The F1 6-Speed Debate..one more time

Yes I have always known that but is it not a pity that talent is not the equaliser.

I did my best, and BTW won the championship ... I believe that is success ... and always finished in the top 1 or 3 in my class since I started at all levels.

Never said I was not winning . I am proud of my little club racing history, thanks.

I raced in New Zealand, not motor sport rich USA. The concept of a team in NZ is rare (take every race series in NZ and you probably only have 10 teams tops, and 80% of those would be Formula Ford, yep NZ's top single seater formula now ... and you need $100,000 per year to run in that. And BTW every team would be run out of somebodies garage at home or a very humble commerical workshop. NZ remember does not produce cars and have X million of people to support the sport. The fact that so many talented drivers originate in NZ shows that the talent is there, but we are a make it yourself type of driver/person because we have to) ... I was negotiating for the purchase of a Formula Ford when I decided that my commitment was not big enough. Again I was a club racer and a successful one. I wanted to race a Formula Ford because single seaters interest me far more than the very compromised world of saloons, and Formula Ford is an international series ...

Winning was very important to me then ... but like I said I woke up one morning and questioned what the hell I was doing. I had raced myself to spending every cent of my salary and more and was in debt and had just broken another motor. Yes I could have continued but like I said my commitment weakened and I went to University as a adult student instead and now I am married with childern.

I 100% agree and I did not intend or think I was b!tch and whining ... that is not the New Zealanders way. We buckle down and get on with the job.

Yes I fully realise that I can only blame myself for lacking the commitment, but like many other normal people I questioned what I was doing with my life. I was single, had no social life, living at home for cost and workshop reasons ... had a good career, but was financially in over my head (my bank had unofficially become my main sponsor ).

I did actually put a sponsorship brochure together with the aim of stepping up to the professional level, but one weakness I have is that I like my achievements to prove my abilities ... others like to talk a lot of cr@p. In the world of self marketing you need to talk a lot of cr@p ... and being a level headed NZ'er I'm not good and talking it up.

Everybody that races always feels the other guy has something they want ... listen to F1 drivers. The guys in the lesser teams wish they were in the top teams so they could have the resources, etc. Same thing mate

Pete's not a failure as a driver and car preparer ... thanks