Pierre Gasly/the pope at Renault?

[LavidaLoca]

who knows what could happen in 2017 to Giovinazzi with the support of Gelael.....

[S griffin]

Gasly is quick, it seems he's had a bit of bad luck in crucial races

[chunterer]

Razzor with the greatest respect I don't think you quite get what is going on in GP2 and how it isn't always a reliable indicator of talent.

Rowland is a hard driver but it is painfully clear his equipment is not a patch on that of tbe drivers in the fancied teams. He is punching way above his team's weight and therefore prone to some frustrated defensive driving. Bit ott on ocassion.

To compare him to Maldonado is laughable though!!

As with F1 good drivers aren't always in yhe top seats.

[BSchneiderFan]

Presumably the second Toro Rossi seat for 2017 is a straight Kvyat vs. Gasly fight.

[gert]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

Presumably the second Toro Rossi seat for 2017 is a straight Kvyat vs. Gasly fight.

I think it will be a 2-way fight between Kvyat and the Prema driver that wins the GP2 championship.

[wnut]

I think you can take Kvyat as done, he has had his chance now.

[chunterer]

I think this will be the first year when Bull haven't had a top prospect lined up for promotion from the lower categories?

Gasly is ok but he's made heavy weather of GP2.

I don't think i'd replace Kyvat with him but then keeping drivers on for more than a couple of years in STR has never been policy? So Kyvat should be off on that basis....

[cds_uk]

Originally Posted by chunterer

I think this will be the first year when Bull haven't had a top prospect lined up for promotion from the lower categories?

Gasly is ok but he's made heavy weather of GP2.

I don't think i'd replace Kyvat with him but then keeping drivers on for more than a couple of years in STR has never been policy? So Kyvat should be off on that basis....

Couldn't agree with you more on Gasly, i wonder if he will get the DaCosta treatment if Gio pips him to the title?

[BSchneiderFan]

Is Giovinazzi a Red Bull junior? I thought he was doing some sim work for Ferrari.

[Razzzor]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Razzor with the greatest respect I don't think you quite get what is going on in GP2 and how it isn't always a reliable indicator of talent.

Rowland is a hard driver but it is painfully clear his equipment is not a patch on that of tbe drivers in the fancied teams. He is punching way above his team's weight and therefore prone to some frustrated defensive driving. Bit ott on ocassion.

To compare him to Maldonado is laughable though!!

As with F1 good drivers aren't always in yhe top seats.

Chunterer I'm aware that the best drivers aren't necessarily in the best cars. Prema have easily the best package in Gp2.

Rowland has punched well above his weight with MP Motorsports. He's also been heavily hyped on the forums. Although I wouldn't say painfully clear, because you're only going by the fact MP have been backmarkers the last 3 seasons so they must be backmarkers again this year. Unless you specifically know the budget and staff involved with the team. I don't so I can only go by past performances and De Jong. But De Jong is hardly a benchmark to compare Rowland to as teammate. MP have had quite a lot of very average drivers actually. Rowland is the most talented they've had so far. Although, Sorenson won a race with them a couple years ago.

But anyway Rowland has been very fast for a slow team, it would be interesting to see him get into a faster team next year. Same with Ghiotto. I still don't get why he joined MP... it's not really going to get you noticed.

Don't know if you watched him much in the last 2 rounds, but he wasn't that fast in those. He'll want to return to his early season performances for the finale.

But back to Prema... despite them being the top team, Gio could still be a great talent. Vandoorne joined the fastest team in GP2 and couldn't win the title in his first year, and he's still hyped as the next big thing.

[spider]

Rowland is definitely not in the right team to showcase his ability - a fantastic driver in my opinion.

If he was in Gasly's car I personally feel he'd be doing a far superior job...

[gert]

Originally Posted by Razzzor

Vandoorne joined the fastest team in GP2 and couldn't win the title in his first year

I agree with a lot of what you wrote, but not this.

I don't think there is something as "the best team" in GP2, at least not on a consistent basis.

Right now, you would have to say Prema is the best team, but there's no guarantee it will be next year.
It would probably be the best bet though.

In 2013 ART was only 5th in the team standings ( behind Russian Time, Carlin, Racing Engineering and DAMS) and won only 2 times, so I don't know why you would think they were the best team going into 2014.

Personally, I think there are a few teams that are always there or thereabout, like ART, DAMS & Racing Engineering. Now it looks like we may have to add Prema to that list.

Originally Posted by spider

Rowland is definitely not in the right team to showcase his ability - a fantastic driver in my opinion.

If he was in Gasly's car I personally feel he'd be doing a far superior job...

Without any doubt.

[Moneyseeker]

Rumour is Hulkenburg to Renault probably with Ocon as team mate, with Werlheim replacing the Hulk at FI, but who knows?

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

Rumour is Hulkenburg to Renault probably with Ocon as team mate, with Werlheim replacing the Hulk at FI, but who knows?

Who do we think this will benefit afa GP2 is concerned?

[BSchneiderFan]

Gasly to Toro Rosso, Giovinazzi to Manor?

[BSchneiderFan]

Is Hülkenberg the team leader Renault needs?

