Novice
I believe Massa will return to Formula 1 in 2010, if not in 2009 already. The rumoured (temporary) replacements for Massa, however, are:
Marc Gene
Michael Schumacher
Fernando Alonso
(Any driver who recently left F1, including Sebastien Bourdais, David Coulthard, Takuma Sato, Anthony Davidson) <-- This is what they did when Mika Salo replaced Michael Schumacher. They hired Salo instead of Ferrari's 3rd man Luca Badoer.
Fanatic
Luca Badoer will never race, that's for sure. he just isn't a race man, but an excellent tester and developer. A bit like De La Rosa.
Weber excluded a come back of Schumacher, Alonso is definitely out of question (huge amount of money to interrupt his contract with Renault, Renault itself needing two drivers as they are about to dismiss Piquet).
Gene is a good possibility also considering how well he just performed at Le Mans.
He could be the one, and if something doesn't work, well they aren't loosing something really (constructor's 3rd palce tbh), and there is a lot of time for a new driver to be found.
Nothing big though, as the would be a signal of either Massa not coming back anymore, or Raikkonen not driving for Ferrari next year. Both situations they'd prefer to avoid being clear as of now.
They just need a reliable driver. Gene is my candidate I guess, but even Bourdais.
That's depends also on what Renault is going to do with Piquet as well.
KFL Racing Enterprises - Kicking your ass since 2008
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Novice
Well, for sure, Ferrari cannot risk losing both Kimi and Massa at once. There simply are not enough good drivers available to replace both simultaneously. Gené is the most logical replacement of Massa, but a guy can dream about Alonso or Schumacher, right?
Fanatic
personally I'd love to see Michael race again, though I doubt that'll happen. Bourdais may be interesting to see if its really an STR thing or he is just not good enough...though I have a feeling its really his problem...
University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
Formula Student Championship 2003, 2005, 2006
www.fsae.utoronto.ca
Fanatic
perhaps it's a problem he has with F1 cars, he seemed to enjoy the 908.Originally Posted by RacingManiac
I think STR played a bit unfair dismissing him just the race before the updates arrived. I think it was a matter of money, sponsors and turnover of new faces rather than disappointing results (as Buemi didn't exactly play better than him)
KFL Racing Enterprises - Kicking your ass since 2008
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Novice
It was all down to finances. Alguersuari brought with him a lot of money in sponsorship just for two races. The irony in this? Bourdais might be the one to replace Alguersuari after those two races unless Alguersuari keeps on racing well. He did beat Buemi yesterday!
Enthusiast
I'd pick Marc Gene. He's not a bad driver, he's Ferrari's one, unlike Alonso (who would like to have some problems with Briatore? argh..) and, after all, he's a Spaniard, and the next race is Valencia. Some years ago McLaren has provided a seat for both De La Rosa and Wurz when Montoya injured his shoulder, and both did very well. I don't think Badoer will be racing though, while Alonso and Schumacher personalities just look funny in this context
Novice
Schumacher himself has denied ever returning to the F1 racing scene as a driver. He also pointed out that Ferrari already has two great 3rd drivers. My bet right now is either Marc Gené or Mirko Bortolotti. Bortolotti is a young Italian who has test driven the Ferrari once.
Wikipedia link for Bortolotti: [ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirko_Bortolotti[/ame]
If he would race, I think he'd be the 2nd youngest driver ever, beaten only by Alguersuari :P
Bortolotti drove the F2008 around Fiorano in a faster lap time than anyone else, including Ferrari's actual F1 drivers
Last edited by Chrischrill; 07-28-2009 at 07:00 AM.
Fanatic
Bortolotti is now under contract with Red Bull.
KFL Racing Enterprises - Kicking your ass since 2008
*cough* http://theitalianjunkyard.blogspot.com/ *cough*
Fanatic
Thing is though he has been out performed by his teammates, quite soundly I might add. Even when STR was as good as it was last year(he did get better, but not Vettel good, and he is supposed to be a very experienced driver who has enjoyed lots of success elsewhere). I don't think he is as bad as Piquet, but I guess Frank Tost/Helmut Marko was more ruthless, even compare to Briatore....which btw, why do they still keep Piquet around for so long...
I don't think they should've replaced him during the year this year, but then again if they were to use Jaime whats-his-last-name with the testing ban they might as well slot him in the car as early as they can to at least learn all the track he can this year....
University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
Formula Student Championship 2003, 2005, 2006
www.fsae.utoronto.ca
Fanatic
Agree and the testing ban thingy, if it wasn't that it isn't sure they will give him a seat for next year as well.
If I was Renault I'd take Bourdais, and fire Piquet.
KFL Racing Enterprises - Kicking your ass since 2008
*cough* http://theitalianjunkyard.blogspot.com/ *cough*
Supporting Admin
They need to ban the testing ban. It's a safety hazard.
If you should see a man walking down a crowded street talking aloud to himself, don't run in the opposite direction, but run towards him, because he's a poet. You have nothing to fear from the poet - but the truth.
(Ted Joans)
Fanatic
It is, the more I think about that the less it makes sense. I remember there were all the fuss about Raikkonen or whoever joining F1 with no racing experience. But they have at least completed multiple race distance in a F1 car under testing condition. So they are at the very least physically sound, if not lacking race craft(possibly). Now you are slotting a F3 driver(a car thats way underpowered for the grip level) with 0 F1 testing experience except doing 2 straightline runs, and let him drive on the same track as the others under race condition and for full distance, which is likely 3 times longer than a regular F3 race with the car capable of much higher cornering force and being more physical to drive....its completely dumbfounding....I thought you supposed to earn your super license, by not only have experience in the ladder series, but also with a certain amount of seat time in F1 car...
University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
Formula Student Championship 2003, 2005, 2006
www.fsae.utoronto.ca
Supporting Member
Perhaps they need a crash course in last year's car.....which is allowed to be driven and you can put on slicks.
"I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams
Supporting Admin
Parts have fallen off cars this year, so it's not just drivers that need the testing.
If you should see a man walking down a crowded street talking aloud to himself, don't run in the opposite direction, but run towards him, because he's a poet. You have nothing to fear from the poet - but the truth.
(Ted Joans)
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