2008 Driver Line Up

  • Thread starter Lee
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Bee
I mean, what else is there, Force India? :lol:
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They'll be quite a force with Kova and Sutil onboard ;)

Too bad the car is not going to be far above average. And to think their technical director was responsible for the X-Wings once.
 
Touring Mars
He he, wouldn't it be hilarious if Piquet Jnr. turns out to be another rookie from hell (in Alonso's opinion)... I hope for F1's sake that he is, since last year was the best season in many years! Still, good decision from Alonso, and hopefully Renault will be back at the sharp end, mixing things up for the big two of 2007... 👍
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He won't. In fact, I think he can pretty much kiss his chances of a highly-competitve year good-bye. If the Reault R28 is good, then yes, he'll probably be up the front, but you know Flav is ging to out of his way to nurse Alonso's bruised ego. Alonso always liked being numero uno in the team but now it's going to happen even more simply because of how he feels he was treated at McLaren.
 
I'm rather sceptical towards the Piquet Jr. move by Flavio, sure, he does deserve a chance as well. But if Kovalainen doesn't find a new seat, that'd be teh suckage...I really find him a good driver, it'd be sad to his career already over...

Mclaren perhaps?
 
Bram Turismo
I'm rather sceptical towards the Piquet Jr. move by Flavio, sure, he does deserve a chance as well. But if Kovalainen doesn't find a new seat, that'd be teh suckage...I really find him a good driver, it'd be sad to his career already over...

Mclaren perhaps?
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Kovalainen has said many times that he will never be a number two driver, no matter what team he drives for. So it was expected that he would not stay with Renault if they signed Alonso.
 
No, Lee...

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The Article
GPUpdateTPlanet.net brings you an update on the drivers market.
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;)

Wish I could work for them. Get free entry to Hockenheim's Mercedes Arena would be sweet.
 
Bram Turismo
I'm rather sceptical towards the Piquet Jr. move by Flavio, sure, he does deserve a chance as well. But if Kovalainen doesn't find a new seat, that'd be teh suckage...I really find him a good driver, it'd be sad to his career already over...

Mclaren perhaps?
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Renault can't have a good driver competing with Alonso, Alonso probably said that he'd come on the basis that Kova left.
 
Cue the election campaign!

Fisi says "I can bring a lot to Force India".

Liuzzi thinks he's proven himself as "a quick and strong driver".

Rodriguez believes he's odds-on favourite.

Klien claims he can "really deliver feedback".

Four potential candidates, four inflated egos ... one available race seat.
 
mipuumal
Kovalainen has said many times that he will never be a number two driver, no matter what team he drives for. So it was expected that he would not stay with Renault if they signed Alonso.
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He's a bit screwed then if every team has a #1, which is what a lot of people say no matter how close to equal they're treated.

Anyway, from the sounds of it it's down to Fernando that he left, rather than him leaving if Alonso joined. Fernando was wary of his pace and worried he would out-do him, and therefore asked him to be cut if he joined. Of course no one really knows who said what these days...
 
Well, there's rumours of Heikki taking Trulli's place at Toyota. Surely he'd be first driver over Glock?
 
Trulli needs to stay. There's nothing better than listening to his radio-messages during qualifying.

Rodriguez can count himself out. Fisico has lots of money, which rates highly in the FI1 motorhome. Meanwhile, Liuzzi proved to be just a tad behind Klien, but they were both quick, each with his pack of sponsors.

I want Liuzzi to get it.
 
its done fellas

McLaren signs Kovalainen for long-term
14 December 2007

McLaren has confirmed that Finn Heikki Kovalainen will team up with Lewis Hamilton for the 2008 season. Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa will remain the third driver while Gary Paffett will assist de la Rosa with the testing programme when required.

"We had a number of options open to us and as always we want to make sure that we have the most competitive driver line-up and I think that Lewis and Heikki will be a formidable combination," said Martin Whitmarsh. "Both enjoyed great rookie seasons in 2007 and share a genuine passion for winning and being the best. Heikki made a strong impression and Lewis' performance so far has been outstanding and speaks for itself. I am confident that they will push each other on track and work well together off track. In addition with Pedro remaining our primary test driver alongside Gary, we really have a strong package and look forward to 2008."

26-year-old Heikki, who made his Formula 1 race debut last year with Renault, joins the team on a long-term contract and will commence his on-track programme in early January.

