How long for Di Resta at Force India?
Discussion
Vijay Mallya has said that he won’t name his driver line up until December; is this because he doesn’t know whether Di Resta will be moving to Mercedes or not?
Unlike the Former Great One at Mercedes, who has continued last year’s trend of turning carefully crafted F1 cars into bits of carbon fibre and various component parts, Di Resta has started strongly and continued to impress as the season has progressed.
Could it be that Ross the Boss has an interesting twist for the start of the new season with a diver line up comprising Rosberg and Di Resta, with Schumi relegated to test driver?
Unlike the Former Great One at Mercedes, who has continued last year’s trend of turning carefully crafted F1 cars into bits of carbon fibre and various component parts, Di Resta has started strongly and continued to impress as the season has progressed.
Could it be that Ross the Boss has an interesting twist for the start of the new season with a diver line up comprising Rosberg and Di Resta, with Schumi relegated to test driver?
I would have thought that Di Resta would have had a more secure seat than Sutil.
Mallya, much like Boullier at Renault, has the nice situation of being able to choose two drivers from three. Better that than having to scrape the dregs of the pay driver barrel.
Schumacher has been a lot better this year. Very nearly a podium in Canada and some other strong performances. Considering the car is 4th best and he seems to be able to bring his car in above 7th/8th I'd say he's doing ok.
He signed up for 3 years with the sole intention of developing the car and team in to a race/championship winning proposition.
At the end of year 2 we are seeing signs of the car improving, Mercedes have realised that they need to invest and they have done this by bringing in a lot of staff including some names that have made the headlines.
With another year on his contract, why would MSC quit now?
I reckon he'll extend his contract by a year at the end of next year.
Michael wont be test driver - he either stays or goes. I think he's got an open invite - if he wants to carry on the seat is available.
Personally I think he'll stay, he has had a better year and with recent tech signing at Mercedes there is obviously commitment to develop and improve. He still has the want and desire to race and if they can make a step forwards next year with the car I wouldn't rule out a win.
2013 will be interesting because I want to see how Merc get on building a small displacement turbo engine, not something they (or Ilmor as-was) have a huge amount of experience with.
Di Resta has had a pretty good rookie year for a midfield team, although Sutil seems to have the edge on him recently. IIRC Rosberg is on a long deal (5 years?) so if he ever does go to Merc it'll be Michaels seat he takes. He'll be back wiith FI next year I think on a 2 year deal.
I suspect Mallya won't announce drivers yet because he doesn't know what Sutil is doing and he needs to tie up sponsors for next year - I suspect Sahara taking a stake is about Mallya reducing his exposure, cash injection to the team and bringing new sponsors aboard.
The problem for Di Resta is that there isn't much give at the top - I think Lewis will re-sign for McLaren when his contract is up, Button is settled there, Vettel at Red Bull. The only seats that might be available are 2nd driver at Ferrari or Red Bull. The RBR seat has an applicant list as long as your arm. No driver with serious ambition will take the Ferrari seat to play second fiddle to Alonso.
Personally I think he'll stay, he has had a better year and with recent tech signing at Mercedes there is obviously commitment to develop and improve. He still has the want and desire to race and if they can make a step forwards next year with the car I wouldn't rule out a win.
2013 will be interesting because I want to see how Merc get on building a small displacement turbo engine, not something they (or Ilmor as-was) have a huge amount of experience with.
Di Resta has had a pretty good rookie year for a midfield team, although Sutil seems to have the edge on him recently. IIRC Rosberg is on a long deal (5 years?) so if he ever does go to Merc it'll be Michaels seat he takes. He'll be back wiith FI next year I think on a 2 year deal.
I suspect Mallya won't announce drivers yet because he doesn't know what Sutil is doing and he needs to tie up sponsors for next year - I suspect Sahara taking a stake is about Mallya reducing his exposure, cash injection to the team and bringing new sponsors aboard.
The problem for Di Resta is that there isn't much give at the top - I think Lewis will re-sign for McLaren when his contract is up, Button is settled there, Vettel at Red Bull. The only seats that might be available are 2nd driver at Ferrari or Red Bull. The RBR seat has an applicant list as long as your arm. No driver with serious ambition will take the Ferrari seat to play second fiddle to Alonso.
Redlake27 said:
Di Resta could take a third driver role at Mercedes. It may be one step back to take three forward, but it worked for Alonso in 2002 with Renault.... Then FI can take two paydrivers and receive a discount on merc engines..
Back when Alonso went to be test driver, it was a job worth having. The test driver actually got to drive.Unless you're a test driver for a big team (Gary Paffett) with a decent simulator, you have a paper job. It's only worth it for the paddock passes.
I can't see Di Resta or Schumacher not racing next year.
On the other hand, it's telling that Sutil's contract still hasn't been renewed.
I reckon Di Resta and The Hulk next year.
Provided a rich Indian driver doesn't show up his seat is reasonably secure. I think at the end of 2012 there will be a couple of openings near the top of the grid (Webber and Massa I reckon are going to move on) so there will be a bit of a shuffle and I think he might get a spot at a good team - he's not got into a lot of trouble this year, and given the area of the grid he's usually in that's a big positive.
weyland yutani said:
He's actually quite good at F1 PR from the robotic corporate boy dullard point of view they crave.
DiResta is a solid driver but I havent seen any flashes of brilliance or passion from him, he's just another Heidfeld imo.
