Timo Glock, who competed in 91 Formula 1 Grands Prix between 2004 and 2012, was of interest to both Renault and McLaren for the 2010 season. But for various reasons, he ended up not signing for either team that year.
In 2009, the German was then a Toyota driver. But during the weekend in Singapore, which he finished in second place behind Lewis Hamilton, the rumors concerning a withdrawal of the Japanese manufacturer at the end of the season were becoming more and more insistent and he therefore had to look for a seat in another team . for the rest of his career.
For the Beyond the Grid podcast, Glock recalls the very special weekend he was living in Singapore: on the one hand the joy of getting on the podium with Toyota, on the other the uncertainty that reigned with the very probable withdrawal of his team at the end of the year.
« There was clearly a concern. But I was talking to Renault at the time. They were very interested in signing me alongside Robert Kubica. It was quite a strange situation until Abu Dhabi. «
« Of course it was great to get back on the podium in Singapore. There was insecurity because of the future of Toyota, but on the other hand I was talking to Renault and I was confident that they would sign me. for 2010. »
A phone call that changed everything
Except that in Abu Dhabi 2009, and while Glock seemed to have only to sign his contract with Renault, a last-minute player came to get involved in the negotiations: McLaren, who was also thinking of enlisting him.
The Woking team thus asked the German driver to wait a few days before committing to the French team. But in the end, she gave him no more signs of life and Glock thus lost all hope of obtaining a competitive seat for the 2010 season.
About the almost signed contract with Renault, « We had an interview in Japan and everything seemed to be done. And you know, from there, it’s up to the lawyers to deal with the contracts and that stuff. »
« But in Abu Dhabi I got a call from McLaren as I was watching the race (Glock had missed the last three races of the 2009 season due to injury). The plan was to accept Renault’s offer, but McLaren told me they were interested and wanted to talk to me. »
« So I had to speak with McLaren who, due to the support of Mercedes, were interested in bringing in a German driver. All while remaining close to Renault, the contract should be signed very soon. »
« And then they (McLaren) asked me if I could push back the deadline of my choice for a day or two so that we could discuss. So that’s what I did and I postponed the signing of the contract with Renault see you later. »
« The plan was that I was going to England to meet the McLaren bosses. But on Tuesday, for some reason I had no further news from them. »
« Toyota finally decided to withdraw from Formula 1, before Renault did the same and so I was left with nothing in my hands. So, should I have signed… I could have signed with Renault on Sunday in Abu Dhabi. »
« I had a very good contract in my hands and then nothing »
The Renault F1 team was indeed taken over by the Genii Capital group for the 2010 season, but that does not take away Glock’s regrets, because his contract could still have been valid if he had signed for the team. of Enstone at the end of 2009.
« They were of course deciding to leave, the question is whether I could have been in the team when Genii Capital took over in 2010. I think the contract would have been valid, but we will never know. »
« But it was a very difficult situation for me. I had a very good contract in my hands, then there was this phone call and they asked me to postpone my decision, and suddenly I had nothing left. »
« It must be said that at the time McLaren signed Vodafone as title sponsor and wanted two British drivers, namely Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. So I found myself without any agreement. Suddenly there was no discussion, no one answered the phone. »
For the 2010 season, Renault (the team still kept its name before becoming Lotus in 2011) finally hired the Russian Vitaly Petrov alongside Robert Kubica.
As for Timo Glock, he had no choice but to sign for Virgin Racing, one of the three new teams in F1 that year. But in three seasons disputed with the very modest structure, which will later become Marussia, the German will not score the slightest point in the discipline until the end of 2012 before leaving it by the back door.