[S griffin]

With interviews I heard with the Hulk, he seems to tow the line rather than have an opinion on anything. He's a good driver no doubt, but I'm not sure he has the killer instinct to do it

[BSchneiderFan]

It's interesting that Pérez seems to have backed away from a potential deal because of behind-the-scenes instability. Hülkenberg was probably the best option left to them after Button, Massa and Pérez had checked out.

[gert]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

It's interesting that Pérez seems to have backed away from a potential deal because of behind-the-scenes instability. Hülkenberg was probably the best option left to them after Button, Massa and Pérez had checked out.

... and Sainz (Red Bull wants to hang on to him)

[knighty]

Originally Posted by gert

... and Sainz (Red Bull wants to hang on to him)

I think Hulkenberg will bring a solid driver platform to Renault, certainly better than Magnussen and Palmer for sure, I feel once the Hulk gets his first F1 podium it will really open him up as a driver, he seems from the same mold as drivers like Button, Hakkinen, Barichello, Irvine and Massa......whereby they not much in their early careers, but then all of a sudden they just took off once the podiums started.....I think the general problem Renault have is also linked to the lack of a half decent driver, quite simply if good engineers dont think they have a decent driver, they wont join the team......a good example is when HAAS recruited Grosjean in 2015 it allowed them to recruit some decent engineering talent who though the team had prospects with a decent driver, and look what thats now achieved, their points haul is just mind blowing for their 1st year.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by S griffin

With interviews I heard with the Hulk, he seems to tow the line rather than have an opinion on anything. He's a good driver no doubt, but I'm not sure he has the killer instinct to do it

i would have to agree and think he could very nicely fit the mold of a 'Trulli or Fisichella' type driver as they wait (and hope) to find the next 'Alonso' caliber driver.

i do rate the Hulk very highly but i dont think F1 will be the place for him to shine regardless of whetehr or not top results come his way...but i do think he can be used to propel the team forward and back to a manu level completion status.

maybe just me, but i feel as though these are very similar conversations and strong parallels to Renault's last return to F1 in the 2000's...hopefully for them they can recapture the good without falling into the same pitfalls as last time.

[Razzzor]

Originally Posted by gert

I agree with a lot of what you wrote, but not this.

I don't think there is something as "the best team" in GP2, at least not on a consistent basis.

Right now, you would have to say Prema is the best team, but there's no guarantee it will be next year.
It would probably be the best bet though.

In 2013 ART was only 5th in the team standings ( behind Russian Time, Carlin, Racing Engineering and DAMS) and won only 2 times, so I don't know why you would think they were the best team going into 2014.

Personally, I think there are a few teams that are always there or thereabout, like ART, DAMS & Racing Engineering. Now it looks like we may have to add Prema to that list.


Without any doubt.

I don't think ART were there in 2013. That went to Russian Time. I don't think Calado and Abt helped either, they ended up being good #2 drivers. But weren't at the level of some previous ART drivers: Rosberg, Hamilton, Di Grassi, Buemi, Grosjean, Maldonado, Hulk, Bianchi, Bird... bloody hell that's a good list.

2014 they found something again mid-season (Vandoorne probably had a lot to do with that) and by 2015 were firm favourites because DAMS seemed to be struggling with tyres since Palmer had left.

This year yeah it's clearly Prema and ART have just been clinging on with Sirotkin while Matsushita is in over his head.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Razzzor

This year yeah it's clearly Prema and ART have just been clinging on with Sirotkin while Matsushita is in over his head.

I think Racing Engineering would be right there in the title hunt if it were not for 2 wildly inconsistent drivers as well. Russian Time maybe as well, Marciello seems to be doing well again but when Markelov is on fire he puts him in the shade and the Russian driver is not on Sirotkin's level talent wise imo. Kind of suggests that their cars could go a bit better more often.

Rapax and Campos have done well a times, again 2 teams that would really benefit from having one seat filled by a real hotshot.

Anyway we digress quite a bit from an F1 Enstone seat discussion

[bella]

Originally Posted by chunterer

I think Racing Engineering would be right there in the title hunt if it were not for 2 wildly inconsistent drivers as well. Russian Time maybe as well, Marciello seems to be doing well again but when Markelov is on fire he puts him in the shade and the Russian driver is not on Sirotkin's level talent wise imo. Kind of suggests that their cars could go a bit better more often.

in fairness to racing engineering, nato has got involved in a lot of trouble rather than being inconsistent. that's the problem with gp2 for me - sure, f3 drivers got read the riot act last year but gp2 seems to have more daft incidents than the rest of the junior formulae put together. when there's that much stupid a driver has to be in the lead and stay there by a long way a la vandoorne to actually make his presence felt.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by bella

in fairness to racing engineering, nato has got involved in a lot of trouble rather than being inconsistent. that's the problem with gp2 for me - sure, f3 drivers got read the riot act last year but gp2 seems to have more daft incidents than the rest of the junior formulae put together. when there's that much stupid a driver has to be in the lead and stay there by a long way a la vandoorne to actually make his presence felt.

Good to watch though ...