The 2012 Driver transfer discussion/speculation thread

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I honestly don't know what to expect with drivers for Renault other than Petrov being in one seat.
I'm not sure they can really tempt a top experienced driver - most of them are already contracted now. Perhaps Barrichello is the only possiblity but unlikely.

So I think they are going to plump for either Grosjean, Senna or someone unexpected.
 
The Outlaw
Hmmm, with Kubica's return looking less and less likely for next year, I just wonder if Renault might be looking to attract another top driver to help improve their fortunes.
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Sorry, but the last I'd heard, Doctors were pleased with Kubica's progress since his final operation. What has changed since then?
 
Boullier keeps talking like he isn't going to wait forever, which in some respects is fair but for a driver of Kubica's talent I would stick Senna in the seat until Kubica recovers regardless of what happens. Boullier seems to be suggesting that if Kubica can't race till next year, he'll stick another driver in for the entire season. Of course, he hasn't said this explictly but he doesn't seem to be very positive in going out of his way to get him back in the seat.
 
Kubica 'months' away from return

October 21, 2011

Dr Riccardo Ceccarelli saying that progress is slow, even though he does still aim to be able to return.

"Our goal is to get him back in F1," Ceccarelli told Lucca television. "But he will still need a few more months of rehabilitation. The cuts were so bad that many colleagues and specialists had ruled out a return to the wheel for Robert. But, clinically, little by little everything has improved and the hope to see him driving as soon as 2012 is becoming more and more concrete."

http://en.espnf1.com/renault/motorsport/story/62126.html

It's definitely a bit of a vauge, confusing article though. Boullier said he wanted a final decison by the end of this month...I can't imagine this (Kubica needing a couple more months of rehabilitation) boding well for his chances of being ready for the first race of next year, or more importantly for pre-season testing to get an idea of how he is able to perform in a F1 car (with dozens of buttons that need to be activated hundreds/thousands of times throughout a race).
 
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The Outlaw
Hmmm, with Kubica's return looking less and less likely for next year, I just wonder if Renault might be looking to attract another top driver to help improve their fortunes.
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I'm sorry though. I've recently seen a picture of him and he seems to look good, I mean still with the stick and cement on his hand but the doctor says he is doing well, getting better and better just his muscle is what the doctor is worrying. That can be done...

I'm not going to rule him out because he has a chance.

EDIT: Despite the post by The Outlaw above, I still have hope for his return. But I understand though Renault is having tough times choosing a driver.
 
Well I don't see a reason why he should wait forever. That doesn't mean that Kubica isn't going to be ready for next season. Perhaps, it's motivation to make sure Kubica doesn't become complacent in his rehabilitation.

Edit: I doubt Kubica will get complacent though. I remember that after the 2010 Singapore Grand Prix, one journalist noted that most drivers were going to parties afterwards. Kubica was heading out for a 10 mile run.
 
Whether or not Kubica has the willpower to make a return is not the problem IMO (Robert is an extremely strong minded individual)....the issue is whether or not Boullier is willing to take the gamble (by going with Kubica who still needs "months of rehabilitation") this late in the game.
 
The Outlaw
Whether or not Kubica has the willpower to make a return is not the problem IMO (Robert is an extremely strong minded individual)....the issue is whether or not Boullier is willing to take the gamble (by going with Kubica who still needs "months of rehabilitation") this late in the game.
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Not much of a gamble when he has as many drivers on his hands. Whether or not Kubica can be the same remains to be seen. He can either go for Kubica/Petrov, Senna/Petrov or Grosjean/Petrov. I don't see Kubica being any bigger a gamble than giving Senna a midseason drive was. At the end of the day, if things don't work out with Kubica, he has the other drivers to fall back on. Unless he's looking at someone else entirely.
 
Although I agree with most of what you said, I specifically said "whether or not Boullier is willing to take the gamble"

Again, Boullier said he needed a decision by the end of this month...obviously he wants everything in place well before the season begins, which IMO doesn't bode well in regards to Kubica making a return for the first race.
 
The Outlaw
Although I agree with most of what you said, I specifically said "whether or not Boullier is willing to take the gamble"

Again, Boullier said he needed a decision by the end of this month...obviously he wants everything in place well before the season begins, which IMO doesn't bode well in regards to Kubica making a return for the first race.
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It just boils down to how much he likes to gamble. He has a chance to choose one of two relatively unproven drivers, or one who has proven himself, but is coming back from a massive accident so may not be the same.
 
prisonermonkeys
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95648

Sutil has no idea what is happening in 2012, but he wants it sorted out quickly.
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I really feel for him, because Force India is stalling on it but with that amount of uncertainty, if he needed to look elsewhere he needs to be looking right now.

It's odd because if he starts looking now and word goes round the paddock that he is asking Williams, Renault etc. then maybe Mallya will decide to let him go as it will appear he is not fully committed to Force India. But if he doesn't look for another seat he's going to be screwed come December when they eventually make that decision. He'll end up at HRT with Liuzzi.
 
The finnish paper Ilta-lehti has been posting more Kimi Räikkönen return rumours. Apparently Räikkönen has admitted that he is looking to return to the serries. Also Taki Inoue who apparently is involved with the contract talks of japanese drivers has stated in twitter that Räikkönen has already signed a contract with Williams.

