Category Archives: F1 News

Force India has confirmed that Jolyon Palmer and Richard ‘Spike’ Goddard will test for the team in Abu Dhabi next week.

GP2 champion Palmer, who will be having his first ever run in an F1 car, must presumably now be considered as a candidate for a third driver role in 2015.

Aussie Goddard gets his chance after three years in F3.

“I’m pleased that we can conclude our season by giving two promising youngsters their first taste of Formula One,” said Vijay Mallya. “As a team we have a strong track record of identifying up-and-coming prospects and giving them valuable mileage and experience in our cars. I have been following Jolyon’s progress this season in GP2 and he is clearly a big talent that deserves a chance in Formula One. Spike has also worked hard to get this chance and it’s the perfect opportunity to showcase his skills.”

“Sahara Force India has shown their faith in me by offering this opportunity and I am looking forward to repaying their trust in Abu Dhabi,” said Palmer. “I have worked very hard for a chance like this and I want to help the team get the most from this test session. This is a team that has always promoted talent and I hope this opportunity can lead to bigger things in the future.”

Goddard said: “Every young racing driver dreams to be at the wheel of a Formula One car and I am very excited to be one of the very few who gets to fulfil this dream. The test is an important stage in the preparations for 2015 and I hope my contribution will be useful for the team to get a head start for next season.”

McLaren confirmed via Twitter tonight that it will announce its 2015 driver line-up no earlier than December 1st – and then followed up with a statement saying that the idea was to “avoid distracting the race team.”

McLaren also confirmed that the Honda test car will run in Abu Dhabi on the Tuesday and Wednesday after the race, subject to final bench testing.

The statement said: “Selecting the optimal driver line-up for a Formula 1 team is clearly an important process, and it is therefore one that requires precise and prolonged analysis. That being the case, and in order to avoid distracting the race team from its primary objective during the final Grand Prix weekend of the season, which is to secure the best possible on-track results, we have decided to defer our final deliberations relating to our 2015 driver line-up until a date no earlier than Monday December 1st.

“Meanwhile, we are working extremely hard to ensure that every element of our competitive package for 2015 and beyond is also specified to the fullest extent. We have spent the past nine months comprehensively recruiting and restructuring within our design and engineering departments; over the next few days we will be evaluating and trialling a range of aerodynamic upgrades for the forthcoming Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and for the 2015 Formula 1 season; furthermore, we are now only a few days away from formally commencing our exciting technical partnership with Honda, and, subject to satisfactory final bench-testing, it is currently our intention to run our interim development car, the McLaren MP4-29H/1X1, on the test days that will follow the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.”

GP3 champion elect Alex Lynn remains in the frame for a Toro Rosso race seat in 2015, despite strong competition from Jean-Eric Vergne, Carlos Sainz Jr and outside bet Pierre Gasly.

Since Danill Kvyat was announced for RBR Vergne’s chances of hanging onto his seat have increased, for the very obvious reason that the team might want one experienced driver alongside Max Verstappen next year. Meanwhile Sainz’s Renault 3.5 win has underlined that he has a strong case, and the Spaniard will be testing for RBR in Abu Dhabi next week, as part of a prize for winning the title.

However Lynn, who was picked up by Red Bull after winning the Macau GP last year, is still very much in contention – and at the very least could secure a reserve driver role at RBR/STR.

At the moment only Max Verstappen is scheduled to do the Abu Dhabi test for STR, although it’s understood that was agreed before Kvyat’s departure created a vacancy.

“I saw every race from Alex this year,” Tost told this writer. “He has done a good job so far. There’s the final race in Abu Dhabi, and I think he’ll win the championship because he only needs a few points. He’s a high-skilled driver, he’s done a good season, he’s leading the championship, and the rest we will see.

“Of course we will sit together with Red Bull and will decide who will be the second driver for next year. The only thing is if Lynn is coming to us it’s not easy to have two young drivers, that’s the problem. But we will see, in the end it’s a decision from Red Bull. The main drivers are Jean-Eric, Sainz, Gasly and Lynn. This does not mean that Lynn is the last – these are the Red Bull young drivers.

“The situation has changed because we were totally surprised by the decision of Sebastian Vettel to go to another team next year, and therefore we have to decide what will be the best situation, the best possibility for the team.”

Lynn remains hopeful that he has done enough to make his case.

“Red Bull gave me the task of winning GP3 this year and I am well on the way to achieving that objective,” he said. “The record books show I have always had the upper hand racing head-to-head with both Daniil and Carlos and I hope I have done enough to be fully in the frame when Dr Marko and Torro Rosso are considering their options for next year. As highlighted in Macau, I perform at my best under pressure on the big stage and am 100% ready for an F1 move next season.”