http://f1.racing-live.com/en/index.html?http://f1.racing-live.com/en/headlines/news/detail/050313022244.shtml Scott Speed tops GP2 test At the Paul Ricard Circuit Photo F1-Live.com Scott Speed at the Paul Ricard Circuit Scott Speed romped to double championships during the 2004 season, mastering both the German and Eurocup Formula Renault Championships as part of his European education in preparation for a move up to Formula 1. Next up for the American ace will be a season in the inaugural GP2 Championship, the closest thing to Formula 1 with 580-hp Dallaras racing as support events for eleven race weekends with the F1 circus. Speed has picked up right where he left off last season, posting the fastest time during GP2 testing this week at the Paul Ricard Circuit in France. I have really great memories of this track, I won the Red Bull Driver Search here, said Speed. I performed well then and to return and be quickest and perform well again is what I need to do to continue on my path to F1. I am competing in the highest feeder series to F1 and I am competitive, so I cant wait for the season to start. The season starts on the weekend of April 22-24 at Imola as part of the Grand Prix weekend. Keep watch of our next American F1 champion! Personally, I think this guy has a better chance than virtually anyone else in the pipeline.
About time the US produced another Formula 1 driver, although he's not quite there yet... I've been wondering... has he always had the name Speed?
I know Scotts Speed's father and I have raced against Scott Speed in karts and I tell you he is the real deal. This guy has it all, not only do I think he is good enough to be in F1, but I think he can be an F1 champion multiple times. This guy was unbeliveable in karts, he won everything not only once but mutliple times. We would call him the Micheal Schumacher of karting. Anything he has raced, he has either one a championship in his first year or won races right away. The only series he had a difficutl time was in British F3 and that was because he got really sick. He had to pull out midway season. Not only does he have driving ability, but he is really smart about setup. He knows how to get the most out of a car. To answer your question about his name always being Speed. Yes, that is his real name, his dad's name is Mike Speed and his brother Alex Speed. They have pretty cool last name
No doubt the guy's quick, but anyone with a whisp of talent can go far in the US. Couldn't run in British F3 because he was sick? Sounds suspiciously like he couldn't handle the pressure. I may eat my words, but, seriously, anyone coming out of the US ladder system in the last 20 years can't hack much more than a Daytona Prototype.
Aah, I beg to differ. There have been many excellent drivers come through US feeder series in the last 20 years. More than a few of who would be very capable of handling an F1 ride. Not all of them were american though.
I've seen Scott race karts but have heard people talking higher of Alex. Any idea if he has got anything going?
I will say that it is very tough for any American driver to break throug into F1. The infratstructure is simply not present here in the states. All American drivers who are serious to get into F1 need to move to Germany, Italy or England.
I think that if Scott does as well in 2005 as he did last year, he'll be testing in F1 in 2006 and racing there in 2007.
Alex is also great, I just raced against him two weeks ago. Alex has had offers from Formula Renault teams, Toyota Atlantic and even IRL. He has had numerous offers from european racing teams, including his brothers team that he won French Renault with. But Alex races just for fun and does not intend to pursue racing as career. As for Alex being a better driver than Scott, its hard to say because they really never competed against each other. When Scott was in 125CC, Alex was in 80cc. By the time Scott left, Alex was just starting 125CC and has not won as many championship as Scott. As of today, yes Alex Speed is #1 in the US when it comes to karting.
Actually, Scott had a chance to be test driver this year for Redbull F1, but his father intervened and said he was not ready. He was worried about his safety. For sure Scott Speed will test for Redbull F1 towards the middle of the season. I wouldn't even be surprised if we saw him at the end of the season racing in one event.
Probably, but if I were a kid making a career out of pedalling cars, I would get the vaccine or simply wouldn't put myself at risk of contracting hepatitis.
