Grand Prix Rejects

David AGS wrote:I dont follow GP2, bit hard as not shown down under (that I know of)

but has Dani Clos got potential? Or is he there due to his potential backing and nationality?

As others have said he's a bit meh. He wouldn't be HRT test driver if it wasn't for his money and nationality...but he isn't hopeless, and can win (GP2) races on his day.

Of course, if you want an easy way to follow GP2 (and Formula Renault 3.5, Formula Two and GP3), just head over to http://motorsportladder.blogspot.co.uk/ your one stop shop for Formula One's feeder series![/shamelessplug]

I'm not able to find any English article about this rumour, but according to Italian press it seems that Karthikeyan could be replaced by Liuzzi at HRT before the end of the season.

Sunshine_Baby_[IT] wrote:I'm not able to find any English article about this rumour, but according to Italian press it seems that Karthikeyan could be replaced by Liuzzi at HRT before the end of the season.

Uhm.

Pamphlet wrote:

Sunshine_Baby_[IT] wrote:I'm not able to find any English article about this rumour, but according to Italian press it seems that Karthikeyan could be replaced by Liuzzi at HRT before the end of the season.

Uhm.

And in the Dutch media are they saying by any chance that Giedo van der Garde will replace Karthikeyan?

kostas22 wrote:

Pamphlet wrote:

Sunshine_Baby_[IT] wrote:I'm not able to find any English article about this rumour, but according to Italian press it seems that Karthikeyan could be replaced by Liuzzi at HRT before the end of the season.

Uhm.

And in the Dutch media are they saying by any chance that Giedo van der Garde will replace Karthikeyan?

AustriaOnline reports Klien could make another appearance then

kostas22 wrote:

Pamphlet wrote:

Sunshine_Baby_[IT] wrote:I'm not able to find any English article about this rumour, but according to Italian press it seems that Karthikeyan could be replaced by Liuzzi at HRT before the end of the season.

Uhm.

And in the Dutch media are they saying by any chance that Giedo van der Garde will replace Karthikeyan?

Again?

On a serious note, whilst it is true in theory that Liuzzi could replace Karthikeyan (given that Liuzzi is officially a reserve driver for HRT), you would expect Clos to be given the seat on the basis that he brings much needed funding.
After all, there was an interesting comment from Alguersuari during the practise sessions in Barcelona, where he was discussing HRT's situation with James Allen, about HRT's current head count and their development situation. According to him, HRT's head count barely numbers 80 people - to put that in perspective, the top teams are limited to 45 people just for their pit crews, and even allowing for the fact that they can buy in components from other teams, thereby cutting out some designers, that is very low indeed. No wonder that HRT are struggling to make up ground on their rivals when they probably have barely half to a third of the number of staff that a typical midfield team has, let alone the front running teams...

AdrianSutil wrote:

kostas22 wrote:

Pamphlet wrote:And in the Dutch media are they saying by any chance that Giedo van der Garde will replace Karthikeyan?

AustriaOnline reports Klien could make another appearance then

In Portugal, newspapers reckon Monteiro might be a shoe in for the second HRT seat. And he is bringing SEA...

Sorry couldn't keep a straight face!

I must be honest though. Every time I see Karthikeyen on screen, I wonder how long he has in the car until he's replaced again. You can never be sure who HRT actually want in the car these days.

On another note, Karthikeyen is going to struggle this weekend. Clos had his car in FP1 and he only managed a lap in FP2 until the same problem that stopped Clos reared it's ugly head again. If Karthikeyen can qualify (if he actually qualifies) within .5 of PDLR I'd be impressed. Evryone now pretty much knows what set-up they'll be working with and have done long and short runs on both sets of tyres and different fuel loads whilst Karthikeyen has managed just one out-lap. It's all tall order, especially running a problematic car with new parts.

mario wrote:Again?

On a serious note, whilst it is true in theory that Liuzzi could replace Karthikeyan (given that Liuzzi is officially a reserve driver for HRT), you would expect Clos to be given the seat on the basis that he brings much needed funding.
After all, there was an interesting comment from Alguersuari during the practise sessions in Barcelona, where he was discussing HRT's situation with James Allen, about HRT's current head count and their development situation. According to him, HRT's head count barely numbers 80 people - to put that in perspective, the top teams are limited to 45 people just for their pit crews, and even allowing for the fact that they can buy in components from other teams, thereby cutting out some designers, that is very low indeed. No wonder that HRT are struggling to make up ground on their rivals when they probably have barely half to a third of the number of staff that a typical midfield team has, let alone the front running teams...

