Taking bets - How long does Piquet have?

[Hendrik]

Red flag, thanks to Alonso.

He's better even at crashing the car compared to Piquet.

[Gaz]

I'm loving every minute watching the arrogant little sod struggle! Daddy can buy you lots of things but unfortunately for poor little Nelson ability isn't one of them!

[Down F0rce]

Originally Posted by Ralf's Girl

If they were going to replace him (which I don't think they are, at least not mid-season), are those three drivers really the best options available to them?

They could try and get any of the third drivers I suppose, but Sato and Davidson have the advantage of being (I'm assuming) free agents and can sign straight away and probably desperate to get back in F1 ASAP. Unlike the likes of Liuzzi who might not get out of thier third driver duties.

[Born Racer]

Before we jump straight in though with "he crashed, what an idiot" etc etc, it should be remembered that this is Monaco. The very best crash here and Thursday is the time to do it.

I'm loving every minute watching the arrogant little sod struggle!

I get the idea he used to be arrogant, but has realised he hasn't had anything to be arrogant about recently and has calmed that down. Let's be fair.

I personally think he should be given more time. Because I'm not convinced he's quite as bad as people are making out. I suspect that Alonso is doing one heck of a job in that other Renault and it makes Piquet's situation all the graver.

[BootsOntheSide]

I think we need to start looking for milkmen who resemble Nelsinho.

[mjstallard]

Originally Posted by Ralf's Girl

If they were going to replace him (which I don't think they are, at least not mid-season), are those three drivers really the best options available to them?

The free agent nature of the SA drivers is probably quite attractive to them...I'd imagine they could well be interested in getting someone with the development skills of Ant (even with Alonso's technical feedback already being there). I'm surprised not to see Grosjean's name not in that list though.

[Bononi]

Their test-drivers would be the best option.

[mjstallard]

That gives a choice of Di Grassi, Grosjean and...the inimitable Sakon Yamamoto.

[VIVA GT]

Didn't Nelson Snr. have a dislike of racing at Monaco? Was it not he who likened the experience to "trying to ride a bicycle around your sitting room"?

[Bononi]

Exactly, but Jnr said he likes to race there...

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Ralf's Girl

If they were going to replace him (which I don't think they are, at least not mid-season), are those three drivers really the best options available to them?

They proberbly are unless they can wrestle Michael out of his Ferrari contract What's Ralf upto these days?

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Mr V

What's Ralf upto these days?

Going very slowly in a 'tin top'.Bernd Maylander may feel that his seat in F1 is threatened.

[Wrex]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

I think we need to start looking for milkmen who resemble Nelsinho.

Gold!

[ECW Dan Selby]

Blatantly get Sato for the drive

Selby

[Kai]

I quite liked Piquet in the later half of Gp2 '06, leading 90 out of 93 laps in two weekends. He has talent no doubt but he seems in over his head. I think Renault's policy of letting their drivers do a season of testing before they get a race seat is not the best strategy. We saw Heikki ragged at the beginning of '07 and we're seeing Piquet struggle as well. Makes one wonder if they're at a competitive disadvantage for not having raced for a year. Admittedly though Renault haven't really had a seat to put their development drivers in from the get go.

Re Grosjean, I have no doubts we'll see him in the car next season, but I don't know if throwing him in to F1 right now would be a good idea. I'd like Taku to get the seat

[chunterer]

I doubt Grosjean will be asked to race this season. I don't think Sato will be either.

My money's on either Liuzzi or Ant if it happens. Both guys will be keen to show what they can do and whilst the former is still likely to over do it, the latter will be great at helping develop the car I would've thought?

[JeremySmith]

I am beginning to feel sorry for Piquet to be honest, the pressure he is under must be pretty intense..

[Knowlesy]

Alonso should be warned. He clearly hand picked his teammate for this season thinking he will get an easy ride, but Piquet will give him an almighty shock and the toys will be out the pram by Bahrain.

[Born Racer]

Yamamoto is merely a 'representative' test driver, there to please some Japanese sponsor presumably, or because Renault/Nissan want to expand in the Japanese market or some such thing. I'm a "never say never" person, but I'm going to make my first potential hat eating decision here on this forum and say that I'll eat it if Yamamoto got to race the Renault. If they want a decent Japanese driver, Sato would do.

I wonder how well di Grassi would go. Has he even had much running this year? If they put him in, I don't think they'd be planning to keep him in the seat for next year (they may have Grosjean in mind for that), so it wouldn't make a huge amount of sense to keep changing drivers.

[Knowlesy]

I think di Grassi would be pretty solid if given the chance, but not exceptional.

Maybe di Grassi should stick to co-commentating? BBC, were you listening?

[Bleu]

Piquet has now missed Q1 cut three times. Kovalainen missed it twice in whole season. So, even if Heikki's season didn't start very well, he certainly improved during the season, although other failure was in the last race at Brazil.

Piquet has made also lots of mistakes, but let's see what he can do. In GP2 he at least showed good pace in the wet, especially at Hungaroring 2006.

[Knowlesy]

In fairness, the Renault last year was probably better relative to the opposition than this one is.

Alonso is doing all he can to get into Q3, doing it quite often too.

[Bononi]

The difference between Jrn and Alonso in Q1 was 3 tenths , but it knocked the kid out.

[Chiefy]

Kovy's first season did set the bar rather high for newcomers at Renault. Despite a "poor start" am I not right in thinking he actually DNF'ed just the once, in Brazil?

Essentially, we're six races into Piquet Jr's career at the top. If six is enough to know, then by all means send him home again. I can appreciate Sato's presence in the marketplace is fuel for the fire - but c'mon chaps, it's early days!

[Knowlesy]

It's not necessarily that he is performing badly (though he very much is!), it is more that he has shown no improvement.

Any rookie can struggle early on, but if you start from a low point and don't clamber higher after a handful of races, even fleetingly, then you are asking to be fired really. Especially with Mr Angry as your boss!

Kovalainen was quite poor to begin with at Renault, but he had his moments and he also brought the car home.