After being runner-up in Euro F3000 (with €100,000 budget), Romain Dumas was summoned by the Renault F1 Team for an evaluation test at the Barcelona circuit in December 2002. Pardon the critique, but his style was pretty wild ... Is that why Franck Montagny was preferred to him as test driver? Or was it necessary to sign a lifetime contract with Flavio Briatore?

Pierre Van Vliet

Pierre Van Vliet is a respected and authoritative figure in F1 news circles and brings a wealth of information to F1i.com

Recent Posts

Why Alonso was denied a holy lap of Madrid with the Pope!

In the long and storied career of Fernando Alonso, the Spaniard has tamed the curbs…

3 hours ago

Irvine takes brutal swipe at Verstappen: ‘F1 doesn’t need Max’

There are strong opinions in Formula 1, and then there is Eddie Irvine. The former…

5 hours ago

Sainz flags return of old Williams demon in FW48

Amid the challenges faced by Williams from the outset this season, Carlos Sainz has noted…

6 hours ago

One British F1 driver's forgettable season with McLaren

Ex-F1 driver Mark Blundell was born on this day 60 years ago. The British charger…

8 hours ago

Fornaroli steps up development with McLaren at Silverstone

Rising Italian talent Leonardo Fornaroli took another significant step in his Formula 1 development on…

9 hours ago

‘No point in hiding’: Aston Martin faces its F1 crisis head-on

The mood around Aston Martin may appear heavy from the outside, but within its Silverstone…

10 hours ago