Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada 2011

[Peter.]

I would not at all be suprised if Hispania were purchased by Chinese investors with Ho-Pin Tung driving for them. HRT are talking big, claiming that they're going after tenth place in the WCC this year. Based on their performance in Canada, they might be able to pull it off - they certainly have a better chance of beating Fernandes than Virgin do. If they do it with a sponsorless car, they're going to be hot property the way Honda were at the end of 2006 (but hopefully better-managed). With China producing two excellent races in 2010 and 2011 - not to mention the ever-increasing crowd numbers in Shanghai - the sport is gathering a lot of momentum.

I honestly don't see HRT being purchased anytime soon. I don't think Chinese are that interested in F1 as yet to get their own team going, and if they are, it won't be HRT that will be bought. HRT is on solid ground and as far as I know their owners have no intention of selling. They want sponsorship at the moment, which they are slowly getting.

Chinese are more likely to do their own thing and try to get the 13th spot rather than buy an existing team, simply because none of the existing teams, bar Torro Rosso, would ever consider selling out.

 

[Ardius]

Where on earth are "Chinese investors" appearing from? (China? har har ). I haven't seen or heard anything about this.
Can we have sources for this?

It needs to be said that Narain Kathikeyan is doing a great job this year, people haven't really talked about it, but there were some predicting him being really slow and crashing a lot. He hasn't really beaten Liuzzi, but he has been close and within a reasonable amount of time of his laptimes. Not a bad for a "pay driver". 👍

Generally Hispania are doing a respectable job at the moment, or at least, better than last year.

 

[SaberFire]

I just don't understand what Kathikeyan is doing in Formula One. Hispania, I get. Trulli, Liuzzi, D'Ambrosio and Perez, I get.

But why would anyone pay massive amounts of money to get into a backmarker seat and make it an exercise in futility? It's obvious that even though he's capable of handling a Formula One car, he's never going to be race winning material. He brings loads of money, sure, but why is he himself in it?

 

[Peter.]

I just don't understand what Kathikeyan is doing in Formula One. Hispania, I get. Trulli, Liuzzi, D'Ambrosio and Perez, I get.

But why would anyone pay massive amounts of money to get into a backmarker seat and make it an exercise in futility? It's obvious that even though he's capable of handling a Formula One car, he's never going to be race winning material. He brings loads of money, sure, but why is he himself in it?

It's his sponsorship money, technically not his own money. And F1 is an unpredictable world, we will never know who will or won't become race winning material, and a driver can have a successful career without actually winning a race anyway. F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport, everyone wants to be a part of it. And it's better than what he was doing before.

 

[Ardius]

I just don't understand what Kathikeyan is doing in Formula One. Hispania, I get. Trulli, Liuzzi, D'Ambrosio and Perez, I get.

But why would anyone pay massive amounts of money to get into a backmarker seat and make it an exercise in futility? It's obvious that even though he's capable of handling a Formula One car, he's never going to be race winning material. He brings loads of money, sure, but why is he himself in it?

Er, why would anyone not do it? He is currently close to Liuzzi in speed...this alone was worth his return as it helps his reputation by a good chunk (before he only had Monterio to compare to and he was unreliable against him).
Considering Hispania are moving forwards now, he will probably keep his seat as long as they need money and he has it. It helps a dozen that he's also got some decent speed..there are surely worse pay drivers out there.

 

[Robin]

Where on earth are "Chinese investors" appearing from? (China? har har ). I haven't seen or heard anything about this.
Can we have sources for this?

Although there is no 'source' and no one suggested that there was one (its a discussion), its slightly naive to not think China will go big into motorsport very soon as history has shown when a nation becomes a car producing power house being part of motorsport to promote the brands quickly follows.

And whats so funny, China basically controls the world now directly and indirectly and the wealthy there are astronomically wealthy, buy an F1 team, HA! they could buy the whole sport if they wanted to!

 

[Ardius]

I was laughing at myself (asking where the investors are from - obviously I meant the discussion but it read like a joke) but I guess its too obvious for some people. Serious business!

I don't see how I'm being naive. Where did I say China would never enter motorsport?

It just seems to be a bit random to suggest Chinese investors are going to buy Hispania. With no source, I can only ask why? Its just as likely that a Singapore investor could come in. Or American..or anyone. It just seems odd to suddenly decide it might happen, a lot of things might happen.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Where on earth are "Chinese investors" appearing from? (China? har har ). I haven't seen or heard anything about this.
Can we have sources for this?

I never said that it would happen - only that I could see it being a possibility.

Chinese are more likely to do their own thing and try to get the 13th spot rather than buy an existing team, simply because none of the existing teams, bar Torro Rosso, would ever consider selling out.

Except that it's known that Hispania are in dire need of investment. If selling the ultimate ownership on saves the physical team - if not the name - they'll do it.

 

[F1 fan]

Where on earth are "Chinese investors" appearing from? (China? har har ). I haven't seen or heard anything about this.
Can we have sources for this?

