[leacturavar]

We have finished the handful of pre-Europe races.

Assuming all the teams make it to 2011 I will say the following will not make it based on the first four races:

- de la Rosa (better than Kobayashi but will be 40 next year)
- Kobayashi
- Trulli (Kovalainen is solidly beating him atm)
- Schumacher (But hopefully he improves soon. Because there is something quite sad about a has-been)

Just a bit of speculation.

[soonahonsefalh]

If I repeat if teams were dropping drivers after these 4 races I think the following would miss out on any 2011 seat.

Schumacher
Kobayashi
Trulli? (Not sure but I think he may leave Lotus through frustration and may not get another drive).
Di Grassi (Too early to tell yet, but as I said above if on these 4 races).

[ebonytipchik]

Liuzzi - I can see di Resta in the Force India before 2011 (hopefully)

WT

[2puO4Rhf]

De La Rosa doesn't seem happy. He was interviewed on Catalan TV3 just after his retirement, and he said that he was happy with his driving, but whatever way he said it, it seemed that he was saying "Well I'm doing MY job, now the team needs to do theirs." This is very unusual from him, he's always been very fair and diplomatic before as a commentator on Spanish Channel La Sexta. Maybe he let rip a little while speaking in Catalan...

[stuck_in_WA]

schuie....

[boxcigsnick]

Nick Heildfeld!

He'll replace Schu for Germany onwards but not do enough to secure a seat for 2011 with Sutil replacing him at Merc.

[dexterljohnthefinanceguy]

Schumacher, alas

[xanonlinexan]

think its last chance saloon for;

Liuzzi
De La Rosa

Kobyashi might be lucky, the Torro Rosso boys will have to do something a little more to stay around.

MS - tough to call, think he will jump before he is pushed.

Trulli ought to be safe, think the 2 experienced drivers are exactly what a team like Lotus needs, and will still need next year

[BariGrootrego]

de la rosa

toro rosso guys, trulli, Liuzzi all might be out next year, but these are alot less predictable than what i expect will be the end of de la rosa's career after 2010. (at this rate he'll leave rather than get fired: those saubers are doing nothing-that's what you get from an entrant who was only confirmed in december, ex bmw or not)

[Narkeere]

I don't think Trulli will be pushed out after this season unless Fernandes thinks that they badly need local driver Fauzy in the race seat for marketing reasons.

I can't agree with Malllen that DLR is beating Kobayashi. Kobayashi has outqualified de la Rosa for the last two weekends and is gradually becoming more competitive. Kamui has also been plain unlucky to suffer car failures or unavoidable crashes in every single race so far.

Schumacher is a mystery - have no idea, what he, Brawn and Haug are thinking about the current situation now.

But the men in danger are:
- Liuzzi (di Resta is waiting...);
- Buemi (Ricciardo is waiting...);
- de la Rosa (not impossible that he might lose the drive already this season... Sauber needs cash and a paydriver, which have created some vague Maldonado-rumours);
And also a few drivers in the new teams - di Grassi if he fails to impress; Senna or Chandhok if HRT folds, changes ownership or finds other paydrivers with a fatter paycheque or better CV.

[rozettasmolanov]

Luizzi has been fine until this weekend. In quali he got stuck in traffic and then just lost it on the first lap. I'd give a while before giving Di Resta his drive.

[Zarekylin75]

I think that the ones previously mentioned are the obvious ones, though personally I think that Trulli will still be around, Liuzzi and Kobayashi stand a reasonable chance.

I think there's an outside chance that we could lose Massa, Webber and Barrichello though, but I'm not expecting to lose them.

[tyclislavaify]

Micheal Schumacher

[ebonytipchik]

Luizzi has been fine until this weekend. In quali he got stuck in traffic and then just lost it on the first lap. I'd give a while before giving Di Resta his drive.

Not sure about that - he has been behind Sutil who doesn't seem to be getting the max out of the FI, but to be fair to him getting only half the Friday running is a major disadvantage for him

WT

[rozettasmolanov]

Not sure about that - he has been behind Sutil who doesn't seem to be getting the max out of the FI, but to be fair to him getting only half the Friday running is a major disadvantage for him

WT

Luizzi scored strong points in the first two races while Sutil was getting into accidents. Give him a fair chance.

[zzarratusstra]

I don't know what the expectations of the team are, but I don't think either of the Toro Rosso drivers is all that impressive. Also, I'd say Pedro de la Rosa is showing to be past his "use by date".

As for Schumacher, true, he's just not driving up to expectations. But it's not like he's been a total flop. And given who he is, and what that means to the team (and the sponsors), I don't see a chance in hell of them dropping him. He might decide to walk away if things don't get better. But IMO, he won't be fired.

The other drivers with targets on their backs are any of the ride buyers, who begin causing more damage to equipment than their checks are covering. I really don't care too much for Petrov, but I think this weekend's excellent performance moved him away from that group.

[standaman]

I don't know what the expectations of the team are, but I don't think either of the Toro Rosso drivers is all that impressive. Also, I'd say Pedro de la Rosa is showing to be past his "use by date".

As for Schumacher, true, he's just not driving up to expectations. But it's not like he's been a total flop. And given who he is, and what that means to the team (and the sponsors), I don't see a chance in hell of them dropping him. He might decide to walk away if things don't get better. But IMO, he won't be fired.

The other drivers with targets on their backs are any of the ride buyers, who begin causing more damage to equipment than their checks are covering. I really don't care too much for Petrov, but I think this weekend's excellent performance moved him away from that group.

That sums it up rather well.

[Seerseraxlils]

Schumacher is a mystery - have no idea, what he, Brawn and Haug are thinking about the current situation now

The team is going to change the chassis - number 3 - he has been using all season from the Spanish Grand Prix onwards.

I can only presume that they have found some structural fault.

[boxcigsnick]

The team is going to change the chassis - number 3 - he has been using all season from the Spanish Grand Prix onwards.

I can only presume that they have found some structural fault.

Changing chassis is SOP. They may have found a fault but I wouldn't be pinning my hopes on it.

[ElcinBoris]

As for Schumacher, true, he's just not driving up to expectations. But it's not like he's been a total flop. And given who he is, and what that means to the team (and the sponsors), I don't see a chance in hell of them dropping him. He might decide to walk away if things don't get better. But IMO, he won't be fired.

Don't be so sure. There are plenty of corporate bigwigs in Daimler-Benz who not only don't like Mercedes' involvement as a full constructor from a cost point of view, given the dire economic situation, but who also may well raise a stink about the $20some Million paid to Schumi. At those kinds of salary levels it just won't cut it to make 1/5th of the points of your team mate who makes 1/10th of the pay (or whatever it is... I don't know what Rosberg makes... anyone?). For that kind of money, results are a must, or the corporates will grumble. Arguably, Heidfeld would have scored a bunch more points this season already... pure speculation of course, but I just have a hunch on that...