Marco Andretti to get F1 test drive with HONDA

I just think it's hysterically funny that on the same website where we are discussing if Sebastien Bourdais - a 3-time CHAMPION - even DESERVES a shot at TESTING in F1 - we have people saying a nobody deserve a shot......

Sorry - but regardless of your pedigree - you are a 'nobody' until you have proved something - and Marco has not. Yeah, he won a race, and he was 7th in points, is that all it takes now ? Apparently.

Then by all rights Sam Hornish, Dan Whelden, Helio Castroneves, and even Paul Tracy deserve shots.


William - correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Michael continue to live in the USA back then, and Concorde back and forth ? I thought that was a large part of the problem ? And also, Michael didn't do any worse the Andrea DeCesaris.... and that guy stuck around forever.

 

Paul Tracy already tested for Benetton in '94, and was offered a ride. http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=1058&FS=F1

 

Yeh, he one a race and he finished 7th in points is that all it takes now you ask? MONEY !!!!! and Daddy has alot of it!!! His race at Indy and Michael's connections with Honda, yes he deserves a shot , if he can't handle it some one else will, end of story!
Jim

 

Time for a new driver, how about Jeff Gordon getting a shot???

Jim

 

Castroneves tested for Toyota a few years back. Got a round of applause from the mechanics when he came in. A ride was offered but Helio turned them down. Whelden might have tested at one point, i think with williams but i might be wrong.

Michael lived in the states when he was in F1 but he could be in the UK if they needed him in a few hours as he said several times. That part wasn't the problem, it was not getting enough seat time. He did little if no testing before hand and almost none during the season because of Mika's contract. By the end of the season Mika outqualified Senna because he knew the car better.

 

Now I have to go look and see exactly when Mika and Senna were on the same team at the same time... I don't recall that at all, but my memory mostly ended when Turbos did, as anyone here can attest.

And don't you think it's a little bit unrealistic to expect a guy to Concorde in 'if they need him' ? I mean, really ? I had folks that worked for me that lived 75 miles away, they always said 'call me in if you need me', but you never do (call them in).

You think Marco is going to have to buy his way into an F1 ride ?

No, he does not DESERVE a shot based on his small amount of merit, or pedigree, or daddy's money, maybe in a year or two, but not today.

 

1993 Mika and Senna at McLaren for the final 3 races of the year. Mika outqualifyed Ayrton at the Portuguese GP but later crashed out. Senna then raised his game and Mika was nowhere near him.

So what did Ron Dennis expect, for Michael to live at the factory? They never gave Michael enough testing time so what would the point of him living in the UK have been? They had to have Mika do something for his money that year. Michael Andretti simply got jerked in F1 and never got a clear shot.

Marco will get a shot because of his last name, like Damon Hill, Jacques Villenevue, Nico Rosberg etc. Katherine Legge got a test last year simply because she is female. If she were male would her record be good enough to warrant a test? No probably not. Same goes for Hill. Everyone knows what the Andretti last name means to motorsport in general. The fact that he's shown some talent is icing on the cake. I dunno what all the fuss is about, it's only a damned test. They seem to test everyone these days..........

 

As usual Luis you are perfect in memory and thought.

 

Senna's reaction to being out-qualified was priceless. I don't think he knew Mika's name before that race. He sure paid attention afterwards.

True. It seems a number of these "test" sessions are being done solely for the publicity. I am sure Marco's test is being offered largely as a courtesy to Mario. However he is young, has demonstrated at least a modicum of talent, and has a pedigree.

I suspect that Marco's test is being viewed by the team as a free option. It may very well be that Marco is an overlooked talent, along the lines of a Kimi or a Jensen Button, whose true speed isn't recognized until his first test. If Marco proves to be a legitimite talent, then the team has the opportunity to sign him, if he is not then at the very last there is the publicity exposure of testing the next Andretti. Where is the downside?

In the case of Sebastian Bourdais, his level of skill is pretty well established by this point, and the F1 teams seem to be responding with a yawn. Sure, he is a 3-time champion but all he is beating are has-beens like Tracy and never-will-be's like Justin Wilson. The Champ Car title of recent years is most certainly NOT the champ car title of the pre-IRL days. Michael Andretti's single title win back in the early 90s is a much more impressive achievement than Bourdais 3 championships in a much less competitive series.

 

I understand Senna pretty much freaked out and was highly upset when Mika outqualified him. It didn't help when Mika said maybe Ayrton needed bigger balls in the debrief. Senna did manage to go over and congratulate Mika for it though.

I think the test is more of a courtesy to Michael rather than Mario. Michael has had a business relationship with Honda for many years now. And I think has several Honda dealerships in PA. Like I said, it's just a test, and more of publicity stunt but i'm curious to see how he'll go. Maybe driving the car will sway him towards a career in F1.

 

Some of you suggest that McLaren conspired to screw Michael in 93.
First thing it comes to mind is WHY?
Why would McLaren wanted to screw their driver?
It makes no sense.
Then again it puts the blame on somebody else, instead of the hero of the driver.

 

Micheal didn't get screwed from Mclaren he just made the jump to F1 at the wrong time, even with the shorten season with Mclaren he should of tried to get a ride with some other F1 team the folllowing year, he was starting to come on finally.

Jim