Well finnish media has been seeing Räikkönen's return in every shadow and behind every corner after he quit from Ferrari so not sure how reliable these "news" really are... :P
 
I hope he gets back in, just so we have 6 world champions on the grid :)

People say how he will struggle to get back in the car, but he had very little experience compared to most when he first got into F1. It's hit and miss but he has the natural talent to adapt to new cars quickly. But, I don't want to see this at the expense of another talented driver. If it is in place of Barrichello who is nearing the end of his long career then that is good. But if it's in place of Hulkenberg or Sutil, I question what Raikkonen will bring that they will not.

There just isn't enough seats in the sport, and drivers seem to be extending their careers into their late 30s, early 40s which just exacerbates the problem.

On another note I hope Kubica is fit for next year, I would hate to see him lose his seat (Not that he'd have a problem getting a seat elsewhere if he's fully fit and back up to speed in the simulator).
 
No, it's not confirmed. It was never confirmed. It was only speculation; if it were confirmed, we would have seen headlines by now.

The situation at Force India is this: open. Sutil is up for a new contract, and wants to know what the team's plans are soon.
 
It's open but Sutil doesn't want to wait until the 15th of December to know whether he has a contract or not. It seems like he will talk straight with Vijay...

So there has been reports that Robert has been driving a car recently but needs one more surgery to further help mobility of his wrist and believed to not affect his ability to steer a wheel... Even if he can still steer a wheel, he needs to practise to use all the buttons on the wheel and that's quite a challenge.
 
More hot news of Kimi Raikkonen and Williams. A Brazilian journalist reported that Sir Frank Williams has been travelling to Qatar and Saudi Arabia quite frequently these recent day and there are speculations that Kimi's return to F1 really depends to whether Sir Frank Williams could secure a sponsor with Qatar National Bank or not...
 
I've been hearing it the other way around - Raikkonen's return to the sport doesn't depend on QNB being a sponsor, QNB's sponsorship depends on Raikkonen's return.
 
Update: Raikkonen has apprently given an interview with a Finnish magazine, confirming that he is looking to return to Formula 1 in 2012, and has been in intensive training for the past few months to be in shape for the winter testing season. He also supposedly mentions that he has been talking with Williams and Renault, with Williams being his preferred option.

Bookies are also offering odds on Raikkonen's return, with Formula 1 being the favourite.

Of course, not being able to speak Finnish, I'm taking a lot of this on faith.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if he went to Renault next year. I doubt Kubica will come back next year. Even if he can successfully get his hand working again, there would still be months of rehab and simulator work to get him up to shape again.
 
astrosdude91
I wouldn't be surprised if he went to Renault next year. I doubt Kubica will come back next year. Even if he can successfully get his hand working again, there would still be months of rehab and simulator work to get him up to shape again.
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Renault currently have four drivers vying for two seats - Kubica, Petrov, Senna and Grosjean. Raikkonen might be an option if Kubica cannot race in 2012, but Renault keep pushing back the date for a decision on his future.

nitrorocks
Lets hope ALEXANDER ROSSI GETS A SEAT IN TIME FOR THE USGP IN AUSTIN! (If the GP happens)
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He won't. He's believed to be in talks to join Caterham in GP2. GP2's expansion to flyaway races might see them visit Austin, but I personally doubt it will happen. They're probably only going to do flyaways that are paired together. They might visit North America in 2013, to support the Canadian Grand Prix and the Grand Prix of America, though.

Also, there is little evidence that Austin will not be ready in time. I believe they're still on-target for their original June 2012 date, even if the race date has been pushed back to November 2012.
 
Virgin is tipped to be renamed as Marussia. You need a subscription to read the article, so here's the extract:
“The team are to ask the Formula One Commission, the sport’s commercial ruler, for permission to erase the Virgin title and replace it with Marussia, the Russian car brand that is providing financial backing.”
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prisonermonkeys
Renault currently have four drivers vying for two seats - Kubica, Petrov, Senna and Grosjean. Raikkonen might be an option if Kubica cannot race in 2012, but Renault keep pushing back the date for a decision on his future.

He won't. He's believed to be in talks to join Caterham in GP2. GP2's expansion to flyaway races might see them visit Austin, but I personally doubt it will happen. They're probably only going to do flyaways that are paired together. They might visit North America in 2013, to support the Canadian Grand Prix and the Grand Prix of America, though.

Also, there is little evidence that Austin will not be ready in time. I believe they're still on-target for their original June 2012 date, even if the race date has been pushed back to November 2012.
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Personally I think that Grosjean should get a seat next season he will be faster that's for sure..
 
I’m pretty sure the Virgin-Marussia name swap was always the plan. Richard Branson would fund Manor’s start-up efforts, and then find them a whole host of partners, one of which would be a manufacturer. That manufacturer would then buy into the team, and eventually buy out Virgin’s stake. Virgin would then become title sponsor rather than constructor, and the manufacturer – Marussia – would go from title sponsor to constructor, the idea being to gradualy introduce the manufacturer into the fold without compromising the team’s standings in the WCC (not that they have a standing, but they no doubt wanted to preserve their position if they did have one).
toyotsupra
Personally I think that Grosjean should get a seat next season he will be faster that's for sure..
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Grosjean is completely untested. He had a go in 2009, and he struggled a lot. One of the biggest challenges facing Kimi Raikkonen if he re-enters the sport is the way the racing has evolved since he left, and he was a World Champion. Grosjean had six months with Renault and spent most of his time spinning. There are absolutely no guarantees that he will succeed if given a drive.
 
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