Today (Thursday 14th January), it has emerged that erstwhile Sahara Force India driver Adrian Sutil, has returned to his former teams factory for a seat-fitting. While it remains unclear whether or not the fitting puts the German in pole-position for the final seat on the 2013 F1 grid, it will, and has, undoubtedly raised many eyebrows.As is common knowledge now throughout the F1 fraternity, justice is a word not particularly understood within the sport. You only have to consider for example, the prolific names who have found themselves heading for the sports exit-door in recent history; Heikki Kovalainen, Timo Glock, Jamie Alguersuari, Nick Heidfeld, to name but a few. All incredibly talented drivers with a proven speed-credentials in Motorsports' pinnacle class, yet sidelined through above all else, a lack of funding.
Of course, it's not the funding that has caused a stir with the Sutil-Situation, it's strangely enough, his criminal record. Should a man previously convicted of GBH really be given a second chance in the Sport? Many will say no, of course he shouldn't. Formula One in the grand scheme of things, maintains a clean-cut image, with the intense level of sponsorship and role-model occupation of it's drivers, being essential to the very cornerstone of the sport. So with Sutil's tainted reputation, it's a surprise to many that Force India team boss Vijay Mallya is at least considering giving the German a second chance, whether it be merely a pre-season test next week in Barcalona, or a season-long drive back in the big-time.
Now back to the issue of funding... despite not being the do-all and end-all in this conundrum, it does still play a colossal part. As in Sutil's first impressive spell in Formula One, he carries with him significant backing from sponsors such as Medion, Einstein & Newton, and Capri-Sonne, resulting in a sufficient level of pennies to fuel Sutil in Formula One. Dig a little further, and it comes to stand that Mallya's own wealth is somewhat in danger, with his primary buisness interest, Kingfisher Airlines on the brink of folding. Sutil's backing might not only be sufficient for himself, but also a safety net for the team as a whole, one must feel.
Sutil's main rival for the race-seat is Jules Bianchi; a man who himself carries a strong argument warranting him the drive. Having already tested the all-new VJM06, and carrying backing from the juggernaut that is Ferrari, Bianchi is far from an ugly option for Force India. Having displayed raw pace in numerous 2012 Friday test-sessions, the Frenchman is embedded within the team set-up, which must be seen as an important factor considering the lack of time between now and the first race in Melbourne, just over a month away.
With so many variables at play, it's easy to see why the final driver-announcement for 2013 has become a somewhat saga. A man who much Mallya in terms of giving the nod/guidance to fast men, Peter Coe (Seb Coe's father and trainer), once said that one of the biggest factors in being successful in sport, is 'managing the variables'surrounding the event itself. I hope for the teams sake, that such variables don't begin to underpin a successful and well-loved operation, such as Sahara Force India.
