Petrov signs for Renault [Archive]

CNR

29th January 2010, 23:24

http://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2010/01/petrov-signs-for-renault/

GP2 runner-up Vitaly Petrov has been signed by Renault as their second driver for the 2010 season.
Petrov had been a front-runner for the drive along with the likes of Nick Heidfeld, Christian Klien and 2009 driver Romain Grosjean.

DazzlaF1

29th January 2010, 23:43

I usually say to myself that i'll only beleive it when it is officially announced, but this one i think has been on the cards for at least the last week.

Expect this to be true at Renault's car unveiling

maximilian

29th January 2010, 23:43

Money talks! Good move for Vitaly, to go to Renault, instead of Campos or WTF1... :p :

BMW_F1

29th January 2010, 23:52

it is a real shame Heidfeld won't be on the grid next year.. Renault was out of cash .. I guess that was the main reason..

DazzlaF1

29th January 2010, 23:56

it is a real shame Heidfeld won't be on the grid next year.. Renault was out of cash .. I guess that was the main reason..

Aye, id think so too, big shame for Heidfeld like you said, unless he's that desperate for a race seat to go for one of the 2 remaining slots with the newbies, he's out till 2011 at least.

Also i dont think its just money when it comes to Petrov, he's proved himself to be a good driver in GP2, if it were based on talent alone then i'd think he was worthy of a drive amongst the expanded grid anyway. Good luck to him :up:

Saint Devote

30th January 2010, 02:10

K-Pu

30th January 2010, 03:03

I hope Petrov repeats his good performances of GP2 in F1, which have created general agreement about him deserving a F1 seat.

But aprat from this, and related to the 2010 lineups thread, we are getting a quite curious situation...

So looks like only ONE seat is really left open, presuming the Teixiera buy-in goes thru:

McLAREN: 1. Button, 2. Hamilton (Paffet) English Superteam
MERCEDES: 3. Schumacher, 4. Rosberg (Heidfeld) German Superteam
RED BULL: 5. Vettel, 6. Webber (Ricciardo)
FERRARI: 7. Massa, 8. Alonso (Fisichella) Latin Superteam
WILLIAMS: 9. Barrichello, 10. Hulkenberg (Soucek?)
RENAULT: 11. Kubica, 12. Petrov (Tung) Slavic Superteam
FORCE INDIA: 14. Sutil, 15. Liuzzi (di Resta)
TORO ROSSO: 16. Buemi, 17. Alguersuari (Hartley)
LOTUS: 18. Trulli, 19. Kovalainen (Fauzy)
CAMPOS: 20. Carroll, 21. Senna (Soucek may get the seat depending on the buy-in?)
USF1: 22. ????? Klien? Sato? Rossiter? 23. Lopez
VIRGIN: 24. Glock, 25. Di Grassi (Parente)
SAUBER: 26. Kobayashi, 27. de la Rosa (???)

Maximilian´s prediction turned out to be right! We have the Slavic, Latin, German and English Superteams! And add to this Sauber, with my favourite lineup :D

F1boat

30th January 2010, 07:04

Oh, Renault bring a Pole and a Russian together... splendid. ;)

F1boat

30th January 2010, 07:05

I just wonder HOW the team are going to control Vitaly's mother - if you haven't seen her performances you could be in for a treat.

Pity that Flavio isn't here - the clash between her and the flamboyant Italian would have made a classic :)

Jag_Warrior

30th January 2010, 07:20

Pity that Flavio isn't here - the clash between her and the flamboyant Italian would have made a classic :)

That hag would actually make a race fan appreciate Flavio. I haven't seen a more classless person since Sandy Andretti was trolling the paddock.

UltimateDanGTR

30th January 2010, 09:13

1. good for vitaly-he deserves a chance and could do well
2. I feel sorry for Heidfeld. he aint got much chance of a drive now. despite the fact that he deserves one. (common Nick-come to the BTCC!)

Giuseppe F1

30th January 2010, 13:45

Is there any YouTube link of the 'Petrovs mum hitting the mechanic' instant? Sounds classic!

