First driver to be dropped in 2008

**FIA** · 15th Mar 08, 12:07

Who do you think will be the first driver to be dropped in 2008?

Piquet? - Hasn't preformed in qualifying that well, but he has potential.
Nakajima? - Has the odd crash now and then.
Bourdais? - He has his hands full with Vettel.
Barrichello? - He must get points early on this year, did well in qualifying.
Sutil? - This is the year when he has to show what he has.
Glock? - He also has his hands full with Trulli.

**ShiftingGears** · 15th Mar 08, 12:14

If any, Piquet. Seems to think very highly of himself, when in reality, if his last name wasn't Piquet he wouldn't even be an F1 tester.

**Ranger** · 15th Mar 08, 12:24

One of the Super Aguri drivers.

Money talks.

**keysersoze** · 15th Mar 08, 13:09

The only driver who has been relatively slow so far has been Piquet. Everyone else has been about as fast as can be expected.

**Powered by Cosworth** · 15th Mar 08, 13:27

Whichever driver doesn't come up with sponsorship money.

**Nikki Katz** · 15th Mar 08, 14:27

I think that if Super Aguri runs into trouble then possibly Davidson.
Piquet's been really bad so far, but we are only one qualifying into the season, so they'll give him longer than that. He'll presumably improve, but if he doesn't then he won't make the end of the year.
I think that Nakajima brings enough money to Williams to last the season no matter how much he crashes.
Possibly if one of the Force India drivers is significantly worse than the other then they'll be dropped in favour of Liuzzi, but that probably wouldn't be until the last few races.

**seppefan** · 15th Mar 08, 14:50

Originally Posted by Malllen

One of the Super Aguri drivers.

Money talks.

I agree, they are the most vunerable but it will not be Sato unless they get another engine supplier.
Nelson P should be safe as Briatore is his manager and earns of the back of him. He will improve as well.

**jens** · 15th Mar 08, 17:17

Davidson, Piquet and Bourdais are the biggest possibilities. The latter two in case they continue getting beaten so convincingly. As we know the past relationships between STR's management and drivers, then that makes cautious.

Doubt about Glock - he has already shown some promise against Mr Qualifier.
Nakajima should be safe too (cash!) unless he performs really awfully.
Barrichello - I doubt about that too. Brawn seems satisfied with him and there aren't many options, who to take as RB's replacements (Conway? Filippi? Nah, I think they won't get their chance before 2009).

**Nikki Katz** · 15th Mar 08, 17:48

I think that Bourdais, Piquet and Davidson were caught out by the yellow at the end of the session which hampered their progress today, so we probably can't read too much into the one session. Bourdais had already put in a reasonable lap but it wasn't enough to get through to Q2. Piquet had an awful first lap. Due to the state of the team, Davidson only would have picked up a couple of places with a clean lap anyway.
A number of drivers did set their fastest lap when the yellow was out, but presumably they'd all passed that point by then as nobody was penalised.
It'll probably take a few races to properly work out who's doing well.

**SGWilko** · 15th Mar 08, 19:17

Originally Posted by jens

Nakajima should be safe too (cash!) unless he performs really awfully.

If Frank wants to keep free engines, then Kazuki will be staying put I guess....

**markabilly** · 15th Mar 08, 19:19

Speed

http://kartlink.com/2008/ex-f1-drive...a-winter-tour/

**FIA** · 15th Mar 08, 19:31

I hope that Piquet can prove himself in the race.

**Mr Alca-Tazizzle** · 15th Mar 08, 19:33

Originally Posted by markabilly

Speed

http://kartlink.com/2008/ex-f1-drive...a-winter-tour/

It won't be long untill he'a selling tin siding

**jso1985** · 15th Mar 08, 23:35

Davidson, pretty much for non-racing reasons, if the Magma Group has a driver in mind, then he(or maybe she) will get Davidson's seat.
They would even have an excuse... he hasn't been faster than Sato

**truefan72** · 16th Mar 08, 00:39

I honestly think that this is one of those years where all the drivers retain their seats for the enitre year.

The only potential causalty IMO would have been Barrichello, due to his abysmal last year. but his ties to Brawn may see loyalty and the lack of a young ace in the wings, stem the urgency for a replacment

**Hawkmoon** · 16th Mar 08, 00:50

Originally Posted by truefan72

I honestly think that this is one of those years where all the drivers retain their seats for the enitre year.

The only potential causalty IMO would have been Barrichello, due to his abysmal last year. but his ties to Brawn may see loyalty and the lack of a young ace in the wings, stem the urgency for a replacment

Rubens out qualified Button and narrowly missed the top 10. There's life in the old boy yet!

I think Bourdais and Davidson are the only two who have any chance of being dropped. Davidson because money talks and he doesn't have any and Bourdais because Vettel will thrash the pants off him while he's still learning and STR management seem to have little in the way of patience where drivers are concerned.