Sirotkin Secures Williams Drive, Kubica Signed up as Reserve

[KaRally]

How could Sirotkin prove any of his F1 skills if he hasn't had any F1 cockpit before?

What about with sauber and renault? he was a F1 test driver for the last 4 years but even with his huge money nobody one hired him ! but the truth is that renault does not need money desperately like williams !

 

[Stanislav Minakov]

oh hell
Kubica is proved racer for 2012 I guess, he doesn't do any serious racing past years! Six years before the first testing sessions with car dramatically changed through the years! Sirotkin has solid experience working with modern F1 cars, strong sponsorship. You are hating him just because he's Russian, have money and got a seat. If Williams needs some money, why did they not deserve it? MOST of the drivers in modern F1 either junior program members, or paid, or just racing for decade. There are no other options to get any little chance to get a place in F1 team nowadays. Beautiful years of "talent over money" is gone in 2007.

 

[wombat999]

You are hating him just because he's Russian.

I think not.
Personally I think Kyviatt should have been the pick of the candidates.

 

[wombat999]

" You are hating him just because he's Russian, have money and got a seat"
No, Danil Kyvat is 'Russian' and was the best candidate, Sirotkin has little or no experience but has an enormous bankroll.

 

[KaRally]

oh hell
Kubica is proved racer for 2012 I guess, he doesn't do any serious racing past years! Six years before the first testing sessions with car dramatically changed through the years! Sirotkin has solid experience working with modern F1 cars, strong sponsorship. You are hating him just because he's Russian, have money and got a seat. If Williams needs some money, why did they not deserve it? MOST of the drivers in modern F1 either junior program members, or paid, or just racing for decade. There are no other options to get any little chance to get a place in F1 team nowadays. Beautiful years of "talent over money" is gone in 2007.

that's a point! after seven years out of the racing, when everything changed, he gets into the F1 car and makes similar times like everyone. I'm sure that after one race weekend or two his speed would be like before the accident.
but...Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys.
and one more thing, I don't care who is who, Polish, Russian or American but I know what is the power of the money !

 

[Celestiale]

Williams has become a quite expensive race car leasing agency in the last two years...

Pathetic

 

[MoerasGrizzly]

A proven driver with GP wins to his name is reserve for some unproven driver who is there because he has the money?

As much as we all love Kubica, his major achievements are a decade ago now. Sirotkin's achievements are a lot more recent, he's still "fresh", so to say, and he's tested for Williams in 2017 and impressed the team. He's a lot younger then Kubicka too, so there's a lot more potential for growth.

 

[The Arj Guy]

Well, at least it wasn't Massa

 

[apex11]

He's a Russian right?
If so, i told you.....
Kyvatt was in F1 due to Russian GP, they had to replace him with a Russian or Putin would send out the accident men..

 

[Andrew Harper]

I think it's very easy to criticise the team, viewing the situation from the outside.

If they feel that Sirotkin offers them the better option then so be it. Yes he has a huge budget but unfortunately these days that is over half the requirement to get a drive, let alone a good seat or not.

I've been listening to the Marshall Pruett podcasts for about six months now and in almost every driver interview (doesn't matter if it's a top line driver or one that doesn't get to race very often) unless you have millions in budget sponsorship you just don't stand a chance. Doesn't matter how good you are.

Slightly off topic but in one interview it was very refreshing to hear one driver actually talking figures. Half a million dollars will probably get you a one or two races in Indycar. You have to bring millions of dollars to the table if you want a full season ride. This is pretty much the same regardless of whether you are at the front of the grid or running round at the back.

Your only other chance is to be picked up by a large company (like Lewis was with Mercedes, or Guernsey's Andy Priaulx who signed a deal with BMW which basically saved his career when he had nothing) and that will hopefully give you the opportunity you need.

The situation seems to be getting worse and that's a real shame. There are plenty or superb drivers with real talent who never get the chance they deserve because the money runs out. That's always been the case in motorsport but it seems more critical than ever.

Sirotkin deserves his chance and for the sake of the team I hope they've made the right decision. The issue will be if the car is not great, if it's poor that's when you really need an experienced driver to try and help with developing the car and I'm glad that Kubica has been given the chance to be the development driver, I'm sure his feedback and experience will come in very useful for the team.

I also find Kubica's role interesting. Again we are viewing the situation from the outside but I wonder if a performance clause has been written into Sirotkin's contract and if he doesn't deliver the goods Kubica will be in the race seat? All if's and buts but it's a possibility.

