BMW drivers

[WhiteBlue]

It looks like Dr. Mario will have to break the piggy bank in order to keep his Polish driver. There are obviously interested parties that would pay much more than the somewhat meagre salary that BMW give Kubica.

The man is certainly looking very good now compared to Nick who claims he can't make the tyres to work in single laps. In races the smoother style doesn't seem to be a problem. Nick will not have such a big salary advantage next year. perhaps he could even face a pay cut. He needs to find a solution to his lack of qualifying speed compared to Kubica in the next 12 months.

This time next year the good doctor will be thinking about Vettel who will come back to BMW in 2010 if I read it right. If Nick hasn't achieved what he set out to do with BMW he could find himself replaced without the victories he dreamed of.

[zac510]

Who is wanting to poach Kubica? All the big budget teams already have big budget drivers. Except perhaps Toyota.

[vyselegend]

Sure Heidfeld have been slightly overshadowed by his teammate, but nothing dramatical. If you look at the standings, they are separated by a mere 4 points gap.

I wouldn't be surprised indeed to learn Kubica has a lower salary which is on the rise, but I don't think Heidfeld's one is anywhere near the ones of Raikonen, Alonso, Massa and Hamilton.

In the end I bet BMW's overall driver budget is less than Renault's, while they enjoy better results. So it shouldn't harm them so much to rise Robert's pay a little bit.

This time next year the good doctor will be thinking about Vettel who will come back to BMW in 2010 if I read it right.

I stand to be corrected on this one, but I had understand the contrary: Vettel originally is a Red Bull driver, and was only lend to BMW 'till 2010, then RB changed their mind and took him back as early as 2007, whithout BMW having a word to say on this.

[Silvershadow]

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/04052008/ ... ubica.html

He is on a 2.5 millions instead Heidfeld on 10 millions

[WhiteBlue]

Red Bull and BmW had a contractual debate over Vettel which ended with him taking a permanent race seat with Toro Rosso. It was understood at that time that he had been sponsored by BMW for some time and they would claim him in 2010. I'm not sure about this but it sounded logical to me considering they resolved the dispute by negotiations.

[Ciro Pabón]

If Heidfeld had one victory he would break the record of more starts without a win.

[WhiteBlue]

both BMW drivers have a good chance in Monaco because it is a freak track particularly in the wet or changing conditions. if it is dry Robert looks a lot better for qualifying high and that is important. Nick is the better driver when it comes to bringing the car home consistently and that is a big challenge at Monaco where a millisecond of distraction can land you in the armco. so I see both guys with a better than everage chance for this track. the question really is the superior Ferrari traction in slow corners. Kimi could simply drive that red car away and will never been seen again by the lower starters.

[WhiteBlue]

If Heidfeld had one victory he would break the record of more starts without a win.

if he wins he will win with a team that he helped to develop from lower mid grid. Rubens won because he signed up with a top team that asked him to let his team mate by and rewarded him.

[Ciro Pabón]

A record is a record.

I think Heidfeld is as good as anyone, I admire the guy since I heard he won a karting championship over Michael Schumacher when both were kids (I'm not sure about that but I swear I read about it ages ago, thanks for any corrections here).

Alesi beat him in his beginnings, but Alesi is a hell of a driver. They collided several times, which spokes volumes to me about his determination, because I think Alesi is a fierce driver.

He was the contender for JPM in F3000, but, of course, we all agree on JPM being the best driver in the world. Juan was too much for Nick, but again, Juan is south american, so the comparison is not fair, because South America has always produced the best drivers in history and always will. (that is a joke, just in case I have slow readers...)

He (marginally) beat Räikkonen at Sauber in 2001, when both proved that they could ruffle the feathers of the status quo. He was beaten (more or less) by Massa in qualys, but he produced a few more points than Felipinho. He outperformed Villeneuve.

All this speaks well of Kubitza, it doesn't speaks bad of Mr. Heidfeld. Kubitza was beaten by Nick last year, btw.

