Rio Haryanto in at Manor

[fcuk1_6]

Rio Haryanto secures second seat at Manor alongside Pascal Wehrlein http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/feb/18/rio-h...

5th place then 7th place in GP3, then highest position of 4th in GP2 last year after 4 years of trying. I know he brings much needed funds to Manor but this sort of thing just annoys me, they chose him over Rossi who was 2nd in GP2 last year and has F1 experience driving for Manor and years of F1 testing behind him, it's just plain wrong!

[FourWheelDrift]

They need a crasher in F1 now Maldonado has left to create interest.

[//j17]

fk1_6 said:

I know he brings much needed funds to Manor but this sort of thing just annoys me, they chose him over Rossi who was 2nd in GP2 last year and has F1 experience driving for Manor and years of F1 testing behind him, it's just plain wrong!

So you'd prefer Manor to fold and pull out of F1 due to lack of funds, taking 2 drivers from the grid in the process?

[Jasandjules]

Money talks. It often has in F1 and given the costs involved there is no reason to think it will stop anytime soon.

[Speed Badger]

At least Haryanto has decent experience and has had solid, if not spectacular results. Good in GP2 last year, but just feel sorry for Vandoorne - he will get there, just a shame he's been leapfrogged by drivers with worse results, but such is F1.

[DanielSan]

Speed Badger said:

At least Haryanto has decent experience and has had solid, if not spectacular results. Good in GP2 last year, but just feel sorry for Vandoorne - he will get there, just a shame he's been leapfrogged by drivers with worse results, but such is F1.

It can be reputation damaging to be at the back week in week out though... Vandoorne would just be wasted in that car.

[BarbaricAvatar]

DanielSan said:

Speed Badger said:

At least Haryanto has decent experience and has had solid, if not spectacular results. Good in GP2 last year, but just feel sorry for Vandoorne - he will get there, just a shame he's been leapfrogged by drivers with worse results, but such is F1.

It can be reputation damaging to be at the back week in week out though... Vandoorne would just be wasted in that car.

Didn't do Ricciardo's career any harm when he drove for HRT who were further off the pace in 2011 than Manor were in 2015.
But McLaren likely can't afford to pay what Manor charge for drives anymore, especially since in finance terms the team is probably more Honda than McLaren nowadays. I suspect at this stage that if Honda and McLaren fall out the team will fold immediately.

Better for a driver to get experience on the track than in the simulator regardless. Vandoorne from his own perspective either needs a watertight contract for 2017 now or needs to be sniffing around other teams because McLaren have a reputation of not promoting third drivers (except when their 2nd driver plays tennis on a scooter).

[Vocal Minority]

Jasandjules said:

Money talks. It often always has in F1 and given the costs involved there is no reason to think it will stop anytime soon.

Tweaked for accuracy

The idea of F1 (or motorsport) as a pure meritocracy at any point in time is just not true. There have always been the rich lads pootling round at the back. It used to be playboys and sons of aristocrats, now they have corporate backers.

Going racing costs a fortune, and unless you win, I can't imagine you are making money. And if you don't make money, sooner or later you don't exist.

'Right' doesn't come in to it.

[fcuk1_6]

//j17 said:

So you'd prefer Manor to fold and pull out of F1 due to lack of funds, taking 2 drivers from the grid in the process?

Of course no-one wants to see them fold but best drivers should get F1 drives, if that was the sole factor then you'd end up with Donald Trump and Bill Gates tootling around the track, exsteing stuff!

[marshall100]

Vocal Minority said:

Tweaked for accuracy

The idea of F1 (or motorsport) as a pure meritocracy at any point in time is just not true. There have always been the rich lads pootling round at the back. It used to be playboys and sons of aristocrats, now they have corporate backers.

Going racing costs a fortune, and unless you win, I can't imagine you are making money. And if you don't make money, sooner or later you don't exist.

'Right' doesn't come in to it.

This, I've just finished Webbers biography and while I'd never want my kids to become footballers, I'd never set them on a path for F1, tis an absolute joke.

[HustleRussell]

He's doing reasonably well by all accounts

[anonymous-user]

HustleRussell said:

He's doing reasonably well by all accounts

In what way? Bringing in money?

[rdjohn]

Yesterday he was a smidgen quicker than Mercedes Golden Boy PASCAL WEHRLEIN, so clearly not out of his depth. Ericsson was even slower.

Just like the cheap engines from Mercedes, the cash must come in very handy for Manor. As does Palmer's for Renault.

[hairyben]

Vocal Minority said:

Jasandjules said:

Money talks. It often always has in F1 and given the costs involved there is no reason to think it will stop anytime soon.

Tweaked for accuracy

The idea of F1 (or motorsport) as a pure meritocracy at any point in time is just not true. There have always been the rich lads pootling round at the back. It used to be playboys and sons of aristocrats, now they have corporate backers.

Going racing costs a fortune, and unless you win, I can't imagine you are making money. And if you don't make money, sooner or later you don't exist.

'Right' doesn't come in to it.

^That, I think the standard model for the back half of the grid was someone who could drive and someone who could pay for him to wasn't it?

Screaming at various terrible japanese pay drivers not to bludgeon out hill/mansell etc as they came to lap them (and praying they'd punt out the schumacher) is some of my most vivid memories of watching F1.