Sutil & DiResta for Force India, Nico Hulkenber #3

[i_max2k2]

Very Interesting development and I'm happy they went with this lineup, and it seems like Friday testing will be done by Hulkenberg.

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=396892:F1

[maxter]

Nice, I honestly thought they'd end up not changing the lineup at all, so I'm both surprised and excited about this. I'm glad Nico isn't out of the game altogether just yet.

[gloomyDAY]

Wahoooooooo!!! Come on Paul. Let's do it baby.

Also, the side story is interesting. Toro Rosso owned by an oil-rich Arab state?
At least Red Bull can fully focus on one team, but now they don't have a 4 car test.

[Sonic]

Well I'm a little disappointed. Putting a rookie in the car is great, but come on, taking away Friday running in favour of Nico is madness! Choose a driver guys and back him, stop trying to hedge your bets.

[UltimateDanGTR]

If true I'm very pleased for Di Resta.

However, this story first appeared in a swiss paper called 'blick'. I saw on twitter that this is apparently it's switzerlands' version of The Sun, and that the story has since been retracted as 'rumour'.

So until I see an official announcement, I wouldn't believe in this story completely.

[N4D13]

According to Joe Saward's blog (http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/why-force-india-cannot-name-its-drivers/), Force India DO want to have Sutil and di Resta racing in 2011, but Liuzzi's contract states that he must have a Force India drive this year, so FI are looking for a way to pay Liuzzi out of the team.

[keysersoze]

From what I recall, Liuzzi and Sutil have very small salaries (by F1 standards), under $500K, so it seems it would be no problem to pay VL off, if that's all it took.

[Robinho]

paying off the contract is one thing, but it will take more than that to actualy break the contract. likely to be well worth it to Force India if they can get Di Resta and Hulkenberg under contract though as then they will potentially have 3 young drivers who are genuinely attractive to other teams and might make them some money in the future.

i can see the 3 moving to Renault or Merc in a couple of years, possibly even McLaren (Sutil to Renault, Hulk to Merc and Di Resta to McLaren over the next 3 years?)

[I am evil Homer]

Wouldn't McLaren be more likely to give Paffett a shot before DiResta? Or indeed Turvey if he continues to develop.

DiResta is a Mercedes driver not a McLaren one.

[Sonic]

Wouldn't McLaren be more likely to give Paffett a shot before DiResta? Or indeed Turvey if he continues to develop.

DiResta is a Mercedes driver not a McLaren one.

Nah. Gary doesn't have a shot at a Mac seat. He's much older than Lewis and as old as Jenson. By the time there's a seat on offer he'll be PDLR's age - and that went well ;)

Personally if we are talking Brits in F1 I hope Sam Bird gets a shot.

[Robinho]

Paffet will never race a McLaren, unless one of the 2 incumbants gets hurt. He's a solid tester, and i think he'd be a half decent mid pack racer, but not McLaren driver quality. Di Resta and Hulk and even Sutil will be the pick of Merc backed drivers, for the Merc works team or maybe McLaren. I see Force India as a junior team to both at the moment

[UltimateDanGTR]

contrary to what I said earlier, a german friend of mine told me that Di Resta's name wasnt on Mercedes' 2011 DTM drivers list.....(I'm guessing on the german version of the mercedes website, because it just lists mercs' 2010 drivers in the english version)

[N. Jones]

Sad that Hulkenberg can only get a test role.
We need a 13th team so he and Nick Heidfeld can be on the grid!

[import111]

Sad that Hulkenberg can only get a test role.
We need a 13th team so he and Nick Heidfeld can be on the grid!

I agree. I think Hulkenburg has great talent and would like to see him have a full time F1 drive.

[ShiftingGears]

Excellent. Di Resta deserves this chance, now we can see what he's made of.

[gloomyDAY]

Sad that Hulkenberg can only get a test role.
We need a 13th team so he and Nick Heidfeld can be on the grid!Well, that's what you get for underachieving in your rookie season. I mean, The Hulk only got 1 pole position for Williams? They get pole position all the time! :p :

[jens]

Nice line-up. The main thing I'm struggling to understand, is that why did Force India commit to Liuzzi for so long. When they hired him in 2008, they basically signed a 4-year-deal immediately (two as a tester, two as a racer). Did Mallya really believe in him so much that he thought he would be worth such a long-term bet? In any case, by now it has backfired.

