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Timo Glock agrees to leave Marussia for 'commercial' reasons

By Andrew BensonChief F1 writer

Last updated on .From the section Formula 1comments115

Timo Glock

German Timo Glock will not race for Marussia this year after he and the team "agreed to part company with immediate effect".

The German, 30, has raced for Marussia since their debut in 2010 as Virgin. Team boss John Booth said "commercial" considerations were behind the move.

"Tough economic conditions prevail and the commercial landscape is difficult for everyone," Booth added.

Glock earned a salary; Marussia need a driver who brings sponsorship.

Marussia did not say in their statement who would be replacing Glock. They have already confirmed the English novice Max Chilton in one of the seats.

Brazilians Bruno Senna, who raced for Williams last year, and novice Luis Razia have been linked to the team.

Booth said: "Timo is a fantastic driver and he has been a very popular member of the team.

"Our team was founded on the principle of benefiting from proven experience while also providing opportunities for young emerging talent to progress to the pinnacle of motorsport.

"Thus far, this philosophy has also been reflected in our commercial model.

"The ongoing challenges facing the industry mean that we have had to take steps to secure our long-term future.

"Tough economic conditions prevail and the commercial landscape is difficult for everyone, Formula 1 teams included.

"We would like to thank Timo for working with us to reach this decision, especially as he had a valid contract, and also for the contribution he has made to our team."

Glock, who is expected to race in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) this year, said: "I have had three excellent years with the Marussia F1 Team, during which I had the chance to actively participate in building and developing the team in its endeavours to succeed within the Formula 1 World Championship.

"I would like to wish the team good luck in navigating this next period and thank everyone for the great times we shared and the support I have received.

"Although it is not the path I expected to be taking, I am in fact very excited about what the future holds in terms of my own career and I hope to comment on that very soon."

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115 comments

  • Comment posted by User0554776820, at 10:30 21 Jan 2013

    @4
    I'll think you'll end up with 2 divisions on the grid, the top half will generally be the better drivers in the better cars, the bottom half will just be made up of the 'super riches' offspring. For me, F1 seats should be given to the best driver to fit that team, not to ones who bring the most money, and Timo leaving Marussia is a perfect example of that.

  • Comment posted by Empeda, at 10:58 21 Jan 2013

    Don't forget that Marussia is a Russian company, looking forward to the 2014 Russian GP. Petrov is a Russian driver, with reasonable backing - he's got to be the favourite, with Senna to Caterham perhaps?...

  • Comment posted by bazza71, at 12:32 21 Jan 2013

    Good God, there are even sad people like @16 who are so mentally obsessed with LH that they have to bring his name up in an article that is not even remotely related to him.
    You really need to see a specialist and up the medication.

  • Comment posted by User0883172100, at 11:15 21 Jan 2013

    Does anyone remember back when it was the quality and expertise of the driver that determined their career path, rather than how much money they could bring to the teams?
    I dislike the entire idea of "Pay Drivers."

  • Comment posted by User0522669478, at 13:54 21 Jan 2013

    No mention of Lewis Hamilton in this report.

    However people in the comments still bring him into the comments...

    Why i do not know.

  • Comment posted by Alex, at 18:12 21 Jan 2013

    Such a shame to hear this excuse yet again. F1 is supposed to be about the 'best of the best', the pinnicle of motor racing. But now, no matter how talented you are, if you dont bring major £s with you then you dont get a seat. This is so wrong and needs to be looked at by everyone involved in F1.

  • Comment posted by User0625245304, at 14:10 21 Jan 2013

    Agree with 48. Such a shame, Timo is a fantastic talent who has kind of been wasted at Marussia for 3 years and could have easily slotted in at McLaren for this coming season. For me, he's well worth a top seat and shot at the title. These days there's too many drivers good enough such that unfortunately money talks and both him and Heikki will have to sit and watch from the sidelines :(

  • Comment posted by User0546738399, at 13:56 21 Jan 2013

    Such a shame, i've always followed Glock in F1 and seeing him without a seat is a shame, he's a great driver it was hard for him and the team to get murussia going, hopefully they will perform this year, but we'll see what happens, 2 months, can't wait:D

  • Comment posted by David Windsor, at 12:52 21 Jan 2013

    Isn't it desperately sad that F1 depends on drivers paying for their seats (via sponsorship) to survive when people like Ecclestone make zillions for doing little and the top teams seem awash with money. I'm not expecting all the drivers to earn the same by any means, but the extent of disparity seems unrealistic and certainly counter-productive to any intent to have the bottom teams bubble up.

