|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
21 Jul 2011, 11:25 (Ref:2929380) | #1 | |
Race Official
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 8,974
|
Chandhok in at Lotus
Karun Chandhok will be driving for Lotus at the German Grand Prix.
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2011/0...s-for-germany/ I got some nice footage of him on my camera talking at the Post-Grand Prix party at Silverstone about him having to force Kovalainen or Trulli to get the "Delhi Belly" in India in order to get a race drive. Now it looks like he doesn't have to. Trulli is out. Jarno is one of Formula 1's most confusing drivers for me. He was beating Alonso at Renault at one time for Christ's sake, but he has been lacklustre for a long while. Note the official line is that Trulli will sign another contract with them, so it might be a temporary thing. |
|
|
21 Jul 2011, 11:43 (Ref:2929384) | #2 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,067
|
Certainly sounds temporary.
Shame - I'd like to see Chandhok/Kovy line-up for next season. I really don't see much purpose in Trulli continuing. Selby |
||
__________________
Run-offs, chicanes, hairpins... Think you can do better? Let's see it! Check out the "My Tracks" forum here on Ten-Tenths. |
21 Jul 2011, 11:56 (Ref:2929388) | #3 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,052
|
Anyone think I would be miles off target if I suggested Trulli's new deal at Lotus would likely be in a test driver/advisory role?
With Lotus replacing him (even for just one race) when he isn't ill or injured says to me that they're evaluating a potential replacement for next year. |
||
|
21 Jul 2011, 12:15 (Ref:2929398) | #4 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,742
|
I don't see how this could be anything other than a backwards step and PR stunt
|
||
__________________
F1 fans - over-reacting about everything since forever |
21 Jul 2011, 12:39 (Ref:2929410) | #5 | |
Race Official
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 8,974
|
Why? Trulli has frequently been off Kovalainen's pace (at least in qualifying) and Heikki isn't the most stellar F1 driver. Chandhok beat Bruno Senna who came into F1 rather highly rated considering his lack of experience.
|
|
|
21 Jul 2011, 12:44 (Ref:2929412) | #6 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,742
|
Chandhok is dog slow and inexperienced. Jarno might have been having a poor season by his standards but at least he was competitive relative to Heikki and he has experience as well
Don't read anything into last year. With all the goings-on behind the scenes, I don't think it's a useful barometer for either driver. I like Karun as he's a nice guy but let's not let that detract from the truth - he's a classic pay driver who will be some distance off Kovalainen on Saturday and Sunday |
||
__________________
F1 fans - over-reacting about everything since forever |
21 Jul 2011, 12:48 (Ref:2929414) | #7 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 8,088
|
||
|
21 Jul 2011, 13:01 (Ref:2929422) | #8 | |
Race Official
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 8,974
|
Do you think Bruno Senna is dog slow? (Just a general question, not some kind of comment).
|
|
|
21 Jul 2011, 13:08 (Ref:2929425) | #9 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,254
|
|||
__________________
never eat belly button fluff |
21 Jul 2011, 13:14 (Ref:2929430) | #10 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 8,088
|
Sadly, I don't think that either of them are currently suitable candidates for F1 based on merit.
Maybe given time and some experience in lower series. Senna however would appear to be the better bet. Up to now imo neither of them has had any F1 experience anyway. Sadly. |
|
|
21 Jul 2011, 13:17 (Ref:2929432) | #11 | |
Racer
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 461
|
Wouldn't argue with your final statement but then again what purpose is there in having Chandhok in? Surely there are better?
|
|
|
21 Jul 2011, 13:25 (Ref:2929436) | #12 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,067
|
Yes, of course.
But there's an Indian GP coming up. I wrote this on a blog site as a response: "I think I look at it more like this: Karun’s going to be driving in India. It makes no sense (from a business POV) to NOT put him in there for that. Whether we agree with that on a talent perspective is a complete side-issue in this day and age of F1. Karun’s had little to no time in that car (for reasons he can only blame on himself in some cases, admittedly), so he needs some true preparation for that race. Sure, it’d be good to just field an Indian at the Indian GP. But why not try and add a bit of competitiveness to that? It’s the first Indian GP, it’s a new track. We may have incidents/some unknown quantities. Who knows, some race prep for Karun could be the difference between loitering in the midfield or perhaps scoring an extremely valuable point…" Selby |
||
__________________
Run-offs, chicanes, hairpins... Think you can do better? Let's see it! Check out the "My Tracks" forum here on Ten-Tenths. |
21 Jul 2011, 13:26 (Ref:2929437) | #13 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,986
|
Trulli can't gel with the Lotus as it is and I'm sure he'd prefer being out of the car [until the steering issue has been adjusted to his liking] than being humiliated week in week out.
