planetf1.com

Wonder if they had to give some one t test on Friday, could they have given Sutil the chance?

Maybe Bianchi got it because he still is officially attached to Force India & Sutil isn't in any role? Some one claimed that Senna has signed with the team already, so then why would Bianchi test instead of him?

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Hmm, maybe beacause the first test is all about verifying car functionality and systems integrity, and the official driver can work on the simulator at the factory, developing the data gained on track, getting ready for the Barcellona test. (the first real benchmark).
But could be fair also the opposite (official driver on track, third driver on the simulator)
Ahh, these speculations..

The testing lineup (which includes Force India's line up as well):-
Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Red Bull Webber Webber Vettel Vettel
Ferrari Massa Massa Massa De La Rosa
McLaren Button Perez Button Perez
Lotus Grosjean Grosjean Raikkonen Raikkonen
Mercedes Rosberg Hamilton Rosberg Hamilton
Sauber Hulkenberg Hulkenberg Gutierrez Gutierrez
Force India Di Resta Di Resta/Rossiter Rossiter/Di Resta Bianchi
Williams Maldonado Maldonado Bottas Bottas
Toro Rosso Ricciardo Ricciardo Vergne Vergne
Caterham Van der Garde Van der Garde Pic Pic
Marussia Chilton Chilton TBA TBA

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Someone on twitter says his wife works @ Force India en she heard Senna has signed and will race for them.
He says he knows people think he's wrong but he says he's 100% sure.

Reasons for him not being announced has to do with marketing issues. (like getting engines for free)

https://twitter.com/formula1matty

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-Ayrton Senna fan-

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I don't believe any of this Senna stuff at the moment, they would have had him in the car for a day if he was being lined up. I think Ferrari are pressuring them into taking Bianchi slowly and the fact he has a day in the car is near enough to conclude a deal is near for him.

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1994 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

If Bianchi was already down as a third driver again this year his day testing means nothing, but its true the Ferrari deal his the key to it all if str and sauber jump ship Ferrari are all of a sudden customerless.

He hasn't been confirmed as third driver though. They wanted him again but when Hulk left it threw a a massive spanner in the works.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/105371

But he isn't the third driver as of now. Time will tell if Ferrari do indeed get their own way.

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Senna, Bianchi or Sutil, any of them it's for sure.

Till then, Force India is looking good. Di Resta completed the most amount of laps on Day 1 - 89 laps.

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Well it isn't Senna. He's off to the WEC. Looks like Bianchi is a shoo in for it IMO. Why else have him in the car.

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1994 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

With Bruno leaving, Bianchi becomes extra-favourite.

Yep got to be Bianchi now and razia at marussia sutil doesn't bring in the sponsorship or any more really than Bianchi he worked with them last year and i think a Ferrari deal will seal it.

Looks like the Senna stuff was, as expected, pure bullshit. He's left F1. viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6081

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the PDR tweet was but it is understood FI did offer him a 1 year deal probably to bridge the gap til they wanted Bianchi but he said no that was a month ago i guess they didn't want a longer one for him,

Meh, I call BS on even that rumour. Bruno is in no position to demand longer contract with anyone on the grid. So him saying no to 1 year contract is just plain crap.

he has said in an interview today that he was offered a couple of contracts within formula 1 this season but that he didn't feel they met with what he wanted out of f1 and was still negotiating with two teams right up until he signed for Aston martin.

When the fox can't reach the grapes, she claims they're sour.
I do believe that , if he could, he would have got the deal even for 1 year, but it's more like the teams didn't play ball - or he was simply offered a test or 3rd driver seat, not a racer's one.
Leaving F1 means usually leaving it for good. There has been only a very limited of drives who made a come-back after being really out of the game. In the last 10 years, I can only think of 4: Schumacher, Raikkonen, Heildfeld and Kharthikeyan. And maybe Pedro de la Rosa, but he still stuck around as test driver when he didn't have a race seat, so I don't know if that counts as a real come-back.

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i like that analogy! But i do believe he had a contract offer probably marussia or Caterham and thought being in a back marker wont help him

He drove for HRT without problems 2 years back and he basically took what he could at Lotus and Williams.
It would seem strange that he would refuse a drive - in the actual Sunday race - because it's only 1 year old.
Then again, he certainly can't claim "nobody wanted me, so this is why I leave" and maybe he really thinks racing isn't only F1...so, good luck, Bruno Senna, although making a comeback will be tough as nails. Look at Sutil, he was still driving at the end of 2011 and now he's half -forgotten and struggling desperately to get back in.

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...and also Jenson Button fan.

Let's hope he does well this year with Aston Martin. Sometimes a driver has to do what he has to do.
I don't think Bruno was extremely fast in F1, but he wasn't crap either. I do think people were too hard on him and he didn't get an optimal chance to prove what he had.

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His bad qualifying was also due because he didn't get much Friday running. Anyway it's only between Binachi and Sutil I guess. I'm rooting for Bianchi.

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Now that Senna is out of the picture, is the competition still between Bianchi and Sutil? Or has Sutil kept his fingers crossed?

Seems Bianchi has a lot of probability to join. His test times will indicate somewhat if he will join the team. He better not crash the car like last year otherwise Sutil may get a welcome.

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KOBAAYAASSSHHII!!!!




