The HRT operation has a deal in place to use the Williams rear end in 2011 and 2012. There has also been talk of HRT engineers using one of the Williams F1 wind tunnels in the months ahead. It seems that the Spanish team is pushing more and more to deepen its alliance with Williams and we are hearing rumours that this will be going much further in the months ahead.
The Williams F1 team has already announced that it will be testing Pastor Maldonado in the Young Driver test in Abu Dhabi, in the week after the Grand Prix there. The team will kick off with Formula 2 champion Dean Stoneman on the first day of the test, with Maldonado stepping in on day two. It seems that Williams will then bring in Rubens Barrichello for the final two days doing development work with the new Pirelli tyres. This is a particular important test as it will provide the teams with data for the simulation work they will be doing in the winter months when there is no circuit testing allowed.
Our spies in South America tell us that Maldonado will not be restricted to just one day of testing as a deal has been struck to have the Venezuelan testing with HRT on the other three days of running, helping Grove to give Maldonado mileage on Pirelli rubber as well as in the Williams. If this is confirmed it is fairly clear that the intention is for Williams to have him in the team next year.
There is one other interesting possibility which we hear could also happen, with Maldonado’s place in the HRT test being taken on the second day by Williams F1’s test driver Valleri Bottas, giving him the chance to do some more F1 mileage. He must be considered a possible driver for the Spanish team in 2011, but a more intriguing possibility is that Nico Hulkenberg might be transferred into HRT, in order for Williams to hold on to him. Hulkenberg probably has a five-year deal with Williams, with options in the team’s favour. As money is short there is no room for him in 2011, because Williams needs Barrichello’s experience and Maldonado’s money. But letting Hulkenberg go is not such a good idea, particularly after his pole position in Brazil. The HRT package may not be on a level of Williams next year, but with a solid and proven drivetrain and a better aerodynamic package, perhaps derived from the Toyota F1 car, there is a good place for Hulkenberg to be “parked” for a season, gaining more experience before returning to Williams in 2012 either as a replacement if Barrichello retires, or in place of Maldonado if other sponsorships have been found.
Some cynics suggest that Williams will sell his contract to another team, but the suggestion that there might be a Porsche engine for Williams in 2013 fmeans that keeping Hulkenberg on the books would be a very smart move.
If the owners of HRT can raise some money in Spain then perhaps we will see Pedro de la Rosa – or another Spanish driver – in the other car next year, but it might also be wise for all concerned to train up Bottas… particularly if there is no need for a Spaniard.
joeblogsf1 
Any possibility that HRT could run Maldonado? If HRT are going to be paying Williams for it’s rear-end package and use of their wind tunnel, possibly with Williams fabricating the (Toyota/Geoff Willis) HRT design – Williams could get the required money yet avoid directly employing a pay driver.
Does it not make equal sense to have Maldonado/Bottas in the HRT and Barrichello/Hulk at Williams next year, especially if there is a 2011/12 retirement plan for Rubens? However much that Williams could use Maldonado’s sponsorship money, surely HRT need it more.
As part of their technical agreement with HRT, it makes sense for Williams to have first option on Maldonado for 2012 after he’s had a year’s experience with HRT. Then they can pair Hulk and Maldonado together in the event of Rubens’ retirement. Bottas is then next in line.
Will,
It might for Williams, but it does not for Maldonado
Joe, what about this scenario?
Williams sells their car to HRT to work from for next year, chassis & rear end for say $15million. HRT give Maldonado a drive for $15million. Williams keep Barrichello & Hulkenburg. Everyone’s a winner. HRT get a better car, Williams gets the money & the drivers.
Steve
Hulk in HRT after today’s pole? Ha Ha Ha, I Hope Nico Hulkenberg learns from Jenson and buys his way out of Williams. “Sir” Frank is famous for 1. Lose a WDC in order to show a driver what team orders are (Reutemann), and 2. Squeezing drivers until they have no juice (Senna).
Joe,
I must say, Maldonado could probably use the tough start with HRT than an all-round thrashing by Hulkenberg or Barrichello at Williams. At least if he beats Senna / Bottas / Yamamoto / Whoever at HRT, he’ll gain a reputation. Otherwise he risks becoming next year’s Petrov, a well-connected but not very highly rated number 2 driver.
I also think it will be difficult for Williams to drop Hulkenberg after that stunning lap in Q3 today.
Williams should lend Hulkenberg to HRT for 2011 before replacing Rubens with him in 2012.
Bottas is not ready for F1, he’d be better off doing GP2 or FR3.5 first. HRT should put PdlR or a paying driver if necessary in their other car.
Williams must let Rubens go for good.
He might be a good development driver, but think about it: in the same car, Hulkenberg took pole at Rubens’ home track.
All this given the fact that Nico is an F1 rookie and Rubens the more experienced driver on the grid.
Pedro DeLaRosa is also a good development driver, but on the track, things are different.
That says a lot about Rubens lack of speed compared with Nico.
With a year of F1 under his belt, Nico will outqualify and outrace Rubens most of the time.
