Who's out in 2005?

[Wrex]

The silly season is in full force, and there is huge speculation on where Webber, Fisi, Trulli, Coultard & co are going to end up.

What about those fighting over the crumbs?

He's a goner

Olivier Panis - I like Panis, but his time is up.

Cristiano Da Matta - Back the the US buddy

Giorgio Pantano - should be gone, but I guess it comes back to his bank book

Zsolt Baumgartner - As above


High risk

Felipe Massa - Everyone is talking about who is taking his seat, but not where he is going? Is Sauber still interested?

Christian Klien - Personally, I think he's done alright. That red bull money might help though.

Gianmaria Bruni - Dont see any teams fighting over him


Other (lower risk) possibilities

David Coulthard - If the seats run out, Ron would love to keep him on in a test role (I hope and think he will be ok though)

Takuma Sato - We assume he's on for 2005, but if Ant cant get a ride elswhere, is Sato at risk?



Anyone else?

[grumpy1]

What about Trulli.He hasn't signed with anyone and Renault have lost patience with him.
Ricardo Zonta & Gene can be also listed as the will theys.

The Grumpy1

[BARrouette]

What about jv ...

[HDTVKSS]

He's a goner

Olivier Panis - YUP, once again clean sweep by toyota.

Cristiano Da Matta - was he a little out of his depth? hope he does OK in the USA, seems like a real nice guy

Giorgio Pantano - yep gooooooonnneeee. hasnt been too bad tho. i feel that Rookies somtimes dont get the miles that they need

Zsolt Baumgartner - Disagree. Whilst Zolt willnever set the world on fire i think that hes done alot better than expected this year. everyone was expecting Bruni to tear him a new one, but that certainly hasnt happend


High risk

Felipe Massa - Dissapointing if he goes, i like the guy, he certainly tries pretty hard and is spectacular to watch

Christian Klien - Done well IMHO, some rookie mistakes, but ummm, hes a rookie? should keep his seat and will give Coultard a run for his money.

Gianmaria Bruni - Alot of promise not fullfilled. cant see him being invited back


Other (lower risk) possibilities

David Coulthard - Will be in brittish racing green

Takuma Sato - Hes not going anywhere while Honda is involved.

the "Will They"'s?

Gene - not after that last 2 GP's. for all the miles hes done in that car, it looked like hwe was on a sunday drive. Seems like a nice guy but didnt do himself any favours.

Zonta - unknown, is anyone really interested in him? Id be more inclined to put Alex Wurz's name forward.

[grumpy1]

Originally posted by BARrouette
What about jv ...

I wondered how long it would take

[gomick]

Originally posted by HDTVKSS
Cristiano Da Matta - was he a little out of his depth? hope he does OK in the USA, seems like a real nice guy

dont think so, just think that toyota was never a world beater - yet....
is a champcar champion so the US should be A OK

[marcus]

Pantano seems to be improving (ok he got very dizzy at Silverstone but he was keeping up with Nick and has been closer to his pace of late , I would like to see him get another season but I doubt he is race winning material but then again is Nick ?

[ASCII Man]

Originally posted by grumpy1
I wondered how long it would take

Yes, it's tremendously hilarious, isn't it?
About as hilarious as Bob Saget...

[BertMk2]

Panis and Da Matta are out of the door.

Klein, Pantano, Baumgartner and Bruni may survive on bank balance (Klien will find a drive somewhere even if it's not Jag).

Massa is an interesting one, his seat doesn't look too secure. I think he's been a bit of a disappointment this season, he started well but recently Fisi has trampled on him.

At the start of the year I viewed Massa and Sato as very similar - fast but erratic. As the season has unfolded I've been impressed with Sato (he's still got that raw edge but has proved he can race with the best) but Massa has been completely anonymous too often (he appears to be less wild than before but looks to have lost speed as a result).

[mark_l]

Sato is at least a guarenteed BAR driver next year, now that Honda have confirmed engines for BAR for the next 3 years.

He has been supported by Honda for several years so he will go where Honda goes.

[darcym]

Sato is guarenteed a drive for life, no matter what he does Honda puts him somewhere

[BootsOntheSide]

Panis and da Matta have little chance of getitng drives elsewhere - it says a lot that all of Toyota's driver chcies so far have failed to attract any interest form elsewhere.

Baumgartner's money might save him. Pantano has a chance of staying on, as does Klien, but I doubt Bruni will get a second chance - he hasn't really looked good enough.

[Raven]

Originally posted by darcym
Sato is guarenteed a drive for life, no matter what he does Honda puts him somewhere

...and there's nothing wrong with that. Sato is a very good driver. It's only his 2nd full season and he's been quicker than Button at a few races this year. Bit more experience (& luck) and he could be right up there.