Mistake on what sickness he had. This is what his brother told me, but then I found this article on his website about his sickness. I am sure you can race with this kind of sickness. " Dealing With Ulcerative Colitis" I was diagnosed with the chronic disease Ulcerative Colitis in the beginning of 2003. Ulcerative Colitis is a disease that affects the large intestines by becoming ulcerated, thus causing the large intestines to bleed and lose functionality. This results in a major loss in nutrients, uncontrollable bleeding, and a loss of bowel control. Halfway through the 2003 season, with things not looking good in the championship I was running, I was anemic and much debilitated by the severity that my disease had reached. At that time we all decided it was best to try a different type of medication and go back home so that my family could take care of me. At this time, fixing a disease that would be with me for the rest of my life, was more important than my racing career. After almost 2 months, with limited results, we decided to go back for the last race and see the Austrian specialist again. From December until August 2004 the story was the same. The only difference was that I was now having great results and finally making a name for myself in Europe. This was enough to let my colitis digress to an all time low. With almost 4 straight weekends of racing away from my home in Austria, I had reached bottom. When I returned to the Red Bull Training Center after my double win in Bruno, Czech Republic I had a Hemoglobin level of 8.3 and a weight of 55kg. Anyone who has dealt with a loss of blood and anemia will know that this is extremely low. Low enough in fact, that I was told by the Doctors and the Red Bull Training Center that I needed a blood transfusion. After this news, we decided to try one more doctor in Wien, Austria by the name of Dr. Christoph Gasche. Dr. Gasche has had great results in this field and we were hopeful that he was the Doctor that could help me. The first visit and Colonoscopy with Dr. Gasche in August of 2004 was definitely hard to take in. He told me that I had a very serious problem and that my disease had expanded throughout my entire large intestines. He advised that I needed to seriously think about either surgically taking out my large intestines and replace it with a bag that you wear on your waist, or stop racing to lower my stress level. Luckily he wanted to try one more type of medication before we made this decision. Within a month of treatment on the new medications and iron infusions, I had regained bowel control, the bleeding had stopped, and my Hemoglobin was rising. A feeling I hadnt had for almost 2 years. Rehabilitation: To come from almost 2 years of very little or no physical training to being physically able to drive a GP2 for a 180km race or test an F1 car has been such a long and tough road. Thanks to the Red Bull Training Center (Thalgau, Austria) providing the equipment and personnel for the Red Bull Athletes to train, and all my good friends at Endurance Rehab (Scottsdale, AZ), I have come a huge distance with my physical fitness and mental toughness in dealing with my disease.
Incredible. What an awful disease. Good to hear he's alot better. It would have been an enormous shame not to see how far he could take his racing career.
A good friend of mine had ulcerative colitis and he lived at home with his parents for 2-1/2 years while he was being treated; so for Scott to be coming back from that is fantastic.
Hey CRG125 do you run with Brett Buckwalter as well? I wonder if i have met you or been out at the track with you. I am up at the Sears Point track sometimes. What series are you running?
I have heard of Brett but I don't know if I ever raced with him, I will only run club and regional stuff. Right now I am running the new Pro Kart Challenge, which I am sure you have heard of. Before that I ran one season of the WKA Manufacturers Cup West ICC. What series do you run?
"Scott Speed romped to double championships during the 2004 season, mastering both the German and Eurocup Formula Renault Championships as part of his European education in preparation for a move up to Formula 1."
CRG125- Right now I just use a CRG 125 chassis with a Rotax to practice. I was thinking about running some of the TAG class stuff in my area. I got started backwards. I started with skip barber and now am going to karts. Cheaper racing while I find sponsors.
OpenWheel: I run the 125 shifter at Sears. PM me with your info. I use Tom Dyer as a coach, and although I'm waay over the hill, it is fun. We try to run 2, 3 times per month in the summer. Art
I raced with Scott Speed at last year's Formula Renault support race during Shanghai F1. He is clearly faster than everyone including his Red Bull team mate right out of the gate. I think he can very well make it to F1 within the next 2 years.
I raced with Scott when he won the Russell Racing Championship in 2001, which was the 1st year he raced cars. I can tell you he was by far the fastest driver out there and these are identical cars (arrive and drive series). All the instructors I spoke at the school thought he was the real deal and the best they had seen come thru the series in 20 years. He was really sick that 1st year with Red Bull but they saw the potential and were rewarded with his perfomance last year. Will he make it to F1? who knows its a crap shoot but he certainly appears to have the talent and desire, it would be great to see.
