Comments on: Thoughts on the next driver market moves

By: James Allen

James Allen — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:41:03 +0000

I think Button will do the deal and as for Manor, likely team principal Alex Tai has said he doesn’t want Piquet (who has a budget of around £5m)

By: Trent

Trent — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:43:14 +0000

Good on Williams for sticking with KERS (assuming they aren’t pressured out of it). The ‘agreement’ between the FOTA teams to shelve the system is an example of the teams at their selfish, conservative worst – a great opportunity to show the world that F1 can have some even vaguely green leanings has been squandered. Frank, Patrick – stick it to ‘em!

By: Trent

Trent — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:36:20 +0000

I think unlikely, sadly, because Red Bull and TR are already predominantly black-based colour schemes.

By: Carl M

Carl M — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:22:29 +0000

I think the opposite will happen to what you have predicted James.

Kimi- Brawn
Rosberg- Mclaren

If Kimi can’t go to Brawn then he will retire from formula one and end up rallying.

By: DAN

DAN — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:52:51 +0000

Although JPS was indeed the first brand to use the Black and Gold livery Olympus also sponsored Lotus for many years and had too a Black and Gold livery as their corporate identify and as they don’t sell tobacco could come back in F1 with Lotus assuming they wanted too.

By: Jonathan Chan

Jonathan Chan — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:46:14 +0000

Totally agree.

By: Dave Roberts

Dave Roberts — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:15:25 +0000

James,

As someone who considers that Nelson Piquet returning to F1 is a bad joke at best I was alarmed to read your comment on the ITV web site that he was “floating around with a budget”. I have just read on another site that he is to drive for Manor Grand Prix next year and now I am horrified! Have you heard anything of this nature and do you think it is possible?

On another note do you think that it is at all possible that Button would risk being squeezed from his seat through holding out for more money, or indeed would Brawn be happy to lose him?

By: DC

DC — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:35:18 +0000

The thing I noticed from 2008 also is the fact that Ferrari was very adamant in developing the car for Felipe, or in Felipe’s manner.
This year, it looked the same way, as if they owed Felipe a WDC after losing it by 1 point last year.
Even Kimi said that now the car feels right with him. Maybe now that Felipe was out, they actually listened and concentrated on Kimi’s way of developing the car because they know they have to rely on him for the Constructor’s Championchip.

At McLaren, I know the old days they just designed a neutral car and let the drivers pretty much figure it out on their own and extract the maximum from it. This is where Kimi was at his best, because you could see he was the one that was putting his talent at use and making that car work for him.

Now, you might say that why didn’t he do this at Ferrari? I speculate that he was, BUT because the car was being developed in the opposite driving style direction, it was like swimming against a giant tsunami wave.

By: David Hodge

David Hodge — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:58:30 +0000

You are correct Jonathan. I think in effect, Heikki is McLaren’s driver for the immediate future. They want him to bring some points home to secure 3rd place in the WCC. Also, it does his confidence no good if he is under the gun, so to speak. Kind of like Brawn delaying their announcement also.

Personally, I would love to see Lewis/Kimi/Fernando/Felipe all going at it in more or less comparable cars with a few jokers like Kubica in a Renault, the two Brawns if they are still fast, etc, etc. 2010 has the makings of a classic season on paper. I suppose the only negative thought at the back of my mind is that the FIA does not try and mess it up either with dodgy rulings or equally dodgy stewarding.

By: Arya

Arya — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:32:38 +0000

James, I have read in couple of places that Nick might land in to Force India. If that is true, will Liuzzi get a boot again?