[rujeltaoser]

As the FIA have announced that 13 teams will take part in F1 in 2010, I'll post a question to everyone:

Regardless of the teams that enter, which 6 drivers deserve to be added to the grid for the new teams next year? And you can add four more who you think deserve an honourable mention.

Here are mine:

Christian Klien
Vitantonio Liuzzi
Takuma Sato
Anthony Davidson
Paul di Resta
Pedro de la Rosa

Honourable mentions for:

Lucas di Grassi
Giorgio Pantano
Kamui Kobayashi
Nico Hulkenburg

[thehhhyips]

You're leaving out Danica Patrick?!

[sigrekatonov]

Completely agree with your selection Woody - I think Klien really deserves another chance at a mid-level team as his performances for Red Bull and Jaguar (is my mind playing tricks again?) merit another opportunity.

[leacturavar]

But would teams two and three be since we know Peter Windsor's USGP (whatever they call themselves) is one.

I am guessing David Richards ProDrive is #2.
Who would be the third team??

[sigrekatonov]

Lola? Or I can imagine a rich Sheikh creating a new team aswell.

[giturbewan]

aslong as theirs Valentino Rossi I dont mind

[Sensbachtal]

with the no testing it will be hard for any new driver to get a super licence
take Brendon Hartley (i think he will get the seat of Sébastien Bourdais. be for the end of this year) he has just got his super licence

http://www.drivesouth.co.nz/news/117...ets-f1-licence
Fri, 1 May 2009
Approval of New Zealand driver Brendon Hartley's application for a Super Licence enabling him to drive in Formula 1 events has been granted by the FIA.
Hartley (19) will begin duties as a Formula One reserve driver at the Spanish Grand Prix from May 8-10, the Red Bull team announced today.
He will back up regular Red Bull drivers Sebastien Vettel and Mark Webber, the team said.
Hartley, who successfully completed over 300km in testing with Red Bull in December, was finally granted his superlicence at an International Automobile Federation meeting on Wednesday.
Red Bull, for whom Vettel won the Chinese Grand Prix last month, are currently second in the manufacturers' standings on 27.5 points behind front runners Brawn GP.
Hartley is currently in Belgium preparing for the second round of the Renault World series at Spa-Francorchamps and could not be contacted immediately for comment.

[Toivaluadiora]

Jacques Villeneuve .
Juan Pablo Montoya .
Takuma Sato .
Valentino Rossi .
Vitantonio Liuzzi .
Anthony Davidson .

[Clunlippibe]

Out:
Nakajima
Piquet Jr.

In:
Kamui Kobayashi (Well, he will anyway)
Paul Di Resta
Nico Hulkenburg
Lucas di Grassi
Brendon Hartley (He will anyway)
Romain Grosjean
Anthony Davidson (he might get a seat)
and someone else to make up 26.

[rujeltaoser]

You're leaving out Danica Patrick?!

Ah, Danica...

The great debate rages on Personally I think she's good but just doesn't have the raw pace to make it in F1. Another Christijan Albers or Enrique Bernoldi in terms of pace; not bad but probably never good enough to worry any of the big boys. On the plus side she won't make many mistakes.

[rujeltaoser]

Completely agree with your selection Woody - I think Klien really deserves another chance at a mid-level team as his performances for Red Bull and Jaguar (is my mind playing tricks again?) merit another opportunity.

I agree mate. I thought, when he was at RBR that he was very underrated. He'd taken an unspectacular debut season and built on it very nicely in 05 and most of 06.

I think he'd be a good choice for any of the new teams, maybe to build a squad around him as a lead driver. He has nearly 50 GPs experience, and he's very quick. Also he must be good technically as he's been the tester for a top team (BMW).

I think Pedro deserves another shot at a full season, having had one race in 05 and half a season in 06. I think he's still a very fast and intelligent driver who is better than many of the veterans we've had in the last decade.

Liuzzi - same as with Klien. It just depends whether FI would boot out Sutil. Maybe, but if they are going to get rid of Fisi as many people think at the end of the year, Tonio will slot in nicely there, leaving another spot open.

Taku and Ant had the same situation when Super Aguri went under, and are both quick, motivated , intelligent and have a lot of experience.

Di Resta is unproven but we all know he is talented, and we can't rule out anyone who loses their seat this year being considered.

For example if Fisi leaves Force India, I reckon many new teams would hire him to be their team leader, the same goes for Nelsinho if he is booted out of Renault. You never know he might turn his career around with a new squad...

[rujeltaoser]

with the no testing it will be hard for any new driver to get a super licence
take Brendon Hartley (i think he will get the seat of Sébastien Bourdais. be for the end of this year) he has just got his super licence

http://www.drivesouth.co.nz/news/117...ets-f1-licence
Fri, 1 May 2009

I don't think Bourdais will be on his way anytime soon. He hasn't performed badly this season and he knows to win races and championships, which is an attribute a team like Toro Rosso needs IMO.

[Clunlippibe]

I agree mate. I thought, when he was at RBR that he was very underrated. He'd taken an unspectacular debut season and built on it very nicely in 05 and most of 06.

I think he'd be a good choice for any of the new teams, maybe to build a squad around him as a lead driver. He has nearly 50 GPs experience, and he's very quick. Also he must be good technically as he's been the tester for a top team (BMW).

