The Official F1 2009 Thread

[Jon325i]

So....Fisi gets a Ferrari seat. I wonder what his old Renault teammate Fred Alonso thinks of that? Wouldn't it be something if the two were paired up for the Scuderia? A stretch....perhaps.


Jon

[z31maniac]

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.

That has always been his goal and he has not been shy about it.

Liuzzi never impressed me. Not sure why he even has a reserve driver role to be honest.

[kishg]

So....Fisi gets a Ferrari seat. I wonder what his old Renault teammate Fred Alonso thinks of that? Wouldn't it be something if the two were paired up for the Scuderia? A stretch....perhaps.


Jon

not so much of a stretch. its all but certain alonso is going to ferrari for 2010. fisi will take massa's spot for the remaining 5 races (maybe more if massa doesnt fully recover by march) but will be the test driver next year. the only question is where kimi will end up. perhaps mclaren with hamilton. looks like heikki is on his way out there.. then again kubica and rosberg are in the running for a mclaren drive too! silly season has begun!

[kishg]

That has always been his goal and he has not been shy about it.

Liuzzi never impressed me. Not sure why he even has a reserve driver role to be honest.

the only indian in contention that i know of would be karthikeyan. who briefly raced for jordan in f1 back in 2005.

[Jean]

I highly doubt Kimi will race with Lewis.... but we'll see. I think he'll probable leave F1 than race with him.

[z31maniac]

Kimi will be in WRC next year.

[E30Kaiser]

the new f1.com race edit is out for Spa, certain parts are hilarious like when Heidfeld is yelling at Webber, "Jesus Christ, Idiot!" or when Barrichello comes in at the end of the race, Brawn over radio, "Rubens, you're on fire." Engineer, "Rubens you are on fire, like properly on fire."

[Hick]

the only indian in contention that i know of would be karthikeyan. who briefly raced for jordan in f1 back in 2005.

karthikeyan was not too bad. he has been racing in A1GP for a while now, i think hes won a couple of times.

karun chandhok of GP2 isnt too bad either.

I think we will see Nico Hulkenberg and Vitaly Petrov in F1 next years. Nico is very fast, hes leaps and bounds above everyone in GP2. Petrov is good, but makes dumb mistakes

[naplesE30]

I understand Fisi has always wanted to drive for Ferrari but by signing to drive for them the rest of this season, he basicaly ended his carear. Its a no brainer for Ferrari they just took a competitior out by having him race for them for 5 races. Fisi knows Schui is their first choice and if by next season Masa is not healthy Schui will be, and he will get the drive. Seems like a steep price to pay to drive a red car for 5 races. Yes he will be their new test driver but I would rather be a race driver.

[Jon325i]

^^^ Good point. In last weekends' race the Speed commentators stated that Fisi is 35 now. By F1 standards, he probably has 2 or 3 years remaining as a driver is this league. Wouldn't surprise me if he moves on to some other form of racing afterwards.


Jon

[bwanac]

I understand Fisi has always wanted to drive for Ferrari but by signing to drive for them the rest of this season, he basicaly ended his carear. Its a no brainer for Ferrari they just took a competitior out by having him race for them for 5 races. Fisi knows Schui is their first choice and if by next season Masa is not healthy Schui will be, and he will get the drive. Seems like a steep price to pay to drive a red car for 5 races. Yes he will be their new test driver but I would rather be a race driver.

There are no other drivers other than Fisi and Shcumacher if Massa does not make it back next season (that would suck by the way) ? I have only been following the sport for a few seasons and not sure where new drivers come from. I really do not think Schui will be driving again.

[bwanac]

Aside: anyone thinking of going to the Montreal race next season?

[E30Kaiser]

The only thing that prevents people from racing in F1 is the FIA Super License, so technically if the FIA was feeling charitable anyone could race if a team would let them. Thats why Red Bulls reserve driver at the beginning of the year was DC since Branden Hartley hadn't gotten his Super License yet.

[z31maniac]

I understand Fisi has always wanted to drive for Ferrari but by signing to drive for them the rest of this season, he basicaly ended his carear. Its a no brainer for Ferrari they just took a competitior out by having him race for them for 5 races. Fisi knows Schui is their first choice and if by next season Masa is not healthy Schui will be, and he will get the drive. Seems like a steep price to pay to drive a red car for 5 races. Yes he will be their new test driver but I would rather be a race driver.

He wasn't going to have his contract renewed by Force India at the end of the year anyway. Mallaya want's another young gun in there with Sutil (why I don't know).

That's why Force India was so gracious (and I think it was the right thing to do) to let Fisi go, and fulfill his dream of driving for Ferrari, if only for a few races.

[kishg]

Aside: anyone thinking of going to the Montreal race next season?

yup.. been going every year since 2000 until they dropped it.