2014 GP2 silly season

[somebodysb2]

Originally Posted by TR Motorsport

Could ART compete in F1 as well as GP2 or is that like banned?

Arden?
Caterham?

[Formulahistory]

I don't think ART will enter F1. Honda said, Honda will be exclusive partner for McLaren, so I don't see a second team running with Honda power.

[p-matt]

Originally Posted by Formulahistory

I don't think ART will enter F1. Honda said, Honda will be exclusive partner for McLaren, so I don't see a second team running with Honda power.

Did they not mean exclusive works partner? I can't see why they would go to the expense of building the engine and choose not to make some cheap money back by selling it to customer teams.

[James C.]

Originally Posted by p-matt

Did they not mean exclusive works partner? I can't see why they would go to the expense of building the engine and choose not to make some cheap money back by selling it to customer teams.

No, exclusive partner, McLaren will be the only Honda-powered team, at least in 2015.

Actually, I'm not even sure "customer engines" are still allowed.

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by James C.

No, exclusive partner, McLaren will be the only Honda-powered team, at least in 2015.

Actually, I'm not even sure "customer engines" are still allowed.

With only 3 engine brands this year aren't most of the grid customers?

[ivanalesi]

They're required by the regulations to offer their drive-train packages for sale to other teams. But isn't it too late for Honda to send drivers to GP2? I can't remember Yamamoto or anyone else who have tested anything in EU recently and in any case, Super Formula is at a higher level... so reserve driver at F1 teams would be a better option.

[kartincolin]

Is Vandoorne confirmed in ART for next season?

It`s becoming a bit of a conundrum for drivers now whether or not go with Formula Renault 3.5 or GP2. Bianchi has gotten from 3.5 to F1, along with Magnussen now, whilst Frijns got reserve driver at Sauber. In saying that, Gutierrez, Chilton and Van Der Garde all graduated from GP2 last season. The fact that neither Leimer nor Bird will be on the F1 grid next season really undermines the GP2 series as a whole.

[kipper]

Originally Posted by p-matt

Might be a bit of a reach, but I wonder if ART is one of the interested parties for an F1 berth in 2015.

According to things that I've read the teams that are apparently interested are Gene Haas's team as well as the return of rumoured Stefan Grand Prix and Colin Kolles squads.

[Juntos]

Andre Negrao goes (H)Arden - http://iris.cpidt.pt/sportmotores200...IA%2838468%29;

[TR Motorsport]

Originally Posted by Juntos

Andre Negrao goes (H)Arden - http://iris.cpidt.pt/sportmotores200...IA%2838468%29;

Oh dear....

[Formulahistory]

So update: My guess



Russian Time: Tom Dillmann (?) – Nikolay Martsenko (?)
Carlin: Julián Leal – Felipe Nasr (?)
Racing Engineering: Raffaele Marciello (?) – Mitch Evans (?)
DAMS: Stéphane Richelmi – Jolyon Palmer
Hilmer: Daniel Abt – Facundo Regalia (?)
Rapax: Simon Trummer – Sandy Stuvik (?)
ART: Stoffel Vandoorne (?) – Naoki Yamamoto (?)
Arden: René Binder – André Negrão
Caterham: Alexander Rossi (?) – Rio Haryanto (?)
Trident: Giovanni Venturini (?) – Giacomo Raimondo (?)
MP: Daniël de Jong (?) – Tio Ellinas (?)
Campos: Arthur Pic – Denis Nagulin (?)
Lazarus: Dani Clos (?) – Johnny Cecotto jr. (?)

[James C.]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

With only 3 engine brands this year aren't most of the grid customers?

By "customer engine", I mean, different lower-spec or older-spec engines.

Originally Posted by kartincolin

Is Vandoorne confirmed in ART for next season?

No.

[p-matt]

Originally Posted by James C.

By "customer engine", I mean, different lower-spec or older-spec engines.

I wasn't talking about different spec engines before because it isn't allowed. I was talking about selling to customer teams.

Would definitely expect to see Frijns confirmed for a full season at Caterham most likely, or Russian Time. Didn't Frijns turn down a Russian Time seat last year? I wonder how well he would have gone if he didn't.

[ivanalesi]

Just saw a promo from FDA. Marciello is going to GP2, but they don't say to which team. He is a very strong addition and championship challenger judging by his testing pace.

[Go_For_Pole]

Everybody is assuming he is in with RE. Should be a killer combo if this is confirmed.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by James C.

No.

Eh? I thought he was nailed on for that when it was announced he was going testing and not returning to 3.5.

[bella]

he's not confirmed yet, but it's a very poorly kept secret.

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by p-matt

I wasn't talking about different spec engines before because it isn't allowed. I was talking about selling to customer teams.

Would definitely expect to see Frijns confirmed for a full season at Caterham most likely, or Russian Time. Didn't Frijns turn down a Russian Time seat last year? I wonder how well he would have gone if he didn't.

Weirdly it's Haryanto who's joining Rossi at Caterham
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/112210

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

Weirdly it's Haryanto who's joining Rossi at Caterham
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/112210

Very....

I would've thought they would want Robin doing as much driving as possible as big team 3rd guy.

[cmk]

Given that Frijns is supposed to be the reserve when Rossi is busy with GP2, it makes sense that he's not in the lineup. Whether they're backing the right horse between those two guys is another question...

[bella]

rossi's (arguably) still got to prove himself on track. frijns has nothing left to prove. on that basis alone surely they've got it the right way around?

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by bella

rossi's (arguably) still got to prove himself on track. frijns has nothing left to prove. on that basis alone surely they've got it the right way around?

When you put it like that, it does make sense, yes. But it would be bloody good to have Frijns in GP2 as well though!

[p-matt]

I definitely think Frijns still needs to prove that he can temper his speed. I hate to bring up the 3.5 Barcelona finale, but there's that and quite dangerous defensive driving in Nurburgring (I think) in GP2 last year. I still don't fully trust him in wheel to wheel combat. In that sense, it's better to place him in GP2 with Rossi instead of providing a seat for Haryanto to occupy for a year.

[bella]

that would depend on money. caterham would have to fund both their gp2 seats instead of rake in a decent shed from haryanto that'll pay the overheads at least. if they've had to take on two pay drivers in f1 what are the chances they're going to fund 2 drivers in gp2?

slim to none, surely.

[cmk]

Originally Posted by bella

rossi's (arguably) still got to prove himself on track. frijns has nothing left to prove. on that basis alone surely they've got it the right way around?

This is a good point, but I can't help but feel they're considering Frijns the #2 reserve to Rossi and that seems backwards to me from a driver standpoint. Of course, an American driver might be wiser from a commercial standpoint and this is Caterham, so the wisdom might be right on there too in the grand scheme of things.