2004 Driver / Team Lineup

[Archer]

Test Drivers Not Included

FERRARI Schumacher Barrichello
WILLIAMS Schumacher Montoya
MCLAREN Coulthard Raikkonen
RENAULT Alonso Trulli
BAR Sato Button
SAUBER Massa Fisichella
JAGUAR Webber Wurz?
TOYOTA Panis daMatta
JORDAN Heidfeld? Frentzen?
MINARDI TBA TBA

Any other rumors, confirmations or suggestions?

[vatuloa]

Minardi Wilson? Bruni?

[vatuloa]

Jordan are looking at a young Russian Vitaly Petrov see link

http://www.gp2003.com/news/news.php?...3486b83eacd52d

[Redlake27]

I don't think we have seen the last of the DC issue yet. It wouldn't surprise me if the lawyers and sponsors are still trying to find a way of getting Montoya out of that Williams, if he is going to McLaren long term.

This would give Jaguar DC for free, as opposed to paying MacLaren to release their reserve driver Wurz instead!

[ralf fan]

i think MINNIE are going for BRUNI next year!!
I hope WILSON gets a seat JORDON maybe??

[Red]

Jacques Villeneuve at Ferrari/Williams/McLaren/Jaguar/Toyota/Renault.

[jonathanc]

Looks like Wilson will be going back to Minardi if Jag dont take up the option. PS has gauranteed him a seat there if he needs it.

[BootsOntheSide]

Better drivers than Wilson (albeit more expensive and less youthful ones) will be without a drive next season, so I supposed he'll have to bne thankful for that. Only trouble is, his team-mate will probably be a rookie, with Jos gone, so he'll be expected to lead the team.

I think at least one of the Jordan drivers will have to bring sponsorship, so it's only if a Mercedes deal is sorted that Frentzen and Heidfeld will both be there.

[Sodemo]

Why isn't Tom Kristensen being considered for any roles in F1.
He is a great driver, and a rear racer. Its a real pity his career stopped at sportscars.
I believe he was the Michelin test driver.

[GP Racer]

Townsend Bell in the Minardi!...

Well, hell, if the Chinese and the Russians can get a drive in F1!...

OK, OK, I'm leaving now, before I start an international incident!

[TSR]

As Archer says but
Wurz & Webber together with Red Bull onboard.
At Minardi Bruni & Heilfeild????

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Archer
Test Drivers Not Included

WILLIAMS Schumacher Montoya

MCLAREN Coulthard Raikkonen

BAR Sato Button

SAUBER Massa Fisichella

TOYOTA Panis daMatta

Don't wanna seem picky, but i think you'll find it will be....

Williams, Montoya, Schumacher (R)

McLaren, Raikkonen, Coulthard

BAR, Button, Sato

Sauber, Fisichella, Massa

Toyota, Da Matta, Panis

(Based on this seasons final points standings)

[Mark Webber]

Could we see Joss in a Jordan?

[TSR]

Well it is either that or stay were he is .......... or then again not drive at all.

[crozier74]

My predictions:

Ferrari B
M Schumacher, Barrichello, (Badoer, McNish)

Williams BMW M
Montoya, R Schumacher, (Gene, Pizzonia)

McLaren Mercedes M
Raikkonen, Coulthard, (de la Rosa, Villeneuve, Turner)

Renault M
Alonso, Trulli, (Montagny)

BAR Honda M
Button, Sato, (Davidson)

Sauber Petronas B
Fisichella, Massa

Jaguar Ford M
Webber, Wurz, (Klein)

Toyota M
da Matta, Panis (Zonta)

Jordan Mercedes B
Heidfeld, Firman, (Petrov)

Minardi Ford B
Bruni, Wilson (Yoong, Bobbi, Zlobin)

I'm really hoping & praying that Nishy gets the 2nd Ferrari test role, and as was said in the thread about it, it would be a wise choice from the Scuderia, given his Michelin knowledge, vast experience and good PR work.

Villeneuve - please, he deserves an F1 drive, but will he fit McLaren's image? I doubt it. But is there seriously anyone else avaiable of his standard? No.

BAR are tipped to switch to Michelin.

Jag - Red Bull sponsored Wurz and Klein bag the rides, a good move from both a money and driving point of view.

Jordan - Frentzen has been constantly talking about moving to other series, so I doubt he even wants the drive now. Heidfeld would make sense for experience, so would Jos along with his money, but I don't think EJ will have liked to see him destroying Minardi post-Suzuka. Firman stays to keep B&H happy, with Petrov bringing Russian cash in the test seat. To be honest I think he does sound quite impressive for his inexperience. It's very difficult to win every race in a championship at any year in your career, never mind your first, and winning that FRenault "world champs" that my local lad Sharp didn't (but should have) is very impressive too. But then there's Cagliari. Was he in a poor team or something? It's too early for a race seat, so a test one would allow him to be properly evaluated. To Merc or not to Merc, that is the question. Would be a wise move if it's cheaper than Ford, as it would give them McLaren junior team status and give them access to promising drivers like Hamilton and Cheng in the future, if they can survive financially that long...

Minardi - Bruni's in the mould of previous Minardi proteges Fisi, Alonso and Webber. PS has said he wants Justin, and Minardi might be the only option for him. It might be a step back, but if he can beat Bruni comprehensively he can maybe get a second chance in a decent team. But neither of those two bring cash, so that'll have to come from testers Yoong, Bobbi and Zlobin.

[Super Tourer]

Hi Crozier welcome to ten-tenths , enjoy posting here !

Your line up looks pretty much in line with my thoughts ! I think we will see some more protege testing next year, with William's giving Nelson Piquet Jnr and maybe Nico Rosberg some proper runs. Nico went very well in the recent F3000 test for Arden (fastest on the day I believe)

I don't think it will be Jordan Mercedes though, it's gone very quiet on that front and I'm not sure that Mercedes are that interested in customer deals - when push comes to shove.

So, more Ford engines for EJ, as you will no doubt have read he is still smarting at the apparent vanishing act that was the subsidsed engine deals - which all the manufacturers seem to have brushed under the carpet. I'm sure the line will be that 'they would have LIKED to be able to do engine deals @$10M but can't....

As ever with the FIA's deal making, I'm sure the engine deals were supposed be part of a trade off over other rule breaks, like allowing traction control to stay, etc - maybe we will hear more of that over the winter.

I think Jos is most likely at Jordan, along with his portfolio of sponsors, which may mean a seat for a Brit alongside to keep B & H happy, they may prefer Wilson to Ralph, who knows.

[Nurburgring]

Excuse me, I may be out of line and very ignorant here but wasn't there a young Aussie doing the testing at Toyota. From memory Ryan ????

[ASCII Man]

Ryan Briscoe?

[Nurburgring]

That's what I thought it was, though my spelling (of names) is usually terrible, and my memory for them is even worse.

[Super Tourer]

Zonta has been confirmed as offical 3rd driver at Toyota, I guess Ryan will do the odd test, but Toyota seem focused on him gaining more experience in the lower formulae at the moment.

[ASCII Man]

He's champion in the European F3 so it won't be long it guess.

[BSchneiderFan]

McNish almost certainly won't test for Ferrari now that Massa has been confirmed as doing some testing work as well as racing for Sauber.

[Skam85]

Jordan-Yoong, Heidfeld

Jaguar-Webber, Wurz

Minardi-Bruni, Wilson

Bye Bye Jos!!!!