 

[apex11]

With this chap though its more than just money its also his nationality.
If you have a Russian GP its good to have a Russian driver same as when we had couple of Indian drivers in F1 with an Indian GP...its business first and foremost. Show business really.
Bums on seats, bums on sofas at home watching it etc.

 

[Andrew Harper]

With this chap though its more than just money its also his nationality.
If you have a Russian GP its good to have a Russian driver same as when we had couple of Indian drivers in F1 with an Indian GP...its business first and foremost. Show business really.
Bums on seats, bums on sofas at home watching it etc.

Yes there's always an element of "politics" of course.

Doesn't happen quite so much now but up until recently Honda always wanted a Japanese driver using their engines, but yes you're right the Grand Prix link is a valid one.

 

[apex11]

Pretty sure this guy can pedal a car no problem though, whether he can pedal it well enough to stay with Stroll will be interesting, Stroll has had a whole lot of extra help and practice even before his first season.

 

[Piotr Dul]

With this chap though its more than just money its also his nationality.
If you have a Russian GP its good to have a Russian driver same as when we had couple of Indian drivers in F1 with an Indian GP...its business first and foremost. Show business really.
Bums on seats, bums on sofas at home watching it etc.

Politics, money and politics and money again...

 

[Terry Rock]

While Sirotkin may turn out not to be a bad choice, I'd have put him (for 1 year) in a testing role to give Lance a chance to continue 'seasoning' with an actual GP runner.
Robert may have been just a bit slower in testing, but he has not really driven any open wheel cars for quite some time. I would expect nothing less.
He would not immediately be on form with Sirotkin.
What he does bring, is development stability and a lot of seat-of-the-pant knowledge you can't get from the simulator.

 

[Turk]

I would have picked Sirotkin over Kubica as well for one simple reason. Kubica is too old. Kubica may be a great driver but he's coming to the end of his career as a top level driver, in a top level sport like F1. The young lads coming through are showing they're able to keep up with the fast pace of F1 better than the older guys IMO.

Most sports these days are for young lads, the support they get from the team and trainers and all the staff that helps in the background just erodes any advantage a lot of experience can give. Which means their faster reactions win out.

Sirotkin is young, at the start of his career and just has more potential than Kubica. Put this on top of the fact Kubica is carrying an injury that calls into question his ability to complete a season and the fact he hasn't been racing means it's an easy decision to make. Even before looking at money incentives.

 

[Matthew Allington]

If a car is at least midfield then I'd expect that a very talented driver can pick up big results and earn more in prize money and side-effects (sponsors like competitive teams) than a pay driver could bring + his sponsorship.

Can only assume that Williams are expecting to have a dog of a car this year...

 

[apex11]

I would have picked Sirotkin over Kubica as well for one simple reason. Kubica is too old. Kubica may be a great driver but he's coming to the end of his career as a top level driver, in a top level sport like F1. The young lads coming through are showing they're able to keep up with the fast pace of F1 better than the older guys IMO.

Most sports these days are for young lads, the support they get from the team and trainers and all the staff that helps in the background just erodes any advantage a lot of experience can give. Which means their faster reactions win out.

Sirotkin is young, at the start of his career and just has more potential than Kubica. Put this on top of the fact Kubica is carrying an injury that calls into question his ability to complete a season and the fact he hasn't been racing means it's an easy decision to make. Even before looking at money incentives.

Only Williams didn't make this choice on that at all, they made it on the balance of the PR from Kubicas great come back, to the PR and money from a Russian driver and also some contractual obligation for F1 to have a Russian driver... pretty sure it was one to ways Bernie got the Russian GP deal done...
Basically Williams almost went under not too long ago and since then they simply whore themselves out to highest bidders, even the Massa thing was because Martini demanded a driver over 25, there was no greater reason than that.
Before people get on a high horse, i don't blame them, its do what you have to to survive and go racing at the weekend...

 

[Enpassant]

Williams gets what he wants, it’s their problem. That’s all the story. The rest time will tell. Another Russian in F1, maybe third time lucky? Or not.

 

[apex11]

Bernie does deal with Putin for Russain GP from 2014-2020....
Kvyat debuts in F1 in 2014.
Kyvat leaves F1 in 2017 season
2018 Serforeskin debuts in F1.....

Totally legit....