I sort of agree with you. Solid rather then spectacular, but with the right car could do a very good job (where have we heard that before). With DC as his manager, I have thought he might have a word about replacing MW at Red Bull at the end of next year. That would be a good line-up.DiResta is a solid driver but I havent seen any flashes of brilliance or passion from him, he's just another Heidfeld imo.
(and I wish MS would go into Le Mans, racing against LH, JB and Gary Paffett in the new Mclaren...)
weyland yutani said:
He's actually quite good at F1 PR from the robotic corporate boy dullard point of view they crave.
DiResta is a solid driver but I havent seen any flashes of brilliance or passion from him, he's just another Heidfeld imo.
clearly you never watched him in the DTM series before coming to F1 - a seies in which he took the championship. Heidfeld was never as good and the comparison is an insult.DiResta is a solid driver but I havent seen any flashes of brilliance or passion from him, he's just another Heidfeld imo.
Sutil is no slouch, but Paul seems to have the measure of him.
For all of you who claim that Schumi has improved this year, then I think Senor Perez may give you an argument.
Even if he has, his performance has not been good enough to warrant keeping in the seat IMHO. On the whole Rosberg has outperformed him again and is also ahead of him in the WDC.
Mercedes are paying him an awful lot of wonga for the skill and experience that supposedly won him 7 titles. At best they must be considering their ROI as mediocre.
Third year contract or not, Mr Brawn may find himself under pressure to change the line up.
Remember PDiR is still very much one of Mercs favoured sons, and his performance in the Force India won't have escaped their attention.
DiResta hasn't done badly for a newcomer to F1. But the fact remains that he's been outperformed in races by Sutil, and quite significantly outperformed by Hülkenberg in FP1 (Hülkenberg has been faster at 5 of the 7 meetings where they've both had the car out in the same session). I think his position is secure by virtue of his Mercedes money, but were it purely down to driving talent, I'd be going with Sutil and Hülkenberg for Force India next year. DiResta is a decent driver, and might mature into a great one given time. But he's not there yet.
Relative to the amount of experience Sutil and DiResta have, Sutil should have left him for dead, but he hasn't; in fact DiResta has outperformed Sutil on a number of occaisions. And that just shouldn't have happened.
Lap times in FP meam squat when comparing drivers. They could, and probably were trying all kinds of different set ups. In addition you have to consider that DiResta hasn't seen many of the current F1 circuits before; the Hulk has.
Lap times in FP meam squat when comparing drivers. They could, and probably were trying all kinds of different set ups. In addition you have to consider that DiResta hasn't seen many of the current F1 circuits before; the Hulk has.
radlet6 said:
For all of you who claim that Schumi has improved this year, then I think Senor Perez may give you an argument.
Even if he has, his performance has not been good enough to warrant keeping in the seat IMHO. On the whole Rosberg has outperformed him again and is also ahead of him in the WDC.
Mercedes are paying him an awful lot of wonga for the skill and experience that supposedly won him 7 titles. At best they must be considering their ROI as mediocre.
Third year contract or not, Mr Brawn may find himself under pressure to change the line up.
Remember PDiR is still very much one of Mercs favoured sons, and his performance in the Force India won't have escaped their attention.
Exactly. Schumacher (Micheal Even if he has, his performance has not been good enough to warrant keeping in the seat IMHO. On the whole Rosberg has outperformed him again and is also ahead of him in the WDC.
Mercedes are paying him an awful lot of wonga for the skill and experience that supposedly won him 7 titles. At best they must be considering their ROI as mediocre.
Third year contract or not, Mr Brawn may find himself under pressure to change the line up.
Remember PDiR is still very much one of Mercs favoured sons, and his performance in the Force India won't have escaped their attention.
) is a 7 times world champion. It justifies Mercedes outlay just to be able to say that. It's the German dream.It is worth it in advertising cache alone.
Ross and Norbert always seem very happy with his performances and input. I don't see them changing the lineup for next year as both drivers have contracts.
Who doesn't have a contract for next year in a Merc powered car... Oh yeah, Sutil.
radlet6 said:
For all of you who claim that Schumi has improved this year, then I think Senor Perez may give you an argument.
Even if he has, his performance has not been good enough to warrant keeping in the seat IMHO. On the whole Rosberg has outperformed him again and is also ahead of him in the WDC.
Clearly Michael has improved this year in a car thats even further away than the front than he had in 2010 - go check the results.Even if he has, his performance has not been good enough to warrant keeping in the seat IMHO. On the whole Rosberg has outperformed him again and is also ahead of him in the WDC.
Yes Nico is beating him (just) but Michael has had 2 retirements due to car failure, Nico has had two (also non fault).
Singapore was a silly accident and shouldn't of happened.
Anyway back on topic.. if Renault or Lotus or whatever the hell they are called this week can get their car up the front in 2012 maybe Paul could do a 1 year deal with FI and then switch to the Renault ?
t" moment I think. williamp said:
weyland yutani said:
He's actually quite good at F1 PR from the robotic corporate boy dullard point of view they crave.
DiResta is a solid driver but I havent seen any flashes of brilliance or passion from him, he's just another Heidfeld imo.
I sort of agree with you. Solid rather then spectacular, but with the right car could do a very good job (where have we heard that before). With DC as his manager, I have thought he might have a word about replacing MW at Red Bull at the end of next year. That would be a good line-up.DiResta is a solid driver but I havent seen any flashes of brilliance or passion from him, he's just another Heidfeld imo.
(and I wish MS would go into Le Mans, racing against LH, JB and Gary Paffett in the new Mclaren...)
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