...It's going to be Bianchi isn't it?

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Don't know why Kobayashi didn't think about Force India? At the end f last year, Force India did edge Sauber. Maybe, he didn't want to make a side step.

I'm sure his ego must've hurt because Perez got a chance with McLaren & he was left bewildered!

Still think Sutil has a slight chance. If he doesn't get the seat, he can kiss F1 goodbye forever because no one would consider him in the future.

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Or maybe FI are not looking at Koba because he won't bring enough of sponsorship with him (or discount for Ferrari engines like Bianchi)

This is likely to be the answer. I'm sure Kamui would kill to be in that second Force India seat, if I were him I'd be reasonably confident of showing up Di Resta which would raise his stock greatly. If the guy had given up on this season already he must have got a "no" fairly early on in the process.

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Money's was definitely an issue, however I keep on hearing reports of him finding sponsorship now. but then I keep hearing the same about Petrov, and that hasn't amounted to anything...

I would love Kobayashi to get the seat and Bianchi to stay 3rd driver, with the option of Bianchi going to Sauber in 2014 if Hulkenberg goes to Ferrari.

Not enough seats frankly. Maybe the supervillain entity that is Hank Scorpio racing will make a good car for next year

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a good in depth senna interview has been published today he confirms he had one solid offer of a drive and a second possible one but he realised he had fallen out of love with racing while in f1, he interestingly said he didn't like that he was always hindered over the past year behind the scenes but was told and expected to tow the line during interviews and to the media. From the sound of it he didn't just mean losing the fp1's. Because of this he decided he would rather be challenging and start enjoying racing again rather than trying to stay in f1 just for the sake of being there.

Mallya didn't want him. He said he didn't consider anyone who was free on the grid outside the top teams good enough and that included Koba. He can't go where he's not wanted.

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That's what I meant when I said I thought people were too hard on him. I don't think he got his fair chance. I believe his decision to actually enjoy racing is a good one. Who knows for next year when 2014 brings a big shake up in F1, he could be back. But the most important thing is to actually enjoy what you are doing.

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Now there are rumours that Karthikeyan is in the mix of for the 2nd seat. I don't think Force India would hire him, despite the sponsorship. He is not worth in any regard. If he would be chosen, Force India would struggle massively.

Bianchi looked good on the 4th day of training. Was 2nd fastest on day 4 & posted the 3rd fastest time of the day.

If money was the real issue, Senna was the best option.

Seems Bianchi will get a seat over Sutil No one else is in the way.

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Seems now Sutil will be getting an outing for the Barcelona test:-

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/105563

This confirms that Sutil is still in the mix for the seat with Bianchi.

So who posts a better time, it's more reliant in the feedback & consistent, will get the seat. Fingers crossed for Sutil.

This is real good news for Sutil fans.

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It would be pretty disappointing that after a long wait we would have the same dull line-up as in 2011.

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I'd have no problem with Sutil coming back. Also, no-ones mentioned the grudge match that would be Hamilton and Sutil Assuming there's still some tension there of course

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They will probably be driving cars of similar performance as well

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That would be great to see.

Waiting to see Sutil's lap times in Barcelona. Those lap times can either make or break his dream of F1 return.

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Sutil's confirmed for testing atleast:-

http://www.pitpass.com/48403-Sutil-to-drive-at-Barcelona

He'll drive the car on Thursday whereas Bianchi will drive on Friday.

Game on because this test is between them for the 2nd seat!

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the shittiest thing about this mess is Force india statement "the Barcelona test is not a Sutil/Bianchi 'shoot-out'. They are just helping the team.".

Well the so called shoot out is happening to test Sutil. He had been on the sidelines in 2012, so they wish to see if he is the same old Sutil.

Bianchi is already there but they had 2nd thoughts on putting him in the race seat, so the plan was to give him a chance in 2014.

So they want to analyze their long time protege, Sutil, because it was not very customary to end his association with th team in 2011. Maybe, for old time sake, they are giving him a last chance to see if he still has the speed & can give technical feedback as earlier.

If he is as fast as Di Resta or Bianchi, he should get the seat.

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Sorry but it was customary to end his contract he compromised it by having a court case hanging over him at the time with a prospect of jail time or losing his visa so understandable i agree that its shit BF stated they are not going to use tests to evaluate drivers... So they bring back a driver who is in contention and give him a seat fitting and also have his rival on the other day if that isn't driver evaluation i don't know what is, i agree with brundles comments that Ferrari are dragging their feet on a potential deal so FI are trying to force their hand.

A very interesting article regarding the shoot out of Sutil & Bianchi & about the deciding factors:-

http://www.f1reader.com/#/news/sutil-amp-bianchi-shape-up-for-barcelona-force-india-shootout-67516

An excerpt from the article above:-

'The talks about Force India’s turbo V6 supplier for 2014 and beyond will be key.

Schmidt claims Mercedes is charging about EUR 21 million for its V6, while Ferrari is asking only 17 million. But a rumour in the Barcelona paddock on Tuesday is that Mercedes could be throwing in a gearbox deal as well, which could play in German Sutil’s favour.'

It is just getting interesting! Waiting for tomorrow to see Sutil in the cockpit. If he is competitive enough, he may get the seat as Bianchi could remain the 3rd driver for 1 more year.

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