Robinho

30th January 2010, 13:52

Signing Petrov will be good for f1 and Renault will have put together a strong line-up in my view.

Its good for GP2 given the disappointing performances by their graduates since Lewis.

Hulkenberg, Petrov and di Grassi finished in the first three positions as I recall.

I like all of the above drivers and hope they fulfill their potential.

I just wonder HOW the team are going to control Vitaly's mother - if you haven't seen her performances you could be in for a treat.

It was at the Hungaroring I think she started hitting one the team after her son had mechanical problems. After being used to the dignified presence of Anthony and John - she will be VERY different.

yet Grosjean gets dumped, despite finishing the GP2 table in 4th after missing over a 3rd of the season - he likely would have beaten 2 of the 3 you refer to yet was dumped after being given next to no chance in a car that wasn't up to much - i fail to see how Petrov is a beter prospect (i can see that he arrives with more cash though?)

Robinho

30th January 2010, 14:01

Heidfield has a chance at Campos possible and/or USF1, but i can't see how that would really benefit him. maybe if Stefan GP/Toyota turn up unannounced he could drive there, but i can't help thinking that the whole Stefan thing is a big con/corrupt cover up, something seems seriously shady about it all to me

F1boat

30th January 2010, 14:13

yet Grosjean gets dumped, despite finishing the GP2 table in 4th after missing over a 3rd of the season - he likely would have beaten 2 of the 3 you refer to yet was dumped after being given next to no chance in a car that wasn't up to much - i fail to see how Petrov is a beter prospect (i can see that he arrives with more cash though?)

Cash is no small advantage... but I'm very sad for Romain, I believe that he is a better driver than Vitaly and I'm gutted to see his career ended in such brutal short time. F1 is really the piranha club.

Sonic

30th January 2010, 15:21

Cash is no small advantage... but I'm very sad for Romain, I believe that he is a better driver than Vitaly and I'm gutted to see his career ended in such brutal short time. F1 is really the piranha club.

The poor guy. As has been pointed out, I believe he was 2nd in championship when he got the Renault call up, and now he's dumped for a guy he was wooping?

Allyc85

30th January 2010, 15:51

Is there any YouTube link of the 'Petrovs mum hitting the mechanic' instant? Sounds classic!

You mean this lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9hpWADHfOc

Nikki Katz

30th January 2010, 16:29

Petrov's ok but I wouldn't say he's the best of the GP2 drivers. Actually, given form in GP2 then bar Kobayashi he's probably the worst to make it to F1, though it has to be said that Kobayashi hasn't been too bad so far in F1. Petrov did finish runner up last year, but that was thanks in no small part to Grosjean leaving mid season. They were teammates weren't they? And Grosjean was much better despite being in his 2nd year compared to Petrov's 4th?

truefan72

30th January 2010, 17:42

good in gp2 does not always mean good in F1
average in gp2 does not always mean average in F1

Good for Petrov he does deserve a shot
I do feel sorry for Grosjean though although, if he were smart he would sign up as a 3rd driver for Renault.

Klien, I am hoping can still get the Virgin seat, or he should stay as a 3rd for Sauber.

Giuseppe F1

30th January 2010, 17:48

Klien, I am hoping can still get the Virgin seat, or he should stay as a 3rd for Sauber.

All the Virgin seats are taken........Glock/di Grassi racing and Parente/Razia testing

gloomyDAY

30th January 2010, 17:51

Good luck to Petrov, but Romain should get another shot in F1.
Let's see how Romain's career pans out.

You mean this lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9hpWADHfOcI'd choke that bitch.

maximilian

30th January 2010, 18:01

Klien, I am hoping can still get the Virgin seat, or he should stay as a 3rd for Sauber.
Yeah, Virgin's seats are taken, Klien's last hope is the final open seat at WTF1... not much of a hope even if he GETS it, methinks... :p :

F1boat

30th January 2010, 19:32

The poor guy. As has been pointed out, I believe he was 2nd in championship when he got the Renault call up, and now he's dumped for a guy he was wooping?