  • Comment posted by UnderDefeat, at 17:35 21 Jan 2013

    No doubt Glock, like Kovalainen, thought his team would be able to make more progress than they actually did. Sadly I doubt his stock is very high these days so that's probably that for him, which would be a shame - but that's how it is these days.

    Can't see Marussia seeing out next season if they just dump rookies and pay drivers in the car.

  • Comment posted by User0609992603, at 10:24 21 Jan 2013

    I fear that Formula 1 may be heading backwards in terms of driver ability, given how loud a voice money has at the moment.

    I mean, I wouldn't be able to bear another mid 90's-esque era where the lower teams would never progress thanks to awful drivers and limited machinery as a result of little prize money (Diniz, Deletraz etc.). Marussia will be hoping that Max seriously over-performs now.

  • Comment posted by User0465791265, at 07:31 22 Jan 2013

    "How will Hamilton ever win another title without his best mate Timo Glock letting him past when needed?"

    @ 52 - brazilian?

  • Comment posted by User0606439799, at 16:02 21 Jan 2013

    Blame must also be laid at the feet of the whoever has a say in how much running an F1 team costs. These new teams were promised a price drop that never came.

    I'm also gonna rip on Eric Boullier for sacking Heidfeld (who remained in the top ten long after he was fired), replacing him with Senna - oops - then replacing Senna with Grosjean. There's budget considerations, and then there's stupidity.

  • Comment posted by Laurence, at 12:11 21 Jan 2013

    A shame for Timo. He's the fastest driver that Marussia could get their hands on and a really good guy. And @14, yes the idea is not nice but we have to remember, this is not just a sport, this is a business.

  • Comment posted by User0554776820, at 10:43 22 Jan 2013

    It's going to be a long season if the Lewis v Jenson fight has started already, on a topic where neither is even mentioned! Nearly as bad as Liverpool fans, mentioning their club in every single football article.

    @95 2 of the last 3 years have been vintage for F1, you're an idiot.

  • Comment posted by DaviePHD, at 14:36 21 Jan 2013

    Shame as Glock is a great driver; but he along with Kovalienen made the poor choice to drive with the new teams just to remain in F1. Both their careers would have been better served leaving F1 and driving in another category than circulating at the back scoring nothing for three years. There are many drivers in the sport with less talent than them, but yet again funding ruins the sport...........

  • Comment posted by James, at 11:01 21 Jan 2013

    Benson - I take it all back, it seems that occasionally you can write a good story.

    Its a real shame Glock won't be in the line up this season. Can't wait for Australia. I hope Senna gets the drive instead.

  • Comment posted by User0529082613, at 11:28 21 Jan 2013

    Two things strike me.

    1) With Cosworth unlikely to be taking part in the new engine formula from 2014 onwards, Marussia need a new engine supply for next year.

    2) Ferrari have a protege in Jules Bianchi whom they have pledged to find an F1 race seat for.

    So a multi year contract for Bianchi at Maurussia in return for a cut price supply of 1.6 Litre V6 Turbo Ferrari engines?

  • Comment posted by ddt510, at 10:31 22 Jan 2013

    Real shame Timos gone - looks like the class of Hungary 2008 ( kovy 1, glock 2) is no longer in the sport, unless they can grab the final caterham or force India seat. F1 now seems about money, thanks bernie for that.
    Ps - my last post was 2 hours ago, and yet I still have the "only post every 600 seconds" rule. Don't understand that. Can someone explain that to me

  • Comment posted by jarvish, at 13:30 21 Jan 2013

    Make the prize money bigger and teams will be motivated to pick drivers based on their driving skill, rather than just bringing in the drivers who make them the most money for the teams.

    That would mean however some of the sport's vast profits not going into Bernie's pocket, so will never happen.

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