[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

I doubt if Force India is that defeatist. They might as well shut the team down if they go by your thinking.

I certainly did not sound Defeatist nor was that my aim. What am saying is that Force India would not be challenging for Victories as its being talked about in recent days. They would certainly be better than what they where before the mid-season break but not the heady heights of Spa. I would prefer a KC or NK not talked off as "Not good enough" drivers just because the car could not replicate its Spa performance. Don't forget that Fisichella possibly was eyeing that Ferarri seat hence his blinding drive at Spa otherwise he was not as good as Sutil over the course of the year.

[Ardy]

Seems like neither KC nor NK are stepping into the vacant seat at Force India. Liuzzi is getting the racing seat at Force India as per F1 Racing website.

Formula One news: Liuzzi steps into Force India race role - GPUpdate.net Formula One

[Gilead]

As much as I would like to see KC step into FI, or any other team, the truth is he is not good enough at the moment for F1. As someone said before, it would be good if VM gives him the chance to be the 4th driver.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

And he is certainly the best that Indian motorsport has produced to date.

I just hope someone does not come up & tell that he was not given that many opportunities as NK had which is how all talk of NK drift to.

Originally Posted by Rotorhead

Also I would also like to propose my office cabbie sommanna, he defenitely can give all these guys a run for their money.

[HKS]

Liuzzi gets the seat
The Force India Formula One Team ihas announced Vitantonio Liuzzi will assume driving duties of car number 21 from next weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

After evaluating options following Giancarlo Fisichella's switch to the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro team, Tonio has been promoted to the race seat from Monza onwards. The 28-year-old Italian has fulfilled the team's crucial test, reserve driver and development role from the start of the 2008 season.

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal, commented: 'I'm delighted to give Tonio the opportunity to get back into a race seat, which I know he has been itching to do for the past two years. Force India is now in a very competitive position and we need a driver who can continue this momentum. This will be the chance for Tonio to demonstrate to both the team and the field that he has the commitment, speed and professionalism to perform and I am sure he will seize this opportunity.'

Tonio commented, 'I can't wait to get back into the car in race trim, particularly at my home Grand Prix in Monza. I really appreciate the opportunity Vijay has given me, particularly now Force India has a great car that's performing very well. I am confident I can carry on our progress. I'm very motivated, I'm in good shape and hungry to get some more points on the board. Although it's unfortunate that this came about as an direct result of Felipe's accident, this is my opportunity to show people what I can do and I'm really looking forward to it.'

Source: F1Passionates.com

[rranjith_kum]

Yeah Liuzzi got the race seat. All the argument in this thread went in vain.

[rranjith_kum]

Vijay Mallya is planning to put Karun in F1 Simulator, He is reported to have said that if the results of his GP2 and the simulator comes out good then he would be the first one to offer him a race seat.
Details are out as everyone including Bernie expected Karun to drive the Force India F1 car.

[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by rranjith_kum

Vijay Mallya is planning to put Karun in F1 Simulator, He is reported to have said that if the results of his GP2 and the simulator comes out good then he would be the first one to offer him a race seat.
Details are out as everyone including Bernie expected Karun to drive the Force India F1 car.

Vijya Mallya is just sending the journos onto a tizzy isn't it. If Mallya was serious about evaluating Karun he would have atleast got him to test the Force India cars regularly over the last couple of years, atleast during pre-seasons.

What age are we living in, "if he is good in simulator and has some GP2 wins he would be considered". I have said this enough times on this forum Vijay Mallya is a smart businessman and knows where to put his money in, Force India only carries India's colours. Don't expect Force India to be the torch bearer of Indian racing talent in the days to come.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by pypkmsrikanth

Don't expect Force India to be the torch bearer of Indian racing talent in the days to come.

So Karun Chandok talent is good enough to drive an F1 car?

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

So Karun Chandok talent is good enough to drive an F1 car?

No, not at present. But talent should be groomed for the future. If one is not prepared for that, he should not strut around mouthing patriotic platitudes. Just call it team Kingfisher and be done with it.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by Gansan

But talent should be groomed for the future.

Talent should first be shown.

Groom a driver only for F1 you mean from India? For crying out loud its not even a sport if the Indian government has to be believed.

[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

So Karun Chandok talent is good enough to drive an F1 car?

If you have read my earlier remark on this thread I have clearly indicated my opinion on Karun Chandok. If he has not scored more points than his team mate in the last 3 seasons of GP2 and none of his team mates have got a F1 drive why should Karun be given a drive. I think Karun is at best a decent GP2 driver and I doubt if he would make it up to F1.

What I take offence about is when patriotic vibes are being generated about Force India team. All PR talks. In my opinion Force India is not going to look at Karun Chandok actively on their own, so why all this talk about Simulator etc. What I take offence about is when patriotic vibes are being generated about Force India team. All PR talks.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by pypkmsrikanth

All PR talks.

Turn on the TV and see the nonsense being spewed out by the channels who do not understand anything about F1. This is counter PR to make the idiots keep quite. And they have already lapped it up by going ga-ga over the said simulator runs. LOL.

Its a business PR will be involved. And in PR there is no such thing as a bad thing.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Talent should first be shown.

Groom a driver only for F1 you mean from India? For crying out loud its not even a sport if the Indian government has to be believed.

Talent should be spotted and be groomed. It need not necessarily be Nk or KC. But the willingness to make the effort should be there (on the part of the team bosses, I mean), and it should be visible to Indian F1 fans.

Let us be realistic. They need experienced drivers, and can't offer the hot seat for a rookie Indian. But take one as an assistant test driver at least, and let him get experience. Not doing so is perfectly understandable, and perfectly fine, so long as they do not don patriotic war paint and do a jig for public consumption.

The Govt view point is a joke, and will change in a jiffy if there is one successful Indian in the sport. During the recent Sidvin festival of speed in Chennai, I watched Gautham Ghambir launch the MRF formula racing car and then drive it for a lap around the track. He was interviewed after the drive, and the guy asked him whether he thought of it as a sport or not, considering that racing drivers drive the cars for hours around the track. Ghambir replied the effort and concentration required was fantastic, it definitely was a sport that is 100 times more difficult than cricket, and the minister's statement was nonsense.

How do you think Japanese drivers got the break? I read an article by Harish Samtani once, and he mentioned that when the engines and trannies were supplied by Japanese companies, they had a tag which read "Use with driver, or else!".

[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Turn on the TV and see the nonsense being spewed out by the channels who do not understand anything about F1. This is counter PR to make the idiots keep quite. And they have already lapped it up by going ga-ga over the said simulator runs. LOL.

Its a business PR will be involved. And in PR there is no such thing as a bad thing.

Am fine with PR talks because everything is fine in love, war and sales in my books. But if you remember we had a lot of posts in the Spa race thread about how Fisichella's podium finish was a great thing for India not to forget the mainstream media and news channels when there is nothing Indian about Force India except for an Indian owner, name and the Indian colours on the car.