One more race for Liuzzi, Klien returns in Canada

[Kicking-back]

Red Bull have confirmed Liuzzi will race at the Nurburgring, with Christian Klien reassuming the race drive from the Canadian Grand Prix.

Seems sensible to continue this rotation - as that's what the drivers signed up for and it boosts both their experience.

[T0MAT01]

Strange that Luizzi gets 4 on the trot though.
I know he spun out of the Spanish GP early on, but Klien retired early from Bahrain IIRC.

Alternating drivers can't be good, but at least they both get to show their talents.

[Kicking-back]

Liuzzi getting 4 at this stage is probably because they realised with the 2 races engine rule it's best to go in 4 race stints not 3

[Mr V]

Put Klien in the car and get rid of Coulthard

[Kicking-back]

Originally Posted by Mr V

Put Klien in the car and get rid of Coulthard

aside - what possible logical reason would there be for doing that?

[Mr V]

I have my reasons

[Louis B.]

I really don't understand Reb Bull's decision. In my view, Klien has performed better than Liuzzi. I thought that one justification for the earlier switch from Klien to Liuzzi was to allow the latter to race in Italy. I would then have expected Red Bull to allow Klien to race in Germany (i.e. not too far away from Austria). I also don't agree with a two drivers' rotation. This ruins the standings in the drivers' championship and unduly advantages the other teamate who races for the whole season (here DC).

[Mr V]

It does of course, allow the team to access both drivers in race conditions, plus give them experience whilst one driver (DC in this case) gets to go for the majority of the team points.

[BootsOntheSide]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

Liuzzi getting 4 at this stage is probably because they realised with the 2 races engine rule it's best to go in 4 race stints not 3

Can someone remind me how this works when a team changes drivers? When Klien returns, does he have to go back to the engine he used at Imola, or is he defined as a new driver, adn thus entitled to a fresh engine?

Louis, anyone who looks back at DC's season and says "he was brillaint, look how far ahead of the other RBR drivers he was" is missing the point completely. Simply by beign there David is helping the team develop its drivers, which is surely the team's long-term intention - as a first-year team they're not especialyl worried about resutls this year, as long as they are respectable (and beating Sauber certainly would be).

[Kirk]

I must assume that this decision had been made before Monaco. Liuzzi did not impress, was well behind DC most of the weekend and (although I didn't actually see it) it was apparent that he hit the wall when MS was pressuring him. Liuzzi will be anxious to make amends next race and it will be interesting to see if he can .... meanwhile Klein must be itching to return and continue where he left off.

[Mike_P]

Originally Posted by T0MAT01

Strange that Luizzi gets 4 on the trot though.

Maybe they just wanted to let Liuzzi run one more race before he goes to Sauber.

I've heard rumors that Scott Speed will be Red Bull's third driver for the Canadian and US GP's.

[Dixie Flatline]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

Can someone remind me how this works when a team changes drivers? When Klien returns, does he have to go back to the engine he used at Imola, or is he defined as a new driver, adn thus entitled to a fresh engine?

Louis, anyone who looks back at DC's season and says "he was brillaint, look how far ahead of the other RBR drivers he was" is missing the point completely. Simply by beign there David is helping the team develop its drivers, which is surely the team's long-term intention - as a first-year team they're not especialyl worried about resutls this year, as long as they are respectable (and beating Sauber certainly would be).

As I recall, the engine rule is directed towards the driver. Therefore, it's quite possible that Klien will have to go back and use the last engine he used (at Imola) in his next race.

If that's the case, no doubt that Red Bull would be trying to find a loophole to convince the FIA that Klien is entitled to a brand new engine if/when he returns.

[Kicking-back]

Klien's last race was Bahrain, where he retired, so he'll have a new engine, even if the rule is that he'd have to carry over from that race.

It's unlikely that's the rule though - imagine a situation where a driver raced in the opening race of a season, and again in the closing race - it would be silly to make him use the same engine in both.

[T0MAT01]

Thinking about it, since Klien didn't finish the previous race he'd have to be first out in quali anyway - so whats the point of not installing a fresh engine, despite whatever the rules say?

Mind you, Ant had to use Taku's engine in Sepang, but I suppose thats different because Sato had done a few laps on the Friday.

[Skam85]

Giving Liuzzi one more race leads me to beleive that Klien will now probably get the balance of the season if Liuzzi doesn't prove himself in Germany.

[Don K]

Originally Posted by T0MAT01

Thinking about it, since Klien didn't finish the previous race he'd have to be first out in quali anyway - so whats the point of not installing a fresh engine, despite whatever the rules say?

Mind you, Ant had to use Taku's engine in Sepang, but I suppose thats different because Sato had done a few laps on the Friday.

Being first out in qualification might be a disadvantage, but it will probably cost you less than 10 places on the starting grid - which is the penalty for changing the engine.

[Logrence]

I'll be glad to see Klien back in the car - he's definitely the most improved driver of the season, just need to see if he can keep the momentum up.

[N I Tram]

Liuzzi certainly hasnt impressed so far. Coming in mid-season is a big challenge, especially when your team-mate is in possibly the form of his life, and when there must be some within the team who don't want you there. He's probably done his reputation more harm than good so far judging byt the comments on here, and perhaps further races would shake his confidence. If Klien returns on form in Canada and can sustain that through his scheduled 3-4 races, I can't see much point using Liuzzi again this year, other than maybe Monza.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Mike_P

Maybe they just wanted to let Liuzzi run one more race before he goes to Sauber.

This could get ugly at Sauber next year, Villeneuve contracted for next season, Massa (is he contracted for next season) doing better than Villeneuve, Heidfeld rumoured to be going there due to BMW and now Liuzzi in the frame (must say i hadn't heard this one before).

[BootsOntheSide]

I suspect BMW would pay off JV's contract if they did take over engine supply there, and probably aim to run Heidfeld and Massa (a case of things going full circle for Sauber). It's possibel that Liuzzi will race for Sauber for the rest of the year, but it'd surprise me really, consdiering that RBR and Sauber are direct rivals, RBR probably still plan to race him again (some of you have painted too negative a picture of his drives so far), and RBR have no regulat 3rd driver available (Speed has GP2 commitments the same weekend)

[Skam85]

I still don't think that Williams will change their driver line up in 2006.

[Logrence]

But they have a contract with Button already.

[Skam85]

allegedly.

[Kicking-back]

Nothing alleged about it! They do

[Skam85]

Yeah, the one that was REJECTED by the CRB