It needs to be said that Narain Kathikeyan is doing a great job this year, people haven't really talked about it, but there were some predicting him being really slow and crashing a lot. He hasn't really beaten Liuzzi, but he has been close and within a reasonable amount of time of his laptimes. Not a bad for a "pay driver". 👍

Generally Hispania are doing a respectable job at the moment, or at least, better than last year.

Hispania are doing respectably well. I remember in one thread before the season started, a lot of people were overly critical of Hispania and were talking down their chances of even being on the grid, let alone progressing. I almost bumped that thread recently as you and I seemed to be the only people convinced they could improve. It would be good to see those who put Hispania down so easily eat some humble pie right now.

I don't quite think that they'll be able to beat Team Lotus as I see them scraping a point with a little bit of luck. But Hispania have definately made a leap forward. It still annoys me to see people make jokes about them, when in all fairness, they've at least earned the right to be known as the second slowest team in F1... Maybe people should aim the slow jokes at Virgin.

Anyway, I digress... I found this video on the Canadian Grand Prix. It's a funny "race edit"

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I like the way Button goes through the field with a shotgun. And also the way Petrov looks completely bewildered at everything.

 

[Hun200kmh]

LOL, nice find

 

[TenEightyOne]

I honestly don't see HRT being purchased anytime soon. I don't think Chinese are that interested in F1 as yet to get their own team going, and if they are, it won't be HRT that will be bought. HRT is on solid ground and as far as I know their owners have no intention of selling. They want sponsorship at the moment, which they are slowly getting.

Chinese are more likely to do their own thing and try to get the 13th spot rather than buy an existing team, simply because none of the existing teams, bar Torro Rosso, would ever consider selling out.

I'm not sure - if they're serious about a Hong Kong GP then I could see them buying into F1.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Although there was a demonstration run by a Red Bull in Hong Kong the other day, the guy who organised the event said that he would like to see a race there "one day". They're not making a bid any time soon - and it's unlikely the Chinese government would bankroll a second race, especially since they've made a point of encouraging businesses to leave Hong Kong for Shanghai ever since Great Britain handed the islands back to China in 1997.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Although there was a demonstration run by a Red Bull in Hong Kong the other day, the guy who organised the event said that he would like to see a race there "one day". They're not making a bid any time soon - and it's unlikely the Chinese government would bankroll a second race, especially since they've made a point of encouraging businesses to leave Hong Kong for Shanghai ever since Great Britain handed the islands back to China in 1997.

Quite so, which is why I was careful to include "if they're serious" as a caveat.

The other presumption would be that it would in fact be a second race. I'd be the first to accept that your specialisms give you a better awareness of new-style Communo-Capitalism than myself; but I can see a Hong Kong race being better for tourism dollar-trade than the current Chinese event.

 

[Danny]

He is currently close to Liuzzi in speed...this alone was worth his return as it helps his reputation by a good chunk (before he only had Monterio to compare to and he was unreliable against him).

Not really. For the majority of this season, Tonio has stomped all over him, including a couple of races where Liuzzi has been so far ahead that he's pitted first and still come out ahead of Karthikeyan (and D'Ambrosio, I believe).

 

[Ardius]

Not really. For the majority of this season, Tonio has stomped all over him, including a couple of races where Liuzzi has been so far ahead that he's pitted first and still come out ahead of Karthikeyan (and D'Ambrosio, I believe).

I'm basing more on qualifying because I haven't kept a close eye on the races at the back. How many races has Liuzzi had the same car as Karthikeyan though? I know one race Narain said he ran most of it with a burnt bottom and I assume there could be a number of issues with the cars still. Its also difficult to read the picture at the back as the gaps between cars can become exaggerated due to blue flags.
But in qualifying at least, the times where Narain has been able to put in a good lap, he seems to be only 1 or 2 tenths off Liuzzi on ultimate pace.
For a guy who hasn't been in F1 since 2005, hasn't raced single seaters that much recently and isn't really regarded highly, thats not bad going.

I'm pretty sure I remember seeing some fastest lap charts somewhere too and Narain isn't far off.

People were praising Klien to the high heavens last year for his performances at Hispania but there were some suggestions that Senna wasn't always running the same parts and suffered from more (small, not race-ending) reliability issues. Without the same media attention and scrutinising as the big teams, its difficult to really read an accurate picture on backmarkers and comparative performances. The general picture though is that Liuzzi is clearly quicker than Narain, its just the gap doesn't seem as bad as people were predicting. Likewise, Senna was doing ok last year and Klien was fairly impressive to a point.
I think all of Hispania's drivers so far have done a decent job. Chandhok was fairly reliable at finishing races, Senna showed some speed, Yamamoto was also reliable and not a million miles away, Klien is already a proven quantity, as is Liuzzi and Karthikeyan has done decent enough so far.

Hispania are certainly not the laughing stock some people like to make out, Minardi they are not yet, but they are at least an equivelant Forti or Simtek. Off the pace but slowly improving in respectablility.

 

[Peter.]

I do remember that Karun got some updates on the F110 before Senna did. Not actual car upgrades, but things like reliability fixes, carbon fibre suspension(HRT's suspension was actually made from steel at first), fuel tanks, and a number of other things. That is highlighted by the fact that Karun had many finishes in the first half of the season, while Senna had a string of retirements.