Quick post today, as I’ve got two little snippets of rather interesting news.
First up, I was in Barcelona yesterday to see Mr Felipe Massa who was testing the F2008. He was on great form, as always, and was clearly enjoying being back behind the wheel. However it was something about the man who had been running at Barcelona for the two days before Felipe took over at the wheel that I thought you might find interesting. According to the Ferrari Corse Clienti chaps, Mr Valentino Rossi was so fast that he equalled Kimi Raikkonen’s best 2008 qualifying lap in the same car around Barcelona. Sure Rossi had slicks at his disposal rather than grooved tyres, but the track was still pretty moist and slippery, although drying rapidly, on Thursday when he set his best lap.
Impressive? You bet your ass that’s impressive, and it’s little wonder that stories of Rossi wanting to cross over to F1 have resurfaced again since the end of the test.
Second up are the rumours I am hearing coming out of Enstone which say that Russia’s Vitaly Petrov is very close to the second race seat alongside Robert Kubica in 2010. There were reports earlier in the week that Petrov was in consideration for the job, but as things stand I understand it’s now between just him and an F1 driver with recent experience. (Recent being 2008, so that appears to wipe JV off the list of candidates.)
My sources could be wrong, of course, but from the lay of the land it looks as though F1 may get its first Russian next season, no doubt with a huge amount of backing from both the Russian government, which has backed Petrov for many years, and through current Renault F1 sponsor MegaFon.
Will,
Most, most, dissapointing if this is true.
Money aside, Jacques is a FAR better option for Renault. Money talks it seems….
I assume the “experienced 2008 guy” you refer to would be either Klien or Sato?
OK, well far in advance ill predict that Petrov has ZERO chance of challenging Kubica and wont score any points for Renault all season!
Lets hope Kubica can develop a car for Renault’s sake otherwise they could find themselves moving quickly backwards..
Renault is a top team and shouldnt be hiring pay drivers..
So it’s now over for Villeneuve ?
If it’s not JV, why NH is about to be announced on Monday to Mercedes ?
I am a little bit disappointed 😥
Petrov, Lopez… These last few seats really are about who’s got the biggest cheque book isn’t it?
Will Buxton,
You said in the previous news comentaries: (about JV)
“Still, if it doesn’t happen at Renault, there’s always USF1.”
What do you think about Jacques’ posibilities to have a drive in USF1?
Who are the other candidates for this car?
[…] Rossi and a Russian […]
If this is true, i’m very disappointed.
Boullier chose the money instead of the talent.
Petrov haven’t proved nothing yet.
He finished second in GP2 but it doesn’t mean he’ll be a great F1 driver.
Petrov have a lot of things to learn and the best place to do that is the third driver seat.
But it seems that Boullier don’t think that way.
I hope your sources are wrong.
Jacques has had two chances in F1 and while I think he can still cut it, Renault needs look at the bigger picture. That being money. Why is it that Jacques can not attract sponsors?
2008 experience? Got to be Sato surely
As for Petrov, he may be bringing sponsorship but he’s decent enough. No idiot finishes 2nd in GP2. It’s no worse than Sutil bringing Medion and Capri Sun sponsorship to Force India
Megafon quit Renault in 2009 when Genii took over Will… are they going to come back on board again?
I wonder how Petrov will cope starting his first GP with cold tyres and brakes and with 160kg of fuel… LOL….
Renault PLEASE put JV in the car, he will bring performance to the car that none of the other *available* drivers can bring….
Regarding Rossi: it’s been since suggested that Massa’s time was anywhere from 2.5-3.0 seconds faster than Rossi’s fastest time? do you know if there is any truth to these claims?
as for Petrov’s sponsors, as others have already indicated, Megafon appears to be out. it appears, however, that Gazprom (sp?) and Sverbank (sp?) are the big sponsors (just going on reports culled in the net).
any insignts as to the authenticity of either claims?
Thanks,
J.