You can see the exact number of staff at HRT, down to the truck drivers: http://www.hrtf1team.com/en/equipo/miembros-del-equipo/ And even some of these staff members are actually employees of SCE Solutions!

DanielPT wrote:

AdrianSutil wrote:

kostas22 wrote:AustriaOnline reports Klien could make another appearance then

In Portugal, newspapers reckon Monteiro might be a shoe in for the second HRT seat. And he is bringing SEA...

Sorry couldn't keep a straight face!

So who is left with relatively recent motorsport experience with a bit of money that could take the seat? The Sakon to the rescue, maybe?

Faustus wrote:So who is left with relatively recent motorsport experience with a bit of money that could take the seat? The Sakon to the rescue, maybe?

Jerome d'Ambrosio has a tiny amount of money. Does Adrian Sutil still have Medion backing - he might not get a visa for the USA though. Lucas di Grassi?

mario wrote:After all, there was an interesting comment from Alguersuari during the practise sessions in Barcelona, where he was discussing HRT's situation with James Allen, about HRT's current head count and their development situation. According to him, HRT's head count barely numbers 80 people - to put that in perspective, the top teams are limited to 45 people just for their pit crews, and even allowing for the fact that they can buy in components from other teams, thereby cutting out some designers, that is very low indeed. No wonder that HRT are struggling to make up ground on their rivals when they probably have barely half to a third of the number of staff that a typical midfield team has, let alone the front running teams...

To put that number in perspective, I seem to remember (I'm completely sure I read it somewhere back in the day, but the source might be wrong) that Minardi's final headcount was 131 people.

Backmarker wrote:

mario wrote:Again?

On a serious note, whilst it is true in theory that Liuzzi could replace Karthikeyan (given that Liuzzi is officially a reserve driver for HRT), you would expect Clos to be given the seat on the basis that he brings much needed funding.
After all, there was an interesting comment from Alguersuari during the practise sessions in Barcelona, where he was discussing HRT's situation with James Allen, about HRT's current head count and their development situation. According to him, HRT's head count barely numbers 80 people - to put that in perspective, the top teams are limited to 45 people just for their pit crews, and even allowing for the fact that they can buy in components from other teams, thereby cutting out some designers, that is very low indeed. No wonder that HRT are struggling to make up ground on their rivals when they probably have barely half to a third of the number of staff that a typical midfield team has, let alone the front running teams...

You can see the exact number of staff at HRT, down to the truck drivers: http://www.hrtf1team.com/en/equipo/miembros-del-equipo/ And even some of these staff members are actually employees of SCE Solutions!

Ferrim wrote:To put that number in perspective, I seem to remember (I'm completely sure I read it somewhere back in the day, but the source might be wrong) that Minardi's final headcount was 131 people.

It is refreshing that, for once, a company can be so candid about who it employs from top to bottom (and Jaime looks to be right - if I have counted correctly, there are 79 people listed on that page). In a world where the headcount of the larger teams is often kept secret due to the constant bickering over the Resource Restriction Agreement, amid allegations that this or that team are bending the rules on headcount limitations, a little honesty is welcome - not to mention showing how that team are working on something of a shoestring compared to their rivals.
If that is really it, it is quite remarkable - as Ferrim points out, Minardi were famous for struggling along on a shoestring and found it hard enough despite having nearly 50% more staff, whilst the next smallest team, Marussia, is rumoured to employ more than double the number that HRT do (their head count has been put at about 180 people).

AdrianSutil wrote:I must be honest though. Every time I see Karthikeyen on screen, I wonder how long he has in the car until he's replaced again. You can never be sure who HRT actually want in the car these days.

On another note, Karthikeyen is going to struggle this weekend. Clos had his car in FP1 and he only managed a lap in FP2 until the same problem that stopped Clos reared it's ugly head again. If Karthikeyen can qualify (if he actually qualifies) within .5 of PDLR I'd be impressed. Evryone now pretty much knows what set-up they'll be working with and have done long and short runs on both sets of tyres and different fuel loads whilst Karthikeyen has managed just one out-lap. It's all tall order, especially running a problematic car with new parts.

