First driver to be dropped in 2008

[FIA]

Who do you think will be the first driver to be dropped in 2008?

Piquet? - Hasn't preformed in qualifying that well, but he has potential.
Nakajima? - Has the odd crash now and then.
Bourdais? - He has his hands full with Vettel.
Barrichello? - He must get points early on this year, did well in qualifying.
Sutil? - This is the year when he has to show what he has.
Glock? - He also has his hands full with Trulli.

[ShiftingGears]

If any, Piquet. Seems to think very highly of himself, when in reality, if his last name wasn't Piquet he wouldn't even be an F1 tester.

[Ranger]

One of the Super Aguri drivers.

Money talks.

[keysersoze]

The only driver who has been relatively slow so far has been Piquet. Everyone else has been about as fast as can be expected.

[Powered by Cosworth]

Whichever driver doesn't come up with sponsorship money.

[Nikki Katz]

I think that if Super Aguri runs into trouble then possibly Davidson.
Piquet's been really bad so far, but we are only one qualifying into the season, so they'll give him longer than that. He'll presumably improve, but if he doesn't then he won't make the end of the year.
I think that Nakajima brings enough money to Williams to last the season no matter how much he crashes.
Possibly if one of the Force India drivers is significantly worse than the other then they'll be dropped in favour of Liuzzi, but that probably wouldn't be until the last few races.

[seppefan]

One of the Super Aguri drivers.

Money talks.
I agree, they are the most vunerable but it will not be Sato unless they get another engine supplier.
Nelson P should be safe as Briatore is his manager and earns of the back of him. He will improve as well.

[jens]

Davidson, Piquet and Bourdais are the biggest possibilities. The latter two in case they continue getting beaten so convincingly. As we know the past relationships between STR's management and drivers, then that makes cautious.

Doubt about Glock - he has already shown some promise against Mr Qualifier.
Nakajima should be safe too (cash!) unless he performs really awfully.
Barrichello - I doubt about that too. Brawn seems satisfied with him and there aren't many options, who to take as RB's replacements (Conway? Filippi? Nah, I think they won't get their chance before 2009).

[Nikki Katz]

I think that Bourdais, Piquet and Davidson were caught out by the yellow at the end of the session which hampered their progress today, so we probably can't read too much into the one session. Bourdais had already put in a reasonable lap but it wasn't enough to get through to Q2. Piquet had an awful first lap. Due to the state of the team, Davidson only would have picked up a couple of places with a clean lap anyway.
A number of drivers did set their fastest lap when the yellow was out, but presumably they'd all passed that point by then as nobody was penalised.
It'll probably take a few races to properly work out who's doing well.

[SGWilko]

Nakajima should be safe too (cash!) unless he performs really awfully.


If Frank wants to keep free engines, then Kazuki will be staying put I guess....

[markabilly]

Speed

http://kartlink.com/2008/ex-f1-driver-scott-speed-to-race-in-florida-winter-tour/

[FIA]

I hope that Piquet can prove himself in the race.

[Tazio]

Speed

http://kartlink.com/2008/ex-f1-driver-scott-speed-to-race-in-florida-winter-tour/
It won't be long untill he'a selling tin siding ;)

[jso1985]

Davidson, pretty much for non-racing reasons, if the Magma Group has a driver in mind, then he(or maybe she) will get Davidson's seat.
They would even have an excuse... he hasn't been faster than Sato

[truefan72]

I honestly think that this is one of those years where all the drivers retain their seats for the enitre year.

The only potential causalty IMO would have been Barrichello, due to his abysmal last year. but his ties to Brawn may see loyalty and the lack of a young ace in the wings, stem the urgency for a replacment

[Hawkmoon]

I honestly think that this is one of those years where all the drivers retain their seats for the enitre year.

The only potential causalty IMO would have been Barrichello, due to his abysmal last year. but his ties to Brawn may see loyalty and the lack of a young ace in the wings, stem the urgency for a replacment

Rubens out qualified Button and narrowly missed the top 10. There's life in the old boy yet!

I think Bourdais and Davidson are the only two who have any chance of being dropped. Davidson because money talks and he doesn't have any and Bourdais because Vettel will thrash the pants off him while he's still learning and STR management seem to have little in the way of patience where drivers are concerned.

[F1boat]

Nobody, IMO.

[SGWilko]

Sorry, but I really can'y resist. ;)

On todays' performances, I'd have to say Massa and Kimi. :D

[jens]

Sorry, but I really can'y resist. ;)

On todays' performances, I'd have to say Massa and Kimi. :D

Yeah, they'll be replaced by Vettel and M. Schumacher. :eek: ;) :cheese:

[SGWilko]

Yeah, they'll be replaced by Vettel and M. Schumacher. :eek: ;) :cheese:

:laugh:

[Redracer]

Yeah, they'll be replaced by Vettel and M. Schumacher. :eek: ;) :cheese:

I wish

[truefan72]

Rubens out qualified Button and narrowly missed the top 10. There's life in the old boy yet!

I think Bourdais and Davidson are the only two who have any chance of being dropped. Davidson because money talks and he doesn't have any and Bourdais because Vettel will thrash the pants off him while he's still learning and STR management seem to have little in the way of patience where drivers are concerned.

he certainlty did and had a fantastic race to boot.

Way to shut me up LOL.

...and speaking off. Bourdais just landed 2 points today for STR and finished 7th. If the car held up for 2 more bloody laps he woulf have finsihed 4th. So we both got to eat some crow there.

