Who will be new in F1 next year.

[loneranger]

So we are seeing the new boys doing very well.
Hamilton, Kovalainen, Kubica and Rosberg.

There are several old lags who are on their way out.

So who will be the new young blood next year?
What hot talent deserves an F1 seat?

Any of the increasing number of females racing near the top in with the faintest chance?

[FourWheelDrift]

Nelson Piquet Jnr next year. I don't think Bruno Senna will be in F1 until 2009.

[Jungles]

Definitely Piquet Jnr.

Bruno Senna maybe, pending results of his GP2 season. If he wins, he's in as 3rd driver I think. If podium, then one more season in GP2.

Perhaps some drivers to consider: Alexandre Premat (if he can negotiate another 3rd driver contract, and risk losing his DTM Audi works seat) and Nico Hulkenberg (if he can win the F3 Euroseries and prove himself in GP2 or equivalent). Sebastian Vettel should get a race seat if a vacancy appears.

Hamilton, Kovalainen, Kubica, and Rosberg all have done well. Hamilton is a no-brainer, and Rosberg has more potential than Wurz, IMHO. Kovalainen has potential but needs more experience, and Kubica is doing well enough.

On the way out should be: Ralf Schu-mucker, Jarno Trulli-time-to-retire, Rubens Barrichello, Mark Webber, and Jensen Bottom-scraper. One team that should be out altogether is Spyker (makes Minardi look good). One driver who deserves to lose his #1 seat to his side-kick is Kimi Raikkonen.

Edited by Jungles on Monday 11th June 12:24

[AlexS]

Gary Paffit could well be coming in to the Prodrive (McLaren B) team, and someone is probably trying to tempt Sebastian Bourdais over from Cramp cars.

[Frimley111R]

IMO : Defiantely Ralf Schu-mucker first out of the door. JB is getting beaten by RB so he's next (sad to say). DC has to go as Webber is putting him in the shade, not sure about Trulli but Webber and RB both seem to be driving well.

[HiRich]

It seems Marco Andretti has signed some sort of contract with the Red Bull group - whether this gains a race seat remains to be seen.

Sebastian Bourdais keeps being mooted and is very talented, but no one seems to have the nuts to try him.

Already in F1, I think Tonio Liuzzi will find a berth away from Torro Rosso. Gerhard Berger deeply dislikes him, but he has been showing exceptional pace in what is effectively last year's car - matching and outpacing the Newey-designed RBR.

[SimonY]

Last year's car? Isn't it just the Red Bull one in a diferent colour scheme?

[johnph]

SimonY said:

Last year's car? Isn't it just the Red Bull one in a diferent colour scheme?

This years Red Bull and this years Toro Rosso are identical apart from the engine. In order to get around the rules the cars were developed by Red Bull Technology and then sold to RBR and STR. In the right hands (Bourdais?) an STR could be veyr quick.

Edited by johnph on Monday 11th June 13:55

[StuMartin]

Someone surely has to give Paffett a chance next year. And Ron Dennis really should be the man to sort it out given Gary's unending loyalty to McMerc. It won't be at McLaren, obviously, but a shot to prove himself somewhere else I hope..

[rubystone]

HiRich said:

he has been showing exceptional pace in what is effectively last year's car - matching and outpacing the Newey-designed RBR.

Nope - it's an RB3 with a Ferrari engine.

I am sure Bourdais has a Red Bull contract in his pocket for 2008 at the expense of DC.

I believe Piquet is a shoe-in at a Renault powered team for next year.

Barrichello is close to signing a contract extension (next month) for another year.

Ralf is out - to be replaced by?...

I think BMW will have Heidfeld and one of Kubic or Vettel (latter may go to STR though).

Marco Andretti will hve another year in Indy before he looks elsewhere and I'd say it's only 50/50 whether he moves, after his father's experiences. I did wonder whether Graham Rahal might have been sniffing around.

[FourWheelDrift]

StuMartin said:

Someone surely has to give Paffett a chance next year. ..

Mercedes powered Prodrive or so the rumour mills have been grinding.

