Silly Season 2011 Thread

[Donuts]

I can't understand why they have been so quick to choose "driving miss Daisy" as the reserve driver(still not confirmed ofcourse, but seems most likely). Unless the R31 is as dominant as the BGP001, Nick Heidfeld is not going to fight for the championship(and even not then I'm sure). What about the development? Yes, what about it? Does it not require that the experienced driver has a similiar driving style or else the car will alter to something that might not suit the first driver? Nick Heidfeld obviously has totally different preferences to Robert Kubica(the 2008 season should be proof of that). Anyway, maybe I'm just tired of seeing Nick Heidfeld back, he did'nt impress against Kamui Kobayashi in the five races he contestet last season for BMW-Sauber-F1(after being official test driver for Pirelli). He was outqualified four to one, the one was a lucky one off, since Kamui Kobayashi had car related problems in South Korea.

I would try everything to get Kimi Raikkonen!

(Bruno Senna said that he was not even considering that the will be replacing Robert Kubica, he's just seeing it as a great opportunity to drive the R31.)

[raymondu999]

What alternative do they hav? Considering, of course, that Kimi is a very unlikely contender. Let's talk as if he can't even be factored in. What then? What alternative do they have?

[Donuts]

What alternative do they hav? Considering, of course, that Kimi is a very unlikely contender. Let's talk as if he can't even be factored in. What then? What alternative do they have?

Let's see, rookies are out of the question and they want somebody that has'nt been away for too long. Nico Hulkenberg drove for a whole year, surely he must have learnt something? Was he not on Ruben Barichello's pace most of the time? Fernando Alonso hold Vitantoni Liuzzu in high esteeem, maybe there's something the general public don't know? Christian Klien, forever testdriver, but managed really well last year if I remember correctly? Nelshino Piquet could redeem himself, after being a second driver in a dog of a car? There's probably more out there... feel free to continue...

[raymondu999]

Funny you should call on Nico. I agree he'd be the best replacement, but how about FIndia? He probably regretted the day Willi Webber decided to chase the FIndia race seat rather than the Renault testing seat. If he was a Renault reserve, I don't think there would've been any questions asked, just, "ok Nico, it's your lucky day."

Isn't Liuzzi a bit of a Pantano? They were godlike in the lower categories, then come the big time, they flop. Pantano couldn't even get the GP2 title until his 3rd year, was it?

[Donuts]

Funny you should call on Nico. I agree he'd be the best replacement, but how about FIndia? He probably regretted the day Willi Webber decided to chase the FIndia race seat rather than the Renault testing seat. If he was a Renault reserve, I don't think there would've been any questions asked, just, "ok Nico, it's your lucky day."

Isn't Liuzzi a bit of a Pantano? They were godlike in the lower categories, then come the big time, they flop. Pantano couldn't even get the GP2 title until his 3rd year, was it?

Yes, you are absolutly right about Nico Hulkenberg, but from what I've read, he has freedom in his contract to take a raceseat somewhere else if offered(would be strange if Willi Webber did think of that, surely he has higher aims for Nico Hulkenberg than Force India, even if I can see the Mercedes Benz conection).

Vitantoni Liuzzi? Has anyone followed him closely? From what I've understood, Force India has been well aware that he had many issues with the car in 2010... but they still replaced him...

[raymondu999]

Well Nico is greatly linked to Schum, so there definitely is a Merc connection. That's very much because of the Willi Weber business I believe. But then again Vettel is also close friends with Schumi, and Schumi also said it would be stupid if Merc didn't approach Vettel.

Liuzzi was amazing in karts. Just, not in open-wheeled, aero dependent racing. Again, like I said, like Pantano, who Alonso once even called "invincible"

[andartop]

Donuts, none of the drivers you mentioned seem more suitable for the seat than Heidfeld.

Hulkenberg still only has 1 year of F1 experience, hardly enough to be able to develop a car. Besides, they already have Senna with the same amount of experience.

Liuzzi has only ever managed to outscore Scott Speed at STR, then was beaten by less experienced Sutil at FI. I used to think he had potential, and he still might have, but has never really shown it.

Klien hasn't raced a full season since 2006. He did a few races with HRT last year where he was up to speed straight away, still was 27th (and last) in the standings.

Piquet Jr? Really? Do you remember how many times he crashed out of a race before they decided to actually ask him to do just that?

What else is there? De la Rosa? Heidfeld matched his points tally with only a few races at Sauber last year. Villeneuve? Ralf Schumacher?

[marcush.]

Heidfeld was Kubicas teammate in BMW and only in 2008 he was not really matching him.On the other hand he is one of the best when it comes to overtaking -he has shown more than once brilliant moves taking two cars at once.On top of that he seems to have a good feel for the carand his guys in the pits as he rarely has technical dnfs plus he rarely puts a foot wrong crashing out...in a word the dream of each F1 team boss if only he had that star potential ...

[ringo]

Kubica wants luizzi!!

http://planetf1.com/driver/18227/675419 ... placement-

[Donuts]

Kubica wants luizzi!!

http://planetf1.com/driver/18227/675419 ... placement-

I think this is only speculations("unknown source"), because Renault has'nt announced Nick Heidfeld yet.

[Jac_ek]

Kubica reveals identity of his preferred replacement

http://crash.net/f1/news/166668/1/kubic ... ement.html

From his point of view - better driver than Nick is Liuzzi

[creedbratton]

When Robert and Nick were team mates, i think it was after Montreal when RK was leading the WDC, BMW chose to develop the car more towards NH's driving style.

My thoughts are that RK doesn't want Nick because his opinion will drive the car development in a different direction and make his own return much harder.

[raymondu999]

I thought BMW stopped developing period. Not shifted their focus to Heidfeld. However I think they do have different driving styles, and I agree with your assessment. Or he just didn't like Heidfeld when they were teammates.

[Donuts]

I thought BMW stopped developing period. Not shifted their focus to Heidfeld. However I think they do have different driving styles, and I agree with your assessment. Or he just didn't like Heidfeld when they were teammates.

I think there were two reason, one of them was that Nick did'nt feel as comfortable as Robert in the car, but the main reason was that they did not think that they had a chance against Ferrari and McLaren that year(underestimated the fact that consistency might be enough).

I think the whole Nick vs. Robert is something that journalist invented. It's a story "served on a silver platter". German driver in German team gets favourised, bla, bla, bla... Robert has denied there being any animosity between them.

In the interview in autosport with Nick after his testing day with LRGP, he said he needed to do several adjustments and work on the car balance to suit his driving style. Will this be a problem? I don't know.

[raymondu999]

Frankly, and honestly, I don't think consistency would've been enough either. They had to be consistent and fast, AND Ferrari and McLaren had to falter. Good as Robert is, I don't think they had the weaponry to take them on.

And no, I'm not saying Robert and Nick have any animosity between them. They're two great blokes who seem generally very nice. But then again, it could be a situation like when Irvine had a shot at the title. In 99 or 98. Robert might feel that he's the one who pulled Renault out of the doldrums, and he wouldn't want someone else to take the glory for it. I know if I had invested a lot of time into something, I wouldn't want someone else to be the first to take the fruits.