V8fan12 wrote:DemocalypseNow wrote:Simon Bourne
Bourne is somewhat bemused by the situation he has ended up in. The rumour mill down under was going crazy about all the offers the New Zealander was expected to receive from F5000 teams, after stunning onlookers with multiple wins in his part-time campaign there in 2018.
No offers ever came. Instead, his only offer of gainful employment is as a factory Mazda driver in rallycross. It's a paying job, but his amazing form in F5000 does not reflect in his RX outings, where he struggled massively to get to grips with the cars and tracks. Seats are filling up fast down under though, and GBRC is where the vacancies are. He wants what he can't have, and he can have what he doesn't really want.
1-30 || Signs for Mazda in GBRC
31-60 || Signs for Madza in GBRC on condition they arrange for at least a part-time campaign in F5000 for him.
61-100 || Holds out for a full-time gig in F5000
42. He agrees in principle to drive for Mazda in GBRC, but they must source him an F5K ride to go with it, else he won't sign.
He can drive the #25 Peak Motorsport car for a few rounds, however that is subject to getting sponsorship in the next RNG phase
You have until Round 8 of the GBRC season / Round 5 of the F5000 season to find him a drive in the latter series. If you fail to fulfil his condition, he will be considered on the market and free to accept any new bids - departing the Mazda team if the new DEC holder wishes him to - if he is not confirmed in an entry with sponsorship in place by the time Round 8 of the GBRC season is complete.
Helios NicolauThe Greek driver's only offer is to spearhead the factory Lada team in GBRC. While it's not considered a particularly competitive car, it is still a secure, paid factory seat in his primary discipline, and with seats at more competitive factory teams disappearing quickly, he'd be brave to turn this one down.
1-80 // Signs for Lada
81-100 // Waits for an offer from a team fielding a more competitive car
55. Nicolau is back in business.
Pedro PoolePoole is a little in the lurch here. At first it looked like a cushty little offer to lead the factory Opel team. Then incessant rumours of him being the backup plan to the highly rated Christian Poulsen materialised. Larsen had to show their hand, and the offer looks a bit on the shaky side. If Poulsen says no, he gets to be team leader for a manufacturer squad. It's a tough choice to make. Citroen, Renault and Mazda all still have vacancies.
1-45 // Accepts the offered terms
46-90 // Demands a clause in his deal that guarantees him the #400 Manta for the entire season if Poulsen arrives in the team
90-100 // Offended at the late change in his offer after they became aware of Poulsen's availability, he snubs them entirely
13. Having spent so long out in the cold, Poole does not have the cajones to play hardball on the contract terms, and is willing to see where this takes him as the offer currently stands, hoping Poulsen doesn't enter the picture.