Renault signing Tung would be utterly ridiculous, he's not anywhere near qualified enough and could only hope to grab that seat on nationality and money.

F1 is so suddenly back to the pay driver era, how long before someone signs a modern day Deletraz?

I'm not sure how much the money counts. he said they are looking at talent in the first place, sponsors secondly. Tung will be their 3rd driver I believe. And he is signed to Gravity all ready, I don't think he comes with much money at all. He is all ready in.

Definitely not Sato I read an article when he was trying for STR and he said it was the sponsor issue why they didn't sign him

So after Heidfeld turned down their offer what dou you suggest will be the best to do other than signing Pietrov? Do you have any briliant ideas?

Huh? What offer?

Ladies and gentlemen, here's Heidfeld's manager, obviously has a lot of insight info and will gladly take any questions you might have...

err... didn't you hear that HEI is going to be Merc's 3rd driver?

Yes, you got me. First I said too much about Nick future on motorsport-total and now I revealed myself on this forum. Damn, I'm such a blabber!

Yes, I am manager of Nick Heidfeld.

But about this inside info ... hmm listen... At heart I don't really knew whats going on with Nick at all, someone is calling, someone is talking, some jurnalist are writing stuff... I lost in this confusion about month ago. Now when Nick ask me I just smile .. But hey, this stays between us! m'key?

Im guessing... Mercedes boss told Nick you got the test seat if you want it..
Nick flirted with Renault but it wasnt to be...
Nick tells manager hes going to Mercedes.
Manager lets slip in the media..
Nick / Mercedes go mad about the early announcement....
Manager comes out with denial...

Is this a million miles away from the truth?

Nick should slap his manager....

Doesn't Renault have a deal with Total? I think there is a big conflict in sponsorship here that people are not seeing.

total makes oil, gazprom sells natural gas to european countries, no conflict for me

Apparently they have worked together in the past so I guess no conflict:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/12/business....4.6634365.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1826307520080918

Welcome Noam...

Gazprom also makes oil, they produce even more oil than gas : the company produced 32 million tons of oil and 10.9 million tons of gas consendate (in 2008)

It seems like conflict of business to me.

didn't know that, but what is their market?

Gazprom does not actually produce gas. That is the repsonsibilty of Gazprom Neft, a subsidiary that is actually one of Russia's most powerful companies in its own right. Gazprom owns 80% of Gazprom Neft, but it is treated as a separte arm. and of coure, Gazprom are only producing part of Petrov's money; the rest is coming from Sberbank, who have no conflict of interest with Totalfuels. I have also been led to beleive that Total's arrangement with Renault is a technical partnership, like Shell with Ferrari: they don't actually sponsor the team, but Renault carry their name because Total develop the oils Renault use. I could be wrong, though.

Also, Petrov's GP2 car doesn't carry Gazprom or Sberbank branding. Instead, he's got a large RUSSIA decal on his rea wing. This, I believe is intended as a message to Lukoil, one of Gazprom's competitors: Lukoil have their own driver development program (which has been worked into Red Bull's program: Lukoil find Russian and East European drivers, help them through the early stages of their career and then pass them on to Red Bull, who give Lukoil free - or significantly subsidised - sponsor space). Lukoil drivers carry the Lukoil name quite prominently, but I think what Sberbank and Gazprom are doing is trying to make Petrov out to be a Russian driver where the likes of Aleshin are simply Lukoil drivers.

But wait, I can't imagine robert driving a car with RUSSIA on it. Tell me it is impossible!

Hello

Well, that's the main argument against it, since both cars have to be identical. That said, Mr. E hadn't shown objections to subsitute branding that is slightly different; ie when McLaren used to run "Mika" and "David" in the place of West. If Petrov carried RUSSIA, Kubica might get away with POLAND.

Of course, the whole Gazprom-sending-a-message-to-Lukoil thing is just a theroy. And I think it has more to do with the junior formulae than anything else. Lukoil and Red Bull drivers pretty much carry Lukoil and Red Bull branding for life. If Petrov makes it to Formula 1, then I think Renault will either become Gazprom Renault or Sberbank Renault (in which case, I predict "Spermbank Renault" will become the oldest joke on the internet in the space of half an hour). I don't think it would be hypocracy on their part to do that. I think they want to paint Petrov as making it through the lower ranks on the basis of his ability, not his sponsors. They wouldn't really be appealing to the world - just the Russian public. In my (admittedly very limited) exprience, Russians like people they can get behind as being Russian. Petrov might be doing it with the help of Gazprom and Sberbank, but tey're not taking the credit for it.

That said, I've been wrong before.

Yesterday ESPNF1 published extended version of their interview with Boullier (we talked about it erlier).

Here is link to the interview.

Here are interesting parts:



Boulier names drivers with whom he talked to:



We knew now that Heidfeld is old story.

@Tract1on, sorry but there is no JV among named drivers.



Team boos also speaks about his expectations:


This isn't what I wanted to hear

JV?

Mabye, I don't say no. But it seems that JV isn't that significant option to be mentioned by his name.