Anyway, I like all drivers. They make Juan shine more... the braver the bull, the best the bullfight.

NOTE: I'm moving this thread to the general chat, I don't know why it's in the aerodynamic forum. You can complain about this move, of course, but any mails about that, as regulations to the forum demands, have to include in the subject the phrase "I worship JPM" and/or "Southamerican drivers rule"...

[WhiteBlue]

Nick has never beaten Michael in a championship. They were ages apart. All Nick ever did with the Schumacher brothers was driving at their kart place and having club kart races with them. F3000 with Montoya was only lost because his West McLaren team had a technical infringement in the qualifying of the decisive last race that cost him pole position. he had to start from the end of the field and JPM won that one. his F1 Rookie year 2000 with Alesi at the bankrupt Prost team wasn't an affair to write home about with Alesi obviously having tons of experience and being a pal of Prost. his other team mates he pretty much kept in check. getting the boot for his Sauber team mate Kimi whom he bested in 2002 by two positions in the championship was a big disappointment and nearly destroyed his carreer. he comprehensively destroyed Pizzonia for the Williams drive 2005 and that got him into Gerhard Bergers good book who coached Mario at that time for racing experience. Mario remembered the diligent worker who wasn't as fast as Webber in qualifying but was loved by the engineers for his precise feed back. he decided to run Nick in 2006 together with Villeneuve who had a contract but some demerits in Peter Saubers little book from his screw up in Monaco 2005. When Jacques overplayed his cards Robert Kubica got his big chance and he justified all the expectations so far. he learned very fast and is bloody quick with a big hart and brass balls. I think that 2008 could be the year when he will score more points than Nick. he is also much younger and if he stays with BMW will probably get higher honors than Nick. for Nick time is running out to become a top driver. he had four 2nd places which spells a lot of bad luck. I wish him to take at least one race win with BMW Sauber F1 to reap a just reward for a the heart break with Jordan in 2004 and all the good work he has done in F1 for many years.

[Chaparral]

Nick has never beaten Michael in a championship. They were ages apart. All Nick ever did with the Schumacher brothers was driving at their kart place and having club kart races with them. F3000 with Montoya was only lost because his West McLaren team had a technical infringement in the qualifying of the decisive last race that cost him pole position. he had to start from the end of the field and JPM won that one. his F1 Rookie year 2000 with Alesi at the bankrupt Prost team wasn't an affair to write home about with Alesi obviously having tons of experience and being a pal of Prost. his other team mates he pretty much kept in check. getting the boot for his Sauber team mate Kimi whom he bested in 2002 by two positions in the championship was a big disappointment and nearly destroyed his carreer. he comprehensively destroyed Pizzonia for the Williams drive 2005 and that got him into Gerhard Bergers good book who coached Mario at that time for racing experience. Mario remembered the diligent worker who wasn't as fast as Webber in qualifying but was loved by the engineers for his precise feed back. he decided to run Nick in 2006 together with Villeneuve who had a contract but some demerits in Peter Saubers little book from his screw up in Monaco 2005. When Jacques overplayed his cards Robert Kubica got his big chance and he justified all the expectations so far. he learned very fast and is bloody quick with a big hart and brass balls. I think that 2008 could be the year when he will score more points than Nick. he is also much younger and if he stays with BMW will probably get higher honors than Nick. for Nick time is running out to become a top driver. he had four 2nd places which spells a lot of bad luck. I wish him to take at least one race win with BMW Sauber F1 to reap a just reward for a the heart break with Jordan in 2004 and all the good work he has done in F1 for many years.

So where do you think Kubica is off to because at this stage he is

[ZBimmerfan]

I don't see Kubi going to another team at this point....BMW will not let the driver for their maiden victory be usurped by another team. Besides , there is no place for Kubi to go as a step up other than Ferrari , which would be highly unlikely in my estimation , or McLaren(replace Heikki??) which I rate as only slightly more likely to happen.