Giancarlo Fisichella, How great is he?

I think he is not as good as you think he is. Sorry.

Peter Sauber was over the moon with joy to finally get this great talent into his car, but so far I haven't seen much from Fisico that would have impressed me. The current Massa/Fisico pairing looks just about like last year's Frentzen/Heidfeld duo.

Nevertheless I do hope Fisico gets his wish and a chance to test drive the Ferrari F1 this year. Then we would actually be able to finally comment on his abilities in a more objective way. I feel bad for Fisico that folks like Bertolini and Rossi get that chance before him. However my feeling is, that Sauber is holding back on putting him into the Ferrari after all the allegations of too much cooperation with Ferrari at the beginning of the year. They probably wait until that storm is over (isn't it already with the Sauber non performing?) and will put him into the Ferrari at Fiorano sometime this summer.

 

tfazio,
Me too I'm a big Fisichella fan..
And yes.. every article I read about him say how talented he is and I believe that.
I remember when he was with Benetton, I really started believing in this guy and I thought and still think ,he is capable of winning a world driver championship with a good team.
But he has to find a top team before its too late.

It was rumored him going to Williams next year replacing JPM or Ralf (if Ralf doesn't sign).
I'v heard Webber and Fisichella could be with Williams next year.

Anyway I'v always dreamed seing Fisi driving for Ferrari and I still think it could happen. But if he wants that seat he has to show that he's better than Massa in every aspect which he didn't do so far this season. Don't forget its very possible that Massa could end up with Ferrari in 2006. (being a Ferrari test driver before him)
There's also other F1 driver that could have a chance of getting a seat for Ferrari in 2006. First ...Pantano and Bruni ...2 young italian drivers and you have Alonso that everyone wants to see him at Ferrari, but I dont think Briatore will let in go.
And then you have ..Bertolini and Rossi ..(please not)

 

Don't forget that Button has one Williams seat already.

 

Fisi is one of the drivers that I've always liked and pulled for. Unfortunately, nice guys sometimes finish last, and as the clock continues to tick on his career, it becomes more and more likely that he will miss out on a top-tier ride which I feel he so much deserves. I also believe that sub-par machinery has sapped his talents over the years, an unavoidable "depreciation" of skills from trying harder to accomplish less. The cold hard truth is that Formula 1 is historically littered with talented, deserving drivers who never got a top-tier seat.

 

I knew I forgot a candidate.
Thanks Andreas.

 

I'm sorry but Fisi does not have that special something that means he will make it in F1.

He has already got some really good drives and mad nothing of them ... he has missed his opportunity. If you do not stand out then you get kicked out. He is on the slippery slope to retiring from F1 ... and I for one will not miss him.

I'm sure he is a nice guy, etc. but that is not what F1 team owners and supporters look for, we need 110% racers.

He will never get that Ferrari seat that many (for some reasons?) dream of, and if he does he will be a firm numbe 2 like RB.

Again no talent.

Pete

 

I have always been a fan of Fisi and I think at one time he was quickest second only you MS, but part of becoming a champion or even just a championship contender is luck. You can have all the skill and financing but if you don't have luck (being in the right place at the right time) you're hosed.

I think that two or three years ago Fisi might have been as quick as MS, maybe over a single lap, but what you all aren't considering is that years of driving substandard machinery starts to erode your skills.

As much as I hate to say it it's too late now. Why would any team with a competitive car sign him. He is past his prime, his skills are probably in decline, and your not going to build a future dynasty with him. I don't see Ferrari signing him. What for, just to say we signed an Italian and we really feel sorry for him.

Ferrari doesn't operate this way and they are looking to the future and salavating at the likes of Kimi and Alonso.

There are plenty of people who had the talent and the backing but not the luck. Consider the following:

1) Frentzen - regularly beat MS in F3 and was significantly quicker in sportscars. Mercedes actually thought that he would be the star and that MS and F3 champ Karl Wendlinger (who beat both Frentzen and MS) would be marginal F1 drivers. Frentzen had no luck at Williams and signed with Jordan when McLaren were somewhat interested in him.

2) Alesi - maybe not as quick as the others I have listed here but what a bad mistake signing for Ferrari when Williams was offering everything but the kitchen sink to have him drive their car which would end up winning everything.

3) Trulli - devastatingly quick in karts and lower formula but has never been at the right team at the right time and for whatever reason can't win a race or close it out.

4) The most unlucky driver ever!!!!!!!!! Jos Ver Stappen - and no I am not a Jos the Boss fan in fact I never liked him at all, but he dominated the European karting scene like no one before nor after. He was more dominant than Senna or Trulli. He then destroyed the Formula Opel series and then won nearly every race in Euro F3000. He won the German F3 championship with half a season to go and this was back when German F3 was the equal to UK F3. He also won the Marlboro Masters at Zandvoort.

But he came into F1 as the third driver at Bennetton with a team mate who would become the best driver in F1 (MS). At one point they fired JJ Lehto because Jos their test driver was turning much faster times.

But then he ended up at Simtek and went on to Arrows. At Arrows he set stunning times in a backmarker car, but Arrows ran out of money. Next he ended up at Tyrell, where he made Salo look like a rookie, but was let go when Ken Tyrell sold the team to Craig "I'm in love with JV" Pollack. Ken Tyrell quit as head of the team in disgust when Pollack let Jos go.

Even MS has said that Jos would be a world champion if he ever got a decent ride, but he's been stuck with the wrong teams and now has resorted to begging for a seat with anyone, even Minardi last season.

I think moreso that Fisi, Frentzen, or Alesi, Jos would have been awesome in a McLaren or Williams but his time and luck is used up.

I am sure I have skipped a few but there are many drivers who I think could have done better had they had better luck.

As much as I like Fisi, now or in the future is not the time for Ferrari to sign him up in sympathy.

We need to get Kimi or Fernando signed up for 2006 and beyond.

Regards,

Jon P. Kofod
www.flatoutracing.net

 

Hmmm, yes luck does play a part, but he has never made the most of the opportunities given to him. He has never destroyed his team mates, etc. That is critical to being noticed and rising to the big teams.

As for Jos, I have never put it together like that before ... and if he really was that quick why did the big teams not sniff around! After all McLaren could have replaced boring Coulthard ... along time ago if Jos was really such a star.

What I think happens is that many grow out of their ability, ie. they star ion the lower formula because their skills are perfectly suited for that level. Move on up and that skill may NOT be able to be extended as they might have already been at their peak.

Many, many drivers have starred (look at Brundle for example) in the lower ranks and then petered out ... they just found their level.

MS got where he is because you put him in any F1 car and he is immediately fast ... he was not in the lower formula but always close.

The problem with Frentzen (unfortunately as he is definitely quick) is that he needs to wind up to pace ... always has, and thus the race is lost by the time he is up to speed. Real shame that he could not train himself out of this, as he genuinely could have rivalled MS.

Thus luck as a bit to do with it, but taking EVERY opportunity and ringing the crap out of it is what is required. Fisi has never done that.

Pete

ps: I watch Jos first hand in a Formula Alantic (sp?) in the NZ series and he frightened me. He did not look fast to me, but I have read about his brilliance in go karts ... thinking about it, he looked like he was driving the Alantic like a go kart ... and hence all over the track.