Senna replaces Heidfeld at Renault

[Scott Watkins]

Senna replaces Heidfeld at Renault - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com

[legion]

Strange. Most teams would never replace their points-leading driver mid-season.

Senna must have shown up with a boatload of cash.

[andyt11]

He did. Couple million pounds worth of sponsorship.

[5String43]

It's hard to know what's really going on in any of these teams, but it doesn't appear that Heidfeld has lived up to the early-season promise shown by either him or the car. Petrov, his teammate, meanwhile, has been doing pretty well. First rule of the game is that you absolutely have to outqualify and outrace your teammate. Heidfeld hasn't done that.

[DaveE]

So who do you think will replace Shumi?

[andyt11]

Originally Posted by 5String43

It's hard to know what's really going on in any of these teams, but it doesn't appear that Heidfeld has lived up to the early-season promise shown by either him or the car. Petrov, his teammate, meanwhile, has been doing pretty well. First rule of the game is that you absolutely have to outqualify and outrace your teammate. Heidfeld hasn't done that.

Petrov and Heidfeld are within 2 points of each other (and Heidfeld is ahead). I'd say they are pretty even.

Fact is, Renault have to pay Heidfeld to drive for them. Its the reverse with Bruno Senna.

[Zeke]

I think Schumacher has on more year on his contract.

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by andyt11

Petrov and Heidfeld are within 2 points of each other (and Heidfeld is ahead). I'd say they are pretty even.

Heidfeld has something like 10+years in F1, Petrov barely 2 ! Remember, they hired Heidfeld to replace Kubica and be the team leader... I'd say he's failed pretty spectacularly at that if he's only 2pts ahead of his junior "mad dog" team mate...

Not to say that putting Senna in the car is smart, but you know what you're getting with Nick, mediocre qualifying and average race results. Ho-Hum... you might as well try the Senna boy, it's good PR, good sponsorship money, a historical kick seeing a senna in a lotus "black and gold" livery, and you never know: the kid *might * turn out to be decent in a few races... At least that's what they must be thinking ;-) (personally I doubt he'll do well, they should have put Grosjean back in, he's cleaning up in GP2 and didn't get a fair shake last time)

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by DaveE

So who do you think will replace Shumi?

Danica?

Danica Patrick jumps to NASCAR, will run Sprint events in 2012 - From the Marbles - NASCAR*Blog - Yahoo! Sports

After Schumi finishes his gig and Danica is done with crashing fully fendered cars--both in '12--she and Go Daddy can move on over to Mercedes & Norbert Haug!

Too bad about Heidfeld. Being a substitute driver has got to be tough--you're just treading water until Kubica's return. If they weren't pleased with Heidfeld's results, I don't think they're going to be thrilled with Senna's, either. Well, except for that bags 'o cash thing.

[nota]

''So who do you think will replace Shumi?''

only after MS has had enuff
M-B is glad to have him for now

but after he goes in a year or 3

vettel for stupid money

[Flieger]

Schumi is there until he stops having fun. The marketing value of him is enough to keep him there on the all-German superteam. Vettel at Mercedes would be very cool.

I find it difficult to get excited about F1, though. I watch it because it is road racing and there is not much else on that is better. But then I see a video of a 60s or 70s race and think "WOW! That is cool!" Back when the engineers had a relatively free had.

Bring back the Tyrell 6 wheeler, sucker Alfa/Brabham, ground effect Lotus, and the V12s.

They are dictating things like bore, stroke, number of cylinders, V angle, displacement, how much energy the battery can hold. It is just spec racing now, albeit the fastest spec racing. GT racing and LMP racing are more interesting because of the variations in cars and engineering experimentation.

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by DaveE

So who do you think will replace Shumi?

If he goes, 90% chance Di Resta. He is Mercedes' golden boy. Won DTM for them, doing a decent job as a rookie in Force India. Rosberg is doing a stellar job vs. Schumi now... Give the guy a decent car, he could be the new star... It would be a pretty decent team if they pulled out a decent chassis next year...

[andyt11]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

Heidfeld has something like 10+years in F1, Petrov barely 2 ! Remember, they hired Heidfeld to replace Kubica and be the team leader... I'd say he's failed pretty spectacularly at that if he's only 2pts ahead of his junior "mad dog" team mate...

Not to say that putting Senna in the car is smart, but you know what you're getting with Nick, mediocre qualifying and average race results. Ho-Hum... you might as well try the Senna boy, it's good PR, good sponsorship money, a historical kick seeing a senna in a lotus "black and gold" livery, and you never know: the kid *might * turn out to be decent in a few races... At least that's what they must be thinking ;-) (personally I doubt he'll do well, they should have put Grosjean back in, he's cleaning up in GP2 and didn't get a fair shake last time)

I hear you.

I don't like to see a driver lose his seat because someone with money comes along. It doesn't sit right with me.

Of course, Bruno has some big shoes to fill too!

[Noah930]

Didn't take long for Senna to make his mark on the F1 fraternity: turn 1 of the first lap!

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Flieger

Schumi is there until he stops having fun. The marketing value of him is enough to keep him there on the all-German superteam. Vettel at Mercedes would be very cool.

I find it difficult to get excited about F1, though. I watch it because it is road racing and there is not much else on that is better. But then I see a video of a 60s or 70s race and think "WOW! That is cool!" Back when the engineers had a relatively free had.

Bring back the Tyrell 6 wheeler, sucker Alfa/Brabham, ground effect Lotus, and the V12s.

They are dictating things like bore, stroke, number of cylinders, V angle, displacement, how much energy the battery can hold. It is just spec racing now, albeit the fastest spec racing. GT racing and LMP racing are more interesting because of the variations in cars and engineering experimentation.

Well, it's the same ol' argument. We just can't go back in time before race cars were designed on computers and computers run them.

As much as I'd like to. Max, go out to the dirt track and watch some sprint cars. Although you won't find any 6 wheelers or ground effects, you will find cars designed 50 years ago.

[Noah930]

Nice drive for the old man, picking up 19 positions in the process.

Nice drive for Button, too, going +10 to get a podium finish.

[Flieger]

Originally Posted by milt

Well, it's the same ol' argument. We just can't go back in time before race cars were designed on computers and computers run them.

As much as I'd like to. Max, go out to the dirt track and watch some sprint cars. Although you won't find any 6 wheelers or ground effects, you will find cars designed 50 years ago.

I watch LeMans and its spin-offs where at least the cars look different. Hillclimbing has a lot of variation as well.

[Deschodt]

Well, the Senna kid did not do too bad, did he ? 7th in qualifying is impressive... Not the best start in the race taking out another car + ensuing penalty, but that's to be expected from a rookie.. After that, 13th was it ? decent, I think he might have more room for improvement than Heidfeld !