This isn't the most interesting topic, but I'm quite, quite bored! Given the Kubica/Heidfeld/Renault situation and outcome, what do you think each team would do if one of their drivers was incapacitated? Would they use their reserve driver or would they hire someone else? Considering the lack of running that the reserve drivers of top teams get, I would imagine that they'd possibly pinch another teams 3rd driver, like Hulk perhaps.
For reference, current 3rd drivers are: Red Bull: Daniel Ricciardo Mclaren: Gary Paffett and Pedro de la Rosa Ferrari: Giancarlo Fisichella, Jules Bianchi and Marc Gene Mercedes: N/A Renault: Bruno Senna, Romain Grosjean, Fairuz Fauzy, Ho-Pin Tung and Jan Charouz Williams: Valtteri Bottas Toro Rosso: Daniel Ricciardo Force India: Nico Hulkenburg Sauber: Esteban Gutiérrez Team Lotus: Karun Chandhok, Luiz Razia, Davide Valsecchi and Ricardo Teixeira Virgin: Sakon Yamamoto, Robert Wickens, Adrian Quaife-Hobbs HRT: N/A
Hmm, anyone else notice the shopping link on "Fairuz" in my above post (and probably this one!), apparently MalteseMick is trialling some new ad placement software that picks up on words in peoples posts and links to relevant products. Surprisingly enough, the product is completely irrelevant. But just so you know I'm not trying to sell you all some CDs! Back on topic, I'm surprising by the above list in that I thought all teams would have a 3rd driver. I'm guessing if Mercedes had problems they'd go for Hulkenberg, I don't think anyone else would either be made available, be good enough, or suit them. I'm guessing HRT simply don't have the money, and their car is so slow a damaging collision is impossible. With Renault, I think most of the named 3rd drivers are just there so they can keep an eye on future talent, with Senna as official 3rd driver. I know the Team Lotus reserves are just the Team AirAsia GP2 drivers, Chandhok is the official third driver there. In other news, quiet here today isn't it? Where is everyone?
How bizarre! Oh well, at least we've all learned something. I imagine that Ferrari would not risk using a reserve driver again (not after 2009) and would poach someone like Perez. I agree also that Mercedes would likely get Hulk from FI. McLaren would probably end up using Paffet I reckon as De La Rosa hasn't done a lot of driving since coming back to McLaren. Everyone else would probably end up using their reserve drivers I imagine.
They've learnt from '09. At the end of the '09 season, they set up their driver academy, Jules Binachi is the 1st product of this. Perez IS part of the Ferrari Driver Development Program, which is the kind of thing that brought Massa into F1. Traditionally, drivers that Ferrari bring up, started at Sauber, due to their engine deal. When BMW bought Sauber, this stopped, but since Peter Sauber has rebought his team, this appears to be carrying on. Raikkonen was originally going to be a Ferrari driver in '02, but Mclaren offered him a big contract, and decided that it would be better for his development to go there, rather than be second fiddle to Schumacher.