Fair enough, though we know Eric has talked with Ho Pin Tung and he also is not mentioned.

IMO Ho Pin Tung has no chance.

Boullier:


He's not good enough.

I see your point but surely Petrov is not much better.

Or JV has been their choice all along and everything else is just to smooth things up. It would have been strange if he had hired a friend the first thing he did as a boss.
We'll just have to wait and see, but with Nick gone JV should have a decent chance to land the drive.
A thing stuck in my mind is that when Lopez and Prodrive both wanted to buy Renault Jacques was quoted "I have a 50% chance of coming back". Just a theory..

This conspiracy theory beats even WTC.

I'm impressed with your obstinacy and that you stay positive

Relax man. A theory is just what it was, doesn't mean i believe it.
Sure I like F1 with or without JV, it's no biggie for me but i'd like to see him in F1 with these cars.

No.

Second up are the rumours I am hearing coming out of Enstone which say that Russia’s Vitaly Petrov is very close to the second race seat alongside Robert Kubica in 2010. There were reports earlier in the week that Petrov was in consideration for the job, but as things stand I understand it’s now between just him and an F1 driver with recent experience. (Recent being 2008, so that appears to wipe JV off the list of candidates.)

http://willthef1journo.wordpress.com/2010/...-and-a-russian/

I'm guessing Sato and Petrov then.

Hail Sato!

I guess russian money is closer to the seat though.

I wonder how long it will be before we start getting inane generalisations about the Slavic temperament.

Well if its true.... Renault will be a great place for Petrov to start and end his short F1 career.
Im seeing a situation rather like Alonso- Grosjean....
I bet Petrov doesnt score a single point in 2010 and Kubica will destroy him...
What an idiot, he should have gone to Campos...

Petrov is the future, leave the dated Villeneuve back in the past.

pietrow is the money and will be owned in ass by kubica what won't make him look good. Tract1on is right IMO, though I'm not the supporter of JV here.

Anyone who supports Villeneuve is wrong IMO. Petrov may not be the best option in terms of ability but they are definately better off taking his money than choosing Villeneuve who will do nothing for the team.

to make myself clear, I don't thik JV is good option either. I've posted several times here that I'm against such returns, their time has gone etc.

And it seems now, that there are:
pietrow with 15m
JV
and who else? Sato? Personally I'd prefer him over JV

Any other rookies? I don't think so.

Has Petrov got a super license? Has he tested an F1 car... im asking because i dont know... anyone?

uh, he came second in GP2 last year. Won a few races, a few podiums... I'm pretty sure that automatically qualifies him for one.

And anyone bashing Villeneuve is wrong IMO. "Villeneuve will do nothing for the team" baaah.. That's just the usual ignorant bull shit from anti JVs. What do you base that on? Honda engineers went mad when JV was forced out of BAR and said all the progress they made for the 2004 season was down to his input. Buttons couldn't help them with the engine development the way JV did. Alonso said he learned more from JV in a couple of weeks than he has learned from any other team mate.
I can't understand why they didn't sign Nick, and I can't see Petrov (with no F1 experience) doing the job better than Grosjean, he is just gonna look silly beside Kubica. That is gonna end his potential F1 career before it started (as pointed out). He should be hired as a tester. JV will be fit and fast, and would probably drive for free..
Renault is owned to 75% by Genii right? They still need Petrovs cash?
Any news on what Bourdais is dong for the next season? Could he be in the running?

JV is done. Don't even bring this guy into the discussion.

He qualifies for one.

I don't believe Villeneuve does.

I've got hope for jv, Stop being such a bunch ignorant bores, do you even remember jv?
He's part of the thread subject because his fans want him back, and we won't lie down and watch him get unfair bashings.

Yes, we do. He's been largely forgettable since about 2000.

The question is not what JV's fans want but what RenaultF1 wants. I see no evidence to suggest Renault want JV.

Can't say I am surprised with the money Kubica will be earning and Renault's sponsor problems it left very little room in the budget for a quality team mate.

I will be cheering loudly for Petrov if he scores a point and at the same time will overlook that Petrov's sponsorship money goes directly to pay Kubica's inflated salary. For a guy that didn't want to be at Renault, Kubica sure lucked out. To think they call Kubica unlucky?

Believe me, I've been asking for it, too. The best the pro-Villeneuve crowd can come up with is Boullier's statement that their driver could be of "any nationality". Somehow this is as good an endorsement as the ones he gave Heidfeld and Petrov, two drivers that he mentioned by name. Do you know of any Angloan or Thai drivers? Because I bet they fall under the heading of "any nationality", too.

Just saying.

Didnt they say they were looking at "2 experienced drivers and 2 rookies" ?
So there's another quote for us to cling to....

Yes, and that's be interpreted as Heidfeld and Klein as the experienced drivers and Tung and Petrov as the rookies by everyone except the Villeneuve crowd.

I think Brundle & Hill are in contention. If I had to put money on it... I'd wager on Jody Schkechter signing on for Renault.