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[McLaren Fan]

From F1 Live:

A day before his solid second place finish in Singapore, Timo Glock was informed by his Toyota team president John Howett that the option on his contract to include the 2010 season will not be taken up by the team.

The information was reported by the German publications Sport Bild as well as newspapers Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Bild-Zeitung.

A spokesman for the Cologne-based team also confirmed the news, but contradicted those publications who interpreted the move as Glock having been ‘fired’. Rather, he insisted that Toyota's partnership with Glock is not necessarily at an end, but that both sides had been given freedom to assess their options.

"The door is not closed," he added, also insisting that the news has nothing to do with the team's future.

However, with Jarno Trulli's future also in the air, the news could be seen as yet more evidence that parent company Toyota Motor Co.
intends to pull the plug on the F1 programme at the end of the season.

Glock also confirmed the news about his expiring option. "Now I have to look around," he said. "I have several possibilities and I am very confident. Let's see what happens this week."

Sebastian Vettel said he was shocked to hear that Toyota was not automatically renewing Glock's deal, but surmised that his Singapore podium had been "the right answer" to give.

Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International

[al4x]

come to renault glock, theres 2 sests for 2 decent drivers!

[Denthúl]

come to renault glock, theres 2 sests for 2 decent drivers!

Kubica and Glock would be an interesting pairing and one that I hadn't thought about. I would like to see that, actually.

[supeindesu]

come to renault glock, theres 2 sests for 2 decent drivers!

Kubica and Glock would be an interesting pairing and one that I hadn't thought about. I would like to see that, actually.

It's going to be Kubica and Grosjean, just a few days more and it will be official.

[Gilles 27]

So Toyota are not going to have any drivers next season...I think that sounds a little like they are pulling out to me.

[bud]

So Toyota are not going to have any drivers next season...I think that sounds a little like they are pulling out to me.

Maybe they will have A.I. drivers.

[Gilles 27]

So Toyota are not going to have any drivers next season...I think that sounds a little like they are pulling out to me.

Maybe they will have A.I. drivers.

They might as well have done for the last few years tbh... I hope they pull out, they are the biggest waste of space in F1 imo

[bud]

So Toyota are not going to have any drivers next season...I think that sounds a little like they are pulling out to me.

Maybe they will have A.I. drivers.

They might as well have done for the last few years tbh... I hope they pull out, they are the biggest waste of space in F1 imo

i hope they dont F1 needs variety, especially in engine makes.

[ivey]

I feel bad for Kubica because he has to settle for Renault. I think Glock is a decent driver and could do good as a second driver in a nice team.

[Denthúl]

Fernando Alonso will be announced as a Ferrari driver on Thursday of this week according to reports in Spain, Italy and Germany. This should in turn give rise to a series of driver moves which will establish many of the teams’ line ups for next year. It’s almost October, historically much of the grid is sorted out by this time, announcements made.

As I posted yesterday Kimi Raikkonen’s move away from Ferrari has been underwritten by Santander and by going to McLaren they get some return on investment. Nico Rosberg looks like he’s heading for Brawn, with Jenson Button caught in a situation where he’s under pressure to accept the deal on the table or possibly risk losing his seat, as Damon Hill did in 1996, his championship year with Williams.

Presuming they sort a deal out, the one to make way would be Rubens Barrichello, who is on Frank Williams’ list, along with Nick Heidfeld. But Nico Hulkeberg looks like he will get his chance and two Germans might not make sense.

Many sources are saying that Robert Kubica is destined for Renault, where presumably he will be paid more than he would at Williams – I thought a couple of months ago he would head there, but it seems that is not happening.

It remains to be seen what sponsor package Renault will be able to put together after their recent troubles, although the team made it clear that they want to stay in F1 and clean up their sporting credentials by racing on. Jarno Trulli could find himself back there again and it would probably be his best option. He fell out spectacularly with Flavio Briatore, but is still well regarded by the engineers, including stand in team principal Bob Bell. He is also well regarded by Mike Gascoyne, so I’d imagine there is a seat at the new Lotus team if he wants to go that route.

Toro Rosso are staying with the same two drivers, but there is a chance that Sebastian Loeb might do the final race of this season in Abu Dhabi with the team, according to Le Parisien newspaper today.

