Drivers you can't believe stayed with a team so long

Racing events, drivers, cars or anything else from the past.
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DoubleFart
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Drivers you can't believe stayed with a team so long

#1

Post by DoubleFart »

Be it the team or the driver falling the shots, some drivers hang around despite poor performances, and some teams keep drivers despite producing shitboxes. Bottas could join this list if he gets a contract extension.

Some examples:



Coulthard, McLaren, 96-04.

Madness how he stayed for so long! After just 2 seasons there was an attempt to get Damon Hill in on the cheap for 1998, so it's amazing for me that he stayed there for not only 98, but a further six seasons more.

Hamilton, McLaren, 07-12

Surely "the GOAT" would have had offers from every team for 2010 after the dud McLaren produced in 2009, Dennis leaving and the incoming Mercedes team who were purchasing the 2009 winners. Given their special relationship, they would surely have made Lewis the priority over a 41 year old with a neck injury? Oh, they didn't? Well surely Ferrari, oh, they wanted Alonso?

Ok, I'm taking the piss a bit there, but given his attempts to sweet talk Red Bull before getting pissy and calling them a cola pop team, then trying to sweet talk them again, it's surprising no offers came in to take him away from a McLaren team that were always going to be second priority to the works Merc team.

Button, McLaren, 10-17

How did Button hang on so long and keep the motivation to drive that awful Honda powered McLaren?
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acerogers58
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#2

Post by acerogers58 »

Danica Patrick, 2012-17, Stewart Haas Racing

Sure she brought in a lot of publicity, but she wasn’t up to NASCAR, had only seven top 10’s during that time. In contrast, Aric Almirola had 1 win, 4 Top 5’s and 17 top 10’s in his first year in that car after Patrick was let go.
Nononsensecapeesh
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#3

Post by Nononsensecapeesh »

Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 2006-2013

Granted they were going to replace him with Robert Kubica for 2012 until the latter's rally crash but it's not like their other options were that limited. They could have had Hulkenberg, Perez until he joined McLaren, I think there was a rumour linking Webber to Ferrari around this time. They could and should have found someone else after 2011, or failing that, 2012. Having said that, they kind of fell on their own swords by replacing Felipe with Kimi, another driver who was clearly past it.
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