Although I did say that IMO nobody was probably going to lose their seat this year

[Ian McC]

Piquet is a good driver, another example of what happens if you spend a year in testing.

[ioan]

DC should go, even if only for being the most dangerous driver at the start of every season (see last years Oz GP!).

[stevie_gerrard]

If performances dont improve before British GP at latest in July, I dont think flavio has a choice but to replace Piquet, seriously poor even for a rookie in a mid table car. I suppose we shouldnt be too harsh on him with it only being first race of season, but he seemed so slow and disappointing for me, i honestly expected him to put up some fight but he was just slow. Saying that, he was a rookie, and learning this track, maybe we will see some improvement ahead of the later races in the season.

[F1boat]

Well, Nelson at least passed 9 people on Lap 1.

[gloomyDAY]

DC should go, even if only for being the most dangerous driver at the start of every season (see last years Oz GP!).Agreed. Make room for a driver that is going to take Red Bull places other than backwards, sideways, or into the wall. If Red Bull wants to go forward then Vettel is their man.

Also, I'm inclined to think that Bourdais and Vettel are being groomed to take over Red Bull Racing. There is a lot of uncertainty with STR over the customer car issue. If STR goes away, then maybe Webber & DC will do the same in order to place the Seb's into contention.

[Daniel]

Kimi or Lewis. You heard it here first.

[keysersoze]

Well, Nelson at least passed 9 people on Lap 1.

Sutil started from pit row, so Nelson was already ahead of him, then Boy Blunder took out three cars, then he got by a few who had gotten together later that lap. He sure as heck didn't make positions by EARNING them.

He was in 11th when the green flag dropped after the safety period, but he dropped several positions before retiring.

[Stuartf12007]

Coulthard.

[longisland]

I'd say Webber. Der Seb has the pace & Le Seb has the street smart from his Champ Cars experience.

[Beth]

I agree about Webber, i think i am a little biased against him though but really what has he done in F1 his whole career??? 2 podiums pfft.. i might be a bit harsh but i still think there were far more talented drivers in the Aussie race scene that could of potentially done better thigns than him..just my two cents worth (although as a ralfy schumacher fan maybe my opinion doesn't count! )

[Tazio]

I agree about Webber, i think i am a little biased against him though but really what has he done in F1 his whole career??? 2 podiums pfft.. i might be a bit harsh but i still think there were far more talented drivers in the Aussie race scene that could of potentially done better thigns than him..just my two cents worth (although as a ralfy schumacher fan maybe my opinion doesn't count! )It counts to me!
I think your hot!!! ;)

[CNR]

I agree about Webber, i think i am a little biased against him though but really what has he done in F1 his whole career??? 2 podiums pfft.. i might be a bit harsh but i still think there were far more talented drivers in the Aussie race scene that could of potentially done better thigns than him..just my two cents worth (although as a ralfy schumacher fan maybe my opinion doesn't count! )


look at all the times he has been in a good race position and the car has f_edup or the race where that f_wit lewis caused him to crash out.

but then again
ryan briscoe or Will Power

[Placid]

I would say Sutil, Kaz, and Davidson along on who is behind on sponsor dollars just like Albers in 2007.

[Ranger]

Well, Nelson at least passed 9 people on Lap 1.
But attaining terminal damage in the process.

He'll have to start his career again next this coming weekend.

[MAX_THRUST]

Trulli

overated. CAn't do long distances.

[jens]

Trulli

overated. CAn't do long distances.

I have always thought that Trulli's race pace is underrated. ;) While he has of course had disappointing races, then he has also had a lot of good races, where he has kept good pace from start to finish, but those ones are for some reason forgotten.

[Roamy]

well from what I saw JV needs to take the 2nd renault

[COD]

Piquet for sure. What was that? His head seems to be bigger than results. Haha, Briatore must be kicking himself for changing Kovalainen to that useless youngster.

[pino]

Trulli

overated. CAn't do long distances.

You're talking about his car...don't you ? ;)

[F1boat]

Sutil started from pit row, so Nelson was already ahead of him, then Boy Blunder took out three cars, then he got by a few who had gotten together later that lap. He sure as heck didn't make positions by EARNING them.

He was in 11th when the green flag dropped after the safety period, but he dropped several positions before retiring.

He survived in the lap 1 carnage and later had problems with the car. Flavio and Symonds said that he is not to blame.
I wonder why do you hate him so much. Because he promoted Heikki to McLaren or because of his daddy?

[ShiftingGears]

I think Fisichella has a chance of being de-moted down to test driver mid season if he under performs giving Luizzi the seat.. Also Davidson has been abit of an underachiever for the past season by not matching the pace of Sato...

Fisichella is doing better than Sutil, who seems highly overrated. He was lucky he started with Albers and then Yamamoto as teammates. I don't see any reason why they'd drop Fisichella over Sutil.

I am surprised at the number of people saying that Webber should be dropped as he has been better than Coulthard for the past year and a half. Maybe because those people have let their nationality cloud their judgement.

[keysersoze]

^^^^^

Ugs is correct about Fisi, although I think Sutil will come one as the season progresses.

[Corny]

probably Piquet, he should better be doing mode shows or something, but not in F1 business :D

[wmcot]

Too early to tell, but if anyone is dropped, I'd suspect it will be due to financial problems with the team rather than driver skill. This year's driver crop seems to be OK.