Adrian Sutil Gets Spyker Seat
Spyker Formula One team has just announced their lineup, completing the grid for the 2007 season and ending months of speculation. The young German Adrian Sutil will partner Dutch driver Christijan Albers in the recently purchased team, and thus Tiago Monteiro will not be competing next year.
Monteiro was expected to fill the vacant seat after the Dutch consortium that bought the former Midland team announced the re-signing of Albers. But some strong Friday sessions at last years’ races and a Japanese Formula Three championship impressed the team enough and Sutil was signed.
Sutil is a protege of team boss Colin Kolles, who had this to say earlier today:
Everyone at Spyker was hugely impressed when he drove for us in 2006 which is why we have worked long and hard to get him in the race team. Colin Kolles.
I really enjoyed being in the F1 paddock this year and to be honest I thought I would be a test driver in 2007. I look forward to repaying their faith in me but right now I’m just going to enjoy the best Christmas present ever. Adrian Sutil.
What this means to Monteiro we do not know yet, but I would hazard a guess and say the talented Portuguese driver will return to America in an attempt to reclaim a seat in ChampCars. I think it is a shame Tiago will not be competing as he seemed to be a geniunely nice guy – but Formula One doesn’t always reward the nice, and we’ll have to wait before judging the competitiveness of Sutil and drawing comparisons.
Loud Howard
December 21st, 2006 - 2:24pm
I’m a bit sad that Tiagos going, I thought he’d done a decent enough job and showed some good potential in the last couple of seasons.
It’s annoying to see older drivers (Who really aren’t getting any better) like Ralf, Jarno, Sato and Rubens taking up space and forcing other drivers, who haven’t been able to show what they’re made of in a competetive car, out. Oh well.
Oliver White
December 21st, 2006 - 3:38pm
Maybe Tiago will get a testing role with another team – I certainly hope so because I think he deserves another shot at Formula One. We’ll have to wait and see on this one, but Wurz and Davidson are proof that if you wait around around long enough, opportunities can present themselves.
Loud Howard
December 22nd, 2006 - 2:05am
I’ve heard some of the Portugal media are hinting that he may get an STR seat. They’re looking for a driver with some $$$
Oliver White
December 22nd, 2006 - 5:51pm
Hi Howard, I added your domain to SK2’s whitelist, so hopefully your comments will stop going to moderation from now on.
STR are looking for a driver with bucks? Surely Red Bull are one of the better funded teams on the grid? Maybe they’re hoping that STR can fund itself for the future? I hope he gets the gig, it would be shame to lose Tiago from the grid.