Marussia F1

Virgin Racing announced today that Jerome D'Ambrosio would step up from GP2 to partner Timo Glock for 2011. The move means there are now only seven free spots left within the remaining teams, and leaves other drivers fighting to secure a spot on the grid in 2011.

D'Ambrosio becomes the first Belgian to compete in a Formula One race since Phillipe Adams finished last in the 1994 Portuguese Grand Prix, driving for Lotus. He comes into Formula One with a modest record in the junior formula.

The highlight of his career is winning the Formula Master title in 2007, and has since raced for the DAMS team in GP2. In the three seasons he raced, he only won once, in the Monaco Sprint Race in 2010, and has finished no higher than ninth in the standings (although he did finish runner-up to Kamui Kobayashi in the 2008/9 Asia Series).

Towards the end of last season, he competed in the first Friday Practice sessions for Virgin, comparing well to the race drivers. Since the end of the season, he's been one of the favourites to land the second seat alongside Glock for 2011, and sure enough has been confirmed for 2011.

The news will come as a kick in the teeth to Lucas di Grassi, who now finds himself without a drive after driving a solid season in 2010. With his name not being mentioned with regards to any of the remaining drives, he seems consigned to becoming a test/reserve driver for another team, a role which he has built up a pretty handy reputation for throughout his career.

Another driver who might be cursing his luck is fellow South American Esteban Guerrieri. The Argentine Formula Renault 3.5 driver finished third this season despite spending two rounds on the sidelines due to sponsorship issues, and was another driver rumoured to be in contention for the seat now occupied by D'Ambrosio, provided he brought $8 million of sponsorship.

Once again, it seems to be the case of a talented driver unable to move up the ladder because of money—a cruel blow for Guerrieri, who will now undoubtedly seek opportunities in GP2.

As for the rest of the grid, only Renault, Force India, Toro Rosso and Hispania now have vacant seats.

Renault look set to retain Vitaly Petrov for a second season, despite an erratic rookie season which was saved by an impressive drive in the season finale in Abu Dhabi, where he held off Fernando Alonso for a majority of the race. Petrov has called a press conference for this week, where it is expected he will confirm his place alongside Robert Kubica. Ex-Williams driver Nico Hulkenberg and Force India's Adrian Sutil have also been rumoured for the seat.

Hulkenberg and Sutil are also part of a group of drivers vying for Force India seats. Neither of Force India's current drivers, Sutil and Vitantonio Liuzzi, have been confirmed for 2011.

Liuzzi's position seems far more precarious after his poor 2010 season, although he's convinced his seat is safe. As mentioned earlier, Nico Hulkenberg is in contention for a seat, as is Scottish driver Paul di Resta, who won the DTM title this year and also drove for the Force India team in Friday Practice sessions over the course of the season.

Despite announcing it's driver line-up soon after the 2010 season finale, Toro Rosso's drivers have been listed as unconfirmed in the most recent Entry List released by the FIA. Both Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari had secured contracts for 2011, but the rumours are that neither are confirmed to complete the season.

Red Bull junior driver Daniel Ricciardo is confirmed as a reserve driver, but has been linked with replacing either of the two current drivers at some point over 2011, depending on race performances. It would appear to be Buemi's seat that's in more jeopardy, as Alguersuari seems to be on the up after a very respectable 2010 season.

Finally, Hispania also have no drivers confirmed for 2011. Once again, it seems to be a case of who can bring the most money to the team, and as of yet no drivers have been mentioned.

The recent absence of Virgin Racing’s Nick Wirth at grand prix could be of real concern but I am happy to report that the car designer is back at the office working his tail off on the 2011 car and not laying in a ditch somewhere, kidnapped or on garden leave. Telling AUTOSPORT, team CEO Graeme Lowdon says things are progressing nicely but the team will also field a few more upgrades to this years car.