Speculation over Karthikeyan's seat has rumbled on in the background for some time, with some suggesting that he might be out by Silverstone (which is when his funding is expected to run out), and Clos's presence today has added a fresh impetus to those rumours. As Faustus speculates, though, we shouldn't rule out the possibility that we might see another old pay driver like Sakon crop up again, or perhaps Klien if he can scrape together enough funding (he is, I believe, on the market at the moment).
Closer to now, it'll be tricky for Karthikeyan tomorrow (although he was only due to run those upgraded parts in FP3 anyway), assuming that the car holds together for long enough to get some laps under his belt - either that, or he is going to be putting in a heck of a lot of laps in FP3 in order to make up for lost time.

Did anybody else notice that HRT are now sporting enormous NASCAR-style numbers on their cars?

Captain Hammer wrote:Did anybody else notice that HRT are now sporting enormous NASCAR-style numbers on their cars?

And yes. 'Tis good.

It just looks a bit goofy to me. Probably because now half the sidepod is gold and the other hald is white.

But at least we'll have no trouble telling which driver inevitably gets into some kind of trouble over the weekend.

It's not as though they have anything else to put on the cars.

It makes the sidepoda look sort of boxy, I don't really like it.

Could someone use photoshop/simlar program to change last year's livery so that it's more in line with this season's colors? I kinda want to see how it looks...

Narain seems to have recovered quite well from not running yesterday. He went faster than Pedro, and both are within the 107%, with Pedro setting a lap time 106.3% of Vettel's fastest lap.

tommykl wrote:Narain seems to have recovered quite well from not running yesterday. He went faster than Pedro, and both are within the 107%, with Pedro setting a lap time 106.3% of Vettel's fastest lap.

.7 inside the limit is too close. I'm expecting quicker times at the front but not at the back. I seriously think Narain may not get in.

AdrianSutil wrote:

tommykl wrote:Narain seems to have recovered quite well from not running yesterday. He went faster than Pedro, and both are within the 107%, with Pedro setting a lap time 106.3% of Vettel's fastest lap.

.7 inside the limit is too close. I'm expecting quicker times at the front but not at the back. I seriously think Narain may not get in.

If he DNQ'd he would probably get in due to special dispensation as he has been within 1007% in practice.

eurobrun wrote:

AdrianSutil wrote:

tommykl wrote:Narain seems to have recovered quite well from not running yesterday. He went faster than Pedro, and both are within the 107%, with Pedro setting a lap time 106.3% of Vettel's fastest lap.

.7 inside the limit is too close. I'm expecting quicker times at the front but not at the back. I seriously think Narain may not get in.

If he DNQ'd he would probably get in due to special dispensation as he has been within 1007% in practice.

1007% seems a bit extreme, doesn't it?

Wizzie wrote:

eurobrun wrote:

AdrianSutil wrote:.7 inside the limit is too close. I'm expecting quicker times at the front but not at the back. I seriously think Narain may not get in.

If he DNQ'd he would probably get in due to special dispensation as he has been within 1007% in practice.

1007% seems a bit extreme, doesn't it?

Bathplygging typos

Even MasterCard Lola could probably get within 1007%

eurobrun wrote:Even Life could probably get within 1007%

Fixed.
1007% of FP2 time is 13:59.828.

eurobrun wrote:Even MasterCard Lola could probably get within 1007%

Life Racing Engines on the other hand, they wouldn't get within 10007%...

Klon wrote:

eurobrun wrote:Even Life could probably get within 1007%

Fixed.
1007% of FP2 time is 13:59.828.

Hahaha. The fact you worked it out make me lol

I'd qualify just by jogging the lap.

the cucumber does not make it

S951 wrote:the cucumber does not make it

False, mobile chicane lives.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/99556

Shadaza wrote:False, mobile chicane lives.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/99556

And once again a big SCREW YOU to the 107% rule. I am indeed okay with this.

Shadaza wrote:

S951 wrote:the cucumber does not make it

False, mobile chicane lives.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/99556

Right, so 26 laps is enough to qualify on the grid regardless then is it? Might turn up to Silverstone in my girlfriend's Punto and see if they'll let me on the grid! I have nothing against either team or driver, but the rules are the rules! Why can they not enforce the 107% rule? Narain has had next to no running all weekend, and when he has the car has been problematic. It doesn't make any sense letting him race at all. Daft decision.

