Most expensive ride in F1 history.

[Dino Scuderia]

Robert Doornbos will replace Christian Klien after the Spanish Grand Prix weekend. The Dutch Red Bull test driver secured the seat after his sponsor paid a total of 15 million euro to secure the seat, making it the most expensive seat ever in Formula 1 history.

Although Christian Klien is showing a great performance this season the Red Bull team decided to take him out for Doornbos' euro's. Doornbos was already paying total sum of eight million euro for his job as Red Bull's test driver, but his sponsor Muermans will pay an extra seven million euro to have the Dutch man back at the grid.

The last Grand Prix Doornbos raced was the Chinese Grand Prix in October 2005 with the Minardi team.

Liuzzi is not a happy man in the paddock as he would have expected to race for Red Bull when a seat would come available. Liuzzi has been a Red Bull driver for many years, and shared a seat with Klien in 2005 at Red Bull Racing.

http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=117789

[RacingManiac]

Red Bull? Lacking money? I guess you don't say no to 15 million.....Poor Klien though....

[Vaigra]

That's really harsh on Klien. I hope Doornbos doesn't perform and is really really slow like Ide and the FIA take his license away too

[magracer]

Originally Posted by RacingManiac

Red Bull? Lacking money? I guess you don't say no to 15 million.....Poor Klien though....

Yup, a shame for Klien. I rate him highly, much better than "Darnboss" anyway.

Now I understand what Berger's meant when he said that Toro Rosso shouldn't have Montoya: JPM would never pay for his seat!

[ZeTurbo]

its stuff like this that make me sick to my gut of Formula 1.

I thought Klien had a future in F1, moving to a better team in 1 or 2 years, now he wont get a chance to prove his worth...

Any idea what will happen to him? test driver? Super agruri will be looking for drivers since Ide is gone and Frank has beome theyr second driver.

[McReis]

Originally Posted by ZeTurbo

its stuff like this that make me sick to my gut of Formula 1.

I thought Klien had a future in F1, moving to a better team in 1 or 2 years, now he wont get a chance to prove his worth...

Any idea what will happen to him? test driver? Super agruri will be looking for drivers since Ide is gone and Frank has beome theyr second driver.

Don't spread the word yet, but they approached me. They just didn't offer enough.

[Daz27]

If Klien were to go to Aguri, he'd be in the race car and Montagny would be testing, just makes sense that way...And Ide can drive the motorhome... That is assuming of course that he managed to keep his normal drivers licence when they stripped him of his super dooper licence

[Pando]

Yay! My enemies enemy is my friend, and Klien is still on my blacklist!

[Zytek_Fan]

Originally Posted by Vaigra

That's really harsh on Klien. I hope Doornbos doesn't perform and is really really slow like Ide and the FIA take his license away too

Doornbos has been showing very good performances in friday practises...

[ScionDriver]

Thats a shame, Klien shows good pace in races. Maybe he will leave the team and come back to make them feel sorry for demoting him.

[Rockefella]

Originally Posted by McReis

Don't spread the word yet, but they approached me. They just didn't offer enough.

That may be because they signed me first.

[teatako]

where doesn doornbos get all that money? or his sponsors anyway. i cant see myself saying oh, ok , i believe in you doornbos so much ill pay for your F1 seat.
then again, if i raise enough money, i can get into F1 and make yuji ide so ashamed he´ll commit harakiri

[drakkie]

Originally Posted by Zytek_Fan

Doornbos has been showing very good performances in friday practises...

and last year on race day Almost every race he outpaced his team mate Albers in the minardi... IMHO he is one of the most promising driver's on the grid

Ow and one of my friends is Robert's nephew by the way

[MrKipling]

So you're not bias at all then

[Dino Scuderia]

Oh...the drama...

Klien Slams 'slow Uncle David'

Christian Klien has launched a scathing attack on his team-mate David Coulthard as he attempts to convince Red Bull that he's their better option for 2007.

Red Bull are reportedly keen on signing Juan Pablo Montoya for 2007. However, in order to do so, the team will need to drop one of their existing drivers, Klien or Coulthard.

And Klien is determined that if Red Bull want to replace one of their drivers next season, it will be his 'slow Uncle David' who gets the boot and not himself.

"I was told I will not lose my seat if I do a good job," Klien told The Sun newspaper.

"It purely depends on our results and, so far, I've been the quicker. I have David under control.

"My race pace is faster and, had I had luck on my side, I'd have scored several points more.

"Everybody says the pressure was on me but the pressure on David is much higher.

"This could be his last season in the sport, while I am at the start of my F1 career.

"I'm very optimistic I'll be with the team next year because I've already proven I'm stronger than Uncle David."