In an interview with the media this week, Marussia driver Jules Bianchi is not expecting a call from Ferrari any time soon as he says the Italian stable has two drivers contracted for next season.
There has been some speculation of late that Bianchi could step up to Ferrari in 2015 in light of Kimi Raikkonen’s stuttering return. As Raikkonen’s struggles continue so too do reports that he could walk away at the end of this season. Should that happen Bianchi, who broke his duck in Monaco when he finished ninth, has been tipped to replace him.
But in his interview with the media this week, Bianchi has downplayed the speculation. Bianchi stated the following:-
‘They have a contract with both drivers for next year and I don’t think they will change that. What I need to do is keep focusing on my job with Marussia and do the best job that I can.’
As Bianchi rightly states, both Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen have contracts with the Ferrari team until the end of next season and I don’t believe unless something major happens on the driver market, things at Ferrari will stay the same. But all Bianchi can do is focus on the job he has with Marussia this season and do the best he can during the rest of the season ahead.
However, in the latter stages of his interview, Bianchi is hoping that next season he will be with a team that can regularly fight for top ten finishes but hasn’t ruled out Marussia being that team. Bianchi added the following:-
‘I want to be in a place where I can fight for points. It can be here because if some people invest in this team then for sure we can do a much better job and be quicker. We are doing a great job with what we have at the moment, but with more money we can be more competitive. I am Ferrari’s driver, so it is in their interest to put me in a better place.’
There is no question that if Bianchi got the call to move further up the grid into a more competitive car, he would grab the chance with both hands and it would be well deserved too. As Bianchi says, a lot of time, investment and capital would be needed for Marussia to achieve this objective, but is more than happy with the progress the Marussia team have made this season so far.
It is clear if Marussia can hold onto ninth place in the Constructors Championship, the extra money that would bring them at the end of the year will go a long way to help improve the 2015 car. But as we all know, Bianchi is a Ferrari Academy driver and it will only be a matter of time that Bianchi will get the call to join the Ferrari team.
Bianchi to me as more than demonstrated his talent and potential and is worthy of the call to either get a more competitive car on the grid for next season if possible and also for the call to Ferrari when it will come. As for next season, I do believe that if things don’t change at Ferrari, then Bianchi will either get the call from maybe a team such as Sauber or stay with Marussia for another season until a better drive comes available.
But I really hope that Bianchi is in the running for a competitive drive further up the grid for next season as he is more than talented enough but most importantly is ready enough and will grab the chance with both hands too.
