Bianchi and Petrov are still waiting after Force India and Caterham
While Force India and Caterham are slow to announce their second drivers, Jules Bianchi and Vitaly Petrov are patiently biding their time, just a few weeks before the presentations and the first winter tests.
While in just over two months, 22 drivers will line up on the starting grid of the Australian Grand Prix, two seats are still to be filled at Caterham and Force India. If Paul di Resta admits he is surprised he still doesn’t know the identity of his teammate for /f1/actualite/14844-di-resta-surpris-de-ne-pas-connaitre-son-coequipier-chez-force-india.html, Jules Bianchi, interviewed by Jean-Luc Roy on RMC, remains patient: « I don’t know any more than you do, unfortunately. I’m still waiting, so it’s true that it was a bit difficult this winter because I didn’t really know where I was going but we’ll wait. It’s difficult to assess our chances but I think we still have a chance, which is already good. Now, we’ll wait to see what Force India decides. »
The tricolore pilot, who continues to prepare in case he is chosen by the Indian team, is nevertheless pleased to see the number of contenders decreasing as days and weeks go by: « We see other drivers, who were in talks with Force India, already starting to work on other options, so that’s a rather good sign. Now, once again, it’s them [Force India, ed.] who make the decision. »
At Caterham, Vitaly Petrov seemed to have the upper hand for several weeks to continue the venture, even though discussions between the Russian driver’s entourage and the Malaysian team are currently on hold: “For the moment, there are many unanswered questions,” says Oksana Kosachenko, Petrov’s manager, to R-Sport. “We are in a waiting phase due to the team’s restructuring. We are completely dependent on them, and we cannot accelerate things.”
While Oksana Kosachenko herself admitted last September that the discussions were at a standstill due to lack of funding, she claims today that Vitaly Petrov’s situation has not changed, even as rumors suggest the Russian might have attracted new partners over the winter: « So far, we have not managed to find new sponsors. Where do journalists get their information from? I am a journalist myself and I know very well how these things can emerge in someone’s mind. »
The rating of the Russian could therefore decrease on the Caterham side, especially since Mike Gascoyne does not hide that budget management will be one of the priorities. Asked by Sky Sports, the Briton does not exclude the possibility that Caterham may turn to one of the young talents in F1: “I am not allowed [to talk about it] but maybe we will have a young guy here who will push hard.”
Nothing, however, to disorient the two men. Indeed, in 2012, Jules Bianchi had to wait until the end of January before being announced as the third driver for Force India, while Vitaly Petrov was officially announced as a replacement for Jarno Trulli once the first winter tests had begun.
