Gordon Gets 2nd F1 Test

- JPM came from F1. He was a (mediocre) Williams test driver before he went to the US and became a star. Which is probably where his problem lies: Chip on the shoulder.

- I said it before and I say it again: JV was an exceptional talent who would have scored either side of the Atlantic. It didn't take him long to get his championship and Indy 500 win in the US and it didn't take him long to get his WC title. Obviously genes from his father. After his WC his career crumbled and he became a lame looser, but that's neither here nor there.

 

Michael (Andretti) choose probably the worst time to try and make it in F1. The cars were at their most technical that year. Active suspension, ABS brakes, Automatic gearboxes, Four-wheel steering, traction control etc etc. Each track was brand new to him, also the FIA had severly reduced testing in the winter break and also in the run up to each race (to try and save costs) further harming his acclimatisation to F1. Add in the fact that his team mate was the worlds best driver (Senna), determined to put one over Prost in the Williams, and also that the Mclaren test driver that year was a certain Mika Hakkinen. So he didn't really stand a chance, though he could have helped himself if he had moved to England.

Best
Mark

 

Not sure where this idea has come from that JPM was a mediocre test driver at Williams before he went to CART. He was good enough to be seriously considered for a race seat for '99. I think the main reason he didn't get it was that Williams needed two new drivers for '99 and they had already signed Zanardi (who was effectively an F1 rookie again) and didn't want to go with two drivers who hadn't raced in F1 the previous year and thus Ralf was signed. He was also good enough for Williams to have him on a long contract that would enable them to bring him back after two years in the States.

Best
Mark

 

In-between Zanardi leaving and JPM joining there was Button for a year.

Williams were nowhere in '99 (Zanardi), bad car and the engine was an updated Renault from '97. By '01 (JPM) the car was seriously improved and had BMW power.

Best
Mark

 

The "mediocre" was just from my (leaking) memory. Maybe I'm wrong (wouldn't be the first nor last time), but I remember it very negatively and that JPM never set the time sheets on fire.

Zanardi I didn't want to bring up. Since his accident I prefer to treat him like a "saint". But since he felt strong enough to bash Ralf (probably rightfully so) in his new book, I feel good enough to offer my opinion about him: He sucked so badly, that I'd use him to "proof my point" of CART/oval drivers having nothing to do with F1.

BTW: What about Zonta? Can't remember really, but did he come from oval racing? All I do remember is, that he sucked big time.

 

Actually if memory serves, he was about six seconds off the pole for the previous year's race, but still, very respectable in my book for turning a few laps. More laps would certainly bring the time down.

 

The current best NASCAR road racer is Jeff Gordon. Actually John Andretti does pretty good when "the boys" go to the Glenn, too bad he always crashes out on the ovals.
These central Indiana racers all grew up in open wheeled cars before following the $ to stock cars.
I think Tony Stewart could adapt as well. THAT would be kind of like having Eddie back at the press conferences!

 

Too True NOW that would be fun


Tony will race anything (IRL NASCAR Bush sprint cars etc)

 

That's not how it went. Mario was an active Champ Car driver and Indy racer before he ever raced in F1. He went from Sprint cars to Champ cars to F1 to CART, with some LeMans mixed in there, co-driving with Foyt.

Gary

 

+1

 

Even If Jeff Gordon wasn't highly successful, any American F1 racer who doesn't flop would help. Jeff may not be the next World Champ but if more young Americans became interested in Formula 1 in a few years there could be a young star American driver among the elite in Formula 1. Jeff Gordon may be too old to become a prominent contender for the Championship, but he is very talented and could become a threat to win races.