Will An Andretti Return To F1?

He did not quit. He was let go. For him to have gone to Williams, he would have had to take a test driver roll. There is NFW he would have done that. Senna was #1, Hill was #2. Williams would not have dumped Hill, a 3-time race winner, for Andretti who could barely finish races.

IMO his failure to move to Europe and his wife sank his foray into F1 before it began. The restrictions on testing did not help, but coming to grips with a track is not that difficult. Learing all it's secrets by driving it frequently (see Irvine at Suzuka in 1999) will certainly help when you need that extra few tenths, but he was good enought to regularly qualify close to Senna on tracks he'd never seen. The car was good enough to win several races and Andretti was good enough to run in the points in a lot of races, but he needed to be more committed.

Moving to EU would have done several things;
1. He would be close to the tracks and the team. Being close means if they need him to drive the car, even if it's just a shakedown, he can do it. Anyone who's ever raced will tell you seat time will do more to improve your lap times than just about anything short of 100-extra horses.

2. He could have gone to all of the testing sessions even if Mika was the driver. Simply being there, getting feedback from Mika, getting to know the mechanics, team, etc. is a huge help. Not to mention if he's standing there in his drivers suit with his helmet ready to go he'd likely have had 1-day of a 3-day test to himself.

3. Being at the tests would have also allowed him to get to know the other drivers better.

4. Moving to EU shows a total commitment to driving and the team. I think his mechanics at McLaren saw him as a foreigner (which he was) and failure to even attempt to assimilate alientated them some what.
I don't think the commute to the races was all that bad (Senna used to regularly go back home to Brasil). The concord is a 3-hour flight from Washington. So he had maybe a 6-8hr total commute from the US to EU. Doing that on a Wednesday AM gives him plenty of time to rest for the Thursday practice. But he still should have moved.

 

I agree... He needed to live in Europe... and Britian is not so bad... especially when you have lots of money!

I tried to race Formula Renault in 90- 91, and speak fluent French and was living there on a permenant basis, and it was still difficult, so just mangnify that a 1000 times and thats what Andretti would have had to put up with.

 

Right on the Money Sean.

 

Michael stunk up F1 because he went there thinking he was a big fish. He went from a series where some drivers saw him in their mirrors and got out of his way. He went to F1 thinking the same thing, and guess what? Nobody was impressed with him, his legacy, or the fact he was born in the states. Doesn't anybody remember some of his dumbass attempted passes where he crashed out? Hey guys I'm Michael Andretti move over, other drivers responded with "big f'en deal".

Quick story, after he was booted out of F1 and he signed with Cheap Ganassi, the wife wanted his autograph. He was at a Target in Riverside Ca(low brow area) before the Long Beach GP. We were in the area picking up parts for my race bike. Sad part was the line went out the door, I went in to see how long it would take for her autograph. I stood in front of him with his entourage, I shook my head head and smirked, he looked up annoyed and asked what I wanted. I simply said how the mighty had fallen. Last year he was at Monaco around this time in F1 , now he was at a Target in Riverside signing crap for his dinner .


Side question, why is it important to have a American in F1, do you follow the sport because of driver nationality or because of the drivers skill ?

 

That is a funny story, I guess you didn't care to much for Michael.

 

More Americans will take an interest if there is an American racing. With America as such a huge market, it would do F1 well to flourish here.

I watch for driver skill, however as a Canadian, I certainly root for Villeneuve. Is there something wrong with having a little pride for your homeland?

 

Also, with an American driver in the series, might entice a large American corporation to $pon$or his ride. Bernie would love that.

 

I dont know how long you guys been following F-1, but it will NEVER be a big sport here in the USA..we just dont think that way... F-1 is eliteist... and it used to have a reason why... best cars, most money etc... now its just an other formula... open wheel NASCAR... granted its been a while since I lived in Europe, but lots of people knew about F-1 but it was a specialist thing... in the late 90's when all the big car makers got involved it too away the technical superiority, and lots of its specialist glamor in exchange for bid $$$ and international superstardom... I know Prost and Senna were big, but Schumacher on 60 Min? doing ads for shampoo, Shell, west, you name it F-1 was all over with mass media... and big car companys behind it all... now its just a vehicle for advertizments, with lots of Kart drivers... since when in F-1 history has it been possible to go from karts, to F-Renault to F-1? its crazy, these guys are good drivers... no mistake but they are so specalized they dont compare to the Marios, Laudas, Prosts, Senna's, Moss, etc... I would include Schumacher in there since he did race sports cars with success... but he started the whole from Karts to F-1 in a season.... in the USA we dont do that, and frankly people dont care about technology, and they like glamour and Hollywood stuff, but they want to be able to go to target and get a drivers autograph, and in F-1 you would be lucky with a gen admission ticket to even see a driver from 200 ft away, let alone get his autograph... or you could spend $2500 on a Paddock Club pass, and meet a 2nd rank driver for 10 min on Friday, and see Schumacher from about 10 ft away... and if you have a real sexy girl friend maybe Kimi will look your way....The USA just has too much racing variety for F-1 to succeed, and I would not be supprised if 2006 is the last year for Indy... why loose all that money so bernie can buy a new jet!