According to Lowdon, the CFD-only gambit used by Virgin Racing this year has a knock-on effect in that milling parts or upgrades is not as expensive as it once was in the wind tunnel-driven development program. Makes sense until you get to that critical question, did the new bits work? No one really knows until Friday’s FP1.

So how is the 2011 car coming?

“It’s very well on, there’s a lot of things getting machined, manufactured and delivered. It’s a huge job building the car in the first place but it certainly needs Nick’s full attention.”

That’s good news as the Virgin seemed to be progressing nicely throughout the year but there is little hiding the fact that they need to make a big deduction from the first year running in anger. The car has to take a significant leap in performance if they want to stay in the same postal code as Lotus and remain on target for Toro Ross and Sauber.

With a contract in hand for Timo Glock (a good move by the way), the team says they have an option on Lucas di Grassi and if I’m honest, there may be some evaluation in the weeks ahead. With Belgian driver Jerome d’Ambrosio and Brazilian driver Luiz Razia waiting in the wings, Lucas is going to have to really bring serious cash or serious skills in the coming months. Lowdon says:

“The key thing for the team point of view is just to make sure we have the right mix and the right level of technical feedback moving forward. We’ll see how things go over the next few weeks.”

I am eager to see what development changes Nick Wirth makes to the 2011 car as lessons learned from 2010. One would presume a sharp character like Wirth would have seen clear opportunities for improvement and the CFD machines must be working overtime to create what should be a far superior car to this years offering. Is it worth criticizing? No, because it was always going to be a learning year and so will next year. The litmus test will remain Lotus Racing and with their new Renault/Red Bull supplier deal, one wonders if Virgin won’t be on the raw end of that test in 2011.

Well, there goes Nick Heidfeld’s best argument for a seat in 2011.

Apparently, the Formula 1 teams have realized that if they don’t all collectively agree to have an open and “transparent” agreement in place regarding the development of the 2011 tires, someone might try to gain an advantage by working out a closer arrangement with incoming provider Pirelli.

You don’t say?

Autosport is reporting that the teams met during the Japanese Grand Prix to discuss the issue:

Although the details of the arrangement have not been finalised yet, the principle is for Pirelli to supply every team with information when there are any requests from individual outfits about tyre development or data.

Sauber managing director Monisha Kaltenborn told AUTOSPORT: “When we went into this whole deal with Pirelli we laid a lot of emphasis on the fact that there would be transparency.

“We ourselves are not entirely sure how it is going to work because we have not had that kind of situation before, but the route is generally where it comes to general information/questions we share them, like is done on electronic side.”

Virgin Racing CEO Graeme Lowdon added: “I think it is less a case of pooling information, more an agreement for people to be open.

“What no one wanted was to see a special relationship developing between the new supplier and a particular team, so everyone is of the opinion for there to be no special relationships

“There is no established system, but the idea if someone goes to the tyre supplier and asks for some information then everybody will get it, rather than something special or unique.

“You will still have your tyre man allocated to you, and still work on a one-to-one basis there, but the general picture is that everyone is afforded the same information.”

Hmm… when it is put that way, maybe Nick does still have some hope. A team just could come to him with its questions and never bother Pirelli. I can’t see how Nick won’t provide some advantage. I just don’t know where the open spot might be unless it is way to the back of the grid.

But back to the tires. While this deal sounds good in principle, even right off the top of my head — without my evil Ross Brawn thinking cap on — I can figure out ways to game the system.

The most obvious is to ask a question (Question A) that will give you a particular set of answers (or so you suspect, especially if Nick has been able to help you think the issue through) while really seeking the answer to Question B. That way you avoid tipping your hat (or evil thinking cap) to the other teams.

Or you ask Pirelli to do a quick test with a pile of bricks on the back of the car. Who would ever suspect it was really a cagey way to see how your secret uber diffuser will play out on the track? (OK, maybe everyone.)

Now, certainly, F1 will be better off with such an agreement in place. But do any of us really think the teams that are creative about their development won’t figure out ways to take advantage of the new tires and get around this?

