Manor/Virgin sign Glock

[christophulus]

The new Manor Grand Prix team have signed the German Timo Glock as their lead driver for their debut season in Formula 1 in 2010.

Glock, 27, has raced for Toyota for the last two seasons but was on the market after the Japanese company pulled out of F1 at the end of the season.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8363770.stm

Interesting, who's going to be Renault's second driver now? Are they even going to stay in the sport?

[Sonic]

Does this put Virgin in the plum seats to snap up the TF110 designs?

it seems this is a choice a lot of drivers are having to make this year - clear number 2 in a good team or clear number 1 in an unproven team.

[I am evil Homer]

Good move for Manor, Glock has decent pace and is getting more consistent. They need a similar driver in the second seat I think rather than a rookie to help develop the car.

[Somebody]

Well, there are co$t$ involved in signing two experienced (non-pay) drivers that may be more than the new teams can bear.

And I expect at least a Francophone, if not an outright Frenchman, as Renault No. 2 now. They can't quit yet, since the FIA would reopen 'Crashgate' and ask for $100m of their readies on pain of being forever banned from all FIA series (one of Renault's points of mitigation was that they would make a 'long-term' commitment to F1).

[jens]

Quite a surprise, I have to admit. Does that mean Renault is going to pull out? Yeah, Timo talks about "nice team athmosphere", but from whichever point of view Renault would have been a better choice (competitiveness of the car, salary, etc). Considering that Glock has got a recent experience of driving for a team with shaky future, maybe based on that experience he feels that something is not right at Renault...

[I am evil Homer]

BBC report also says DiGrassi will be the second driver....not confirmed though

[woody2goody]

Quite a surprise, I have to admit. Does that mean Renault is going to pull out? Yeah, Timo talks about "nice team athmosphere", but from whichever point of view Renault would have been a better choice (competitiveness of the car, salary, etc). Considering that Glock has got a recent experience of driving for a team with shaky future, maybe based on that experience he feels that something is not right at Renault...

A surprise, but a nice one, as I think Glock's getting better all the time.

However, my thoughts were that he could have beaten Kubica in equal cars, so maybe you're right about Renault Jens.

PS - If they can secure the rights to Toyota's 2010 chassis, then they will be in a good position. I wonder if Kobayashi or Nakajima will get a look in there?

[Somebody]

How much use would the Toyota design be at this point, though? The chassis/tub/monocoque is locked and manufactured around this time...

[woody2goody]

How much use would the Toyota design be at this point, though? The chassis/tub/monocoque is locked and manufactured around this time...

Maybe they could buy the chassis, you know, the same way that Toro Rosso did, intellectual property rights?

It's not as if Toyota will be using it, so it will be at least built by Manor.

[woody2goody]

Is it going to be Manor or Virgin?

[Josti]

Good move for Manor, Glock has decent pace and is getting more consistent. They need a similar driver in the second seat I think rather than a rookie to help develop the car.

Anthony Davidson maybe?

Good move by Glock, there's nothing bad to say about Manor at the moment and I didn't really thought the Glock-Renault combo would fit. I still think Grosjean deserves a proper shot at Renault, despite the poor results last season.

[DazzlaF1]

Anthony Davidson maybe?

Good move by Glock, there's nothing bad to say about Manor at the moment and I didn't really thought the Glock-Renault combo would fit. I still think Grosjean deserves a proper shot at Renault, despite the poor results last season.

If they were to get Ant Davidson, that would be in my view an excellent pair of drivers to have going into a debut 1st season, one up and coming talent in Glock and in Davidson, they'd have one of the best development drivers in the business.

EDIT: The BBC are reporting that they've also signed Lucas di Grassi for the 2nd seat

[leopard]

Interesting, who's going to be Renault's second driver now? Are they even going to stay in the sport?

I think so, if not rain... :)

Great news for Glock that finally gets the ride post Toyota officially pulls out of GP. On the manor virgin, supposedly he will drive as a strong mid player.

[maximilian]

A surprise, but a nice one, as I think Glock's getting better all the time.

Well, this should be the end of that... :p :