Former Toyota driver Timo Glock is off to join one of the new squads for next year, in the shape of the Manor Grand Prix team.
Glockdog – as he’s known to his friends – was left without a drive after Toyota announced their exit from F1, and although he’s had some bigger team offers on the table, he says he wanted to end up somewhere that he could be involved in building the team.
“The team may be small and new but it has big ambitions and a very impressive car,” said Glock, who made a factory visit a priority before signing for the team.
There’s also a wide rumour that Virgin are switching its sponsorship to Manor – possibly even as much to rename the team Virgin F1 – which should leave them in a good position for funding.
So Glock could have made a rather astute decision here, especially considering that Renault – who he was expected to sign for – still haven’t confirmed their continued F1 involvement.
Good for Timo, he is a talented driver, but if Manor is the right choice remains to be seen, I wish him all the best and do hope that he will be able to grow a little more and become a winner.
Is it true what I’m hearing about Button and McLaren?
I think Jenson is making a huge mistake. Building up a team around you and then flocking to another team that has built itself around Hamilton.
Plus the fact that Lewis will be faster! I seem to remember Jenson on TOPGEAR saying clearly that it is not about the money for him. Its about being the best. Well I’m sorry Jenson, but it appears you were either lying (ie: you are a money grabber) or you think you are faster than Lewis (ie: you’re dillusional).
I like Jenson but I honestly believe Raikkonen is the only guy for McLaren. He is lightning fast in a quick car as seen in 2005 especially. He would be more than a match for Lewis. Jenson would be just a more consistent version of Heikki, still not quick enough to beat Lewis.
Here’s hoping he comes to his senses and McLaren get in Kimi. Then 2010 would be a cracker!!
out of curiosity does anyone know who get to be car number one next year?
would it be rosberg at brawn or button at mclaren?
I thought this topic was about Timno Glock what is Button doing on it? By the way if he goes to McLaren he will become another Heikki Kovalainen, second fiddle to Hamilton and Jenson does not deserve that!
Seems good for glock, let’s face it he’s hardly an outstanding driver, but Manor should be a sort of team that would suit him. Hopefully he can get the time starting in the points next season.
@George, the number one goes to the WDC, which would be Button at wherever he decides to drive for. His partner gets no 2, and the rest get numbers based on this years constructors championship.
Glockdog in Virgin Manor… sounds like the sort of film you pay extra for in German hotels.
Couldn’t give a monkeys about Glock, there’s a bigger story at hand.
Why oh why is Jenson going back to McLaren? Why? WHY??? For God’s sake.
Glock is locked and loaded!!!
Jenson going to Mclaren seems a good idea to me, if he beats Lewis in Lewises team then he will be considered the best in the world, if Lewis beats him then he has lost out to a driver who is widley considered to have the potential of M Schmacher. Its possibly a no loose situation, a good car, the money and the chance to realy be consideed the best.
i’ve given up speculating on who’ll go where,because you never know when a team will suddenly announce that they’re quitting the sport.i’ll wait till all the hoola is over and done with.
hah,i just realised what a pickle kubica’s in.haha!if renault quit now i think he would make a record for the most team changes in the shortest time,assuming he finds a another team..if he doesn’t i’ll put good money on him jumping in front of an f1 car in the middle of a race!
Sad that Brawn got bought by the Germans. . .
were they to sponsor brawn?
Bruno to Campos, now Glock to Manor, everything is falling into place for these new teams with some big names and experience in their seats already. Should make for an interesting season come March.
Who here wants Lotus to become another Brawn GP?
I think Jarno Trulli will sign to Lotus, it’s been tipped, but as we just found out, tips aren’t always reliable…
who will go to Renault if they survive? Kovalianen?
want buttton to ’stay’ at mercedes, although i dont think it would be a massive failure if he went to mclaren.
emte1: As a marketing exercise, Button at McLaren is amazing, but as a technical and sporting exercise it’s a bit shit. Button has freedom in a team like Brawn and with somebody like Barrichello there this past season it gave him some air to breathe. With Hamilton, it’ll be a battle of egos (anybody remember Hamilton/Alonso?) rather than a race. Besides the point, I don’t think McLaren will excell. In fact, I can’t single out any team that’ll do brilliantly this coming season because of how good I hope they’ll be, and that means 2010 will be a very good year for F1 indeed.
On a more tangetial note, emte1, Hamilton is a great driver (no doubt about it) but in the eyes of talent scouts who view up-and-comers like Senna and Hulkenberg, every young driver has the potential to be the next Schumacher otherwise they wouldn’t employ them. If you want a more literal comparison to Schumy then look no further than Vettel.
Arka – Kubica is too good to be neglected. If or when Renault vanish from the sport, somebody will be quick as a flash to snap him up because he’s an amazing driver.
