[retired_mika318]

He realised after that crash that there really isn't more to life than a really good pie.

[retired_mika318]

Actually that's where the beef is. It's in Ralf's stomach.

[thetaoofshawn]

Oooooooh, wp BBC 606.

McLaren need an experienced driver to partner Hamilton. Ralf to me, is the obvious solution, even if it is for 1 season. I doubt Ralf would win a WDC in the McLaren, but, I wouldn´t mind watching him use the suprise eleveation to a class beating car and having a real go.

Ralf can be a good driver in a better car and one cannot write him off just like that.Toyota only added to Ralf's of color showing by providing him a very poor car.So were Honda who ruined Button's good chances with another poor showing and why should the drivers suffer.

DC seems 100% certain he is staying at Red Bull. So if Webber was in the hunt I would prefer Ralf with 6 wins to his name than MW. Webber is also a car breaker, and a bit of a whinger, my preference would still be Ralf for 1 year only.

Me thinks Ralf would be perfect for Maclaren next season.For starters he will be dirt cheap.He is German.Knows how to win a race or two.Is not known for his petulance.Has loads of experience.
Ticks all the correct boxes for a No2 driver if you ask me

When Ralf is on the pace he has the potential to beat even Kimi, so give him a MM and see if he holds it together and stays with the best. I´m sure our opinions of Ralf would be more benevolent if he started to win races in the MM and who better to compare him with than LH before we right him off altogether.

Go on Ron, take the risk, you did with LH and it paid off!!

Ralf could do a job for McLaren, produce reasonable results and not rock the boat, he'll be cheaper than signing another teams young star, and McLaren have sometimes chosen the driver you least expect when everyone was tipping someone else.

Ron's given Blundell and Brundle a job in the past, why not Ralf? there aren't many past race winners out there and even fewer that are available. It could either be Ralf's renaissance or he could be Lewis' doormat while fetching the car home in the points, I sense neither situation would concern Ron unduly.

MM could get Ralf for around half that. FW wants 20 million just to buy Rosbergs contract and Rosberg will expect equal pay with LH.

Kovi again would expect similr pay to LH.

Ralf would be the best value there is at present.

:cool:

[Test 187]

Um

According to them, Webber's more of a whinger than Ralf? And isn't known for his petulance?

Don't get me wrong - Ralf does (did?) have some talent and is certainly not deserving of all the criticism he gets, but, as is to be expected really, the people you quote above don't have a clue.

[thetaoofshawn]

He is the third highest Williams scorer ever with 232 points i believe.

Random fact i brought up.

[Test 187]

Seeing as he's the driver with the most races for us as well, that's not as impressive a it might seem. Having said that, he was with us when we were pretty shoddy.

[thetaoofshawn]

Originally posted by Rohan:
Seeing as he's the driver with the most races for us as well, that's not as impressive a it might seem. Having said that, he was with us when we were pretty shoddy.

Really? Thought someone would have stayed at Williams with all their past success for longer than that.

[Test 187]

No chance

Think after Ralf, Mansell has the most races for us.

We're notorious for getting rid of title-winning/other drivers after a short while - see Mansell, Piquet, Hill, Jones (although he retired tbf, as did Reutemann).

[retired_kikiiscwazy]

Karthikeyan to leave Williams
Despite again being offered the position

Narain Karthikeyan will not stay at Williams in 2008 as a test driver despite again being offered the position, according to his manager.

The 30-year-old Indian, who debuted for Jordan in 2005 but has since tested only part time for Sir Frank Williams' Grove based team, is also not in the running to race for countryman Vijay Mallya's Force India outfit next year.

Karthikeyan started testing for Williams in 2006 but would have been given even less cockpit time next season, manager Mark Perkins told the Asian Age.

"We have decided not to extend the partnership even if they are ready to renew the contract," he said, citing the traction control ban as one of the main reasons for the split.

"All the prime drivers will be looking to do more testing on the off season, so the test drivers will hardly get a chance next year," Perkins explained.


Several contenders are currently being considered for the vacant Force India seat for 2008, but Karthikeyan and countryman Karun Chandhok have both been ruled out.

Perkins said he did not know why Mallya, a prominent Indian businessman who earlier backed Karthikeyan's career, was not now considering Indian drivers.

Karthikeyan explained : "I am not in the fray and I am not even expecting a final minute call from Mallya for the Jerez test. I would have got the call a month ago if they really wanted me."

He added that his manager is in talks with "a few big teams". Karthikeyan's Williams contract expires on December 31.

Source GMM

[retired_shean]

Amazed Karthikeyan isn't in the running for the Force India drive, would have thought he would have been a cert.