Lotus Renault GP is pleased to announce that Kimi Räikkönen will race for the team next season. The 2007 World Champion, who left Formula 1 at the end of 2009 to pursue a career in rallying, has decided to make a comeback at the pinnacle of single-seater racing. He has now signed a two-year agreement with Lotus Renault GP.
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beelsebob wrote:Torro Rosso have announced Ricciardo and Vergne as their drivers next year. Bye bye Buemi and Algesuari.
This really blows my prediction. I'll have to try next year again.
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best ..............................organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)
I am VERY surprised to see Toro Rosso sign Verne AND Ricciardo. I was sure one of the two would get a race seat, but I didn't see both of them doing it.
This makes me think that Alguersuari could be persuaded into driving for HRT, or maybe even a TD/RD role for Red Bull.
"You're so angry that you throw your gloves down, and the worst part is; you have to pick them up again." - Steve Matchett
I wonder what the straw was... it seemed quite likely that they would keep one of them, but neither seemed to be much better than the other on any given day.
Now they have two new drivers, a new car, and no benchmark.
So I guess Truli's seat is safe for now as the only threat seemed to be from Ricciardo.
Before I do anything I ask myself “Would an idiot do that?” And if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing. - Dwight Schrute
I'm also surprised by the news. I think Algersuari deserves another chance.
Education is that which allows a nation free, independent, reputable life, and function as a high society; or it condemns it to captivity and poverty.
-Atatürk
In all fairness.. Buemi wasn't having a terribly bad season, it was dreadfully average and whenever he looked steady in the points either a wheel would fall off or a technical issue would cause retirement.
I don't like Vergnes' attitude at all, so I won't be too interested in how he does.. And although I think Alguesuari deserves another chance, I reckon Ricciardo will do well.
“I expect there will be a lot of attention, a lot of questions, a lot of cameras when we get there. But when I get in the car, then I will be working like normal.” - Fernando Alonso
beelsebob wrote:Torro Rosso have announced Ricciardo and Vergne as their drivers next year. Bye bye Buemi and Algesuari.
F1 is really a circus. This is the most rediculous F1 news ever!!
I look at Torro Rosso in a different light now. It's a roller coaster ride.
You line up, you get up to the front, submit your ticket, you go for the ride; you're probably lucky if you get 2 rides. When the ride is over you step off, no questions asked.
Next up, step right up!
Verne and Ricciardo your turn, roller coaster ride for a year or 2 then we dump you!!
Who cares how good you drive, just thank your lucky stars you got an F1 drive. You can tell your grand kids your drove an F1 car.
Buemi i think could have been treated harshly, i am a Buemi fan, but i also feel that he just hasnt shown what he promised as a youngster. There could be a Red Bull sponsored LMS car for him next year now, posibly the same car as his cousin Natasha Gashnang and Rahal Frey. However a TD role at a higher up team may be better for 2012, however he could do a Glock (and more recently Grosjean) and go back to GP2 for a year and win the thing and get himself into contention for a seat in a high up team in F1.
As for Alguersauri, i have never got the guy, he seems fast but just no focus on his F1 career, he seems to want to do it with DJing as Squire. I think that he is a good driver and needs a recharge and a second chance, just if he can focus on F1 and have DJing as a side hobby. We all know that Jenson does Triathalons on the side and if he was to give up F1 in 2012 he would be in the British Olympic Team as his times are just a few minuites outside the selection time, but he does it as a hobby, a de-stress, its not a second career whilst doing a first career. Alguersauri needs to choose what path to follow.
If Alguersauri gets a second chance, i think it should be with Hispania, he needs to take the view of Heikki at Caterham, sign a 3 year deal with a option of another 2 for a 5 year deal, carry the team and build the team arround him with the experience of De La Rosa. If he gets results like Heikki, he could be snapped up by a higher up team, maybes a Lotus or higher.
Both Buemi and Alguersauri need a second chance, they just need to rebuild their immage first as being dropped by Red Bull seems to fdamage the immage of drivers; look at Speed, Klien, Liuzzi, Hartley, Ammermuller, Bourdais, Wickens and Chandhok. It took them all about 2 years to rebuild thjeir immage after being dropped by Red Bull. Red Bull need to support them for the next year in what ever form of motorsport they do next year.
I don't blame any of the drivers.
Not 1. The F1 jobs market is just like in the real world. Lots of young people out there without a job.
F1 needs to do something about it. Either increase the requirements or increase the number of seats.
Or in fact create another formula that is the equivalent of F1, but just much cheaper.
Buemi and Jaime simply out grew the nest. Redbull could not back them forever.
As i said, the ride was over and they had to simply step out of the car. No need to complain or ask why they were forsaken. They understand the runnings.
I had hoped Buemi would leave Torro Rosso before they fired him. He should have jumped out the nest and fly over to Williams or some other team.
Ahh what the heck am i saying. Both were hopeless. All seats were simply payed for or impossible for an up and coming driver to get. Post 2007 rookies have no hope, simple.
F1 needs to address the shortage some how.
mx_tifosi wrote:What a joke by STR/RBR. Any support from my behalf has just gone out the window.
WTF!!! Jaime and Seb have done nothing special in their 2 years at TR and deserved to be turfed!
Daniel and Jean-Eric will both do a much better job with the opportunity TR has given them!
If Webber retires next year it will be out of either Dan or JE to replace him, frankly neither JA or SB had done anywhere near enuf to be considered worthy of an RBR seat!
ringo wrote: All seats were simply payed for or impossible for an up and coming driver to get. Post 2007 rookies have no hope, simple.
F1 needs to address the shortage some how.
I think one problem is that GP2 graduates expect a seat in Formula One straight out of GP2. In the future, GP2 grads are going to have to have a lot more achievements on their CV for an F1 seat...or cash.
Maybe someone should think about the possibility of another series under F1, but above GP2. GP1 anybody?
"You're so angry that you throw your gloves down, and the worst part is; you have to pick them up again." - Steve Matchett
mx_tifosi wrote:What a joke by STR/RBR. Any support from my behalf has just gone out the window.
WTF!!! Jaime and Seb have done nothing special in their 2 years at TR and deserved to be turfed!
Daniel and Jean-Eric will both do a much better job with the opportunity TR has given them!
If Webber retires next year it will be out of either Dan or JE to replace him, frankly neither JA or SB had done anywhere near enuf to be considered worthy of an RBR seat!
Alguersuari came straight out of GP2, and in his second season he scored 5 points. One year after that, he scored 26! I think he was on the road to some really good results. Unfortunately, he wasn't good enough for Red Bull, and I believe that Red Bull had a part in signing Vergne and Ricciardo. They'll just cycle through until they get another "Vettel".
"You're so angry that you throw your gloves down, and the worst part is; you have to pick them up again." - Steve Matchett