I disagree.

Drivers who haven't won grands prix like Webber and Heidfeld are on the grid because they are fast, and their respective teams value their feedback.

Klien was neither fast nor good at feedback, which is why no one wants him as a race driver.

I think Pedro deserves another shot at a full season, having had one race in 05 and half a season in 06. I think he's still a very fast and intelligent driver who is better than many of the veterans we've had in the last decade.

Disagree. He has had many full seasons and shown little, which is the reason he was confined to being a test driver.

Liuzzi - same as with Klien. It just depends whether FI would boot out Sutil. Maybe, but if they are going to get rid of Fisi as many people think at the end of the year, Tonio will slot in nicely there, leaving another spot open.

Disagree. Liuzzi had several seasons like Klien and showed nothing. He was slower and less impressive than Scott Speed.

Taku and Ant had the same situation when Super Aguri went under, and are both quick, motivated , intelligent and have a lot of experience.

I am unsure of Davidson as he had only 1 full season unlike Klien, de la Rosa and Liuzzi. But Sato doesn't deserve another chance. He blew his big time in 2004-2005.

Di Resta is unproven but we all know he is talented, and we can't rule out anyone who loses their seat this year being considered.

He should be considered very closely.

For example if Fisi leaves Force India, I reckon many new teams would hire him to be their team leader, the same goes for Nelsinho if he is booted out of Renault. You never know he might turn his career around with a new squad...

Teams don't want 'team leaders'. They want good drivers. Fisi is better than Sutil but they are both mediocre and have spent most of the last 5 seasons proving it.

Piquet Junior could have a crack elsewhere than Renault but in all honesty, I don't see how he could cut it. You need to be psychologically touch to be an F1 driver which is what Piquet hasn't demonstrated.

[RilmAlime67]

Dial Yellow Cabs.

[Clunlippibe]

You're leaving out Danica Patrick?!

More importantly he is missing Brook Johnston.

[Ornamiviant]

More importantly he is missing Brook Johnston.

YES! Brook Johnston man. Don't you guys all know that Brook is the next WDC? He might even win the 2009 of if they give him half the season to race in!

[Sensbachtal]

I don't think Bourdais will be on his way anytime soon. He hasn't performed badly this season and he knows to win races and championships, which is an attribute a team like Toro Rosso needs IMO.

http://www.f1sa.com/index.php?option...889&Itemid=219

Team boss Franz Tost agrees with Alain Prost's recent criticism of Toro Rosso racer Sebastien Bourdais. when a team boss dose not stick up for you you know you are on your way out.

http://www.forumula1.net/2009/f1/f1-...makes-excuses/
Four time world champion Alain Prost has fired a broadside attack on his fellow countryman Sebastien Bourdais. On French radio today the French legend attacked the Scuderia Toro Rosso driver for making “excuses” for poor performances, and intimated that he prefers Bourdais’ team-mate Sebastian Buemi.
“Toro Rosso actually went very well in the rain,” Prost told the radio station Europe 1.
“I think it is more the fact that he [Bourdais] could not make do, especially in relation to Buemi. One gets the impression with him that he begins to look at things in a negative way very quickly,” he added.
Bourdais failed to capitalise on the Red Bull stable’s pace in China, whereas team-mate Buemi finished a fighting eighth to bring the Italian team its first point of the season.
Prost is thought to be referring to the morose interview Bourdais yesterday gave to Autosport in which he bemoaned the lack of rear grip from the new car.
“If you only look at the papers this year should be worse because the tyres are much harder. It’s harder, because you have 20% more grip at the front. It’s a little bit difficult, I can’t hide it,” said the 30-year-old.
The four-time Champ Car champion has struggled to adapt to F1, paired with the outstanding Seb Vettel last season. This year Buemi appears to be of similar ability, and Bourdais has his work cut out to convince observers - and Alain Prost - that he is up to the task.

[Vikonbarius]

Paul di Resta - beat Vettel in same car
Nico Hulkenburg - seems to have the raw pace

After that I struggle - De La Rosa has no race craft and has never impressed when he's had a chance and is now past it. Same for Sato the guy has had his chance at BAR Honda when they had a good car and did next to nothing. Davidson, Luizzi and Klein are pretty average - testers maybe but not first choice drivers. Of those three I think Klein has probably shown more skill than the other two.

[AnetTeilor]

Ah, Danica...

The great debate rages on Personally I think she's good but just doesn't have the raw pace to make it in F1. Another Christijan Albers or Enrique Bernoldi in terms of pace; not bad but probably never good enough to worry any of the big boys. On the plus side she won't make many mistakes.

Hmm... Albers and Bernoldi have actually won races and championships. Outside of F1 yes, but still.

YES! Brook Johnston man. Don't you guys all know that Brook is the next WDC? He might even win the 2009 of if they give him half the season to race in!

Please let's not get off topic - Bernie has given Team Sauber F1 Red Bull Racing Team Ltd. International special dispensation to enter a one car team for the American wonderkid as a 27th entry due to him being such a phenomenon so he's outside of this discussion

[UHlVExs7]

I doubt drivers like Pedro and Taku will get any better than Heikki ...

Neil Jani I see him not worse than Buemi, perhaps a choice for midfield player.