What are we, new to F1?

Sauber’s big news this week concerning their new 2011 driver and sponsor had many wondering what happened with Nick Heidfeld? The German took over driving duties from Pedro de la Rosa for the final five races and many assumed he would be the de facto driver for 2011. This, unfortunately for Heidfeld, isn’t the case.

Heidfeld has been a staple item at Sauber for many years and has a rich history with the Swiss-based team in Hinwill. But that familial relationship wasn’t enough to secure a ride for 2011. That opportunity had a price tag and Mexican telecom giant Carlos Slim had the cash and Mexican driver for the seat.

One could forgive Heidfeld for feeling cast out or thrown to the wolves but he has taken a completely different approach to the news:

“I didn’t know about it before I signed,” the German said.

“Obviously I knew there were things going on in the background… actually I didn’t complain, quite the opposite I congratulated him (team boss Peter Sauber) because it’s great news for the team, Formula One and especially the guys in Hinwil.

“I am very happy for them that they continue with a big Mexican partner, hopefully it secures the future and gives them the possibility to move further up (the standings) again.

“It’s not so good for me, obviously,” added Heidfeld.

“It’s one place less but it’s not a place that I took for granted. Some people might look at it, at least from what I’ve seen in the news, like I just came back and now have been kicked out again but that’s not how it feels for me.”

With no opportunity at Sauber, what lies ahead for the veteran of 171 F1 races?

“I think it will happen but until it is signed you can never be sure,” he said.

“We are doing our best and it is looking positive, definitely… Obviously there is one seat less now but I think I am in a good position with the other teams remaining which still have a seat to offer.”

There are new teams such as Virgin Racing, HRT and Lotus as well as the much rumored seat at Renault that could be an option for the German. As a Heidfeld fan, I’d like to see him in the seat but there aren’t many teams left that can afford to pay and I suggest that Nick would be paying for a drive or driving for free in F1. Perhaps Le Mans or ALMS would be a better fit?

Sir Richard Branson is pledging continued support for Virgin Racing in 2011, and he’s apparently open to other sponsors jumping on board, as well.

Autosport has some of the news:

“Yes, for sure,” he said when asked whether Virgin would continue its support of the team.

“It’s been a fun season and we’ve still got to beat Lotus, and have a few more races to do it. Nick Wirth [technical director] is back in the factory working on the car for next season, and I think we’ve made a good start anyway.”

Branson revealed that he would be happy for his Virgin companies to get less exposure on the car in 2011 if space was needed to attract other sponsors and partners.

“I suspect these guys seem to be doing quite well on sponsorship for next year and if they do that, then more space will be taken up by outside sponsors,” he said. “But that is a positive thing.

“We obviously hope to be able to keep Virgin on the back of the car but ultimately it is up to these guys how many sponsors they get.”

Well, we all know what’s the key part of that, right? The need to beat Lotus or risk that whole flight attendant gig.

This doesn’t seem like a big surprise; the Virgin team has gotten enough coverage that it probably has been a decent bit of marketing for old Rich. I wonder if it means the team can cover Tim Glock’s bigger salary in 2011?

My thoughts? What exactly is the other Lucas di smoking?

First off, Lucas sent out this Tweet, announcing that the latest Virgin updates could bring the car four-tenths of a second:

 

Lucas di Grassi (@LucasdiGrassi)
9/22/10 12:15 AM
Virgin Racing: temos alguns upgrades no carro, basicamente downforce, no total uns 4 decimos mais rapido por volta.

That’s a huge jump, whether you’re running seconds behind the front row or are right there, battling in Q3.

But then there’s more, courtesy Autosport:

 

“If one of the new teams gets a 12th, then they will move up into the 10th place. So it is a very important weekend for us,” he told AUTOSPORT.

