So Susie Won't be Driving for Bottas

If Bottas is not possible to race then F1 could use an opportunity like this to bring some very serious positive press to the series. A wasted opportunity. Wait....F1...wasted...opportunity...oh forgive my shock lol!

 

It's strange that the FIA doesn't insist for the teams to have reserve drivers at the ready at each GP in such circumstances.
Here, we had a very competitive car sidelined by a driver going sick; unnexcusable !!!

And what's the point of all these "test drivers", if they can't be used as spare?

Is Suzie Wolf only at Williams for the photoshoots?

 

The problem was that Bottles broke *after* qualy. Nobody can take over the seat that late in the day. If he'd been broken ahead of FP3 (I believe, maybe FP2?) Susie would have taken over.

Now they have a little more time to find someone they 'prefer'. I feel a little sorry for her really.

Cheers,
Ian

 

I agree.

She at least knows the guys in the garage, how they operate and so on. I assume she's also done/doing a lot of simulator work, so at least knows the buttons on the wheel etc.

I too was surprised at Pat (apparently) ruling her out completely on Sunday evening. IIRC, she actually held her own on the few occasions she drove it last year. At the very least she'd have generated a lot of publicity for them.

Cheers,
Ian

 

IIRC a driver can only take part if he/she has taken part (as in, FIA has been notified which driver is attempting to have a go in case it breaks down) in at least 1 session before the race.

 

The Williams website of course lists Felipe and Vatteri, and then Suzie as Test Driver and Alex Lynn as Development Driver. Maybe he's the go-to guy if they need a race driver, but I totally agree, that if Suzie's times have been reasonable in FP1 last year, then holy moley they should let her drive the next race (if needed).

I certainly hope Valtteri is OK and he can return and compete for the entire year, but if he needs to miss another race, Ms. Wolf gets my vote.

Williams F1

 

I think that this rule should be tweaked. It'd have been brilliant for her to step up
and perhaps start from the pitlane or last. She was ready, the car was ready, the crew
were ready. They should have more drama, erm opportunities to the reserve drivers. They don't
race that much and when these rare chances happen, well, nothing happens. Pity.

 

Sadly, she probably would have done better than Button, given the lack of pace of the McHonda and finished in the points. The Force India cars aren't as strong either, so good chance she could have finished ahead of them.

 

+1

Put her at the back of the grid and let 'er at it!

At least she's driven the thing already! (I think she did a session or two of the tests?)

I wonder if Claire asked Charlie?

Cheers,
Ian

 

There should be a provision that a replacement driver can start from the pits.
There aren't enough cars as is without creating rules to limit them further.

 

+1

Pitlane, back of the grid, wherever! As has been said, everything was ready to go.

I'm pretty sure she also has a super license already, which is more than a few others until recently.....

Cheers,
Iam

 

No country for old men, keep the dream alive!

 

Her cheque isn't big enough. Simple as that.

 

Yeah why didn't they run their second car? Surely they could have picked up a point or two last race with just about any driver. Does that driver have to qualify and it was just too late?

 

Not sure if this is still a relevant article (1 month old), but it doesn't look like she has it.

Susie Wolff unfazed by new F1 super licence criteria | MotorSportsTalk

 

The Wolff's own a part of the team. Or at least Toto does.

 

Williams with a chance to make history and they screw it up. Disappointing. Feel bad for her.

 

Basically, the rules (currently) say "(s)he that qualifies the car is the one that drives the car in the race."

No substitutions allowed.

As previously noted, if the unfortunate Bottles had broken ahead of quali, I think she'd have had a shot at it.

Cheers,
Ian

 

That is one thing: the rules currently state that after quali there is no chance for
a substitution; a shame, but those are the rules. Hopefully, they can tweak that.

The other issue for me now is that all of a sudden 'she is not the reserve driver'
and she cannot step in for Bottas in case he is not fit. I thought all along that she
became test *and* reserve driver for this year. This is b******s.

So Williams now is wasting a huge opportunity that they set themselves to take,
but they are throwing it all away.

 

Thanks. I suppose that makes sense.

As you and others have said above, this rule should be changed and there should be every effort to field both cars (perhaps even a requirement). This season needs every car on the grid that it can get.

 

I hear there are seats available at Sauber w/ a deposit.

 

LOL They have an infinite number of seats available!