Toro Rosso in Hunt for New Driver For USGP

i think it'll be someone who either has ties to Redbull, or no ties to anyone

That's where Hartley fits in. As he is only 27, at his peak, with no contract for 2018. He is an actual possibility for 2018 in the team.

I do remember RB unceremoniously dropping Hartley from their young driver's program (which I thought seemed unfair at the time). If I was having a raw guess, I probably wouldn't have him high as a choice, but apparently this is a thing so we'll see

He was, but to be honest, if you look back at his results at that time - or even the races if you are able to find some, he never really looked like a driver who would get a proper career at the very top level. But he have grown together with the Porsche programme, as evident by looking at the best and top 20 avg. laptimes that David Heinemeier-Hansson provides after each race in WEC and IMSA.
I would feel that Neel Jani is a slightly better driver, but at 33, I can't see TR even considering him for a possible 2018 seat, even though that would be very interesting to see.
 
That's where Hartley fits in. As he is only 27, at his peak, with no contract for 2018. He is an actual possibility for 2018 in the team.



He was, but to be honest, if you look back at his results at that time - or even the races if you are able to find some, he never really looked like a driver who would get a proper career at the very top level. But he have grown together with the Porsche programme, as evident by looking at the best and top 20 avg. laptimes that David Heinemeier-Hansson provides after each race in WEC and IMSA.
I would feel that Neel Jani is a slightly better driver, but at 33, I can't see TR even considering him for a possible 2018 seat, even though that would be very interesting to see.

Hartley is rumored to be racing full time for Ganassi in IndyCar next season, though I'm sure he'd forfit that if F1 came knocking.
 
What if Kvyat drives the (rain)race of his life and scores a podium. That would really mess up things even further at TR. I would cheer for him. Even though not really impressed with his driving lately.
 
Hartley is rumored to be racing full time for Ganassi in IndyCar next season, though I'm sure he'd forfit that if F1 came knocking.

Ye, that is the "problem" with Hartley as a possible 2018 guy for TR. He probably don't want to wait to long, as he'll have a big chance of getting none of the drives. Then he'll have to take a P2-ride, or hope for a private P1. I also think that he value a safe seat a bit higher than a big risk at this time, not to mention that a ride in IndyCar can be combined with the endurance-races in IMSA, he can have an outside shot on a road-ringer NASCAR race if he wants. It's basically a more "open world", and he'll be in one of the absolute top teams in IndyCar. This is a lot to risk for a potential seat in F1 for a team that have dropped you once before (even though he's way better now than what he was then).
 
When everything seemed like sinking, the peoples' champion heard our prayers and is ready to grace us with one last stand:

21eua7l.jpg


Now seriously, since they don't seem to have a young driver ready or able (schedule wise), I think that Palmer would be the best option for a one time performance. But, sometimes these contract rescisions may bring some sketchy clauses that we don't know of (don't forget TR is 10 points ahead of Renault). It also doesn't seem like an option based on the TR ideology.

I find Kubica still a liability. No one is really sure of what he can accomplish (but unfortunatly I don't expect a lot).

I think there is near 0% chance of Buemi getting in that car but god knows what might happen and who might have time or not for that GP.

The only way I can see them go is with one of the other sharks protege (Giovinazzi or Leclerc) or get an older driver that left F1 more recently.

I don't follow Indy much so I have no clue what can come out of there.

Now that I said all this, Inoue doesn't seem like such a bad choice.
 
