Assuming that Adrian Sutil is a definite for Force India, the contest for the second seat seems to have come down to three, all experienced F1 drivers. This is one more sign that Vijay Mallya is serious about F1 and ambitious for the team; what it needs is a driver who can help in the development of the car and that is what he's looking for.
Christian Klien
It is not a bad choice for any team owner to have, as well; Giancarlo Fisichella, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Christian Klien are all very competent. At the moment, it looks as though Fisichella is in with the best chance - his manager has been saying the right things about the team and seems very confident. As the most experienced of the three, Giancarlo would certainly give the team great depth of understanding of the game and be a good measure of young Sutil's performance.
Fizzy's reputation for speed and aggression has been almost non-existent in recent years but a new team (without the ghost of Alonso hovering in the background) might be just what he needs to rekindle the fires. I still remember some of the exceptional races he had in his early years when it seemed that he might be a future champion. Those hopes may have died now but he has impressed me with his determination to stay in the sport; some would have thrown in the towel after so ignominious a departure from Renault.
So Giancarlo would be a good and understandable choice - but what of the other two? Liuzzi never had a decent break in F1 and deserves another chance. I am convinced that he is quicker than most people think and the brief time he was partnered with Vettel at Toro Rosso was proof of this.
Sebastian Vettel's performance at the Race of Champions will have bolstered his reputation no doubt and I admit he does seem to have talent. But, looking at relative performances when everything else was equal, Liuzzi is as good, if not better. Add his experience and he looks a very good candidate for the Force India seat. The only problem is - I don't think he'll get it and Klien is the reason.
Klien was consistently the quickest of the drivers on the Force India test. He impressed them with both his speed and his attitude to the extent that I am slightly surprised that Fisichella is front runner for the job at the moment. If it was up to me, Klien is the guy I'd choose. Like Liuzzi, he never had a good shot at F1 but has soldiered on in the test role, awaiting another chance. He is eager and enthusiastic in a way that Fisichella isn't and has the edge on Liuzzi for experience too. That looks like a great combination to me.
But any of the three would do a good job for the team; it's a hard choice and, frankly, I wouldn't want to make it. A couple of them are going to go away disappointed, after all...
Christian Klien
It is not a bad choice for any team owner to have, as well; Giancarlo Fisichella, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Christian Klien are all very competent. At the moment, it looks as though Fisichella is in with the best chance - his manager has been saying the right things about the team and seems very confident. As the most experienced of the three, Giancarlo would certainly give the team great depth of understanding of the game and be a good measure of young Sutil's performance.
Fizzy's reputation for speed and aggression has been almost non-existent in recent years but a new team (without the ghost of Alonso hovering in the background) might be just what he needs to rekindle the fires. I still remember some of the exceptional races he had in his early years when it seemed that he might be a future champion. Those hopes may have died now but he has impressed me with his determination to stay in the sport; some would have thrown in the towel after so ignominious a departure from Renault.
So Giancarlo would be a good and understandable choice - but what of the other two? Liuzzi never had a decent break in F1 and deserves another chance. I am convinced that he is quicker than most people think and the brief time he was partnered with Vettel at Toro Rosso was proof of this.
Sebastian Vettel's performance at the Race of Champions will have bolstered his reputation no doubt and I admit he does seem to have talent. But, looking at relative performances when everything else was equal, Liuzzi is as good, if not better. Add his experience and he looks a very good candidate for the Force India seat. The only problem is - I don't think he'll get it and Klien is the reason.
Klien was consistently the quickest of the drivers on the Force India test. He impressed them with both his speed and his attitude to the extent that I am slightly surprised that Fisichella is front runner for the job at the moment. If it was up to me, Klien is the guy I'd choose. Like Liuzzi, he never had a good shot at F1 but has soldiered on in the test role, awaiting another chance. He is eager and enthusiastic in a way that Fisichella isn't and has the edge on Liuzzi for experience too. That looks like a great combination to me.
But any of the three would do a good job for the team; it's a hard choice and, frankly, I wouldn't want to make it. A couple of them are going to go away disappointed, after all...