[dcp2685]

Originally posted by gomick
dont think so, just think that toyota was never a world beater - yet....
is a champcar champion so the US should be A OK

I remember watching his championship year. He was absolutely untouchable for the most part. I think in F1 terms he's on the level of Panis (which is quite a bit above that in ChampCars) and Panis was in F1 for quite some time. Personally i think it's a shame....but 2 ok years in a terrible car....better than nothing. At least he can say he did it and actually scored some points.

If he goes back to champ cars....he'll be fine.

[jj2728]

Originally posted by BARrouette
What about jv ...

who?.....

[jj2728]

Originally posted by darcym
Sato is guarenteed a drive for life, no matter what he does Honda puts him somewhere

i'll go along with that.....i can't see BAR droppping him for ant....if that were to happen i could see honda dropping BAR...

[Skam85]

OK, so we know the following driver line-ups are confirmed:

FERRARI
M.Schumacher
R.Barrichello

McLAREN
K.Raikkonen
J.Montoya

WILLIAMS
(M.Webber)
(??)

RENAULT
F.Alonso
(??)

BAR
J.Button
T.Sato

SAUBER
(F.Massa)
(??)

JAGUAR
(C.Klien)
(??)

JORDAN
(T.Glock)
(??)

TOYOTA
R.Schumacher
(??)

MINARDI
(??)
(??)

Which leaves, in what I like to call the 'driver pool' :

Coulthard (more than likely Jaguar, outside shot at Williams)

Fisichella (linked with both Renault and Williams)

Trulli (linked with bothe Renault and Toyota)

Davidson (more than likely a Sauber driver in 2005, Williams a possibility)

Heidfeld (Williams a possibility, if not, I think he'll struggle to stay at Jordan without funds)

Panis (I hope he stays at Toyota, although he may have to settle with a Jordan drive or a teste role somewhere)

da Matta (more than likely back to CART dominance in 2005, he'll have to snag a couple of mighty good results to stay at Toyota)

Bruni (Minardi will probably give him a second year if the price is right)

Baumgartner (Minardi will probably give him a second year if the price is right)

de la Rosa (linked to Jordan with Repsol sponsorship)

Villeneuve (linked (??) to Williams, although an F1 return is unlikely)

Pantano (may stay with Jordan if there is no one else for the seat and if the price is right)

Then there are the 'outsiders' (who more than likely will be test/reserve drivers):

Paffett (Sauber are reported to be interested in him)

Briscoe (does Minardi beckon for the Aussie star? He can't wait for Toyota forever)

Wirdheim (no doubt he will get a run as Jaguar third driver again for maybe a race seat in 2006, or again, Minardi may beckon)

Montagny (in the same boat as Briscoe, can't wait for Renault forever)

Gene (Probably will stay on a Williams tester, not good enough for races, IMO)

Pizzonia (we'll se how Hockenheim goes....)

Verstappen (hate to say it, but he's always in the mix isn't he?)

Wurz (will no doubt be teased by Jaguar again...poor guy)

Zonta (solid Toyota tester, Jordan race seat maybe? EJ does like him)

and finally.....

Hakkinen (probably the same odds as a) Coulthard winning the championship, or b) Hill making a comeback)

[Tweed]

It's unfair to think of Pantano the same was as people think of Baumgartner.

Pantano's been at the very top of international karting, he's a class act, just needs more time and experience.

[MichaelH]

Totally agree, Baumgartner's actually vaguely impressed me this year. Lumping him with a messy, erratic accident waiting to happen like Pantano is completely unfair.

[Kicking-back]

Pantano is much faster than Baumgartner though.

[f1manoz]

Possibly/Certainly Out the Door:

Panis - Done little to impress team bosses and now it appears a certainty that Trulli will partner Ralf Schumacher next year

da Matta - Unimpressive so far this year

Pantano - Done little to impress anyone after a fairly good junior pedigree

Coulthard - Should find a seat, but if things go against him, could end up on the sidelines

Massa - Certainly not assured after having his ass handed to him by Fisichella

Baumgartner - I've been impressed by him considering he's a pay-driver and nothing more. Certainly kept Bruni honest..

Bruni - Considering he came in trying to impress, he's been decidely unimpressive

Klien - Should keep his seat at Jaguar, but considering what they are like at hiring/firing drivers...

Heidfeld - I REALLY didn't want to have to add his name, but if he doesn't get a better seat, and he's only left with Jordan, and considering he has next to no backing, he could be left out

[Dan Fielden]

I think that the Possible seats will be filled by

Williams
(Webber)
(Heidfeld)

Renault
Alonso
(Fisichella)

Sauber
(Massa)
(Davidson)

Jaguar
(Coulthard)
(Klien) I think this lad is great..I don't know why but i have liked him since Barhain. I want him to stay!!

Jordan
(Glock)
(Lloyd) Currently impressing in Euro 3000

Toyota
R.SCHUMACHER
(trulli)

Minardi
(Bruni)
(Pantano)


Who knows but i do hope Christian stays does anyone else feel he has impressed??