GPWizard F1 Forum
F1 News & Discussions => General F1 Discussion => Topic started by: cosworth151 on July 13, 2009, 01:42:17 PM
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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.
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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...
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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.
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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
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I can't figure out why Bourdais never went
back to American open wheel racing to start
with.
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Being at the bottom of the top wrung is still better than being at the top of the one below.
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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.
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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
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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'.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Other than that you like him? :D
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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.
Do you really think Seabass is faster than Nakajima, Williamsfan. I'm not sure too many people in the pit lane would agree with you and certainly not Frank Williams. A lot of of Kazuki's problems in races this year have been caused by poor strategy by the team and I'm sure he will get in the points sometime soon.
To compare their season Nakajima has had 2 car failures this season compared to Bourdais' one and Kazuki has been improving in the later races where as Seabass has been going in reverse race by race.
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I agree John. I'd rather see Nakajima stay and see where the Williams car takes him. He hasn't driven spectacularly, but he's been pretty solid when the car has lasted.
As for Bourdais, if I was him I'd go and punch Alguersuari in the mouth so it swells up and force him to keep his comments to himself. Who is this kid to bad mouth Bourdais in the press before he's ever set foot in a F1 car to begin with?? He's setting himself up for a big fall if he doesn't do better right from the beginning. Better to be humble until you know where you rate.
http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5432637,00.html (http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5432637,00.html)
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I agree, Scotty. I'm now looking forward to seeing Alguersuari get his *ss handed to him in F1. I trust Loeb will be more tactful when he replaces Alguersuari.
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I agree John. I'd rather see Nakajima stay and see where the Williams car takes him. He hasn't driven spectacularly, but he's been pretty solid when the car has lasted.
As for Bourdais, if I was him I'd go and punch Alguersuari in the mouth so it swells up and force him to keep his comments to himself. Who is this kid to bad mouth Bourdais in the press before he's ever set foot in a F1 car to begin with?? He's setting himself up for a big fall if he doesn't do better right from the beginning. Better to be humble until you know where you rate.
http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5432637,00.html (http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5432637,00.html)
Um... Alguersuari said that he expected more from Bourdais and you're slamming him? Everyone expected more from Bourdais, that's why he's lost his seat. Either Bourdais drove his best... and therefore isn't cut out for F1... or he didn't. Either way, it's hard to argue against his replacement.
What is Alguersauri supposed to say? He hopes he does a worse job than Bourdais?
Or do we want to continue along the lines of all F1 drivers saying 'No Comment' whenever the press shows up?
This guy's dream is about to come true, at the expense of someone else's dream. For a 19 year old, I thought the comments on PlanetF1 were downright sensible.
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unfortunately he was just not up to it - no need for a reason, his results were pathetic
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I for 1 think it's a shame he couldn't come to terms with the car or the style or whatever, because I have seen him race, live at indy on the gold coast and he was outstanding to watch, so precise lap after lap.
Rom
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My point was that until he drives an F1 car in anger, in race conditions, he shouldn't judge another driver. No comment isn't necessary, but neither is a negative one. Like you said Jeri, he is lucky to have the seat, so maybe that should have been his comment.
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My point was that until he drives an F1 car in anger, in race conditions, he shouldn't judge another driver. No comment isn't necessary, but neither is a negative one. Like you said Jeri, he is lucky to have the seat, so maybe that should have been his comment.
I concur, but still, he didn't really slam Bourdais that badly. He certainly didn't say anything that anyone else hasn't already said, and I'm sure he's been watching Bourdais closer than anyone!
And he's 19. We're lucky he spoke in a coherent sentence ;-)
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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.
Do you really think Seabass is faster than Nakajima, Williamsfan. I'm not sure too many people in the pit lane would agree with you and certainly not Frank Williams. A lot of of Kazuki's problems in races this year have been caused by poor strategy by the team and I'm sure he will get in the points sometime soon.
To compare their season Nakajima has had 2 car failures this season compared to Bourdais' one and Kazuki has been improving in the later races where as Seabass has been going in reverse race by race.
I will gladly admit I've been having a bad couple of days and that probably clouded my judgment somewhat. I think SeaBass is better than his time in the STR has shown, but there is no conclusive proof that he would be an improvement on Kaz. Just I am infuriated with Kaz and I am convinced if Toyota were to pull out tomorrow, Sir Frank would be at the door waving goodbye to Nakajima and welcoming in a driver who after the same period of time as SeaBass as really failed to pull up trees in F1. Let's be honest, if Nak was driving for Renault, he'd be getting the same criticism as Piquet Jr. Considering how fast Nico makes the FW31 look, I just expect so much more from Kaz and I think a few points by now would not be out of the question. He has had bad luck, yes, but sometimes he does not help himself. Anyway, for those that do not recognise the tin in my picture, it is that of Williams' other Nico, the guy I want to see in the 2nd car!
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[ Anyway, for those that do not recognise the tin in my picture, it is that of Williams' other Nico, the guy I want to see in the 2nd car!
So you want a new STR strategy for Williams by having all the drivers with the same name, watch out though it's no been too lucky for Torro Rosso. :tease:
Perhaps every team should adpot a lucky name at least then we will know in advance who they can consider for their car. :crazy:
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[ Anyway, for those that do not recognise the tin in my picture, it is that of Williams' other Nico, the guy I want to see in the 2nd car!
So you want a new STR strategy for Williams by having all the drivers with the same name, watch out though it's no been too lucky for Torro Rosso. :tease:
Perhaps every team should adpot a lucky name at least then we will know in advance who they can consider for their car. :crazy:
Hey, last names have gotten a lot of people in the F1 door: Hill, Andretti, Villeneuve, Rosberg and Schumacher come to mind. Why shouldn't first names get some of the glory too?
Has there ever been a Jerica racing for Ferrari...? I'd settle for STR, if they hadn't taken Sebastian already.
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[ Anyway, for those that do not recognise the tin in my picture, it is that of Williams' other Nico, the guy I want to see in the 2nd car!
So you want a new STR strategy for Williams by having all the drivers with the same name, watch out though it's no been too lucky for Torro Rosso. :tease:
Perhaps every team should adpot a lucky name at least then we will know in advance who they can consider for their car. :crazy:
:DD I think that could do it! In recent years Williams have tried plenty of others. Mark was okay, but the car dodgy, Juan Pablo eratic, Alex underwhelming, Antonio slow, Ralf... just Ralf, Jenson unfortunate, Kaz crazy and Nick less than quick at times. Nico however... That names has done well! STR will struggle now they're losing the Sebs, but Williams will thrive with the two Nicos! Let's blow F1 marketing strategy into oblivion also by fielding two Germans!
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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.
Andretti made the mistake of trying to commute to work from the US. Bad idea and as mentioned, Montoya was a whiner, snob and felt he was entitled to a bigger entourage then the McLaren sponsors.
If a driver from North or South America wants to compete in Europe he (or she) has to move there and live that lifestyle.
And yes, it is different from what we are used to over here. Subtle differences, but diff non-the-less.