Shoving Chandhok in solves the problem above and pre-empts publicity for Lotus in the run up to India. Seems fairly logical to me. |
|
|
21 Jul 2011, 13:28 (Ref:2929439) | #14 | ||
Race Official
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,270
|
Trulli has admitted to struggling with the current power steering on the car, there is a new power steering system scheduled for Hungary. Given that they know Trulli wouldn't be getting the most out of the car (and Chandhok needs a run ahead of the Indian GP) then now is the best time to put him in.
|
||
|
21 Jul 2011, 13:43 (Ref:2929446) | #15 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,052
|
Chandhok's intent on making it a full deal for 2012:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/93205 |
||
|
21 Jul 2011, 14:34 (Ref:2929461) | #16 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,742
|
|||
__________________
F1 fans - over-reacting about everything since forever |
21 Jul 2011, 16:36 (Ref:2929478) | #17 | |
Race Official
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 8,974
|
What about the Hispania?
|
|
|
21 Jul 2011, 17:43 (Ref:2929494) | #18 | ||
Racer
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 393
|
Well, we'll get another chance to have a little look at how dog slow he is now. One of race at the mo of course, but I would like to see how well he can go.
|
||
|
21 Jul 2011, 17:44 (Ref:2929495) | #19 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,742
|
Exactly - it's a pretty open secret that Chandhok was getting preferential treatment, because he was (supposed to be) bringing in the sponsorship to pay for it all. That's why you shouldn't read anything into it - unless you look at it that Bruno was still able to match and beat Karun despite having poorer equipment
|
||
__________________
F1 fans - over-reacting about everything since forever |
21 Jul 2011, 18:25 (Ref:2929512) | #20 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,453
|
Totally agree with jab, at what point did Karun get the better of Bruno last year? At a quick glance Bruno out qualified Karun 7-2, by over 1 sec at Monaco as i recall, looks like Bruno did the better job on that basis, especially if Karun had first dibs on the rare new bits that went onto the HRT's last year.
|
||
|
21 Jul 2011, 19:42 (Ref:2929543) | #21 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 17
|
To be honest I would be very surprised if Chandhok manages to do a better job than Trulli, I think it is just a test for him before lotus updated their power steering from budapest, which should show what Trulli is really capable of.
I also doubt he'll get a drive in 2012, even if he brings sponsorship, except in maybe a Hispania or a Virgin, seeing as there are so many up and coming talents in GP2 and FR3.5. |
|
|
21 Jul 2011, 19:59 (Ref:2929553) | #22 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,527
|
I've met & worked with Karun a couple of times and he is a lovely bloke, his passion for the sport is 2nd to none (even on the weekend of getting dropped from HRT last year he still went to the F3 races at Rockingham).
He is no '90s level pay driver, but he is not an F1 level driver. |
||
__________________
There's an old F1 adage, 'If you want to finish first, first you have to be a duplicitous little moaning git' |
22 Jul 2011, 04:04 (Ref:2929672) | #23 | ||
Race Official
1% Club
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 46,571
|
So when is 1Malaysia announcing Solangol and Mark Webber for 2012?
|
||
__________________
Happy David Thexton Day, 21st March 2003 “I am not uncertain” - Dollar Bill Stern, Billions “Fear stimulates my imagination” - Don Draper, Mad Men “Everybody Lies” - Dr Gregory House |
22 Jul 2011, 13:56 (Ref:2929793) | #24 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,320
|
Hopefully he'll confound indications to date. He's alot to prove and not alot of time to do it.
|
||
|
24 Jul 2011, 09:04 (Ref:2930351) | #25 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,107
|
I'm just happy for the guy. Even if he's not the quickest race driver out there, I like him and glad to see him back in an F1 car. I hope he gets a full deal and a season to prove himself. It's easy to write a driver off when they're new to the sport or when they've had few races, but you get some drivers who take longer to hit their stride than others.
Case in point is Vitaly Petrov. He wasn't exactly a superstar for most of his first season, but with some time to get settled he's proven himself a solid F1 driver. Maybe Karun will be the same. Maybe not. Either way, good for him to get the opportunity. |
||
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Lotus LMP2, and 2 Lotus GT2's? | gucom | Sportscar & GT Racing | 635 | 20 Feb 2015 20:05 |
[Team] Lotus to race against Lotus | PabloTeK | Formula One | 672 | 25 Oct 2012 13:07 |
[Team] Team Lotus to confirm name and Renault bits but Grp Lotus start Norfolk Civil War? | duke_toaster | Formula One | 255 | 23 Nov 2010 02:52 |
[Team] BBC : Renault lumps for Lotus next year, "Team Lotus" may return | duke_toaster | Formula One | 66 | 17 Sep 2010 20:50 |
Lotus Cortina (merged with Alan Mann Lotus Cortina) | stein johnsen | Motorsport History | 44 | 27 Mar 2006 07:27 |