[stevieb]

FourWheelDrift said:

StuMartin said:

Someone surely has to give Paffett a chance next year. ..

Mercedes powered Prodrive or so the rumour mills have been grinding.

Seems that the Prodrive outfit will be a 2007 Mclaren re-branded to a prodrive livery. Romour coming from Employees at Mclaren..

I think Paffet will go to Prodrive as part of the deal and Dave Richards will be free to choose another driver for the second seat.

[rubystone]

stevieb said:

FourWheelDrift said:

StuMartin said:

Someone surely has to give Paffett a chance next year. ..

Mercedes powered Prodrive or so the rumour mills have been grinding.

Seems that the Prodrive outfit will be a 2007 Mclaren re-branded to a prodrive livery. Romour coming from Employees at Mclaren..

I think Paffet will go to Prodrive as part of the deal and Dave Richards will be free to choose another driver for the second seat.

That's as good as confirmed...will be announced at the British GP. I wonder whether Richards might take De La Rosa as well?....

[skinny]

agreed, i'd be surprised if paffett didn't go to prodrive. bourdais to str, maybe even rbr? piquet jnr has a chance of getting a drive too in renault? (and of course vettel but i've mentioned him too many times now and so i'll say it quietly this time!)

Edited by skinny on Monday 11th June 18:17

[F355GTS]

Having watched Bruno Senna anialate the competiiton last Weekend in the F30 Challenge Series, his first time racing outside of single seaters, I don't think it'll be long before he's in F1, apparently he has a test lined up already. On both Saturday and Sunday he just pulled away from the pack then controlled the race from there, running aorund 2 secs off his qualifying pace he was still leagues ahead

Loads of pics at the 430race car link

http://www.collinsclan.co.uk/pages/Cars/silverston...

[Mr_Thyroid]

Trouble with Sebastian Bourdais is that he's been in champ cars too long and it's a huge gamble as to whether he'll be able to adjust.

[FourWheelDrift]

I don't see that as a problem. It's only just like moving from F3 or GP2 into F1. I think too much is said about that kind of thing because everyone thinks of Andretti and Zanardi not doing that well after driving in the CART series. But Andretti didn't do that badly, he was just up against Senna in the same car and the Williams Zanardi drove wasn't that good and by I seem to recall something along the lines of not being exactly the same spec as Ralfs. F1 race winner Montoya proved the point.

[rubystone]

F355GTS said:

Having watched Bruno Senna anialate the competiiton last Weekend in the F30 Challenge Series, his first time racing outside of single seaters, I don't think it'll be long before he's in F1, apparently he has a test lined up already. On both Saturday and Sunday he just pulled away from the pack then controlled the race from there, running aorund 2 secs off his qualifying pace he was still leagues ahead

Loads of pics at the 430race car link

http://www.collinsclan.co.uk/pages/Cars/silverston...

But the calibre of drivers in that race series is a world away from F1. The real test is how well Senna does in GP2 this year. If he performs, he has a chance in F1, especially if he can bring money to the table - he is highly marketable after all.

[rubystone]

Mr_Thyroid said:

Trouble with Sebastian Bourdais is that he's been in champ cars too long and it's a huge gamble as to whether he'll be able to adjust.

He had no trouble in testing for STR though.

[StuMartin]

FourWheelDrift said:

But Andretti didn't do that badly, he was just up against Senna in the same car ...

I think you're being too generous on that one. If you'll forgive me turning to wikipedia...

wiki said:

1993 Marlboro McLaren McLaren MP4/8 Ford V8
RSA Ret
BRA Ret
EUR Ret
SMR Ret
ESP 5
MON 8
CAN 14
FRA 6
GBR Ret
GER Ret
HUN Ret
BEL 8
ITA 3
POR Replaced by Hakkinen
JPN Replaced by Hakkinen
AUS Replaced by Hakkinen
Overall championship 11th with 7 points.

Compared to Senna with 73 points, 2nd in the championship. That's not simply faring badly against a legendary team mate. That's appalling.

Andretti's F1 career was a joke at the time and imo remains so today. Surely only the great Taki Inoue can compare?!

Edited by StuMartin on Tuesday 12th June 09:59