2014/15 Silly Season

[Aesto]

17 does seem to be a bit young, but on the other hand: Maldonado is 29 and Massa is proving that you can be well into your 30s and still make a fool out of yourself. Plus, most people said Kvyat would be too young and inexperienced and they got proven wrong as well. Best to just sit back and see how it turns out

[turbof1]

It's official: Verstappen will drive at Toro Rosso alongside Kvyat in 2015.

And in other news, there are rumours about Andre Lotterer liked to a Caterham seat for Spa.

Just readed it. Way too early IMO. it's his first season yet out of karting. A few races in F3 isn't enough preperation for F1 by a long shot.

Don't get me wrong - he's very talented, but this is insane. Imagine how huge the pressure must be on his shoulders. I don't think he's be mentally ready at that age. A season WSR or GP2 would have been perfect to make the step easier.

If he handles it against all odds, then he's set up for a long time. But failing to materialise the chance often results in dropping out of f1 very early.

[stefan_]

He might be talented, but I think this is way to soon for him to take a F1 race seat - he needs more actual racing experience and I think a better solution would have been to stay at least a year as a test driver. Not only to drive FP1s, but to get used to how an F1 team works - things that you learn just by being part of an F1 team.

On the other hand, I'm sad to see JEV go. He is a good driver and we must not forget that he was hindered by techncal issues more than one time.

[ScottB]

Seems crazy early... Why the rush?

So I take it Sainz Jnr and the others have now joined the Red Bull scrapheap? Since they've now been passed over there's nowhere for them to go. Could easily have given Max another year or two in the juniors and given Sainz Jnr or one of the others a run out.

Unless... Could this be coming from the Verstappen's? Did they swing to Red Bull over Mercedes because they could get an F1 seat straight away? In a way that makes slightly more sense as a situation than Red Bull willingly chucking a 17 year old into an F1 car ahead of all their other rookies.

[Jonnycraig]

He might be talented, but I think this is way to soon for him to take a F1 race seat - he needs more actual racing experience and I think a better solution would have been to stay at least a year as a test driver. Not only to drive FP1s, but to get used to how an F1 team works - things that you learn just by being part of an F1 team.

As I'm sure the Verstappens are aware, momentum is everything. As Frijns found out, F1 offers don't come along very often so you have to take them when and where they appear. If Verstappen steps up to say FR3.5 & F1 reserve next season and flops, he's on the scrapheap at 17, so might as will be in F1 for that season with the same risk.

I'm sure RB would've rather taken a slower route, but if Mercedes really were circling as well, their negotiating position is pretty weak.

[gray41]

I wish him luck and hope it doesn't last the usual 2 years at STR.

[George-Jung]

For all of you who say it is too early.. The real specialist clearly think different.

Max Verstappen is the real deal, just wait and see..

[SectorOne]

This might be the best thing to ever happen to JEV. I think he´s a sought after driver to be honest.

[iotar__]

Hardly surprising when in the first race of the season they served Vergne team orders three laps before the end. What happened to Sainz and Da Costa, not so "talented" in Marko's musical chairs game after all?

If only team orders or popular, shaped by friendly media opinions could stop you from spinning or first lap mistakes. Virtual reality of media world but not on-track supertalents. Couple years from now half of a grid will be Red Bull's and other big teams' kindergarten. Since they'll be competing against one-another for nothing (see Toro Rosso) equal mediocrity will be treated as a success through lack of reference points, like Vergne-Ricciardo recently. Jump to excellent minus straight line speed car is considered sudden miraculous development, it's easier than rewriting all-time greats lists (BBC).

Shallower and shallower talent pool of jockey body, sons of former drivers backed by big teams and marketing. Hell, one in ten might be even very good, maybe it's Stappen? If it doesn't work RB writers have templates of burned out syndrome.

[kaido]

LOL at people saying he needs actual racing experiences.

You do know that he has racing experiences from karting, granted the speed is different but race craft/skill/experiences is pretty much the same!

Look at NASCAR they are pulling drivers into there cars at young ages 18/19 and it works!

What better way to mature and become a f1 driver than to actually race in F1, Look at Lewis he had race in various lower classes before he join Mclaren in F1 and he still lost his 1st championship due to driver error and inexperience. You only learn that from being in F1

[knabbel]

His dad said in a Dutch interview that a year in GP2 would be a waste of time because the lap times are virtually the same.

[iotar__]

Lotterer for Koba must be a joke, I had to re-check if it's not some other Lotterer, preferably son . It's the dumbest thing in F1 since unwarranted, against reality Magnussen/Kvyat hype. Is someone backing him up, some personal connection? Racing is in a really tip-top shape when they replace someone good mid-season with a 33 year old LeMans driver. He must know a lot about fuel saving though.

[antsyd]

Has Verstappen tested an F1 car yet?

[oT v1]

Lotterer for Koba must be a joke, I had to re-check if it's not some other Lotterer, preferably son . It's the dumbest thing in F1 since unwarranted, against reality Magnussen/Kvyat hype. Is someone backing him up, some personal connection? Racing is in a really tip-top shape when they replace someone good mid-season with a 33 year old LeMans driver. He must know a lot about fuel saving though.

What's wrong with Lotterer? He's very very quick, granted he won't be able to show it in a Caterham, but still...

[SectorOne]

It´s such a farce the F1 driver market from midpack down. It´s all money and/or orders from certain other teams.