Jolyon Palmer - F1

Jolyon Palmer - F1

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Discussion

Swervin_Mervin

Original Poster:

4,429 posts

237 months

Wednesday 15th October 2014
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Silly season is in maximum flow at the moment, but there's been little or no mention of Jolyon Palmer in respect of any race seats for next year.

He's won GP2 with 3 races to spare and is the first Brit to do so since Hamilton. So, why does there seem to be next to no discussions connecting him with a seat for next year? Does he lack the £££ of some of the others, such as Chilton?


Adrian W

13,848 posts

227 months

Wednesday 15th October 2014
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It will probably come down to the depth of daddies pockets, F1 and skill don't go together.

longblackcoat

5,047 posts

182 months

Wednesday 15th October 2014
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It's taken him 4 seasons and he's 23; taken too long, he's too old.

The F1 teams are really looking for drivers who make a BIG impact in Year 1 (even if they don't win the title outright) of the junior formulae rather than someone who's honed their skills over a much longer period.

I think he's got zero chance, though it would be nice to be wrong.

andygo

6,786 posts

254 months

Wednesday 15th October 2014
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Wife and I thought he was a bit bigheaded when sky interviewed him. Quite supercilious in fact.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 15th October 2014
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longblackcoat said:
It's taken him 4 seasons and he's 23; taken too long, he's too old.

The F1 teams are really looking for drivers who make a BIG impact in Year 1 (even if they don't win the title outright) of the junior formulae rather than someone who's honed their skills over a much longer period.

I think he's got zero chance, though it would be nice to be wrong.
4 seasons in GP2 after 2 in F2. Too long.

All covered in a general Motorsport thread.

Edited to add that doesn't mean he won't get a drive! As we all know, ability isn't the top quality sought by some teams. The question is whether he can raise the funds, which he might be able to.

Swervin_Mervin

Original Poster:

4,429 posts

237 months

Wednesday 15th October 2014
quotequote all
andygo said:
Wife and I thought he was a bit bigheaded when sky interviewed him. Quite supercilious in fact.
Should fit right in then laugh

teamHOLDENracing

5,089 posts

266 months

Wednesday 15th October 2014
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I would rather see someone who has already 'honed their skills' (and won a championship) in F1 than someone who is still learning. F1 should be for the best drivers (bar some inevitable pay drivers) not a kindergarten...

ajprice

27,319 posts

195 months

Thursday 16th October 2014
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If he is, it will be as a 3rd driver or in at Caterham/Marussia. Can't see him anywhere else as a first year.

RichB

51,434 posts

283 months

Thursday 16th October 2014
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teamHOLDENracing said:
I would rather see someone who has already 'honed their skills' (and won a championship) in F1 than someone who is still learning. F1 should be for the best drivers (bar some inevitable pay drivers) not a kindergarten...
Surely GP2 is about honing one's skills though?

RobGT81

5,227 posts

185 months

Thursday 16th October 2014
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Hopefully he will skip F1 and go straight to WEC.

StevieBee

12,795 posts

254 months

Thursday 16th October 2014
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I think he carries a few skeletons around. A friend's son was competing in and around Formula Palmer Audi at the same time as Palmer. FPA was billed as an equitable Formula and at the end of each meeting, all cars would be taken back to the same factory......except JPs. When others complained to the FIA, JPs car was then sent back to the same factory with the others but he then mysteriously stopped winning races and scoring pole positions.

I don't doubt the lad has talent - in fact, he clearly has. But I do wonder if things like this play on the minds of the F1 teams when selecting drivers.

teamHOLDENracing

5,089 posts

266 months

Thursday 16th October 2014
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RichB said:
teamHOLDENracing said:
I would rather see someone who has already 'honed their skills' (and won a championship) in F1 than someone who is still learning. F1 should be for the best drivers (bar some inevitable pay drivers) not a kindergarten...
Surely GP2 is about honing one's skills though?
Indeed... and by winning GP2 one would probably consider one's skills 'honed'. It is a very odd situation that F1 teams would apparently prefer to opt for someone who has been racing cars for precisely one year rather than a more experienced, proven race winner. And even more odd when you consider that GP3 and GP2 are Bernie's in-house feeder series....

