Speed sacked from STR. Vettel replaces him!

Andretti was horrible, no wonder he got a bad rep.

I don't buy it, that American drivers get a bad rep in the Euro press: The mags I read were full of articles about Champ, NASCAR, IRL, ALMS and American GT racing. Europeans are indeed interested in this stuff and the reports are not negatively tainted. Mario Andretti never got a bad rep and is still honored as one of racing's greatest.

I do agree that Ralf gets away with way too much. I even read some praise for his Hungaroring result.

PS: Another major difference between the Euro press and FChat is the opinion regarding Massa. Windsor and his buddies from F1 Racing seem to be the only ones holding their breath for him. Everybody else sees him as another Alesi/Irvine/Barrichello.

 

I think Michael Andretti's attitude was horrible, but I didn't think his driving was all that bad. The European press were always kind to Mario, because he delivered and was an excellent spokesman.

As far as Ralf, I read an interview with Ivan Cappelli that said that Ralf was in his opinion one of the most arrogant jerks to sit in an F1 car. Cappelli was trying to interview him for Italian TV and Ralf basically blew him off in a very nasty manner.

As far as Windsor, I think he is a serious blow hard as well, I wouldn't even put Massa in Barrichello's league when Barrichello was in his prime he was better.

 

+1

Many European fans and media will give a harder time to American drivers, you'd better believe it. Even if they honestly don't have anything against him, they'll have a strong bias because he's American. At the same time though, they weren't very passive for guys like Albers or Ide, and they wanted Sato's head for a time. I think European fans in general hate any sort of arrogance, or the possibility of a driver not making the best of his opportunity.

 

+1

Albers, Sutil and Yamamoto are very low on the picking order as well. Even a German mag called Sutil a paid driver.

At the same time it was funny to see how sentimental they could get for Winkelhock and his lucky 15 seconds of fame at the Ring.

 

I think that Winkelhock would have done a very good job in Hungary, pity he isn't a paying driver.

 

It's also a pitty that a Red flag was pulled. If the race had went on as it did, he might have been able to hold off most of the field for a podium, or at least some points.

 

Yes and no. He would have had more time in the spotlight, but his 2nd tire gamble was wrong. Also: The reason the car caved in was an electric short: It wasn't "water proof" for the rain of Nuerburgring.

 

How dearly I miss the Jordan Team now. First Midland now these jokers at Spyker. To think that HHF was in it with a screaming chance at the championship in 99 is incredible. Oh well, I hope the same fate won't happen to team Willy.

 

Blame it on Eddie: In the last few years of Jordan he was plundering the team for all it was worth. Spyker is in serious financial troubles and so is Prodrive.

 

Too bad VW/Audi doesn't buy Spyker and build the team. What is going on with ProDrive anyway? Haven't heard anything in a while.

 

Richards lost his major sponsors and now it is becoming increasingly difficult to get the team launched. That's why McLaren extended its contract offer (for Richard to become a Mercedes B team) by another month. I doubt we will see a Prodrive team in 08.

 

Does that open the door for the second team that was in line to become the 12 th team to enter F1? Perhaps Richards was keeping his eye off the ball with the Aston Martin sale.

 

I think so. Also there is the rumor of an Arabian team coming into F1, possibly by buying one of the existing teams.

 

Yeah, originally there were other teams who made a bid for the spot as well. From what I recall, it was Direxiv( Mclaren B team, with Jean Alesi support), Jordan, Pollock, and Stoddart all aplied for the spot.

 

You are correct my young friend.

 

Sounds like a big Group-Think party going on with the European press.
I guess you can save money that way by just subscibing to one rag.