[Yarmark]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74676

Bruno Senna turned down the opportunity to drive for Mercedes in the DTM because the manufacturer could not guarantee him a path into Formula 1, according to Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug.
The Brazilian tested a Mercedes C-Class back in March after he lost out on the second Brawn GP drive to Rubens Barrichello. He had been tipped to join the DTM instead but Mercedes last week confirmed that he would not be part of it's line-up.
Haug says he had spoken to both McLaren and Brawn about future F1 possibilities, but Senna declined what is Haug on about ??
because Senna turned down the opportunity to drive for Mercedes in the DTM he dose not with to be in f1
I fully respect his position but I do hope in half a year's time he says, oh I should have done it," said Haug. "But if we can still find a solution, and if after first practice in Hockenheim an F1 boss would have phoned to say you can drive my car, he would have been free to step out.
"But I do not want to argue. Bruno is a good guy, a very flamboyant and good guy, he just chose a different path.
"If a young guy doesn't dream of F1, he should not come to us. I would have a problem if Paul di Resta came to us and said 'Norbert, F1 never, I would like to have a roof on my head'. I would say go to the doctors and get checked because it is quite normal that you dream of the top class."

[andrekuper]

[stadiaKab]

The problem was that Bruno wanted Haug to force one of the teams that Mercedes supplies to take him, but that wasn't going to happen. And he was suggesting for him to be in a series that could keep him in driving shape while the start of the F1 season was in full swing.

As it stands now, you have a couple of teams (Renault, Toro Rosso, etc.) that might be in the market for a new driver, #2 or otherwise, and Haug was willing to help keep Senna's options open this season. Bruno wants to believe that his famous surname is more than enough to get him in a Mercedes-running F1 team, but unfortunately, as we have seen this season on other teams, that just doesn't work anymore.

[HottBrorb]

I've seen little in Senna to suggest he's any better than Piquet Jr let alone DiResta or other GP2 drivers such as Premat who have gone on to do other things.

[andrekuper]

Indeed - quick enough but doesn't seem to have a 'racers' instinct.

[Usendyduexy]

Maybe he should go to the IRL.

[Extipletape]

I've seen little in Senna to suggest he's any better than Piquet Jr let alone DiResta or other GP2 drivers such as Premat who have gone on to do other things.

Spot on. And people like Pantano can't get a drive. It sounds like Senna's getting a bit big for his flourescent helmet.

[Loonakind]

"Maybe he should go to the IRL." Ouch! Would be fine with me, though! Bring him on over!

[Extipletape]

"Maybe he should go to the IRL." Ouch! Would be fine with me, though! Bring him on over!

The publicity for the series would be great. They already have a very good driver lineup this year, so if Senna joined the US press and fans would go nuts.

[xochex]

I think that after the underwhelming performance of another driver with a famous name (Nelson something..) teams might be more reluctant to take him on.

I also don't get why he turned down the DTM drive. Surely you'd want to do what your potential employers want you to?

[Extipletape]

I think that after the underwhelming performance of another driver with a famous name (Nelson something..) teams might be more reluctant to take him on.

I also don't get why he turned down the DTM drive. Surely you'd want to do what your potential employers want you to?

DTM kicks ass, I'd love to drive in it if not F1. I'd try four places: BTCC, DTM, NASCAR or GP2.

He could be scared, after all there are A LOT of good drivers in DTM this year.

[JackTimQSR]

I'm not surprised that he wanted a promise from Mercedes to help him into F1, just look at how many other promosing young drivers have got mired in the DTM (Green, Di Resta, Jarvis, Paffet etc) with no (realistic) way out to F1.

I reckon he's probably better off in sportscars racing for ORECA.

[Skete]

Yeah, Bruno in F1... Even if that ever happens, he's not going to be great, is he...

Senna he may be. Another Ayrton he is not.

He possibly could have been though, if he hadn't been forced to quit racing for a decade after his uncle died. Pity, that! A real pity!

Oh well, c'est la vie...

[idobestbuyonlinepp]

Maybe he should go to the IRL.

Wow, tough crowd in here.

Why not just shoot his dog, spit in his drink, call his mother a nasty name?

[idobestbuyonlinepp]

Yeah, Bruno in F1... Even if that ever happens, he's not going to be great, is he...

Senna he may be. Another Ayrton he is not.

He possibly could have been though, if he hadn't been forced to quit racing for a decade after his uncle died. Pity, that! A real pity!

Oh well, c'est la vie...

Though I wish with all my being that he could be more like his uncle, I have to agree with you. I do think he could make a better mark in F1 than Piquet, Jr. though. Unlike young Nelson, Bruno doesn't seem to believe his own (early) press. I doubt he would have gone to a team with a double WDC and assumed that he'd be challenging him. Maybe the thing with Hamilton and McLaren made Nelson think that Alonso had lost a step. But Nelson does well to just keep the car on the track most races. I'd like to see Bruno get a shot at that seat... or maybe Bourdais' Toro Rosso seat (I like ya, Seabass, but dude, you're getting that dead fish smell about you). At Renault, I don't think there's much chance he could do any worse than Half Nelson. Nelson reminds me of Andretti. And I don't mean Mario... more like Marco.

[fygESytT]

I would suggest that he has misunderstood the nature of the Mercedes DTM programme if he thought that a drive in it would automatically lead to F1. Unless, of course, he was made a specific promise, for which there is no evidence.

[Usendyduexy]

Wow, tough crowd in here.

Why not just shoot his dog, spit in his drink, call his mother a nasty name?

Why? I like the IRL certainly more than the DTM. Actually I think that the LMS, in which he competes now, is better than the DTM too.

[JackTimQSR]

I would suggest that he has misunderstood the nature of the Mercedes DTM programme if he thought that a drive in it would automatically lead to F1. Unless, of course, he was made a specific promise, for which there is no evidence.

I dont think he did, and its because the DTM is a dead end for F1 aspirants that he decided against it. I reckon it was that specific promise that would have changed his mind on racing there but it was never going to be coming.

[drugimpotence]

Senna is a bit of a scrapper for sure but let's not forget that Pantano has a wealth of experience including F1 when he raced against him in GP2 and was run close.

I think BS has a bit of a Il Leone about him. Whether he's got the ability to drive like him in F1 is another thing.

Rather than contracting to Merc and possibly starting a Touring car career, I agree that he should hold out for a F1 place. Lets face it, Jr and Seb are on dodgy wickets and one is likely to pick up his P45 before the end of the season. Senna might just have a shoe in.

[xochex]

We'll see how Brawn is doing for money next year - from what I've heard Senna has a lot of money behind him and I can see him getting a drive there for 2010 when the Honda cash runs out.