“I was just discussing with the engineers today how much we have for here, and how big are the upgrades. We hope it is enough so we can fight with Lotus, and then I think the full approach is to stay ahead of the new teams – and if extraordinary conditions happen then I hope we can get the best place possible.

“Here is maybe the longest race of the year, because it is a 300km race and the average speed is very low – and it is very hot as well. So, I think reliability is an issue here. Race incidents and accidents are another point – and the weather can change as well.

“So it is one of the races where we have maybe the highest chance to finish in the top 12.”

Okay, so I guess I’m with him that Singapore can throw perhaps the most curve balls of any circuit on the calendar. But I have got to think there would have to be a perfect storm of weather, crashes, engine failures, and perhaps lights going dark for one of the new teams to creep their way that close to a points-paying finish.

I mean, think about it. To finish in 12th, Lucas or teammate Timo Glock would have to finish ahead of the four other new drivers (possible enough) plus some combination of both Saubers, both Williams, the two Toro Rossos, a Force India and one of the Renaults.

Perhaps he’s hoping a Mercedes, McLaren or Ferrari will go out in a crash. But still, Virgin would have to pull ahead of a handful of these other, established teams.

Again, I guess it’s possible. But I’m not about to put money on it.

The current readings for the three rookie teams does not bode well. Between the Hispania, Lotus and Virgin Racing teams they boast thirteen retirements, three non starts and a combined total of forty-one times lapped when races have reached their conclusion.

These alone are the startling statistics that portray the still enormous deficit faced by all three teams.

They began the season expecting to be largely adrift from the rest of the pack, but amid feelings of optimism and determination they had hoped to reduce the gap race by race.

This doesn’t seem to be happening however and today’s race highlighted more so than any other the dangers of having such slow and unable cars in the pack.

As Lewis Hamilton appeared out of the pits after his first stop the Virgin of Lucas Di Grassi almost caused chaos as Lewis had to come off his racing line and risk his and Vettel’s car into turn one. Failure to do so would have left him running into the back of Di Grassi and into almost certain retirement.

This was not Di Grassi’s fault entirely as he did his best to stay out of the way. Yet it highlighted the inability for the backfield teams to perform at a standard that would be due some credit.

If he had just a bit more pace available to him, then he would not have had to slow into the first corner to let both Vettel and Hamilton through. He could have instead yielded the position a few turns later and saved us all from witnessing the scary on track moment.

In similar scenes to the previous four Grand Prix we were also constantly subjected to scenes of coasting drivers who had near enough grind to a halt in order to let the much faster cars through.

This is an occurrence happening time and time again, and cannot be making comfortable or satisfying driving for the ‘racers’ behind the wheel of the lacklustre performing cars.

The likes of Bruno Senna do not deserve it.

So where do we go from here? As the teams at the front progress with new developments, Virgin, Hispania and Lotus must do the same but to a greater magnitude.

It sounds simple when you hear it as those with the most to gain are afforded more in the way of a capability to improve.

It becomes like a competition between a morbidly obese and an obese person to lose the most weight. The larger opponent in this instance has more chance of gaining the biggest improvement as they have the most to improve upon.

Yet whilst this theory is optimistic in its ideals it may not be as simple for the rookie teams to achieve. They seem to lack the funds and experience to make these leaps and bounds. In fact they seem more likely to fall further backwards.

So what the F.I.A must take from the current stance of all three teams, is the view that a team entered into the sport so swiftly need to be able to produce a greater epitome of accomplished machine, that even at the foot of the field offers a glimpse of hope for the drivers.

It is a sad thought that the careers of Senna and Di Grassi may suffer for the deficiency of their cars. They may fade back into obscurity and the lower levels of the motor racing world.

This is something that should never be forced upon a driver, when the teams are more accountable to blame.

The season for each of the teams still has a long and possibly torturous way to go. As it stands neither team is providing us with a reason to continue racing next season.

So this must be their target for the remainder of the season; to portray to us the spectators and to the FIA a reason for us all to will each team on to future inclusion in the sport.