[I am evil Homer]

I think Luizzi deserved a second shot and perhaps VM thought he'd develop further into a more consistent driver. But really he's done very little of note at FI...not that any of this has been confirmed yet!

[Mia 01]

There´s to little testing nowdays, that´s the problem.

[N. Jones]

Well, that's what you get for underachieving in your rookie season. I mean, The Hulk only got 1 pole position for Williams? They get pole position all the time! :p :

:laugh:

Actually Sir Frank Loves his pay drivers and if one comes along, who cares about a guy they are paying with talent. They will take the pay driver every time.

[truefan72]

it is a shame that there is no race seat for Hulkenberg.
I really though Trulli would call it a day/fired and he would land at lotus

[RS]

Hulkenburg really deserves a proper race seat; it would be good to see Chandok at Force India as third driver (so there actually is something Indian about the team other than the name) and Hulkenburg at Torro Rosso, giving one of the two mediocre drivers they have there the boot.

[Garry Walker]

Wouldn't McLaren be more likely to give Paffett a shot before DiResta? Or indeed Turvey if he continues to develop.

DiResta is a Mercedes driver not a McLaren one.

Paffett has done nothing to deserve a race seat, Di Resta is a much bigger talent. It is high time he was given a seat in F1.


Well, that's what you get for underachieving in your rookie season. I mean, The Hulk only got 1 pole position for Williams? They get pole position all the time! :p :

That is what you get for getting beaten almost in every race by your teammate, which is something people are forgetting about Nico. All they talk about is that one lucky pole position, forgetting the other 18 or 19 races, where Rubens was always dominating mr.hype.


Nice line-up. The main thing I'm struggling to understand, is that why did Force India commit to Liuzzi for so long. When they hired him in 2008, they basically signed a 4-year-deal immediately (two as a tester, two as a racer). Did Mallya really believe in him so much that he thought he would be worth such a long-term bet? In any case, by now it has backfired.

I have never understood the hype about Liuzzi, he has never done anything in F1.



it is a shame that there is no race seat for Hulkenberg.
I really though Trulli would call it a day/fired and he would land at lotus

Trulli deserves a seat in F1 more than "mr.Igotbeatenbymyteammaterubens"


Hulkenburg really deserves a proper race seat; it would be good to see Chandok at Force India as third driver (so there actually is something Indian about the team other than the name) and Hulkenburg at Torro Rosso, giving one of the two mediocre drivers they have there the boot.

So you want to replace one mediocre driver with another? There is nothing to indicate nico is any better than either of STR drivers

[rjbetty]

Hulkenburg really deserves a proper race seat; it would be good to see Chandok at Force India as third driver (so there actually is something Indian about the team other than the name) and Hulkenburg at Torro Rosso, giving one of the two mediocre drivers they have there the boot.

I very much agree. It doesn't seem fair that the Toro Rosso drivers have a drive but Hulkenberg doesn't. Unfortunately I can't ever see Buemi becoming a real star, despite the brief fuss over him last summer.

Also, yes I remember McLaren promising a drive for Paffett! I thought he'd be around by 2008 if not earlier.

Though I think Trulli still has good stuff to offer to Lotus - for where they are at the moment - but only for one more year, then he can sign out.

[N. Jones]

Well, that's what you get for underachieving in your rookie season. I mean, The Hulk only got 1 pole position for Williams? They get pole position all the time! :p :

I know! What's with kids nowadays? You know, back in my day fllip billet argy-bargy blah blah blah./...
;)

[bblocker68]

Glad to see Nico found a ride, even if it's a 3rd driver spot. I hope to see him fill Scumi's seat when he retires (hopefully in 2011). A nico/Nico combo would be formidable. I will be wondering if diResta can hold on to his drive with Nico waiting in the wings..........

