Jules Bianchi: Ferrari pushes, Force India waits, Charles Pic hopes
While Charles Pic hopes to see the Nice native back on the grids, Stefano Domenicali has confirmed that Ferrari is pushing for Jules Bianchi to secure a spot in Formula 1. Robert Fernley, deputy director of the Force India team, states that a decision should be made by the first winter tests.
In 2012, French drivers made a strong comeback in Formula 1 after dominating the top positions in GP2 and World Series by Renault the previous season. The only one missing was Jules Bianchi, whose role as the third driver for Sahara Force India, despite allowing him to participate in several Friday morning free practice sessions, never enabled him to compete in a Grand Prix alongside Romain Grosjean, Jean-Eric Vergne, and Charles Pic.
While the latter will be returning for a second season with Lotus, Toro Rosso, and Caterham, respectively, Jules Bianchi is still waiting for a seat despite Ferrari’s efforts: “Last season, Jules was the third driver for Force India. Today, we are trying to find a solution that will allow him to progress and prove his worth,” states Stefano Domenicali to Finnish television MTV3, during the Wrooom days in Madonna di Campiglio.
Tipped for several weeks to succeed Nico Hülkenberg at Force India, the Niçois must, however, be patient, as his fate at Silverstone is tied, according to some, to negotiations concerning the supply of the Ferrari V6 turbo, starting in 2014. The suspense should end before the first winter tests, although Robert Fernley, the deputy director of the Indian team, tells Autosport that the name of the second driver will not be revealed during the presentation of the new car, scheduled for February 1, 2013: “The launch is to present the VJM06.” Fernley also assures that it is “unlikely” that the tests will be used to evaluate the candidates, as some might have expected.
In any case, Charles Pic hopes that the tricolor community will have a new member in its ranks in 2013: “For Jules, that is what I wish for him. We were already three French drivers last year, we will surely be three French drivers again this year, and perhaps now a fourth. It’s great for motorsport enthusiasts in France,” says the Caterham driver in an interview with the newspaper Le Monde. If this were to happen, it would be the first time since the 1995 Pacific Grand Prix that France has had such a contingent in Formula 1.
