The Official F1 2009 Thread

[naplesE30]

Giancarlo Fisichella to Ferrari. Let the shuffle begin.

[Hick]

Vitantonio Liuzzi is supposed to take his place at Force India

[Dave]

I guess "Look-how-bad-you-are" is out of a test driver job in Maranello, now. Fisi looks to have that spot locked up long term after this year.

[z31maniac]

Vitantonio Liuzzi is supposed to take his place at Force India

I know he is there reserve/test driver, but what exactly am I forgetting about his resume that Mallaya thinks he should be the other race driver?

[Hick]

Frankly, it makes more sense to throw in a young guy from GP2 or another support series. You never know

[Lance Racing]

I hope the cameras are rolling when Fisi is handed his "hot off the press" Ferrari driving suit for the first time. It will be a proud moment for him.

[naplesE30]

Next year is going to be a demolition derby with all the new drivers and teams. Look at spa both incidents caused by new drivers. You had better not qualify in the middle of the pack. Speed tv's website cracks me up with all the guys on the comments section saying usf1 should get NASCAR drivers for their new team.

[kishg]

saying usf1 should get NASCAR drivers for their new team.

jpm and villeneuve?

[elsabor67]

I hope the cameras are rolling when Fisi is handed his "hot off the press" Ferrari driving suit for the first time. It will be a proud moment for him.

Didn't Fisi used to race for Ferrari before? I think it's like a PR move adn a common sense mive by Ferrari and F1 to have a more competitive italian drivver at the wheel of the other car for this race in Monza.

[Lance Racing]

Didn't Fisi used to race for Ferrari before?

No, but he's stated during the full lengthy tenure of his F1 career that he wanted to driver for Ferrari. Dreams do come true for some people.

[Hick]

Next year is going to be a demolition derby with all the new drivers and teams. Look at spa both incidents caused by new drivers. You had better not qualify in the middle of the pack. Speed tv's website cracks me up with all the guys on the comments section saying usf1 should get NASCAR drivers for their new team.

A whole new world of advertising would open up if USF1 takes a well known NASCAR racer. The best thing to do, in fact, would be to pick up a Jimmy Johnson or Tony Stewart. Keep in mind each F1 driver has their own sponsorship that weighs heavily on what team chooses them.

To say that a NASCAR racer is 'unqualified' or 'unprofessional' in terms of F1, and to then turn them down is just dumb. USF1 has to be looking/pulling to get a NASCAR driver at the moment.

[Lance Racing]

Right, a NASCAR driver would need a sponsor that wanted to increase their message to a global audience.

Along the lines of sponsors dictating what drivers do, if Danica Patrick goes to NASCAR (as an example), it's because her sponsors want her there (and pay her more $$$ accordingly).

[naplesE30]

Yeah that will be a real competitive car, having a guy used to driving in an oval in a car that weighs 3000lbs trying to explain to engineers how a f1 car should handle when hes never prob even been to an f1 race. Not to mention rain. The sponsors will be linning up to put thier name on a perrenial losing car.... They need an experienced F1 driver who can help set up the new chassis. A NASCAR driver could make thew switch to an established team possibly, but do you really want a driver of any race series trying to develop a new car?

Didnt Fisichela once test for ferrari?

[Dave]

IIRC Jeff Gordon and JPM did a PR gig @ Indy a few years back and each were pretty darn fast in the others cars.

If those guys can hustle a school bus like car around a track, quite a few of them could do well in a car with real supension and downforce. And more than a couple have open wheel experience. Stewart, R. Gordon, Allmendinger, etc.

[E30Kaiser]

I know he is there reserve/test driver, but what exactly am I forgetting about his resume that Mallaya thinks he should be the other race driver?

He drove for Toro Rosso which wasn't exactly the best car in the world when he drove it and did decent. I think he is a good choice, but the fact that Mallya let Fisi go for apparently free makes me think that he is either thinking about putting an Indian in that seat, or if Liuzzi does get the seat, the rumor that his contract said he had to have a race seat this year is true.