But all of these named drivers have no experience with the current F1 cars, which is quite important nowadays as the cars are quite special. Nevertheless TR is running out of options and they have to take what they get if Helmut Marko himself doesn't want to drive
 
Confirmation that Gasly will indeed continue his Japanese adventure leaves Toro Rosso in a difficult position, with very few drivers of Grand Prix experience available to parachute into the Farenza squad.
Sorry Paul. Complete B.S. and 100% opinion. Being a highly skilled racing driver is not any F1 team's object of hire. Maybe Ferrari. Definitely Haas. If you lined up the entire IndyCar grid and put them in equal cars, I got $1000 that says the F1 drivers get stomped. Same goes for many other series' where drivers are not considered "assets" or tools. 50% of the F1 grid would never be hired by Roger Penske, Gene Haas, Chip Ganassi, or Michael Andretti. Drivers in F1 are hired either for their star power (Indy drivers actually have careers, unlike 95% of the F1 flash in the pans). Sure, you have some great talent, but most of the time, that talent is buried in red tape, politics, and money problems. I still talk to people like Penske when I go to races, or his staff, and they all sing the same tune -- if you want to be a career race driver, avoid F1. And they do. Ekstrom, Dixon, Montoya, and Gordon are as good or better than anyone in F1.

STR, do the world a favor and put Andrea Merkel in the car. With no helmet. :laugh:

Ye, that is the "problem" with Hartley as a possible 2018 guy for TR. He probably don't want to wait to long, as he'll have a big chance of getting none of the drives. Then he'll have to take a P2-ride, or hope for a private P1. I also think that he value a safe seat a bit higher than a big risk at this time, not to mention that a ride in IndyCar can be combined with the endurance-races in IMSA, he can have an outside shot on a road-ringer NASCAR race if he wants. It's basically a more "open world", and he'll be in one of the absolute top teams in IndyCar. This is a lot to risk for a potential seat in F1 for a team that have dropped you once before (even though he's way better now than what he was then).
Refreshing. Don't hear this much in this F1 obsessed website, but that's understandable. I'm kind of glad the Halo is coming. There is so much good racing out there that needs way more attention and is always exciting, like racing should be.
 
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F1 drivers? Bingo, my friend.

OT to a point but the main problem facing Formula 1 is not the cars, drivers, money and all the associated evils, it is 'Social Media' and all the 'No Nothing' comments.:poop:
The next 'expert' tweets will probably flow from 'The Donald!':speechless:

'Indy' drivers have not done well in F1 with two notable exceptions, Mario Andretti and Jacques Villeneuve.
Michael Andretti suffered by being in the same team as Senna, while recent efforts by 'Seabas', Scott Speed (who wasn't so speedy) and Rossi were really ordinary. Going back in time Danny Sullivan, Bobby Rahal, Kevin Cogan, Al Unser Snr. and even Alex Zanardi (crap cars) failed.

Today's primary source of 'Talent' appears to be Karts, can't too far off when some snot goes direct from Karts to EffWun.
 
@Rob i don't really think in equal cars Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, or Fernando Alonso would be stomped by anyone from the Indycargrid in a whole season Rob, anyone.


Alonso or Vettel are able to win Indycar championship by driving their cars with one hand.
I don't care for Lance stroll, Palmer, Erickson, Magnussen and all these guys.
They could think whatever they want , they are not F1 drivers, just rich people driving F1 cars..
But this is Formula one story, this is not from our days, back in the days , the 60'S, 70's,80'S and 90's have all seen these rich gentlemen in F1, this is not new at all.
Top Formula one drivers , this is what does really matter, like always.

But that being said, ALL the best drivers in history were and are top Formula one drivers.
Indycar has never knowned an Ayrton Senna, they never known an Alain Prost, A Michael Schumacher (and by far), a Fernando Alonso or a Sebastian Vettel.
They never had such talent.
Mansell has retired from F1 when he won the Indy title in his first attempt, he was a grandpa :coffee:,
but Indycar fans are used to grandpa drivers, aren't they ?:O_o:

and man, Takuma Sato won the Indy500, Takuma Sato...the kamikaze!
Alexander Rossi..., what about this guy ?
we should try him in F1 to see his great skills, oh wait...
who's next for the win in Indycar ?
Maldonado ?
At least in indycar ,in most tracks , Maldonado will only have to turn left, may be he will make it.
what do you think?
by the way, tracks where you have to turn right AND left are so overrated ..., i can understand.
 
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