His career was really messed. He missed the chance for GP2 title and looked like a fool when thrown in the deep without testing. :(

maximilian

30th January 2010, 20:02

Actually I thought he looked really pretty good at the first race, but then seemed to fade quite a bit after that...

jens

30th January 2010, 22:27

Well, to me Petrov seems similar to di Grassi - consistent, steady, but barely ever seriously impresses. When Hülkenberg finally got up to speed in GP2 after half a season he comfortably beat Petrov in the second half of the season. I suspect the Renault team-mate battle will be one of the most one-sided battles of the year - at worst case similar to Rosberg v Nakajima (who also never shone, although wasn't usually hopelessly off the pace).

Having said all that, I'm still positive about his debut and it will be interesting to see, what he can do. After all it can't be said that a runner-up of GP2 doesn't deserve a drive in F1. And it's fun to finally see a Russian driver in F1. :p :

As there has been a lot of talk about national teams, then Renault is now an Eastern bloc team. It's also worth mentioning that Renault owns Dacia and partly also Lada. :p : By the way, Petrov was racing in GP2 with "Russia" signs on his rear wing. I wonder, if it will appear on Renault car too thanks to sponsors - Kubica would surely have fun with that. :D

Saint Devote

31st January 2010, 01:43

There is a whole increasing group of drivers, that have proven themselevs to be good drivers in other formulae.

Amongst them Panatano, Davidson, Sato, Grosjean, Bourdais, Piquet and so on.

Racing in the US Indyracing series is not a solution - most would want to anyway.

But there is a single seater / openwheel series that is beginning to look good. Run by Enzo Coloni it is the Eurosport formula with 550 bhp engines and very good prize money.

Run on great tracks in Europe, the cars are only slower than F1 and GP2.

I cant see why it cannot become like the F5000 or F1 Aurora series - all these drivers could find a very welcome home and cars that respond to DRIVERS as opposed to the current way of f1 where the driver has to respond to the car otherwise his career is over because he is viewed as "rubbish".

Jag_Warrior

31st January 2010, 02:54

But there is a single seater / openwheel series that is beginning to look good. Run by Enzo Coloni it is the Eurosport formula with 550 bhp engines and very good prize money.

Do you have a link to that series' website?

Saint Devote

31st January 2010, 03:54

Do you have a link to that series' website?

Try this: http://www.autogp.org/en/news.php?id=0022

52Paddy

31st January 2010, 04:23

Really gutted for Heidfeld :(

Thanks for the autogp link Saint Devote. If I can get some race coverage, I'll be following that :up:

Jag_Warrior

31st January 2010, 06:22

Thanks, Saint Devote.

POS_Maggott

31st January 2010, 20:38

Are those old A1GP cars?

DazzlaF1

31st January 2010, 20:40

Are those old A1GP cars?

Yep

F1boat

31st January 2010, 20:48

So many series today...

maximilian

1st February 2010, 00:46

Too bad, it would have been funny if Petrov was driving USF1 (a.k.a. WTF1) instead, with "RUSSIA" written all over the back wing, a la GP2! :D

woody2goody

1st February 2010, 02:20

Good luck to the guy.
F1 does seem to be going through some talent lately. Every season a handful of rookies come and go like a production line of joy and despair.

I hope Petrov survives the cycle... :)

Me too, but for all those wanting Grosjean back in, if Petrov's crap (which I don't think he will be), then they might stick Romain back in the second car.

Petrov will be a solid number to to Kubica in his first season, but then I think he will improve quite a bit, maybe to the level of a Heidfeld or a Trulli in the end.

However how Heidfeld hasn't got himself a seat yet is unbelievable to me. Did he break 100 mirrors and walk under a few ladders after Abu Dhabi?

woody2goody

1st February 2010, 02:20

Too bad, it would have been funny if Petrov was driving USF1 (a.k.a. WTF1) instead, with "RUSSIA" written all over the back wing, a la GP2! :D

:D

Saint Devote

1st February 2010, 02:38

My pleasure :-]

They are old A1 but the cars have been re-engineered, more powerful engines, different gearbox, chassis modifications and tyres.

