Calado set for F1 move after confirming GP2 departure?
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James Calado has tonight confirmed on Facebook that tomorrow’s Sprint race in Abu Dhabi will be his last race in GP2, and with ART:
https://www.facebook.com/james.calado.7/posts/536996913047940
This of course beg’s the question, where will he go?
Is this effectively confirmation that he has signed for Force India for next season?
Or is he giving up racing completely, in order to pursue an alternative career in accounting or finance?
Find out next time, on…
…erm…
Definitely a Force India seat, just remains to be seen whether it is FP1s (likely) or as second driver (unlikely, but you never know).
When Calado says he is leaving GP2, I think it really means that he is leaving GP2. You can’t read anything more into it, and it’s certainly not confirmation that he is stepping up to Formula 1.
Placing third overall in GP2 boosts his stock. He’s the best of the uh… “less-tenured” group by that measure. I don’t know if I’d stick him in a Force India over Kevin Magnussen though, if he were available.
We’ve heard Sutil being happy about his future, which makes me think that we’ll see Calado and Sutil at Force India, and Bianchi and Magnussen at Marussia (which would be a great line-up).
A reserve driver role is much more likely in my view. The last 3 guys to be the Force India reserve were racing today, so it’s probably one of the best teams to test for, from a developing drivers point of view. And isn’t in-season testing making a return next year? Calado will have plenty to do even if he’s not racing.
I’d say Calado’s future depends on other driver movements within the team. If they drop one of their drivers and can’t find a suitable replacement, then Calado might be in with a shot. But Force India is the only team he could really join because sponsorship has always been an issue for him, but the team has a unique structure for funding itself. I could see him alongside Sutil or Maldonado if the team feel game enough to take him.
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