Heidfeld might find his face fits at Force India, which used to be Jordan when he drove for the team. It looks like Adrian Sutil will stay there for another year.

The Toyota team are not able to confirm their budget until mid November and that will be too late for many drivers to wait, so they may end up with second choice drivers as a result, if indeed they carry on racing.

Meanwhile Gazzetta dello Sport are reporting that Alonso has already been working with the engineers at Ferrari on cockpit dimensions for next year’s car and has requested some of his favourite engineers from Red Bull, McLaren and Renault be hired by the team, much as Michael Schumacher brought with him his favourites from Benetton when he joined Ferrari in 1996/97.

Interesting.

[7UpJordan]

Meanwhile Gazzetta dello Sport are reporting that Alonso has already been working with the engineers at Ferrari on cockpit dimensions for next year’s car and has requested some of his favourite engineers from Red Bull, McLaren and Renault be hired by the team, much as Michael Schumacher brought with him his favourites from Benetton when he joined Ferrari in 1996/97.

Interesting.

If that's true, and Felipe-baby returns, he will certainly have a challenge on his hands, but more importantly he will relish it. And he has Smedley as his primary weapon too. It has been too long since we saw Ferrari drivers going right at each other, sure there is no longer the No.1, No.2 driver system from the Schumi days but it would be nice to see Alonso and Massa duel on track.

In other news... paddock gossip this weekend suggest Crapajima is off to Toyota, along with Kovalainen!! Toyota are potentially going to be the laughing stock of the grid with a line-up like that!!

[headless]

In other news... paddock gossip this weekend suggest Crapajima is off to Toyota, along with Kovalainen!! Toyota are potentially going to be the laughing stock of the grid with a line-up like that!!

Already are.

I remember a time when everyone loved Heikki and thought he was great

[cap-dude]

Hekki was and still is great. He can out-qualify Hamiliton, but something just won't click and he can't get the race pace he needs.

Nakajima and Hekki at Toyota, sorry, but Toyota aren't that stupid. They just aren't. They'll want Glock, but Glock will look at his options and if nothing better arises, he'll stay put. Truili has always had a spark, he's just so quick in quali. But recently, thats started to go. Toyota should keep they're driver line-up the same methinks, but I'm almost starting to wonder about Truili.

But the truth is, Toyota can't complain about their drivers this year when the car they've built such a crazy car.

Anyways, I think
Ferrari - Massa Alonso
McLaren - Lewis Kimi
Williams - Hulkenburg
Brawn - Button
Renault - Grosjean
STR - Algy Buemi
Red Bull - Vettel Webber
Toyota - Glock Truili
Force India - Sutil Luzzi

Thats leaves, Rosberg, Barrichello, Kubica, Heidfeld, Nakajima, Kovalinen

Drivers who should also get a drive somewhere, Senna, DeLaRosa, Carroll, Davidson, Sato, Bourdais

If Rosberg doesn't go to Brawn, he'll stay at Williams. I thought Kubica might go to Renault, but with Pat gone he seems less sure of that move. Kovalinen could go to Renault or Williams? Barrichello, I really don't know, I really don't.

[Amanda]

In other news... paddock gossip this weekend suggest Crapajima is off to Toyota, along with Kovalainen!! Toyota are potentially going to be the laughing stock of the grid with a line-up like that!!

Already are.

I remember a time when everyone loved Heikki and thought he was great

He seems like a lovely chap but his results (or lack there of) speak for themself. He's just not good enough to be in one of the top teams imo.

[Gaz]

In other news... paddock gossip this weekend suggest Crapajima is off to Toyota, along with Kovalainen!! Toyota are potentially going to be the laughing stock of the grid with a line-up like that!!

Already are.

I remember a time when everyone loved Heikki and thought he was great

He seems like a lovely chap but his results (or lack there of) speak for themself. He's just not good enough to be in one of the top teams imo.

Yeh when he came to F1 in 2007 i think alot of people thought he was was the next Mika in the same way Vettle is considered the next Schui.

Especially on the back of Japan 07

But although like you say he is a nice guy, hes not worth of a seat in a Mclaren.