Silly Season 2011 Thread

[raymondu999]

Well they announced Karthikeyan :s

[sticky667]

expect him to sit out the first 3 races because he announced it before the team!

[andrew]

I wonder if a certain MrE had a a hand or two in this. Indian driver in the grid in the same year that there is an Indian GP. The marketing writes itself.

[ringo]

expect him to sit out the first 3 races because he announced it before the team!

They probably set him up to do it, to create some hype.
I think Tata will bring in a lot of money. It will join the marussias, the lotuses, the ladas, of the sticker badge manufacturers.

[sticky667]

Tata already has a good amount of cash in Ferrari too. They are no stranger to F1.

[Richard]

I wonder if a certain MrE had a a hand or two in this. Indian driver in the grid in the same year that there is an Indian GP. The marketing writes itself.

Certainly, he develops his business with purpose, not chance.

Shame Karun Chandok won't get the honour as the first Indian F1 driver to be in the first Indian race.... although it does mean we are lucky to have him on the radio, he is a very good commentator.

[ESPImperium]

Karthikeyan now confirmed by the HRT team.

Id recon that he will be bringing somewhere in the region of $12m sponsorship. All the need is a good experienced second driver, maybes Bruno Senna may be the bag here, or more likley Christian Klien. One rumor also has it that Vjay Malya is looking to buy that seat for Liuzzi for 2011 as well. Altho i can see either Valsecchi and Kral as the Test & Reserve drivers here as they have the money to do so, whitch would be arround $200,000 a race, for a test and reserve place at Hispania.

As for Chandhok, i can see him being snapped up by another team as a capable test & reserve driver.

[mangesh]

Karthikeyan now confirmed by the HRT team.
One rumor also has it that Vjay Malya is looking to buy that seat for Liuzzi for 2011 as well.

Kolles said "maybe some drivers who have contracts might not have seats". Liuzzi may end up at HRT

[marcush.]

and on autosport he hints at starting the season with the interim(Williams gearbox and hydraulics) car?
we will have the new car as quick as possible....hmm

[andrew]

That's all the seats filled then with the exception of one seat at HRT (any takers?):

Red Bull Racing-Renault
Race drivers

1. Sebastian Vettel (has 2011 contract)
2. Mark Webber (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Brendon Hartley (2010 test driver)
Daniel Ricciardo (2010 test driver)

McLaren-Mercedes
Race drivers

3. Lewis Hamilton (has 2011 contract)
4. Jenson Button (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Gary Paffett (2010 test driver)

Scuderia Ferrari
Race drivers

5. Fernando Alonso (has 2011 contract)
6. Felipe Massa (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Jules Bianchi (has 2011 contract)
Giancarlo Fisichella (2010 test driver)
Luca Badoer (2010 test driver)
Marc Gené (2010 test driver)

Mercedes Grand Prix
Race drivers

7. Michael Schumacher (has 2011 contract)
8. Nico Rosberg (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Nick Heidfeld (2010 test driver)

Renault F1 Team
Race drivers

9. Robert Kubica (has 2011 contract)
10. Vitaly Petrov (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Jan Charouz (2010 test driver)
Ho-Pin Tung (2010 test driver)
Jerome D’Ambrosio (2010 test driver)

Williams-Cosworth
Race drivers

11. Rubens Barrichello (has 2011 contract)
12. Pastor Maldonado (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Valltteri Bottas (has 2011 contract)

Force India F1 Team-Mercedes
Race drivers

14. Adrian Sutil (2010 driver)
15. Vitantonio Liuzzi (2010 driver)

Test drivers

Paul di Resta (2010 test driver)

BMW Sauber-Ferrari
Race drivers

16. Kamui Kobayashi (has 2011 contract)
17. Sergio Perez (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Esteban Gutierrez (has 2011 contract)

Scuderia Toro Rosso-Ferrari
Race drivers

18. Sebastien Buemi (has 2011 contract)
19. Jaime Alguersuari (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Daniel Ricciardo (has 2011 contract)

Lotus-Renault
Race drivers

20. Jarno Trulli (according to FIA entry list)
21. Heikki Kovalainen (according to FIA entry list)

Test drivers

Fairuz Fauzy (2010 test driver)

HRT-Cosworth
Race drivers

22. Narain Karthikeyan (has 2011 contract)
23. TBC

Test drivers

Sakon Yamamoto (2010 driver)
Karun Chandhok (2010 driver)

Virgin Racing-Cosworth
Race drivers

24. Timo Glock (has 2011 contract)
25. Jerome d’Ambrosio (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Luiz Razia (has 2011 contract)



Team 13

The FIA received applications for a 13th team but decided not to appoint one.

