Merged: Senna/Williams

[TheProdigalSon]

Autosport reports its between three drivers with Senna & Barrichello rumoured to be in with the most chance. Hopefully the driver doesn't get announced too soon from this poll/thread being created because I want you're opinions on who should get the seat.

A team source told the Reuters news agency that Williams was in "advanced negotiations" with another telecommunications company.

Williams is yet to name its second driver for the 2012 season, with Bruno Senna, Adrian Sutil and Rubens Barrichello believed to be in the running.

[Suzie]

I can't decide between Bruno and Rubens. Bruno would be good as it would give him an opportunity to progress, but Rubens is a steady pair of hands in a team.
Can't we get rid of Maldonado and have both?

[Kyss4k]

I can't decide between Bruno and Rubens. Bruno would be good as it would give him an opportunity to progress, but Rubens is a steady pair of hands in a team.
Can't we get rid of Maldonado and have both?

This.

[TheProdigalSon]

I can't decide between Bruno and Rubens. Bruno would be good as it would give him an opportunity to progress, but Rubens is a steady pair of hands in a team.
Can't we get rid of Maldonado and have both?

I wish, a Brazilian pair like that would be great!

[Jose Lorca]

I think Sutil is the best option. He is fast, reliable and experienced.

Senna had two opportunities to prove himself and both times he was unconvincing. Both times he was error-prone and while he has showed flashes of speed, he wasn't consistent enough - and in the end, was very lucky to even score points in Monza. As for Barrichello, the guy might be the most experienced F1 driver but he's old and doesn't have the speed.

[REDARMYSOJA]

It's not Ferrari so I don't care.

[TheProdigalSon]

You cared enough to post a comment

[Katu]

I think Sutil is the best option. He is fast, reliable and experienced.

Senna had two opportunities to prove himself and both times he was unconvincing. Both times he was error-prone and while he has showed flashes of speed, he wasn't consistent enough - and in the end, was very lucky to even score points in Monza. As for Barrichello, the guy might be the most experienced F1 driver but he's old and doesn't have the speed.

i wouldn't count 2 half seasons opportunities. come on, one was with HRT and the other few races with Renault. i think Sutil doesn't derserve it - years of driving and all you can remember of him is that he got rear-ended by Kimi multiple times.
agree about Barrichello

[epiclyaddicted]

Definitely Senna for me. I think he did a great job last year stepping into that Renault with just 8 races to go. Can't be bothered to look up the stats now, but I'm pretty sure he out-qualified and out-raced Petrov on most occasions, and pretty much destroyed Heidfeld's record in the same car.

Nothing against Rubens, but after 19 seasons in F1, he really should step aside and let the younger guys get on with their careers. He has had his time, and with all due respect, he's not exactly a multiple times World Champion, so rather than hanging on for dear life, he should just step aside with his head held high.

As for Sutil, he has been very average and after 5 or 6 seasons experience, hasn't really made much progress.

Let's give Senna one full season and then see what he can do, before we jump to conclusions that he is not good enough.

[Mrs Alonso]

Senna drove a full season for HRT. Only missed 1,maybe 2 races.

I really like Bruno and i think he did a good job stepping in at Renault,he would have done better if he started in Aus for sure but for me it has to be Rubens. The team already have new engines and a lot of new personel. It'd be good to have a constant force (and I'm not including Maldonado coz he's rubbish). Rubens has the experience and the talent to help set Williams up for their future in the best way possible.

[Grinsomx]

Barrichello, even if it means hearing him cry whenever things dont go his way. i still like the guy.

[epiclyaddicted]

Senna drove a full season for HRT. Only missed 1,maybe 2 races.

I really like Bruno and i think he did a good job stepping in at Renault,he would have done better if he started in Aus for sure but for me it has to be Rubens. The team already have new engines and a lot of new personel. It'd be good to have a constant force (and I'm not including Maldonado coz he's rubbish). Rubens has the experience and the talent to help set Williams up for their future in the best way possible.

Ok Senna did drive almost a full season in 2010, but had 9 DNFs out of 18 race starts. His performance in the 8 races at Renault last season was a much better benchmark than that, and hence, I would like to see him have one full season in a car that's decent enough to last a full race distance most of the season.

As for Williams, I'm yet to see how much has Rubens really done for them in the 2 seasons he has had with them already. Williams are one of the oldest teams on the grid, with experience of winning several World Championships, but at this stage, they're lacking much more than just a driver capable enough to pull them forward (lack of funding among one of the main reasons).

Getting a driver with a lot of experience is all well and good, but then why just Rubens, Pedro De La Rosa has a lot of experience, Nick Heidfeld has a lot of experience, Giancarlo Fisichella has quite a lot of experience, but how does that count? I'm not intending to be rude to Rubens, but he's not an Alonso or a Schumacher who can pull a team with him to winning a World Championship.

If Williams really want to rebuild for the future, what they need is a driver who is fast, not a complete rookie but young enough to last with the team for a good few seasons to come. And Rubens doesn't fit that bill imo.

