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Russian Vitaly Petrov has replaced Italian veteran Jarno Trulli at Caterham for 2012.
Trulli, 37, was under contract to the team but has been dropped after a tough 2011 season and the arrival of Petrov with a substantial sponsorship package.
The move is likely to end the career of a man who has been in F1 since 1997 and won the 2004 Monaco Grand Prix. Petrov, 27, joins Caterham after two years at Renault, now re-named Lotus, and will partner Heikki Kovalainen. Trulli joined Caterham - who have raced as Lotus until this year - for their debut season in 2010 but the relationship between the team and driver soured through 2011. The Italian, who is renowned as a remarkably sensitive driver who needs the car to be to his liking to perform at his best, struggled with the car's power-steering system. He was comprehensively out-performed by Kovalainen, and although his form improved when the team were able to fit a modified system with improved feel, he was out-qualified by Kovalainen in 16 of the 18 races they did together.
This was especially disappointing for the team as Trulli has been recognised throughout his career as one of the fastest drivers in the world over a single lap. The Finn was also generally the stronger race performer, although Trulli did finish ahead in the championship on the basis of having one more 13th place finish.
Caterham's decision is based on two major factors.
One was that the budget Petrov brings - worth several million pounds - is the equivalent of having a new major sponsor, a major consideration in the current difficult economic climate, especially given that Trulli needed paying a salary.
The other was the usual size of the margin between Kovalainen and Trulli - often nearly a second in qualifying.
Although Petrov is considered only a journeyman, the team believe he should still be able to produce performances at least as good as if not better than Trulli was managing in 2011.
Team principal Tony Fernandes - a multi-millionaire businessman and owner of the Air Asia airline and Queens Park Rangers Football Club - has also been putting pressure on the team to become more self-sufficient. They have so far mostly been funded by his businesses.
Sad to see Trulli go but he seems to have lost him form from early in his career. Good for Petrov though.
Now there is no Italian driver on the grid.
About time.
YES!!! Glad I saw this news about petrov. Renault really did give him a RIGHT SH*T CAR last year. Both drivers got on the podium and then the car just fell by the wayside the rest of the season. I think dumping him was a straight move to be honest. I wanna see what petrov can do with a decent car, so I'm glad he's still in f1 at this point. Hopefully he moves back up the field again to a better team in the future.Now there is no Italian driver on the grid.
Paul di Resta is the closest to an Italian!About time.
Say what now?!
Now there is no Italian driver on the grid.
Paul di Resta is the closest to an Italian!About time.
Say what now?!
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