Chadwick could be a real coup for any team. Even if shes just meh, she will be the first woman on the starting grid in F1 for a long time. I think Alfa has a female test driver, I could be wrong?
Tatiana Calderon As for Chadwick, the 'super license' bs comes into play, iirc she doesn't qualify for one. Though strings have been pulled and exceptions made in the past. Though tbf i'm not sure if Calderon qualifies for one either.
Thats the one, an very true they've done it more than a few times in the past, I remember they said they were tightening up on it just after Max got in, but even so I would imagine it would be let through.
Williams had Susie Wolff and Virgin had Maria de villota. Chadwick is hardly breaking ground as a test driver and it would still seem like a publicity stunt. One that would do wonders for the W series mind. Im all for talented drivers making it to F1 but I would like to see her in another few series first. Tho I would settle for replacing Stroll. I think they have or were planning to ammend the super licence points to include testing.
A few laps on a couple Fridays a year might make for some good pr, but there's needs to be more of a concerted effort to try and get women into F1 as actual drivers, rather than the 'there you go pet, you pottle round for a few laps... and try not to scratch the paint' that it seems to be now. Hell the whole point of the W-Series was to try and get drivers like Chadwick noticed and/or into F1. And tbh she'd be more likely to end up in Kubica's seat at Williams.
In 2015 Kvyat scored 95 points and finished 7th, Ricciardo 92 points and finished 8th. Both drivers had 3 dnf's so very comparable over a whole season. If it weren't for his run in with princess stroppy pants, who knows what would have happened the rest of 2016.
It's interesting how memory is so fallible - I had him in my head as being a solid performance but not great but then stats suggest he was on par with Ricciardo. I suspect most teams would be happy to have Ricciardo as a driver! Most likely occurrence is that Dr Marko / Kvyatt relationship was so damaged that he was considered a potential liability. p.s. I have Kvyatt in my fantasy F1 team so I'll claim I knew that he had potential this year despite the nicknames!
He did have a bit of a sketchy start to 16, particularly in qualifying, but then they did have that awful countdown format for the first couple of races. I think he was a victim of the hype surrounding max, the rumours of an inevitable poach and Horner still having a hardon for Seb.
Points win prizes but often dont tell the whole story. Like a DNF from a wayward driver while leading a race is still zero points, as is the result of a particularly unreliable Renault engine TR had to deal with. Riccardo impressed not just by the points scored but his performance over the weekend (practice, qualifying etc) and not just in the TR. From his time at HRT I remember he was being talked about and starting to stand out.
Scott Speed has broken his back at a Rally Cross event. Guess thats him out of the running for a return to TR
I was praying that was NOT a link to anything... 'Special Interest'. Yeah, I still clicked it, but...
Reports that Merc are going with Hamilton and Bottas next season and Ocon to partner Riccardo at Renault next season Link
Well I suppose it makes SOME sense. Bottas has been better this year than last year, and keeping consistently scoring drivers makes sense for the '21 development (which, pretty inevitably will happen during the next year - I am expecting demo days and such). The question now is whether Hulk is going to Haas.
Haas seems the most logical for Hulk. Steiner has said he doesnt want a kid and Hulk is ever reliable with tons of experience at this point. Part of me wants Ferrari to buy Vettel out of his contract and kick him to the curb but I really cant see that happening. After all, even a misfiring Vettel is better than most of the grid....right? Maybe the Ferrari seat at Alfa since Giovinazzi hasnt performed. Depending how Albon performs, Hulk comight be a nice place holder for Red Bull until something better comes along. He would support Verstappen without ruffling his feathers. It seems more realistic the seat being Albon or Kyvatts next year with Albon ultimately being master of his own fate. I wouldnt be sure either how Red Bull view the Riccardo Hulk battle. Most repirts suggest Riccardo is dominating Hulk tho I would say Riccardo has had or created less bad luck. After Perezs comments about wanting podiums it makes me wonder. Depending how this round of musical chairs plays out he could end up partnering baby Stroll in a last attempt to stay on the grid.
If they can get ocon that Renault seat it makes sense. Keep bottas for another year to help Lewis to a 7th wdc, get Ocon in a seat to shake of the race rust and see if he can compete against a team mate without crashing into them or compromise their race, buy some time for 2021 as if Hamilton has bagged his 7th title and racked up 100 wins, he could possibly hang up his helmet eyebrow. If that were the case Merc could well keep bottas for stability in the changing regs and ocon for future prospects, unless they could bag leclerc or verstappen, but I doubt max would go at a time when you need the aero genius of newly more than ever. Speaking of 2021, first footage of a wind tunnel test for possible new regs.