[yellowbird rs]

Bruno is just a last name and with that he may get some cash into the team bus he is not by any kind driver material he never won anything behind the wheel

[Mrs Alonso]

I think in the short term,Williams would be looking at pulling themselves back up to the midfield and Rubens is more than capable of doing that imo

[Paul Jones]

I respect Rubens' contribution to F1 over tha seasons but frankly, he was not quite there to be considered a realistic potential world champion. He's won some races, had some good qualifying results but at this stage of his F1 driving career, its hard to know what else he has left to offer. The team needs younger talent now.

[epiclyaddicted]

I think in the short term,Williams would be looking at pulling themselves back up to the midfield and Rubens is more than capable of doing that imo

Then the question is what is short term? Half a season? 1 season? 2 seasons? And even if Williams are making their driver decisions looking at just short term goals at the moment, what do they get in having a 40 year old who is near/at the end of his career anyway, instead of a much younger driver who will be just as fast?

[Tifosi]

"All this Blah Blah Blahing - I don't wanna hear that!"

Copyright R. Barrichello 2009

[Suzie]

Then the question is what is short term? Half a season? 1 season? 2 seasons? And even if Williams are making their driver decisions looking at just short term goals at the moment, what do they get in having a 40 year old who is near/at the end of his career anyway, instead of a much younger driver who will be just as fast?

I guess you could argue that more than likely, Rubens isn't going to put it in the wall at any stage.

[brembo man]

I can't decide between Bruno and Rubens. Bruno would be good as it would give him an opportunity to progress, but Rubens is a steady pair of hands in a team.
Can't we get rid of Maldonado and have both?

What a gal!!!! I couldn't agree more!

[TheProdigalSon]

What a gal!!!! I couldn't agree more!

Who did you choose in the end?

[impactX]

I would like to see Frank Williams in the second seat.

[TheProdigalSon]

I would like to see Frank Williams in the second seat.

Terrible joke

[brembo man]

Who did you choose in the end?

I choose Bruno Senna. Pastor at 25 yrs.old has 0 wins 0 podiums and I believe only 1 career pt @ F1. Senna is 28yrs. old same deal 0, 0, with 2 career pts. Very evenly matched. No #1, #2 driver deal here. It would be awsome watching 2012 go by with them two going at it. True while Pastor has Hugo Chavez $$$$ sponsoring him, the Senna name means a lot to F1 fans. All a plus for Williams. Baby formula not Formula 1, should be offered to drivers over 40.

[Sianellen]

I choose Bruno Senna. Pastor at 25 yrs.old has 0 wins 0 podiums and I believe only 1 career pt @ F1. Senna is 28yrs. old same deal 0, 0, with 2 career pts. Very evenly matched. No #1, #2 driver deal here. It would be awsome watching 2012 go by with them two going at it. True while Pastor has Hugo Chavez $$$$ sponsoring him, the Senna name means a lot to F1 fans. All a plus for Williams. Baby formula not Formula 1, should be offered to drivers over 40.

Surprised you didn't want Rubens to stay Would give you and Tiff something to talk about

[Rishu]

Sutil for me. I'll still maintain, its time for likes of Trulli & Barrichello to retire.

[impactX]

Terrible joke

Why do you think it's a joke? I think it's honorable if Frank Williams takes the seat, just as it's honorable for a captain to go down with the ship.

On the other hand, the thought of Bruno joining a team that killed his uncle is terrible.

[NanoTheQuickest]

Any from a young blood group would do!!!!

[brembo man]

Sutil for me. I'll still maintain, its time for likes of Trulli & Barrichello to retire.

You left somone out!

[Rishu]

You left somone out!

I did leave this 'someone' out because I do not put him in the category of Trulli & Barrichello. This someone already voulenterly retired from the sport in 2006 on top of his game with 91 wins, 68 pole positions , 76 fastest laps & 7 championships, only to be approached by a certain legendry team & urged to come out of retirement to help them out. This so much unlike Trulli & Barrichello who are waiting to be kicked out rather than bowing out on their own. So tell me how did I leave someone?

[brembo man]

I did leave this 'someone' out because I do not put him in the category of Trulli & Barrichello. This someone already voulenterly retired from the sport in 2006 on top of his game with 91 wins, 68 pole positions , 76 fastest laps & 7 championships, only to be approached by a certain legendry team & urged to come out of retirement to help them out. This so much unlike Trulli & Barrichello who are waiting to be kicked out rather than bowing out on their own. So tell me how did I leave someone?

Someone volunteered to retire after Alonso whooped his butt twice taking Ferrari down with him. He should have volunteered two years earlier instead of waiting around to catch Ayrton's pole record. His fans shouldn't "Let him pass" everytime he's made to look bad, like what's happening over at a certain legendary team where his rookie teamate is confirming that he should be home with the wife and kids. He's not in the catagory of these great up and comming drivers. IMO it's the chins fault Trulli and Rubens are looking to still drive. If he can still be around chasing after his teamate in a legendary car, so can they. And you're right , a legendary Merc in Ruben's hands [without a radio tuned to the midjet] who knows how good he can still race?