I used to go to all the races from the late 80's to the mid 90's, but when Bernie changed credintial criteria for an FIA pass, I stopped going, because he was only letting in the people who would make him money, forget about others...( My Father and I did Photography for an indepandant - any one every read Prix editions? - some of our work was in there...) bernie could care less about fans, and in the USA its all about the fans, brand loyalty, etc.. in europe the society still has a real class definition, and F-1 only wants the rich, famous and titled ... if a few fans show up, well I guess you have to let them see the race, but only from about 1000 ft away... and while your at it make them pay $300 for a grandstand seat, and charge them $15 for a coke... oh and Mr. promoter Bernie and Allsport will take the first 75% of all your gate, concessions, etc... What a deal!

F-1 in the USA... Dead... or dying... I hope I'm wrong.... really do, but I fear I'm right. Scott Speed - he would have to be World Champion for the major sports channels to pick up the story,but if that happend, perhaps you would get 35% more US fans watching & following...I would doubt any more than that!

 

Senna1994 : Never have been a Andretti fan. For me there has only been ASDS3X or Ayrton Senna Da Silva 3 time champ.

Spirot: Right on the money. F1 will never do well here because of it's elitist makeup. Here in the states you can, given enough will and a fair amount of talent you can get into Champ cars, IRL, or NASCAR. Given the amount of licenses issued for these activities. Super licenses for F1 are relatively rare in comparison. Here in the states as another example what do parents say about their newborns they can grow up to be President. In Europe unless you are a blue blood you ain't going to be king.It's part of the culture over there. Another thing is Americans want their entertainment in front of them, oval racing where you can sit on your ever growing a$$ and watch the show from the comfort of your seat. God forbid you have to walk the track and watch from different corners like we do when we attend a F1 event. To get into F1 you either have to have mad skills (and even that will not assure you a seat) or be a member of the lucky sperm club. Nothing wrong with that for me it's part of the allure. Americans aren't lacking the physical skills to get into F1, it's just easier to be a big fish here.



As for the argument that American companies will support a driver, companies at that level will most likely be multi-national. given the high level of cash involved.Mom and pop businesses do not have the budget for F1 And as far as supporting a home grown driver,please explain that line of thinking. I read that like when people who attend a stick and ball event and then are interviewed by the local TV station and they start screaming that we won . How can someone take credit for winning something they had no part in the outcome. When I was in school and did my stint in team sports (for the record I hate now) if I did not play I would not take credit for the victory. Why would I, if I sat on my a$$ and did not directly contribute to the victory. Same holds true for the driver I don't give a shlt what patch of land he plopped out of , all I care is what he does on the track.

 

Quite the opposite: I think it is doing great. Not even USGP 05 could kill it. It will be back next year and we won't have that scandal again. Instead we'll have an American in it. Interest will go up.

Hopefully in 2007 the Mexican GP will become a reality. Being situated in Cancun will only help F1 in the US.

F1 will never be big in the US for all the reasons you stated. But it doesn't have to. As long as it survives big enough to be carried on US TV I'm happy. Cause that's really all I want: Being able to watch it on TV. Couldn't care less whether my neighbours like it or even know it.

 

I agree, as long as I can see it on TV, I'm happy, but really its not the F-1 I grew up with, & I hate to say that it was better in the good old days, but its just really lost its allure for me... it seems so corporate, polished etc... not that all the money is bad, but the technology is not at the forefront... its not exotic any more...what I would love is a no- holds- bar formula... 3 liters, internal combustion engine and the driver has to be in control at all times... you can have as many cylinders as you want, all the electronics, big fat slick tires... and change them as often as you want... on board starters, movable aero... active suspension,,, groud effects.... etc... you have to run 2 hrs, or 500KM which ever comes 1st on like 90 liters of low grade pump gas! the kind you get in Zimbawe...or Uganda... you can use any lubricant you want... allow cigarett advertizment, ( subsidize ticket prices ) Run what ever you like... make a minimum weight... 1500 kilos... with driver...and see what happens. back in the 80's when turbos were all the rage... remember how much that affected normal cars, ABS brakes, Fuel injecton, computer mgmt... all directly from F-1... since 1994 what have we got... ??? other than semi auto gear boxes - nothing... we dont run gooved tires, I guess the 430 has a nice venturi system and we now have road cars that have that high pitched trumpet sound like an F-1 car... which I hate! guess cars rev much higher.... and have smaller electronics....just imagine what the engineers could do if you let them... and it would ( I think ) be a good training exercise for major car companys to justify the expense... at least some of the technology would bleed off into main streem cars... I know you can go and buy an Enzo and it has carbon & multi valves, etc.... but I'm talking about average daily Honda.... at least then F-1 would have some perspective as the worlds benchmark for automotive technology.... and therefore a reason for Americans to watch...

