Mark Webber Has A New Playmate!

[stmookeyj]

Jaguar's new 2nd driver is an Austrian bloke by the name of Christian Klein, who was a rival of Ryan Briscoe in the F3 Euroseries this year. I guess pretender #4 (after Yoong, Wilson and Pizzonia) is about to be blown away.

2004 F1 LINEUPS
Ferrari: Schumi, Barrichello
Williams-BMW: Montoya (for the last time), Ralf
McLaren-Mercedes: Coulthard (Possible last time), Raikkonen
Renault: Alonso, Trulli (maybe last time)
Jaguar: Webber, Klein
BAR-Honda: Button, Sato
Toyota: Da Matta, Panis (probably for the last time)
Sauber-Petronas: Fisichella, Massa
Jordan-? (Merc?): Heidfeld (has signed), Firman???
Minardi-Ford?: Any 2 drivers with a spare 3-5 million.

 

[CarterS]

This guy obviously got in because he has more money than Wilson. I would have prefered Wilson, Wurz or Villeneuve (who said he would rather take a holiday than pay for an F1 drive) to get the seat but this guy may have some potential. No matter how much dosh he is bringing to the table, they wouldn't have hired him if he couldn't drive.

In his trial last week it was only his first time in an F1 seat and apparantly he didn't put a wheel on the grass while being very fast (he blew away the other rookie they tested and was less than a tenth slower than Webber on his first day in an F1 car- although I doubt how hard Webber was pushing). I wish all luck to him, hopefully he contributes some points to the team's cause. I would like to see a Jag in 5th place this season.

As for the rest, Coulthard definitely won't be in a McLaren 2005 (even if he wins the World Championship I think), Trulli has said he definitely will be a free agent in 2005 (I think Webber will fill the spot with Button probably going to Williams), Briscoe will replace Panis in 05, not really sure about Jordan's 2nd seat (maybe HH Frenzten?) and I think Minardi's 2 drivers will be Kiesa and Wilson (unless he is a tester at Jaguar). I don't know what will happen to Verstappen.

 

[Gridlock'd]

Originally posted by CarterS
This guy obviously got in because he has more money than Wilson. I would have prefered Wilson, Wurz or Villeneuve (who said he would rather take a holiday than pay for an F1 drive) to get the seat but this guy may have some potential. No matter how much dosh he is bringing to the table, they wouldn't have hired him if he couldn't drive.

In his trial last week it was only his first time in an F1 seat and apparantly he didn't put a wheel on the grass while being very fast (he blew away the other rookie they tested and was less than a tenth slower than Webber on his first day in an F1 car- although I doubt how hard Webber was pushing). I wish all luck to him, hopefully he contributes some points to the team's cause. I would like to see a Jag in 5th place this season.

As for the rest, Coulthard definitely won't be in a McLaren 2005 (even if he wins the World Championship I think), Trulli has said he definitely will be a free agent in 2005 (I think Webber will fill the spot with Button probably going to Williams), Briscoe will replace Panis in 05, not really sure about Jordan's 2nd seat (maybe HH Frenzten?) and I think Minardi's 2 drivers will be Kiesa and Wilson (unless he is a tester at Jaguar). I don't know what will happen to Verstappen.

I doubt Frentzen will ever return to Jordan after the way they treated him. Maybe Wurz to Jordan?

 

[CarterS]

Originally posted by gridlocked
I doubt Frentzen will ever return to Jordan after the way they treated him. Maybe Wurz to Jordan?

If that Merc engine deal goes through then I'd say so. Otherwise maybe Verstappen or a rookie (not that Hungarian bloke though- he was pants).

 

[Juddamania]

Originally posted by CarterS
This guy obviously got in because he has more money than Wilson. I would have prefered Wilson, Wurz or Villeneuve (who said he would rather take a holiday than pay for an F1 drive) to get the seat but this guy may have some potential. No matter how much dosh he is bringing to the table, they wouldn't have hired him if he couldn't drive.

In his trial last week it was only his first time in an F1 seat and apparantly he didn't put a wheel on the grass while being very fast (he blew away the other rookie they tested and was less than a tenth slower than Webber on his first day in an F1 car- although I doubt how hard Webber was pushing). I wish all luck to him, hopefully he contributes some points to the team's cause. I would like to see a Jag in 5th place this season.

As for the rest, Coulthard definitely won't be in a McLaren 2005 (even if he wins the World Championship I think), Trulli has said he definitely will be a free agent in 2005 (I think Webber will fill the spot with Button probably going to Williams), Briscoe will replace Panis in 05, not really sure about Jordan's 2nd seat (maybe HH Frenzten?) and I think Minardi's 2 drivers will be Kiesa and Wilson (unless he is a tester at Jaguar). I don't know what will happen to Verstappen.

Not sure about Minardi, though I heard Bruni was all but signed. Wilson said he could go back to Minardi, but he'd still have to pay, and I think he's looking at other options. Jag have said that they'd like him for the "3rd driver" but in the new rules it states that the 3rd driver used in the practice sessions (for the bottom 6 teams only) must have driven less than 6 GP's over the past 2 yrs.

Williams are currently running sons of world champs Piquet and Rosberg. By 2005 they'll be turning 20 so they could be candidates for the spare seat. Coulthard could go to Toyota and replace Panis instead of Briscoe, or even Jag if Webber goes to Renault.

In the Jordan seat, EJ has said that he'd like HHF to drive again, but cause the team's a bit short of money and sponsors, they may look to Czech Janis or even Wilson.

I would have liked to have seen Wurz at Jag, but the "idiot" decided a life-sentence of testing for McLaren was better .

I think I heard that Barrichello could go to Williams as well, as Massa is likely to replace him for 2005. (I don't believe the hype surrounding this bloke though)

 

[stmookeyj]

Originally posted by CarterS
In his trial last week it was only his first time in an F1 seat and apparantly he didn't put a wheel on the grass while being very fast (he blew away the other rookie they tested and was less than a tenth slower than Webber on his first day in an F1 car- although I doubt how hard Webber was pushing).

Well the other guy they were testing was Townsend Bell. He is better known for junkong a few chassis in CART 2 years ago.

 

[CarterS]

Originally posted by Juddamania
I think I heard that Barrichello could go to Williams as well, as Massa is likely to replace him for 2005. (I don't believe the hype surrounding this bloke though)

I don't think Massa or Fisichella are good enough for Ferrari...I think they will try and recuit Fernando Alonso at some point.

Re: Jag/Wilson, Wilson said himself that he would love to be a tester but it doesn't look possible as you said. I think the smarter option would've been to give Wilson the drive and make Klien the 3rd driver.

 

[Juddamania]

Originally posted by CarterS
I don't think Massa or Fisichella are good enough for Ferrari...I think they will try and recuit Fernando Alonso at some point.

Re: Jag/Wilson, Wilson said himself that he would love to be a tester but it doesn't look possible as you said. I think the smarter option would've been to give Wilson the drive and make Klien the 3rd driver.

Yeah, Jag are a bit silly, because they were gonna get that sponsorship anyway (the other scenario was have Wurz as the driver and Klien as the test driver.

Fisichella, IMO is overrated. A driver with the hype generated by him would have been in a top team many years ago. And even when in Benetton, he never achieved the top performances everyone thought he was capable of. And his win happened in the most unpredictable and chaotic circumstances (and luck with fuel stratergies! )

Ferrari could have got Feranano for a tester back in 2001 I think, but they wouldn't pay Minardi enough for him. Hopefully they'll be kicking themselves when Renault improves! Flav has said he isn't going to release him until he wins a title with Renault!