F1boat

1st February 2010, 08:14

My pleasure :-]

They are old A1 but the cars have been re-engineered, more powerful engines, different gearbox, chassis modifications and tyres.

Seems like a very cool series. But there are many series for young drivers now.

Saint Devote

2nd February 2010, 05:04

Seems like a very cool series. But there are many series for young drivers now.

Strictly speaking this is not a series for "young drivers". That is the domain of GP2 and F3, R3.5 and so on.

Auto GP is a series as an end in itself which is aiming to race on great circuits mostly left behind by F1.

It is a place where drivers rising through the formulae can race but it is a series that is more into becoming what the F5000, Aurora F1, CART and the SA F1 championship and even A1 GP [the concept of which I always disapproved of] was - for good drivers that want to race in a single seater series.

Many good drivers are rejected by f1 or are not able to get into the series.

Motor racing needs a series like that - at least thats what I think.

F1boat

2nd February 2010, 07:56

Strictly speaking this is not a series for "young drivers". That is the domain of GP2 and F3, R3.5 and so on.

Auto GP is a series as an end in itself which is aiming to race on great circuits mostly left behind by F1.

Now this is a good idea!

christophulus

8th February 2010, 10:07

Petrov might lose his drive if he doesn't come up with about 15m euro:

Vitaly Petrov’s Formula 1 dream today hangs in the balance after his father admitted that the loan he had personally secured to pay the first instalment of his son’s €15 million deal to race for the Renault F1 team in 2010, had been put on hold.

http://willthef1journo.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/petrov%E2%80%99s-renault-seat-is-not-100-secure/

Amazing that they can't find some Russian sponsorship for a Russian driver.

DexDexter

8th February 2010, 10:09

Petrov might lose his drive if he doesn't come up with about 15m euro:

http://willthef1journo.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/petrov%E2%80%99s-renault-seat-is-not-100-secure/

Amazing that they can't find some Russian sponsorship for a Russian driver.

Yep, really amazing. In hockey they throw millions around and still they don't seem to be able to support one F1-driver...maybe he just hasn't got the right contacts.

jens

8th February 2010, 13:35

N. Jones

8th February 2010, 14:16

Pay drivers, underfunded teams.... there is more uncertainty this season than in any I can remember! :)

racepode1

8th February 2010, 21:46

I think not only Petrov, but all paydrivers might struggle to find the necessary funds for completing an F1 season, so it could be a messy year at the driver market. Would be a shame though if a seat in an as established team as Renault would result in an auction - "that one, who can quickly find enough money for race C or D, will get the drive." Then again, replacing drivers mid-season would be nothing new for Renault, while looking back to last year. :D

P.S. DexDexter, I like your signature. :)
Well, in an interview the manager of pechito Lopez say tath they iniciate the negotiations sending a letter directly to the FIA and they forward to all the teams, besides all the new teams they received a reply from, Sauber, Force India, Williams and belive it or note Renault (were pechito was tester until 2006) they chose USF1 becose it's they only one they can aford even campos ask for more money because he was not runing reciently in feeders series, if pechito was coming with 12 Millions of Dollars he this week could be testing with Sauber or Maybe Force India.

Saint Devote

9th February 2010, 03:14

Pity that Flavio isn't here - the clash between her and the flamboyant Italian would have made a classic :)

Indeed!
But Flavio does not tolerate nonsense - he would have her thrown out and declare that if she wants her son to remain in the team she had better STAY out.

This woman is really dreadful - the first time I saw her act I thought it was a joke.

Saint Devote

9th February 2010, 03:18

Pay drivers, underfunded teams.... there is more uncertainty this season than in any I can remember! :)

Pay drivers have always been a feature - I rather look at it as personal sponsorship. And the well managed teams require the driver to be competent as well - Petrov is that.

There have always been teams that struggled in F1 as well. Just look back and see how Williams had to fight for almost a decade before he finally gained traction and really hit the upward slope of the J-Curve beginning in 1978.

It improves the breed :D