 

I think Michael was a big fish. I saw a driver who went for it, like Gilles Villeneuve. He mixed it up and gave it everything he had. Back then, there were still a few guys like Berger who got in F1 cars hung over and half awake from an all night party binge. The reality was that to succeed in F1, you needed one of the top cars have a good relationship with the crew for a great setup. Hey, third at Monza ain't bad. I'm not sure but did Alonso ever get on the podium after just a handful of races in F1?

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Marco Andretti will drive an F1 car if he ever really wants to.

 

The comparison is wrong because Alonso started in the grids worst car in his first season and spent the following developing the Renault. Not that the McLaren was the prime of the class in 93 with the stinkin' Peugeot engine, but it was a world apart from a Minardi.

Spirot, I share your sentiment about F1 of the good old days and how it could become that again today. Only the folks who have followed it for decades realize how much we as the audience are missing out in the polished spectacle F1 has become. It is still my favourite sport, but boy it ain't the seventies/eighties anymore. Corporate sponsorship and Bernie glitzed it up, but left the fans and some of the sporting elements behind.

 

It had they Ford V8 that year, the Peugeot was in 94. The chassis was good but it was no Williams either. You could even make the case that the Benneton might have also been better and that Senna was making the MP4 8 look better than it actually was.

 

Spirot, I share your sentiment about F1 of the good old days and how it could become that again today. Only the folks who have followed it for decades realize how much we as the audience are missing out in the polished spectacle F1 has become. It is still my favourite sport, but boy it ain't the seventies/eighties anymore. Corporate sponsorship and Bernie glitzed it up, but left the fans and some of the sporting elements behind.


Amen Brother! When I was a Kid, 70's F-1 was like going to the moon... and lots of people knew who Jackie Stewart was etc... but it had an allure, it was truly exotic... but all the big money has done is taken all the exoticness away and made it exclusive and Expensive... and we all know just like current Ferrari models, just cause its expensive does not make it exclusive....but what are you gonna do? I just refuse to watch racing where the commentators refer to each car by their number instead of the make and driver... that is why I cant stand to watch Grand AM racing... its like Nascar with right turns!.... its for people who really dont care!

F-1 & ALMS is all there is left for "thinking" people.... or folks who have followed road racing all their life...

 

The Benetton was a Factory Ford effort (engine wise), they also had what is pretty much now Ferrari's design staff on payroll. However, McLaren did have a better Electronics Package on board thanks to TAG on that FORD HB, but less HP.

By the way, although the 93 Williams outclassed the entire field just as it had done in 92, the racing was a lot better than today. Lot more passing involved and less silly rules. Thanks Max Mosley!!!!!

 

I doubt that Michael will ever get back into a race car for competition. I believe this because of an interview with him during the '05 Indy Five Hundred. The anouncer asked him is he would like to be out there driving. Michael's answer was that he would rather be where he is at the moment, or words to that effect.

When Michael was racing, I had the feeling that he didn't like it all that much then, and was in it mostly because of his Dad. His Dad left some large shoes to fill. That kind of pressure is hard to deal with at that level.

I also feel that his F1 experience wasn't a fair show of his skills. He put one year there, and should have done two or three years to see how his skills really matched up. If he had done another year, he probably would have had a few podium finishes. They have a different mind set in F1. It's a tough conversion to make. I also had the feeleing that if the whole thing was a game of hearts, then Michael was the dealer, and everyone had him as a target. The tables were definately stacked against him.

I also don't think that having an American in F1 would improve its popularirty in the US. The exception to this is if the American driver was beating the hell out of everyone and winning nearly every race, and the media talked it up. We, as a nation, generally don't care about racing on foreign shores unless it involves one of the leagues that does the bulk of their racing on our shores, like NASCAR. Face it, there's not much reporting on F1 here. If there's not reporting in the general media on F1, then there will be very little interest.

That's my opinion.

Bob Wassam