Maldonado is not just a “pay driver”. He proved to have what it takes to be in F1 after gaining maturity and patience, and learning to setup his car and talking care of his tyres. Winning the GP2 championship with a record of six feature races in a row is no small feat.
Williams cannot afford to let Nico escape. He is a lot better than Hidefield and Rosberg in my view.
On the other hand, Maldonado brings the motivation of a youngster, economic resources and talent, which could turn out to be a pleasant surprise similar to Kobayashi. Maldonado proved a lot more than Koba in GP2, so…
No matter what happens I’d love to see both Barrichello and Hulkenberg stay in F1.
Rubens clearly brings great experience to a team which has lost its way in recent years. A great asset if only for one more swansong season and then Le Mans etc.
Nico is a future star. I’ve followed F1 and all the junior series since 1977 and I’ve no doubt Nico will make it, he just stands out He can afford to wait a year and if that means HRT then it will do him no harm. I think every driver should take some time at the back of the field as arguably it’s much harder down there e.g. with blue flags, low downforce etc etc. I really think Vettel lost out by being promoted to the senior Reb Bull Team a year too early.
Pastor? Not really shined before but that’s not a guide to F1. He may turn out to be brilliant so give him a chance.
As an aside. What really scares me is the Lotus “fiasco”. I love Lotus, have even owned 2 of them (Excel SE, Elise) but then I’m an Engineer so can “understand” their “features”, but this whole branding issue leaves me totally cold and I fear for a Lotus/Renault Team once the money runs out.
Lotus frankly does not have a good image globally. It took Ferrari decades to generate that so why will a Lotus F1 Team (by Proton, at best a mediocre car company) serve to improve things? To me they should simply to a deal with Lotus Racing so that it becomes the official team. They’ve done a great job this year and to see Lotus Group overpower them through politics leaves a very sour taste. Remember I say that as a Lotus supporter and potential customer.
Ok off my soapbox and Kudos to “the Hulk”. His laps were exceptional. I’m a Brit who lives in Aus via the US and this might just be exciting enough to stay up until dawn…..!!!!
Boz
It seems Williams have got themselves into a bit of a cul-de-sac over this one. It does look like they want Maldonado and his cash in 2011, but the performances of Hulkenberg during the second half of the season have shown how well he is coming on.
Clearly, the team need to keep Rubens (albeit on a lower salary?) for his experience to develop the car, but the second seat will probably depend on a mix of money and the technical tie-up with HRT.
I agree with Will that Maldonado may be better off at HRT to learn F1 and the circuits – with the likelihood of the HRT being better developed in 2011, this may not be so bad.
It wasn’t so long ago that young Alonso and Webber started off in perennial back-markers Minardi…
Alejandro, you are clearly something of a simpleton – Frank Williams (and the Williams team in general) did neither of the two things you have suggested. Reutemann lost the title because he bottled it in the final round, whereas Senna’s death was an unfortunate accident.
As for the Maldonado rumours, I feel it would be incredibly foolish for someone who was, let’s face it, pretty rubbish in GP2 (only winning the title at his 4th? attempt), to replace someone as good as the Hulk for us. As for our need for money, I doubt we’d be that desperate for Frank and Patrick to compromise their integrity by taking on a pay driver.
I agree with Rohan. Maldonado was roundly beaten by Hülkenberg last season in GP2; it would be ridiculous for William’s to shuffle Hülkenberg off to HRT to secure Maldonado’s finance which, at the end of the day, is the only attractive attribute he has over The Hulk.
Rohan, I don’t think Alejandro meant “squeeze” as in “kill”, more like squeeze everything out of them until there’s nothing left. It’s still totally wrong though because if there’s anyone who put 101% on an apex it was Senna
Joe,
Any thoughts on Sennas chances of staying at HRT? It seems rather strange to me that there is no visible sponsorship on the car that he has brought in and yet he has only been displaced in favour of someone willing to pay more once this season.
His results (vs his ever changing team mate) have been nothing spectacular either, being out qualified by Klein this weekend despite him hardly having sat in the car.
Other than his name he doesnt appear to be bringing much to the team at all.
“I doubt we’d be that desperate for Frank and Patrick to compromise their integrity by taking on a pay driver”
Yes Rohan, Kazuki Nakajima proved that.
He entered Williams in for his great merits of ending 6th in the 2007 GP2 championship and not winning a single race. Exactly as Maldonado in 2010. Same thing.
No F1 team needs a loser who wins 6 straight races on his way to the championship in his category.
The issue here is that Maldonado changed radically in 2010. Something happened. He always had the speed. He won the Monaco GP in only his 3rd GP2 weekend in 2007. But he was crash-prone, nervous and irresponsible. None of that we saw in 2010. He is a lot better than Yamamoto, Karun Chandhok and Lucas DiGrassi, for instance.
Lets wait for the Abu Dahbi tests to see what Pastor can do in an F1 car.
But the best thing is for Williams to keep the 2010 drivers for 2011. Lets wait and see what they end up deciding.