Lotus is afraid it might lose Grossjean

[Scott]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/114030

hmmm, could the translation be 'Grossjean is for sale'?

I hope not...I still have faith in both Lotus and Grossjean and would like to see them stay together another couple of seasons.

[John S]

Hard to see who might be in a position to offer a better car?

Does anyone think Merc, Ferrari, Red Bull, or even Williams will come knocking for him? His only chance could be McLaren with it's Boullier connection.....Nah still can't see it. 

 

[Scott]

I could see it.  Grossjean is very fast when given the right car, and has matured as a driver.  If Ron does deliver a fast car next year, he will certainly be looking for a fast driver, and as Magnussen has failed to impress against Jenson, who isn't known to be all that fast himself...well, Ron could do worse.

Still hoping Magnussen picks up some speed this year and regularly beats Jenson by the end of the European season, which would mean Ron might not need to look any further.

[John S]

Magnussen has failed to impress against Jenson, who isn't known to be all that fast himself...well, Ron could do worse.

Gulp!    Jens not fast???  I guess he just lucked into his wins.   

Check out Jens record against teammates over the years, he nearly always beats them. Hell he even finished runner up to WDC Vettel in 2011 with Ron's protégé Lewis only 5th.    Oh and Jens was right on Lew's tail in the standings in 10 & 12.

Kmag is a rookie and there is still plenty of time for him to improve, that's if the car is ever capable of staying deep into the points on a regular basis. 

 

[Monty]

  I think about 90% of the F1 drivers (including Grosjean) wish they could be a slow as Jenson!   

[Scott]

Ok, ok, what I'm trying to say is that Jenson is not a driver to take a car above where it deserves to be, unlike say Alonso, Hamilton and Kimi (on occasion).  I think Grossjean has sometimes shown he has the talent and speed to do that.  Jenson may have beaten teammates over the years, but most were teammates who were relatively easy to beat, and he has only rarely had wins in cars that were not class of the field.

[Monty]

Jenson out-pointed Hamilton..... keep crawling! 

[Scott]

Well now, aren't we picking and choosing the stats we like, eh Monty?

I like Q times for showing who is truly the fastest driver (Hamilton 44, Button 14).  I also like the Pole battle, for showing who can actually drag an inferior Mclaren to the Pole (Hamilton 9 to one).  Or we can actually look at Wins?  (Hamilton 10, Button eight).  We can compare the stats where Button led:  Podiums and points finishes, or the highest championship finish of their 3 years together, these would put Button ahead, but then Hamilton won the DNF count, and that could also explain away those three Button advances.  What is remarkable about Jenson's record vs Hamilton is that even though he was demonstrably slower, he has a high and consistent rate of race finishes.  That is what he still brings to Mclaren today, but I would hesitate to rate him as the driver that will lead them to their next championship.  We haven't seen that driver, or at least not seen him drive a Mclaren.

   

[Monty]

yes but Jenson's girlfriend is better looking......

[Scott]

I have to agree he's faster then