Your predictions for the driver line-up, 2010

[Alex.]

LOL

Virgin can go all the way

Funny for more than 1 reason

 

[nosturbo]

Full Glock and Cool Hands Lucas! Love the Virgin team already.

 

[Ian Poole]

The drivers are officially Trulli and Kovalainen

I thought they wanted to challenge for wins, not sit back in the doldrums of...nowhere

Virgin confirm Tim O'Glock and Degrassi High as drivers, Avocado Parente and Luiz Razamataz as testers.

And they will be going up against such drivers as Louis Hammertime, Jenson Buttoff, Seb Metal and Mark Webbed Feet

Such a crying shame for Sato. But don't get down, there's always USF1, whatever the hell they are doing.

 

[The Outlaw]

I thought they wanted to challenge for wins, not sit back in the doldrums of...nowhere

Well who else would they be able grab? Obviously none of the top drivers....

They did pretty well considering they're a new team entering the sport.

 

[Ardius]

Ok, first I didn't believe it, then I was cautious and slightly sceptic, now I'm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8414026.stm

Looks like its going to happen, essentially confirmed in words by Nick Fry there that they are considering him and Michael is considering it....

Oh and:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8415008.stm

Yes I will be enjoying this rivalry a lot! Much more amusing and friendly than the McLaren vs Ferrari rivalry.

I thought they wanted to challenge for wins, not sit back in the doldrums of...nowhere

Erm, they have the strongest line-up easily out of the 4 new teams so far and possibly even ahead of Force India, STR and Sauber.
Both are good qualifiers and have similar styles. Gascoyne knows what direction they should take to suit the style to Trulli at least too.

At Renault, Kovalainen was pretty good its only when he's been compared to Hamilton that he's faltered, which is no bad thing. I won't defend his rubbish 2009 season though.
Lotus have a reliable, and fast line up which will show them their true pace while being good enough to reliably finish in the points. Depending how the Cosworth engine is, they could be fighting with the top teams in qualifying, which is a sponsors dream really, even if they don't score points, they will be more remembered from fighting briefly at the front than slogging away at the back for 1 point. If Trulli put his Lotus in say 4th place on the grid and battled with the McLarens and Ferrari's for even just a few laps, it would generate more interest and coverage than USF1 battling for 20th place.

And, as mentioned, they didn't really have much choice. They could have gone for an untried rookie like Baguette but they decided to use their budget money and grab some GP winners and very experienced drivers. For a brand new team, especially one which only got its slot in September, this is pretty impressive going, most new teams have to rely on pay drivers and rookies when they start up, as experienced drivers are not always available, and if they are, they are at the end of their careers. Lotus came along and snatched the two best drivers in the market from the other 3 teams noses. It could be argued Trulli is at the end of his career, but he wasn't too shabby this season.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

And they will be going up against such drivers as Louis Hammertime, Jenson Buttoff, Seb Metal and Mark Webbed Feet

No. It's only funny when I do it, because I know when to end the joke. By drawing it out, you've gone ahead and ruined it.

 

[LewyOs]

2010 is shaping up to be a very good season.

Schumacher (hopefully) and Rosberg v. Hamilton and Button v. Alonso and Massa v. Vettel and Webber

+ all the new teams

Can't wait.

 

[SUPER NUMBBER]

No. It's only funny when I do it, because I know when to end the joke. By drawing it out, you've gone ahead and ruined it.

Wait...did you just say "rw-ee-nd"?

 

[Alex.]

No. It's only funny when I do it, because I know when to end the joke. By drawing it out, you've gone ahead and ruined it.

Stop being such a child. A joke's a joke.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Lopez and Genii have acquired 75% of Renault, as anticiapted. It seems Renault may be harbouring ambitions of regaining full control over the team once the recession has ended and the economy stabilised, something they wouldn't be able to do with Richards and Prodrive.

 

[Alex.]

Red Bull also to keep Renault engines.

 

[Ian Poole]

Well who else would they be able grab? Obviously none of the top drivers....

They did pretty well considering they're a new team entering the sport.

But there were better drivers available

No. It's only funny when I do it, because I know when to end the joke. By drawing it out, you've gone ahead and ruined it.

 

[The Outlaw]

But there were better drivers available

Ughh, like who? And more importantly, were they WILLING to drive for Lotus for the amount of money Lotus was able to bring to the table???


I personally think you're expecting WAY too much from a new team entering the sport. So just give it a break if you can, please

 

[daan]

Virgin confirm Tim O'Glock and Degrassi High as drivers, Avocado Parente and Luiz Razamataz as testers. Judging by their website, they're going for a real rock-and-roll attitude, the kind we haven't seen since Jordan (sure, Red Bull had it - but then they started getting all corporate). It's kind of retro, nothing flashy and the video has the best team tagline ever: SCREW IT - LET'S DO IT.

Should go in the Virgin thread.

Lopez and Genii have acquired 75% of Renault, as anticiapted. It seems Renault may be harbouring ambitions of regaining full control over the team once the recession has ended and the economy stabilised, something they wouldn't be able to do with Richards and Prodrive.

Should go in the Renault thread.

Locking this as it just seems to have turned into a catch all thread for topics and info that either already have a thread, or should have their own thread. It is very easy to miss info because it is lost in the mire of this thread.