Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
From the translated F1club website, Buemi and Sato at STR for next year could be a good lineup, but id much rather see Bourdais at STR for another year.
Berger has said that they will wait for the off season to announce drivers as the market will settle later in the year. It makes sense with a number of experienced driver potentially out of contract.
Tost has confirmed that Buemi is almost a fixture due to his Red Bull driver status. So the decision is more for the experienced guy. They will come out with this in November is my guess. I hope for Bourdais that his luck will turn in the races ahead and he can make good use of the package that worked so well for Vettel last weekend.
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best ..............................organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)
Buemi probably deserves the ride, but Bourdais has hardly been given a full shot at proving himself.
Sato? Seems he's been around forever, but has seldom sparkled. Is it just the money/Honda behind him? I don't think switching from Ferrari to Honda would be a win for STR. (Yes, I know there are engine supply contracts in place, but in F1 contract are very flexible.)
Is Anthony Davidson's F1 career over? Speed? Liuzzi? Pantano? Once you fall off the F1 carousel, you disappear.
Many of us (me included) often criticize F1 drivers (Massa, Hamilton, Schumi, DC come immediately to mind), but it is VERY tough to get and keep a seat. We could have a very long thread on drivers who have had a taste of F1 and/or have succeeded in other high level series yet have NO chance of ever getting an F1 ride.
Enzo Ferrari was a great man. But he was not a good man. -- Phil Hill
I hope they keep the two Seb B's for next year. Sato does not strike me as a good developer.
donskar wrote:Is Anthony Davidson's F1 career over? Speed? Liuzzi? Pantano? Once you fall off the F1 carousel, you disappear.
Davidson wants to come to the US open wheel series next year if no ride in F1 is available. Speed is fully committed to Nascar now and it seems he's getting a full time ride with a team next year as well. Pantano is also thinking about the US series. And Liuzzi...I don't know where that dude is.
I'd like to see bourdais for at least one more year in STR. I think he deserves it, especially after the last few races. As for a more experienced team mate i 'd love to see what Fisico could do with that car. Think about it: he has loads of experience, he has driven for the team when it was still called Minardi, he would be an Italian in an Italian team with an Italian engine! I know he seems to be getting worse and worse after he drove for renault, but i think he has proven on many occasions what he is capable of. Just remember that race at Spa (when was it?) when he was running 2nd-3rd with one of the worst cars benetton ever designed, same front tires for the whole race, while his team mate, the "future champion" JB was struggling for 16th-17th position (or further down the grid, was it?)...
The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. H.P.Lovecraft
Buemi is definitely confirmed. I donno about Sato's chances though. The only reason sato is there is because he can bring on sponsors. However, I think the boss is currently weighing their winning chances vs. Japanese sponsorships. So weak economy means Japanese companies are getting cold feet with sponsoring. A faster driver may be a worthy thing to go for in the new driver competitive environment (versus the old days, where engineering competitiveness was more important).
I think Bourdais should stay with STR, not the useless driver like Sato.
So that makes three Sebastian in a role! what an interesting coincidence!..
Add Seb Loeb to the mix and you get a good script for a movie: I mean, the way they ruined the WRC (at least for the next year), Loeb could possibly get a drive in F1 and keep competing in WRC in his free time, and still get a 6th crown!
Seriously now, I 'm the last person to support Sato for ANY team, but I wouldn't go as far as to say he is useless. Remember that Suzuka drive?
I 'd still go for Bourdais though..(or Loeb!)
The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. H.P.Lovecraft
Since the original posting of this thread, the world has changed, now its all about what money a driver can bring or generate. Bourdais should return to the IRL, where he has a chance to actually get paid to drive.
"I spent most of my money on wine and women...I wasted the rest"
The 2009 F1 cars are very much like the CCWS cars that Bourdais won 4 straight championships in.
He has more push-to-pass experience than anyone on the grid, as well as more familliar with low DF/slicks than any other driver.
I think STR are seriously stupid if they didn't keep Bourdais for 2009. It isnt like they are gonna win the championship, but Bourdais has a better shot than either Bumei or Sato.
Read somewhere over the weekend and now can't remember where now, that Jenson Button is the favourite for the 2nd seat at STR. Would expect that he would be the lead driver of the team if this is the case.
RedBull would be mad to let SebB go; they have only just been allowed into the French market and who better to help them grow their business via marketing but the only French driver in the whole damn F1 Circus!