[gloomyDAY]

So you want to replace one mediocre driver with another? There is nothing to indicate nico is any better than either of STR driversUh oh! Someone found their high horse again. Rubens has had almost 2 decades of F1 experience as opposed to Nico who is a rookie. I guess Nico is a no-talent slouch who somehow got a "lucky" pole position by beating out all the front-running teams. Nico also started doing a lot better at the end of the season and beat Rubens at his home grand prix.

I'm sure you'll like Nico's replacement at Williams, Pastor Maldonado. Pastor is also good friends with Hugo Chavez, and I know how much you like Hugo Chavez. You three should have tea with each other and get to know one another a little better. :p

[ArrowsFA1]

I will be wondering if diResta can hold on to his drive with Nico waiting in the wings..........
I'm thinking Sutil might be the one under pressure, particularly as Mercedes have "placed" their driver with the team and Force India have Willi Webber's protege waiting in the wings.

Sutil could be in danger of becoming the next Liuzzi i.e. been around a few years with little or no interest from a bigger team. If it was going to happen for AS then I tend to think it would have done by now.

[yodasarmpit]

Woohoo

[UltimateDanGTR]

As a biased Brit I can't wait to see how Di Resta gets on at FI and I hope we does well, although he needs to prove himself as the near equal of Sutil as soon as possible, otherwise there was not much point in replacing Liuzzi.

[DexDexter]

I don't understand how they have a rookie Di Resta in the race seat and Brazilian GP pole sitter as a "reserve" (which means that he will drink coffee and walk around the paddock all year). Makes no sense at all.

[i_max2k2]

I don't understand how they have a rookie Di Resta in the race seat and Brazilian GP pole sitter as a "reserve" (which means that he will drink coffee and walk around the paddock all year). Makes no sense at all.

Di resta had been there reserve driver for over an year, makes perfect sense that he waited for a seat and is getting one now, as one driver didn't perform as per expectations. Not downplaying Nico, but I'd call this fair for a promising diresta, if he's not upto par, who knows how quickly would nico jump in his or sutil's place.

[DexDexter]

Di resta had been there reserve driver for over an year, makes perfect sense that he waited for a seat and is getting one now, as one driver didn't perform as per expectations. Not downplaying Nico, but I'd call this fair for a promising diresta, if he's not upto par, who knows how quickly would nico jump in his or sutil's place.

I'm not saying that Di Resta doesn't deserve a chance in F1 but based on facts it's illogical that Hulkenberg is not a race driver for Force India.

[jens]

I think di Resta is a race driver, because he had a similar deal to Liuzzi's - guaranteed race seat after a period of testing. And Force India wasn't going to break two contracts at once! Hulk may have been on pole in Brazil, but otherwise he has still very much to prove and to be frank, di Resta also joins F1 with very high expectations, like Hulk a year ago. The expectations are largely based on beating Vettel in Euro F3, but let's see, how much damage to the open-wheel touch have previous years in DTM done.

Hülkenberg as Force India's reserve. Strange?! Why not Mercedes, who are they looking for? I don't know, what Williams had put on the table as a long-term offer, but it is possible that 2012 race seat was included among them. Now even a '12 seat isn't sure. FI has also two young drivers unlike Mercedes GP/Williams, where one seat could free up earlier. So what kind of game is Weber playing?

It could make sense if Mallya has done another di Resta/Liuzzi-style deal for Hülkenberg - a guaranteed race seat serving a 3rd driver. It would sound weird, but then like in Liuzzi's case Mallya is again thinking about getting rid of one of his drivers soon. In this case it would probably be Sutil, who he may not consider to be a future star any more after enough years under his belt in F1.

Liuzzi's career seems to be over now. In conclusion it has to be said that the expectations were much higher, so how it all turned out in the end, was kinda disappointing. He even failed to reach the level of fellow countrymen Fisichella/Trulli, which seemed like a possibility early in his career. Tonio actually has some untapped speed in him, which he has shown sporadically. He impressed already on his F1 debut by outracing DC at Imola. But it looks he is too bad in adapting, so most of the time he failed to get the best of out the machinery. A pity, but by now it can be said that he has had enough chances in F1.