"I am so excited to join a team like McLaren Mercedes," said Heikki. "So far I have been blown away by the dedication and commitment to winning which is clear through the entire organisation and I am really excited about our joint future. As a Finn it's an honour for me to follow in Mika and Kimi's footsteps. I haven't really spent a lot of time with Lewis so far but from what I know I think we will work well together and do our best for the team."
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Well its good to hear that Kovalainen has finally got a seat. Its a waste to see a talent not getting a drive next year. I hope it won't be as controversial as Hamilton and Alonso but Kovalainen has stated he won't be a #2 driver, and Hamilton wants to be a #1 driver. I wonder how things would be like after this......
 
Its a winning thing I guess. If Hamster wins, good for him, if Kova wins, good for him. Mclaren probably dont care tbh they just wanna win the constructors.
 
Well yeah, that could probably be it, but there should be preferable treatment at McLaren. You know what happened with McLaren this year. Having to treat 2 drivers as equal results into nothing but trouble. (especially when both have a chance of winning the title) Surely Ron Dennis had learned his lessons.....
 
But whats worse, favouring one over the other or givng them equal treatment? Either way one will always moan! Kovalainen would complain if Hamster got preferred, and equally Hamster would moan if they get treated equally. I imagine..At the end of the day they are both good drivers but Mclaren jsut need to let them get on with it./
 
Muzaffar Musa
Well yeah, that could probably be it, but there should be preferable treatment at McLaren. You know what happened with McLaren this year. Having to treat 2 drivers as equal results into nothing but trouble. (especially when both have a chance of winning the title) Surely Ron Dennis had learned his lessons.....
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Haven't McLaren alway had a policy of no #1 driver. I think the reason it was nothing but trouble last season is because Alonso thought he, being the world champion, deserved to be the #1 driver. Now both drivers are in their second year and even though Hamilton did better, that was last season. Its all about "what have you won for me, lately". If Ron has a lesson to learn it is to make sure the drivers agree with how the team is run before a contract is signed.
 
Muzaffar Musa
Well yeah, that could probably be it, but there should be preferable treatment at McLaren. You know what happened with McLaren this year. Having to treat 2 drivers as equal results into nothing but trouble. (especially when both have a chance of winning the title) Surely Ron Dennis had learned his lessons.....
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Although both Alonso and Heikki want to be No1 in the same team with Hamilton, I think that Alonso's ego played a bigger role, whereas I think Heikki wanting to be No1 is more ambition. Heikki and Lewis have a good relationship iirc, I can't see it happening again, McLaren will learn from their mistakes.

What seats have we got left?
 
Muzaffar Musa
Well its good to hear that Kovalainen has finally got a seat. Its a waste to see a talent not getting a drive next year. I hope it won't be as controversial as Hamilton and Alonso but Kovalainen has stated he won't be a #2 driver, and Hamilton wants to be a #1 driver. I wonder how things would be like after this......
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I doubt that is the case, two drivers equal status, don't expect a number 1 driver at Mclaren.

Hekki isn't going to be number 2 driver and for this reason I am now looking forward to 08 season very much. I can't think of a better candidate for the Mclaren seat.

Two fairly inexperienced drivers but both with huge amounts of talent. Ferrari are no doubt going to be very compeative with Mclaren hopefully having another head-to-head. Throw in BMW with the hope they improve even more to make this a 3 way challenge. Then finally with Alonso at Renault perhaps we can see a revitalised team and a four-way manufaturer battle for the constructors. This season has all the potential to be what it was last season and more, providing rule breaking is kept minimal and FIA intervetion is marginal.

I am now officially exited. :)
 
Skid Mark 33
Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen on the same team. This is gonna get intresting!
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I'll tell you what, this is the best driver combination I've seen in a very long time in F1...I wouldn't be surprised either if Heikki would be able to keep up with Lewis as well, if not beat him...
 
Bram Turismo
I'll tell you what, this is the best driver combination I've seen in a very long time in F1...I wouldn't be surprised either if Heikki would be able to keep up with Lewis as well, if not beat him...
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I honestly think Kovalainen had a far better debut year than Hamilton did. The Finn had to deal with a bad car from the beginning of the year and while he made stupid mistakes, he came through in the end. Hamilton, on the other hand, had it easy from the beginning: a good car, an excellent team and nine straight podiums. Then he went and blew his championship lead and choked at the last minute. He's really not the sensation the press made hm out to be given that he collapsed under pressure. In all honesty, losing a seven-point lead in the final round like that should have been more than enough to win him a place in F1 Rejects' Reject of the Year award, were it not for Ralf Schumacher, Spygate and Honda.
 

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