Ninja: Kobayashi to Lotus — How great would that be?
Hmmm interesting to see how he can do, but one small thing, why aren’t Merc signing him? He’s sooooo much faster than Rosberg and has twice the skill, let’s see how he can build Manor up
Kimi are you coming back or are you going to be rallying? Kovalainen, hmmm no word on him yet. I wonder what McLaren is up too, hmmm.
Kimi: A good season with a crappy ass car from Ferrari.
Heidfeld: Improved over the season after BMW basically changed every damn part on that car by the end of the season.
Heikki: What can I say, I am little disappointed at his performance you didn’t beat Massa in points and he was out for almost the whole damn season!!
I can see no other drivers, other than at Heikki, Kimi or Heidfeld at McLaren.
Eccelstone one said that people like Raikkonen doesn’t belong in F1, because of his social skills. I think we are seing that happening now!
Finland is to be removed from the F1 map! That is just a fact!
It would be nice to read all the facts about Raikkonens ousting in the future. F1 will loose a hell of a driver, but that seems to be the intention…
I remember The Schueymeister saying that Herr Button was the one driver he feared if he were ever to be in the same car. 0
on topic: good for you TimoDog, Manor are a top team and have been for many a year, no reason why they shoul not do well in F1.
Poor Jens could be seatless ………
MECEDES BENZ
1. BUTTON
2. ROSBERG
RED BULL
3. VETTEL
4. WEBBER
MCLAREN
5. HAMILTN
6. RAIKKONEN
FERRARI
7. MASSA
8. ALONSO
WILLIAMS
9. BARICHELLO
10. HULKENBERG
RENAULT
11. KUBICA
12. KOVALINEN
FORCE INDIA
14. SUTIL
15. LIUZZI
TORO ROSSO
16. BUEMI
17. ALGUESUARI
MANOR GRAND PRIX
18. GLCOCK
19. DAVIDSON
CAMPOS META RCING
20. SENNA
21. PIQUET JR.
USF1
22. BOURDAIS
23. SPEED
LOTUS F1 TEAM
24. TRULLI
25. KOBAYASHI
SAUBER QADBAK
26. HEIDFELD
27. FISICHELLA
@Vegas: No way will Jenson be seatless.
Well, it’s good that a new team will get a decent, experienced driver. Hopefully it’ll work out well for both Manor and Timo.
But this thing with Kimi and Heikki. This is just absurd. As it seems now, there won’t be any Finnish drivers next season. And I have to say, that is ridiculous. Heikki may not be championship-material but he does perform between average and good.
And Kimi as we all know, in a proper car is insanely quick. F1 has been going downhill for quite some time now, but I guess that this is it. The final blow. It’s a shame.
@22, there is no way anyone touches Nelson Piquet. ‘Damaged goods’ is an understatement. And Scott Speed? Yuck… He doesn’t even have a racing super license any longer anyway.
Random thought
Why doesn’t Jenson just retire and create a racing school in Okinawa Japan? (Looks like he is going to marry his gf)
BTW Glock is THE MOST epic and talented racer IN THE WORLD, think about it.
*cough*
He’s just the most rubbish driver in the world when qualifying. So it all kinda equals out…
Here’s hoping Adam Carroll is seated beside Glock.
I’ll laugh if either Trulli or Kobayashi was signed for Manor.
@3 Rayz:
quote:Well I’m sorry Jenson, but it appears you were either lying (…) or you think you are faster than Lewis
Moving to the right team than, isn’t he…
Who has the guts to sign Kobayashi? The guy is a natural talent! Still don’t believe a shit of all this new teams, would be very surprised if they make it to the grid next year.
Jenson should sign up with McLaren is he has the possibility! So what if Lewis is faster, as long as Jenson comes 2nd and beats the Brawns (euh.. Mercedes).
@28 Here here
It’s good to know that he will still be in F1 next season, what with Toyota quitting, him getting injured and that.
haha i come from dinnington aswell and no not all of us if looked at punch people, only a few do tht. plus its a place of stupidity. even though ther only just building the building in which it shall be built odd? yes
one more point Lewis Hamilton used to drive for Manor Motorsport!!
Fair play to Manor, Glocks a quick guy. I think that one of the new teams should sign Kobayashi, I was very impressed with him in Brazil, i know he was abit to agressive but in Abu Dhabi he drove a cracking Grand Prix.
Im from Sheffield! GO MANOR GP, my new favourite team
ANTHONY DAVIDSON SHOULD BE IN MANOR OR AT ONE OF THE OTHER NEW TEAMS, HE SHOULD BE ON THE GRID.
I think Glock is great and everythin but why Manor?! He should have definetly stuck around for a seat at Renault. He will get nowhere next year as the team have Cosworth engines. At least he might have got lucky at Renault