[Driver] Chandhok in at Lotus

[JeremySmith]

This whole idea of plonking a driver in a race car for one race is rubbish, what can anyone expect, the parting of the red sea?

Bring back some real testing for everyone's sake..

[wnut]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

This whole idea of plonking a driver in a race car for one race is rubbish, what can anyone expect, the parting of the red sea?

Bring back some real testing for everyone's sake..

It seems quite pathetic that you can blow hundreds of millions of dollars making up simulation programs for something you could go and test, or let a driver learn to operate in real conditions.

[spider]

Post-race testing would undoubtedly help on that side. Still, I'm pretty sure most drivers would have been a lot more 'on it' than Karun.

After all he isn't a complete rookie like Ricciardo - he did half a season last year...!

Anyway, no problems with him, but he did embarrass himself...but the system (of no testing) is partly to blame.

[Mr V]

I was going to say that DR finishing nearly a minute behind Luizzi doesn't seem so bad now, but at least Ricciardo has had track time this year. Although it's been in different Formula's, that's something that Karun hasn't had.

[Hawkwood]

According to today's Autosport mag Chandhok is likely to race at the Indian GP (no surprise) but it's Kovalainen who's likely to move aside.

[spider]

Jarno I could understand, but Heikki? Surely he's driving the team forward, unlike Mr T, who has just moaned and whinged.

I know Karun hasn't raced this year, but with his half-a-season last time out I'd have expected more, I mean he's got more experience than DR, though DR's is 2011, obviously.

I think the number of unforced errors are the most embarrassing part of it, if he'd just been a little off Heikki, but was in and among the Virgin/HRT during the race, fair do's, but he was off quite a bit...and spinning under power a fair few times, in the dry...

Anyway, not trying to bash him, just not standing for the 'I didn't embarrass anyone' nonsense, you did Karun, though it was an improvement on your Melbourne free practice run...

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

This whole idea of plonking a driver in a race car for one race is rubbish, what can anyone expect, the parting of the red sea?

Bring back some real testing for everyone's sake..

You've hit the nail on the head there Jeremy.

As anyone who's driven a racing car will know, tyres have a profound effect on performance and the varying characteristics of this year's Pirellis are incomparable to last year's Bridgestones. Chandhok and Ricciardo have both acquitted themselves well the past few weekends... but it's almost a certainty that they would be closer to their team mates if they had some testing prior to their races.

[cds_uk]

Jarno seemed a good bit happier today didn't he, lets see what he does in Qualy though before we get to carried away.

[The Snout]

Team Lotus are good at PR, not so good at improvement.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by The Snout

Team Lotus are good at PR, not so good at improvement.

From the Thursday press conference at Monza:

http://www.grandprix.com/race/r852thupc.html

Q: What has changed for you is the power steering. First of all, can you tell us why you didn't have it in Spa but also why has it made so much of a difference?
Trulli: For me it makes a lot of difference because I can actually feel the car and get the exact car behaviour, which I didn't have with the old one. I was pretty much a passenger before rather than a driver. With the new one it's normal power steering. It works as it should but unfortunately in Spa we couldn't use it for technical reasons. It's back here and I just hope I can keep it for the rest of the season.

Problem identified in pre-season test, not resolved by Spa after mid-season break!

I have no words that convey my opinion here .....

[GTRMagic]

Has Mr Kovalainen been reported complaining about the power steering system?

[wnut]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Has Mr Kovalainen been reported complaining about the power steering system?

He wouldn't notice if someone left a wheel off, and he couldn't develop a cold!

[strider]

Originally Posted by wnut

He wouldn't notice if someone left a wheel off, and he couldn't develop a cold!

Is that meant to be amusing, because it certainly isn't even within touching distance of the truth?

[wnut]

Originally Posted by strider

Is that meant to be amusing, because it certainly isn't even within touching distance of the truth?

His efforts at McLaren not convincing enough?

If he isn't whining about the steering he isn't developing the car, and doesn't know what he is doing - imo, and Trulli too apparently!

[strider]

Originally Posted by wnut

His efforts at McLaren not convincing enough?

If he isn't whining about the steering he isn't developing the car, and doesn't know what he is doing - imo, and Trulli too apparently!

McLaren was 2/3 years ago; we should be talking about the present.

Whilst I seem to hear Trulli talk about nothing but the power steering, I don't recall Heikki mentioning it even once, unless specifically asked.

But let's face it, if the team can't get the power steering right until now, how are the drivers supposed to develop the car?

[Mr V]

Karun to race in India????

Maybe so according to Tony Fernandes and if so, it will again be in place of Trulli.

According to that article, Heikki is the number 1 driver there.