see for him are Jag, Jordan (?), Toyota, Minardi or possibly a new team in the place of Arrows.

If you look at that, it seems Irvine will be at Jordan, Toyota seems locked up with Salo, da Matta, Webber and McNish all in the frame, and I doubt Massa will want to go to Minardi. Therefore, from my advanced mathematical deductions, I think Massa will be at Jaguar next year.

[Jordi]

Maybe Massa deserved to continue, but he's way much younger than Frentzen... He'll have time, if he's lucky

[f1manoz]

Shame about Massa, as he was starting to impress with some on-track performances, but Peter Sauber said he was looking for experience over youth next season, and with HHF he certainly has that experience.

[DNQ]

No surprise there - to be honest, I can't say I am sad. I predicted Felipe would be big, but although he has improve ALOT, I think Peter Sauber is making the right move.

Anyone think he might go to Jaguar or Jordan?
Those four seats are really the only ones that are totally open...

[Valve Bounce]

If, and that'a a big IF, Paul can get Saudi backing as rumoured, and then can get a decent engine, Minardi may not be as bad an option as we think. At this stage, I don't consider Asiatech that good. But in any case, being in any team is better than being forgotten. Massa certainly deserves to be in F1, good enough to be ordered to move over to make way for Nick. He did well in Hungary too - I was hoping he would get good points.

Valve

[Gt_R]

It's a shame really.

Judging by their performances this year... HHF and Massa are both quite good catch. Sauber's preference for experience over youth has his own reasons...and HHF seems to be his "perfect" target as HHF has a spade load of experience coupled with dynamic performance that he displayed this year. However, much as i applaud HHF's signing, thinking he fully deserves a good drive next season, i'd be really disappointed if Massa finds himself out.

Massa had done really well for his experience, having outshone Nick, whom i actually hold quite in high regards at the start of the season, more than enough to prove himself. Sure, he makes some mistakes... but so does many drivers who done the same in their rookie season but go on to greater things...

I wonder if one reason why Sauber do not choose Massa is because of Massa's obvious lack of commitment to the team. I remember Massa stressing that his contract with Sauber is a one-season thing a few months back, and he expects himself to jump to a greater seat next year. I won't be a happy boss if i were Peter.

[senna12]

Originally posted by Gt_R
It's a shame really.

I wonder if one reason why Sauber do not choose Massa is because of Massa's obvious lack of commitment to the team. I remember Massa stressing that his contract with Sauber is a one-season thing a few months back, and he expects himself to jump to a greater seat next year. I won't be a happy boss if i were Peter.

This is a very likely scenario, at the very least it is part of the reason. Perhaps Peter was thinking that Felipe might think himself better than he is, at this stage of his career, and therefore needs to be shown the price of loyalty. There are a lot of hungry young drivers on the horizon.
No one has mentioned testing. That would, I think, be an unwise option.

[Mania]

Dumb move by Sauber. They've clearly lost themselves a talented driver in Felipe Massa. I hope Massa does NOT accept a testing role with them - if he has to sit out the 2003 season then I think he would be well advised to find a testing role with a top team - and wash his hands off Peter Sauber.

[*formula3*]

massa deserves a race-cockpit, he did well in the last races, he was always close to heidi or even better!
but it will be difficult to get a cockpit for next season

[NiceGuyEddie]

I also get the impression that taking Massa out of the raceseat, has more to do with Massa's attitude, than with his performances. Or maybe Sauber took on Massa cheap, expecting to sell him to Ferrari or Williams for much more. Now that that doesn't happen, maybe he wants to do something else.

He did offer him a test/replacement-role for 2003.

[f1manoz]

The only reason I can think of that really cost Massa his seat is his continual statements that he was only using Sauber as a stepping stone to a bigger/better race team - therefore, he had no sense of loyalty to the team.

[Ej10]

maybe massa left sauber for another team. i have a feeling it will be jordan he goes to. therfore he has to keep quiet as sato is still under contract and doesnt know he will be replaced. If the team did replace massa in favour of frentzen i think it is a big mistake. I feel massa did as good a job as raikkenin in a less competitive car. massa has been closer to heidfeld than raikkinen was last this year.

[Kex]

I think Sauber do need an old hand, and Frentzen is the man to have.

[NME]

DONT WORRY *** Felipe Massa is under contract with Ferrari up until 2005 !!!
After he won the Euro 3000 championship a year ago, Adriano Morini (Massa's team manager in 01), Massa's career manager Riccardo Tedeschi and Ferrari all agreed a contract until 2005, plus options.
Sauber was just the best place to have the kid started in F1.
Dont know what will happen for 03 ... but dont worry cause the kid is very good and he is in good (?!) hands.

[steve nielsen]

Originally posted by Kex
I think Sauber do need an old hand, and Frentzen is the man to have.

Yes, HHF is old

[Tazio Nuvolari]

I am sick to the back teeth of F1 team bosses and their short termism bull**** that is spreading like a disease through the F1 paddock

I was bought up in the era of Gilles Villeneuve, Stefan Bellof, Keke Rosberg, Jody Scheckter, Patrick Depallier, entertainers, people who put their foot to the floor and with their style of driving gave the fans and the crowd a bit of excitement and that style of driving is on the verge of being wiped out and we can look forward to a grid of 22 identikit Ralf Schumacher clones driving wise in a few years time

Those drivers all became very good and in some cases great drivers in F1 because they were allowed to develop their style by team bosses, those drivers even had the occasional accident and certainly regular spins as they found their limits in their first couple of seasons

Fast forward to 2002 where exciting rookies like Takuma Sato and Felipe Massa, exciting drivers with a spark and a jest about them that provide entertainment and just like Gilles, Keke, Stefan etc have had the occasional accident in their search for the limits are branded 'too accident prone' 'mavericks' 'dont score enough points' and are likely to get the sack and have their highly promising careers snuffed out after 1 season, its pathetic.

Because of the arrogance and short sightedness of team bosses young talented drivers with a bit of spark about them are either not going to get hired by F1 bosses or they are going to have their natural enthusiasm taken away as they become too scared to make a passing manoevure incase they put it in the kittylitter

Because of the likes of Peter Sauber and Eddie Jordan over the case of Sato we are going to end up with 22 drivers out there too scared to make a mistake for fear of getting the sack and F1 will become about as exciting as watching paint dry

In modern F1 Gilles, Scheckter, Keke etc would have got sacked in their first season

Massa should stay

[steve nielsen]

BTW:now we already know that a Sauber will be stauled on the grid several times next year

[Fluffster]

Originally posted by steve nielsen
BTW:now we already know that a Sauber will be stauled on the grid several times next year

Did you hate HHF with such a vengeance before Jos was fired from Arrows?

[Total-F1]

Massa has no such deal with Ferrari. Ferrari have never approached him with any kind of offer.

Massa will be involved with another team in a testing capacity.

Frentzen was in the frame for Toyota drive - Sauber is the better bet short-term - Heinz-Harry hasn't got a long career left ahead of him, so he wants somewhere he can be immediately quick.

As for Toyota, Da Matta looks to be too expensive an option...my bet for next year is Salo and Pizzonia.

[steve nielsen]

Originally posted by Fluffster


Did you hate HHF with such a vengeance before Jos was fired from Arrows?

Nope, never liked him........