RichB

51,434 posts

283 months

Thursday 16th October 2014
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teamHOLDENracing said:
RichB said:
teamHOLDENracing said:
I would rather see someone who has already 'honed their skills' (and won a championship) in F1 than someone who is still learning. F1 should be for the best drivers (bar some inevitable pay drivers) not a kindergarten...
Surely GP2 is about honing one's skills though?
Indeed... and by winning GP2 one would probably consider one's skills 'honed'. It is a very odd situation that F1 teams would apparently prefer to opt for someone who has been racing cars for precisely one year rather than a more experienced, proven race winner. And even more odd when you consider that GP3 and GP2 are Bernie's in-house feeder series....
Ah right Andy, so we are in agreement, I got you the wrong way. Yes, me too - I'd rather see drivers from the feeder series than 16 year olds.

woof

8,456 posts

276 months

Thursday 16th October 2014
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StevieBee said:
I think he carries a few skeletons around. A friend's son was competing in and around Formula Palmer Audi at the same time as Palmer. FPA was billed as an equitable Formula and at the end of each meeting, all cars would be taken back to the same factory......except JPs. When others complained to the FIA, JPs car was then sent back to the same factory with the others but he then mysteriously stopped winning races and scoring pole positions.

I don't doubt the lad has talent - in fact, he clearly has. But I do wonder if things like this play on the minds of the F1 teams when selecting drivers.
I tested with him many years ago just as he started in FP - I was going to do the winter series and you had Jolyon Palmer and Alex Brundle testing at the same time. I was quicker that Jolyon on my first test and I hadn't been in a single seater for years. He didn't show well in FP even with the help he was getting. I decided it was pointless doing it as it was obvious from day 1 that it wouldn't be a fair series for all. No fan of the Palmer family - arrogant bunch with the youngest probably being the worst !



jbudgie

8,843 posts

211 months

Thursday 16th October 2014
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RobGT81 said:
Hopefully he will skip F1 and go straight to WEC.
wink

andygo

6,786 posts

254 months

Thursday 16th October 2014
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I know a chap that did FPA. It was as bent as a nine bob note. He's a quick lad and knows whats what. He had a similar experience in Porsches I understand.

Crafty_

13,248 posts

199 months

Thursday 16th October 2014
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The only GP2 winners not to end up in F1 afterwards are Giorgio Pantano who was in his late 20s by the time he won it and had actually done a season with Jordan in F1 four years before.

Davide Valsecchi won it 2 years ago, last year he was test driver for Lotus, when Kimi bowed out due to his back problems Valsecchi expected to get the seat for the two remaining races, Lotus hired Kovalainen instead, Valsecchi wasn't impressed and had a grumble in the press, he was replaced as test driver by Charles Pic and is currently driving GT cars.

Fabio Leimer won last year, never got near F1, is driving an LMP1 for Rebellion Racing in WEC.

I expect Palmer get get a test driver role somewhere, given he hasn't even sat in an F1 car yet and is not affiliated with any teams I really can't see anyone giving him a race seat.

rubystone

11,252 posts

258 months

Thursday 16th October 2014
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He will be in F1 next year and perhaps even in a team owned by his father, or a friend/friends of his father. I think he's improved massively as a driver from his FPA days. You don't win GP2 by being an average driver.

Question is, what team? Marussia has to be a possibility. Caterham may well not be there and Sauber will hang on to both their pay drivers. Lotus must be in the running too if Grosjean is tipped out given the move to Petronas lubricants.

Crafty_

13,248 posts

199 months

Thursday 16th October 2014
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I don't think JP Snr is rich enough to buy an F1 team nor do I think he's daft enough to do it.

Lotus are on an even keel financially they tell us, so I don't think they'd go for a pay driver, especially not one that hasn't even sat in an F1 car. They'll stick with Grosjean or go for a McLaren reject imho. They might even pull up test driver Charles Pic.

Caterham are just as likely to be around as Sauber are imho, it seems that the owners are untangling Fernandes's mess and allegedly even have a 2015 car on the way. Money from a pay driver would be welcome.

Marussia will need to cover the engine bill with another pay driver or take another Ferrari driver (Marciello?).

Far more likely he'll end up as a test driver somewhere, maybe a bit of GT/WEC work to tide him over.

ETA: I guess Sauber might be a possibility if they are still around:
http://www.espn.co.uk/sauber/motorsport/story/1786...
http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/gutierrez-uncert...

I doubt if Sutil will stay either.

Edited by Crafty_ on Thursday 16th October 23:47

rubystone

11,252 posts

258 months

Friday 17th October 2014
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Sutil's claiming his seat is safe....granted, that usually means the opposite!

The acquisition of Caterham may have been strategic...I guess we'll know soon.

Palmer senior remind me of David Richards...smart enough not to commit his own money. I don't know what Afriso's ambitions are though.