Drivers without seats for 2011

Lucas di Grassi (ex-Virgin)
Nico Hülkenberg (ex-Williams)
Nick Heidfeld (ex-Sauber)
Pedro de la Rosa (ex-Sauber)
Sakon Yamamoto (ex-HRT)
Karun Chandhok (ex-HRT)
Christian Klien (ex-HRT)
Bruno Senna (ex-HRT)

[marcush.]

that´s game over for Senna already ,Kolles has ruled him out for a seat at HRT 100%.

[andrew]

I wonder if HRT will keep Chandhok then? Two Indian drivers in the same team might generate more cash from Tata.

[raymondu999]

That's all the seats filled then with the exception of one seat at HRT (any takers?):

Red Bull Racing-Renault
Race drivers

1. Sebastian Vettel (has 2011 contract)
2. Mark Webber (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Brendon Hartley (2010 test driver)
Daniel Ricciardo (2010 test driver)

McLaren-Mercedes
Race drivers

3. Lewis Hamilton (has 2011 contract)
4. Jenson Button (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Gary Paffett (2010 test driver)

Scuderia Ferrari
Race drivers

5. Fernando Alonso (has 2011 contract)
6. Felipe Massa (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Jules Bianchi (has 2011 contract)
Giancarlo Fisichella (2010 test driver)
Luca Badoer (2010 test driver)
Marc Gené (2010 test driver)

Mercedes Grand Prix
Race drivers

7. Michael Schumacher (has 2011 contract)
8. Nico Rosberg (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Nick Heidfeld (2010 test driver)

Renault F1 Team
Race drivers

9. Robert Kubica (has 2011 contract)
10. Vitaly Petrov (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Jan Charouz (2010 test driver)
Ho-Pin Tung (2010 test driver)
Jerome D’Ambrosio (2010 test driver)

Williams-Cosworth
Race drivers

11. Rubens Barrichello (has 2011 contract)
12. Pastor Maldonado (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Valltteri Bottas (has 2011 contract)

Force India F1 Team-Mercedes
Race drivers

14. Adrian Sutil (2010 driver)
15. Vitantonio Liuzzi (2010 driver)

Test drivers

Paul di Resta (2010 test driver)

BMW Sauber-Ferrari
Race drivers

16. Kamui Kobayashi (has 2011 contract)
17. Sergio Perez (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Esteban Gutierrez (has 2011 contract)

Scuderia Toro Rosso-Ferrari
Race drivers

18. Sebastien Buemi (has 2011 contract)
19. Jaime Alguersuari (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Daniel Ricciardo (has 2011 contract)

Lotus-Renault
Race drivers

20. Jarno Trulli (according to FIA entry list)
21. Heikki Kovalainen (according to FIA entry list)

Test drivers

Fairuz Fauzy (2010 test driver)

HRT-Cosworth
Race drivers

22. Narain Karthikeyan (has 2011 contract)
23. TBC

Test drivers

Sakon Yamamoto (2010 driver)
Karun Chandhok (2010 driver)

Virgin Racing-Cosworth
Race drivers

24. Timo Glock (has 2011 contract)
25. Jerome d’Ambrosio (has 2011 contract)

Test drivers

Luiz Razia (has 2011 contract)



Team 13

The FIA received applications for a 13th team but decided not to appoint one.

Drivers without seats for 2011

Lucas di Grassi (ex-Virgin)
Nico Hülkenberg (ex-Williams)
Nick Heidfeld (ex-Sauber)
Pedro de la Rosa (ex-Sauber)
Sakon Yamamoto (ex-HRT)
Karun Chandhok (ex-HRT)
Christian Klien (ex-HRT)
Bruno Senna (ex-HRT)

Findia and toro rosso are still empty

[ajdavison2]

How can D'ambrosio be employed by both Renault and HRT at the same time?

[andrew]

It was copied from F1 Fanatic.