...As he signs a long time contract for Marrusia Virgin Racing Team. I was thinking maybe there was tentions between him and the team after the blasting at the team after Q1 but it seems he is dedicated to move virgin up the field. This is a big commitment as Virgin could possibly stay at the back of the grid for a long time and Timo is good enough to race for a midfield team. But then again Virgin have just linked up a technical agreement with Mclaren so maybe they will improve. Anyway best of luck Timo!
Feel a bit sorry for Timo, hes a good racer and even a move to Williams - Sauber would have been good for him. Then again maybe he sees something coming at Virgin that we dont. (a pregnancy) ? bad joke..
Time, Timo, Timo... Don't you realise that you could reach the dizzying heights of driving for Force India, or even Sauber?? Seriously though, that boy must either not have his head screwed on properly, or he knows something is in the pipeline. Seems a bit silly to take himself out of the market so early in the season. Perhaps, you're right El_Bando and he is putting all his eggs in one basket and hoping that the McLaren link up comes good.
I think Timo could do better; it's not that long ago that he was getting regular podiums for Toyota and he seemed like a bright prospect. It seems like a pragmatic decision: he must know that his stock has fallen since moving to Virgin and this way he's got a job, at least. I hope for his sake that Virgin/Marussia do have big plans; I presume he must know things which we don't
Unless he was being offered something by the top four, he may as well stay at Virgin. The midfield order is constantly moving about so it would be hard to now which teams would be competitive from one year to another. Look at Williams & Force India this year compared to where they were last year. So why not stay with Virgin? At least if they progress up the field he can take some credit for it.
Good call. McLaren will help them catch up to the midfield teams and from there on in I can see good progress. Lotus will be the first ones to get to the midfield level, but Virgin will be close as well. Hopefully by the end of 2012 Lotus and Virgin will have scored their first points.
Richard Branson likes to do everything on the cheap so I can't personally see Virgin going any higher than 10th in the WCC, ever. Looking around the pit though, where else is there? It could be a question of 'if I don't take Virgin offer I could be saying goodbye to my F1 career' Solid results in back of the grid teams WILL give you a better chance of a good drive, of the WDCs on the grid only Hamilton hasn't driven for a back of the field team.
Torro Rosso were not back of the grid (he won a race with them!) and Button's Honda fell from front of the grid to back of the grid but the team was still a works operation. Realistically, only Alonso has been with a back of the grid team, but he would never be there for long as he was contracted to Uncle Flav so was always going to end up in a Renualt. None of the WDC's have made it to the front from the back of the grid without having contract's in their pockets for bigger and better things when they entered F1. Vettel - Red Bull protege Alonso - Renualt protege/Flavio Button - Williams protege (long term contract he had to buy himself out of) Hamilton - McLaren protege
Actually, you cold say its just Shcuey who came into F1 without a long term F1 commitment! Bought a one-off drive at Jordan with Mercedes money, then signed by Benetton following 1 qualifying session and a broken clucth after the start of the race!
hmm, you could be right there as he entered F1 with BMW. Still stands then that he came into F1 with a top team and didn;t have to fight his way from the back to prove himself.
Bourdais is evidence that the torro rosso wasn't that great but i exept that that is a weak example but i would say Buttons benetton from 2001 was back of the grid. You can argue that Button started at williams but Glock was at Toyota (probably more competitive in 2008/9 than the 2000 williams) so even he would count on your list.
But neither Torro Rosso or Renault can be considered Minardi's, HRT's, Forti's etc. That is back of the grid i.e. no money, no development, no hope!
BBC are reporting his contract allegedly has been extended to 2014, which would make him 32/33 by the time he's finished. That would probably be his F1 career over, which is a shame, because I really rate him. The thing that most impressed me was something said by his race engineer earlier in the season. He said that nearly every race they have to adjust their strategy, because Glock consistently beats whatever target lap time he is set in a stint. To me, that sounds like he's outperforming that car. But as said by others above, where else would he go?