AndreaModa wrote:

Shadaza wrote:

S951 wrote:the cucumber does not make it

False, mobile chicane lives.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/99556

Right, so 26 laps is enough to qualify on the grid regardless then is it? Might turn up to Silverstone in my girlfriend's Punto and see if they'll let me on the grid! I have nothing against either team or driver, but the rules are the rules! Why can they not enforce the 107% rule? Narain has had next to no running all weekend, and when he has the car has been problematic. It doesn't make any sense letting him race at all. Daft decision.

The thing is, he proved that he was fast enough in FP2. They just need to remove the proviso saying if you're fast enough on a given FP session you can make it onto the grid regardless of your qualifying performance and you're set

No he didn't set a time at all in FP2, he did 25 laps in FP3 according to Autosport, and of those it was clear the car wasn't set up properly at all, and as others have pointed out, it was almost as if something was broken on the car. Christ he nearly lost it on the final corner during his one flying lap in Q1 and nearly had a huge shunt. Even if he can make the 107% time, that car is clearly not working as it should. I want HRT to do well, but they have to cut these sort of performances out. We had it from all the new teams in 2010, but only HRT continue to keep making stupid errors and having things break. It's dragging their name through the dirt and makes them a laughing stock. The best thing would be for Narain to sit the race out instead of being lapped umpteen times and probably getting caught up in an incident a la Malaysia somewhere along the line.

Then I was confused and it was on FP3 when he set a good enough time to be deemed "raceworthy" by the stewards. But you and me should already be accustomed to hard-to-understand decisions. They just went by the book.

Phoenix wrote:Then I was confused and it was on FP3 when he set a good enough time to be deemed "raceworthy" by the stewards. But you and me should already be accustomed to hard-to-understand decisions. They just went by the book.

I happen to think he should not be on the grid. While I love HRT, Karthikeyan's performance is poor. 25 laps is not enough to get you into a race. Just because you did a good lap yesterday does not, IMHO, garantee you a place on the grid. The 107% is there for a reason, to stop slow drivers getting onto the grid. If drivers who are slower than 107% are allowed to get on the grid (unless they crash/run out of fuel etc..) what is the point of the 107% rule? Now, as I've said, I love HRT and would love to see Karthikeyan on the grid I just don't think he deserves it. How do they know he will be faster tomorrow?

pasta_maldonado wrote:The 107% is there for a reason, to stop Ferrari from being whiny b****es.

Fixed that for you.

Yet again, another example of why the 107% rule is pointless. This is the biggest one since 2011. He was 4 SECONDS slower than PDLR!

Screw it, I'm firing up my Clio Turbo for Monaco.

pasta_maldonado wrote:

Phoenix wrote:Then I was confused and it was on FP3 when he set a good enough time to be deemed "raceworthy" by the stewards. But you and me should already be accustomed to hard-to-understand decisions. They just went by the book.

I happen to think he should not be on the grid. While I love HRT, Karthikeyan's performance is poor. 25 laps is not enough to get you into a race. Just because you did a good lap yesterday does not, IMHO, garantee you a place on the grid. The 107% is there for a reason, to stop slow drivers getting onto the grid. If drivers who are slower than 107% are allowed to get on the grid (unless they crash/run out of fuel etc..) what is the point of the 107% rule? Now, as I've said, I love HRT and would love to see Karthikeyan on the grid I just don't think he deserves it. How do they know he will be faster tomorrow?

I would probably have to agree with you there, as much on grounds of safety as anything else, because Karthikeyan and his car could be judged to be a liability to the other drivers. Karthikeyan's laps in that final practise session were the first laps he has ever done with the upgraded car, he was suffering from chronic mechanical problems and the car looked dangerous to drive at times (the fact that Alguersuari and James Allen thought that Karthikeyan's rear suspension had collapsed at one point shows how badly the car is handling).

Karthikeyan qualified slower then 5 of the GP2 field, should we add them to the back of the grid too? (Make sure you put Hamilton behind them and tie his arm back for good measure, that is fair right?)

Shadaza wrote:Karthikeyan qualified slower then 5 of the GP2 field, should we add them to the back of the grid too? (Make sure you put Hamilton behind them and tie his arm back for good measure, that is fair right?)

Are you sure you're not one of the Stewards in disguise?