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Author Topic: SeaBass Gets the Axe  (Read 3660 times)

Offline cosworth151

SeaBass Gets the Axe
« on: July 13, 2009, 01:42:17 PM »
It looks like SeaBass has run his last F1 race.

Sevral sources, including Autosport and Racer.Com are saying that Seastien Bourdais has lost his race seat at Toro Rosso. Both say that he will be replaced in Hungary by Jaime Alguersuari. He would also replace Sebastian Vettel as the youngest person ever to drive in an F1 race.

Racer.Com also says that 5 time WRC champion Sebastien Loeb might get a race or two in the seat before the end of the season.


“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline Jericoke

Re: SeaBass Gets the Axe
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2009, 02:57:14 PM »
Always a shame when a driver doesn't work out, but it's always great to see someone get an opportunity.

I think Loeb will have a better shot... he's got the right first name for Red Bull...

Offline Monty

Re: SeaBass Gets the Axe
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2009, 04:25:25 PM »
I just cannot see Loeb getting an F1 drive.
Red Bull spend €millions on the Red Bull Rookie programme getting young drivers to come through the single seater ranks. Why would they put an expensive rally driver into one of their single seat cars?
There is no doubt that the skills possessed by rally drivers are probably best suited to meet the demands of all motor racing disciplines but Loeb will not know the tracks, he will not understand how to set the car up and he will almost certainly not be fit enough to withstand the g-forces. STR and Loeb would risk looking ridiculous by putting someone potentially worse than Bourdais in the car.

Offline John S

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Re: SeaBass Gets the Axe
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2009, 06:54:37 PM »
I just cannot see Loeb getting an F1 drive.
Red Bull spend €millions on the Red Bull Rookie programme getting young drivers to come through the single seater ranks. Why would they put an expensive rally driver into one of their single seat cars?
There is no doubt that the skills possessed by rally drivers are probably best suited to meet the demands of all motor racing disciplines but Loeb will not know the tracks, he will not understand how to set the car up and he will almost certainly not be fit enough to withstand the g-forces. STR and Loeb would risk looking ridiculous by putting someone potentially worse than Bourdais in the car.

Yeah but Loeb has a a big fan base around the world and will be a sponsors dream, for a while anyway. He will soon get his fitness up to scratch and not knowing the tracks will prove a good excuse for everyone if he takes a while to get on terms with his team mate.

STR are having to look to manufacture their own chassis soon and are bound to require some extra budget, I'm not sure that Deiter will put up too much more money.

Loeb also has one more trick over the others, as Jeri has pointed out, his name is Seb and you can't ignore lucky talisman in sport. :D

Racing is Life - everything else is just....waiting. (Steve McQueen)

Online Dare

Re: SeaBass Gets the Axe
« Reply #4 on: July 13, 2009, 08:19:45 PM »
I can't figure out why Bourdais never went
back to American open wheel racing to start
with.
Mark Twain once opined, "it's easier to con someone than to convince them they've been conned."

Offline Scott

Re: SeaBass Gets the Axe
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2009, 08:24:04 PM »
Being at the bottom of the top wrung is still better than being at the top of the one below.
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline Jericoke

Re: SeaBass Gets the Axe
« Reply #6 on: July 13, 2009, 09:31:32 PM »
I can't figure out why Bourdais never went
back to American open wheel racing to start
with.

1)  Bottom F1 drivers probably get treated better than top IndyCar drivers

2)  He's French!  He might never have felt at home in the USA.

If I can make more money, and live someplace I'd like to live, and the only 'cost' is to be 'worse' at harder 'job'?  I'd take it.


Offline lkjohnson1950

Re: SeaBass Gets the Axe
« Reply #7 on: July 14, 2009, 02:07:50 AM »
This unfortunately reinforces the F1 bias against drivers who come from outside the Euro formula series (like GP2). Seabass said he had difficulty coming to terms with the differences between F1 and Indy cars. It's too bad he never seemed comfortable at TR. It's doubtful any F1 team will ever hire a driver from an American racing series again, and that's a shame.

Lonny
Lonny

Offline Jericoke

Re: SeaBass Gets the Axe
« Reply #8 on: July 14, 2009, 03:13:12 AM »
This unfortunately reinforces the F1 bias against drivers who come from outside the Euro formula series (like GP2). Seabass said he had difficulty coming to terms with the differences between F1 and Indy cars. It's too bad he never seemed comfortable at TR. It's doubtful any F1 team will ever hire a driver from an American racing series again, and that's a shame.

Lonny

F1 has welcomed 4 CART champs in the last 14 years.  That's not too shabby.

I'm sure F1 will continue to look to America, especially if FOTA is serious about growing the sport in the USA.

I sill believe that Castro-Nevez will have a ride in the near future.  He's got 'cross over appeal'.

Online Dare

Re: SeaBass Gets the Axe
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2009, 03:46:29 AM »
The only racer from the current IRL gang that
have a chance in F1 is Mario Moraes.20 years
old and being from Brazil can't hurt
Mark Twain once opined, "it's easier to con someone than to convince them they've been conned."

Offline PG_Gabriel

Re: SeaBass Gets the Axe
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2009, 04:42:13 AM »
What about getting Graham Rahal, hes also 20, and hes the youngest winner in an indy car. So far this season he has been good but unlucky, he is always strong on the road courses and getting to be a contender on the oval.

Offline mrkjf

Re: SeaBass Gets the Axe
« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2009, 08:09:48 AM »
SeaBass drives like the fish tastes AWFUL.Hes been out qualified 7/2 by his rookie team mate.He only really looks good when there is a lot of retirements.I cant really see anyother team hiring him at this moment in time,there was big expectations with him but he just hasnt stepped his game up.
Mrkjf

FW14B

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Re: SeaBass Gets the Axe
« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2009, 08:29:15 AM »
I would not totally be surprised if one of the new teams gave him a drive as he at least now has experience in an F1 car and so that could be useful.  I'd also take him in the second Williams instead of the current number 2.  I still think he has something to offer but got into the wrong seat at the wrong time.

Offline Monty

Re: SeaBass Gets the Axe
« Reply #13 on: July 14, 2009, 08:35:33 AM »
There is no doubt that there are American open wheel racers just as talented as those in Europe. Their problems include not knowing the tracks, not coming through lower series where they learn how to set up the car (particularly aero settings) and finally not understanding carbon brakes (however, this is true of everyone stepping into F1). If you look at most of the successful F1 drivers they left their homes (including Brazil and Australia) and came to Europe (very often UK) to get experience in Formula Ford, Formula Renault, Formula 3, etc.
The other issue is pleasing the sponsors. While F1 remains of little interest in the US the sponsors get no advantage in having a 'big name' from America that means nothing in Europe or Asia.
Finally, from the reactions of Andretti and Montoya, the Americans do not enjoy the very political environment of F1 and actually prefer the American life.

Offline Scott

Re: SeaBass Gets the Axe
« Reply #14 on: July 14, 2009, 10:48:29 AM »
Montoya is Columbian, and he wasn't well liked in CART either.  He's from a filthy rich Columbian family and is a whiner and a snob.
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

 


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