Dilemma for Jacques

[BIGMOUTH]

So the great news is that Jacques is back!

But he must surely be after a full time drive in 2005, or else there would be little point in the Renault thing...
And I doubt very much the Sauber thing is a goer...they are just not a good enough team for JV and he woulden't want to be Schuey's slave anyway...
So a return to BAR seems the most plausable option...but then the whole point of him joining Renault is so he can help the French squad to beat BAR in the WCC. Well on the one hand I suppose if he succeded to help Renault finish ahead of his old team then that would prove to BAR how good Villeneuve still is, but it would also do BAR a lot of damage in terms of prize money etc...

And it will also be funny if we see the man Jacques is replacing - Jarno Trulli - team up with BAR next season. I still doubt very much that BAR would be stupid enough to hang onto Sato, and so I think a JV and JT line-up is likely...

[Kicking-back]

Sato is confirmed at BAR - David Richards reiterated that at Monza, so your theory's already blown out of the water!

[Dutton]

Sato thoroughyl deservesanother year at BAR, imo.

He tok too long toget to grips in teh first half of the season, but recently he has been perfectly good.

I likethe boy, have since he entered. Was hoping, and thinking, befroe the start of this year he should be a lot better.

I was getting a bit disappointed with him after a few races, but the potential was still there. He is now startingto realise it properly.

I really hope he steps up to the plate properly next year.

[GoJenseGo]

True, Sato is confirmed at BAR.

But then Trulli wasn't going anywhere this season when the questions were asked at and after Monza........

[BIGMOUTH]

I wasn't aware that Sato was actually CONFIRMED at BAR, I thought it was just hinted...?

[Kicking-back]

Confirmed.

[BIGMOUTH]

sources?

[Kicking-back]

David Richards.

[Dixie Flatline]

Though from what I've read, there is a contract with Sato that includes a "break" clause in favour of BAR...

[mp356a]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
David Richards.

Ha! Reliable source? Maybe Eddie Jordan? Ha!

Mike

PS. I do like Sato. It just cracks me up when someone like Richards confirms anything. Dang that's funny.

[Paarma]

A break clause which is somehow connected to Honda no doubt? BAR should hire a new lawyer I think.

[mp356a]

I was just taking to the Mrs. about this very topic. If Fisi is in and JV does not want to race for the Ferrari junior team, where can he go? If he helps Renault beat BAR, that can't be good for him.
This is a sticky-wicket indeed.
Should be fun viewing though! Can't wait.

Mike

[Chucky]

As long as they have a Honda in the back, BAR will have Sato.

[dangeradam]

teams that have not yet confirmed thier line up would be silly not to wait and see what Jacques can do before they go one way or another.

[Teretonga]

This whole Trulli thing is probably over the fact that the 10 year management contract with Flavio is over this year.
Trulli was making it clear that he wanted out of the FB Management idea and even after Monaco FB himself hinted that the performance might not be enough to ensure he kept his drive for 2005.
None of the subsequent event surprise me at all.

[Gt_R]

I had hold my reservations about Jacques's motivation and performance when he was booted last season.

But i must say that with this test, and subsequently hopefully, 3 race drive with Renault, Jacques can come back and bring his former promise to enrich F1 again. keep the politics and mind-games out...it's the track where the men talk.

And i do hope JV can end his career, this year or next or whichever it may be, on a bright note. A race win, a podium or something. It's a pity that for a ex WDC and State's hero leave motorsports the way he did last year, and hopefully, he would optimise this chance to settle any unfinished business

Unfortunately, with all top seats, bar BAR, taken, he doesn't have a car competitive enough to challenge WDC next year. But maybe a race seat at Sauber or something.

[Dixie Flatline]

Originally posted by Paarma
A break clause which is somehow connected to Honda no doubt? BAR should hire a new lawyer I think.

Yeah, probably related to how many engines Takuma breaks next season!

<low blow...>

[Dixie Flatline]

Originally posted by Gt_R
<snip>

Unfortunately, with all top seats, bar BAR, taken, he doesn't have a car competitive enough to challenge WDC next year. But maybe a race seat at Sauber or something.

That's the one thing that's puzzled me since this morning (my time), and that's why Renault doesn't just simply pay out Fisico's contract with Sauber early, get him in the car for the next three races and let him be reacquainted with the Renault style of F1 racing earlier than previously expected, given that his move is apparently signed sealed and delivered. On the flipside, if Renault (Flavio) wants to hire JV to drive the last three races of this season, why was he never in any contention for the drive next season? :confused:

[BIGMOUTH]

Could it just be.....that Alonso might leave...!!? :O

[Super Tourer]

Peter Sauber won't release Fizzi is the reason Reanult can't get him early. To quote PS "Briatore has made his bed and has to lie in it".

Of course, money talks and everyone has their price (in F1) but PS has also indicated that Renault wouldn't want to pay any settlement sum he could come up with, generally teams don't like being held to 'ransom' by others, and end up sorting it themselves - eg Williams and Hedifeld/Jordan earlier this year.

[Testure]

According to grandprix.com (who seem to be remarkably more reliable than most web sites in terms of reporting rumours) Jacques visited Sauber yesterday. To quote: "Jacques reportedly dropped off in Switzerland and our sources say that it is quite likely that he signed a contract with Peter Sauber". Sounds like he had a busy day indeed!

[Fogelhund]

Originally posted by Testure
According to grandprix.com (who seem to be remarkably more reliable than most web sites in terms of reporting rumours) Jacques visited Sauber yesterday. To quote: "Jacques reportedly dropped off in Switzerland and our sources say that it is quite likely that he signed a contract with Peter Sauber". Sounds like he had a busy day indeed!

I think that is an old quote, as it seems unlikely he was testing for Renault at Silverstone, and visiting Switzerland in the same day.

[gttouring]

no dilemna here, JV tests for a fast and winning renault and gets a chnace to race, and he now has weaponry to fight the scuderia with his (no seemingly lost talents)
of course he still owns a stake in BAR does he not?
the ar is certainly a WDC type of machine now....
the real matter is whether or not to go racing and Renault is offering a way back in..so take it

[ralf fan]

Sato will be a BAR driver im sure of it... he has gone quite well this year.. unfair to compare him with Jenson who certainly is the more experienced and hasnt had such wretched luck with reliability....

[Testure]

Originally posted by Fogelhund
I think that is an old quote, as it seems unlikely he was testing for Renault at Silverstone, and visiting Switzerland in the same day.

That would have been yesterday - Tuesday. He's only been testing today - Wednesday. Plenty of time to sign something in Switzerland, then sign something in England in one day.