Up And Coming Drivers?

[Aveiro-F1]

My first post here... um... not that anyone cares.

Anyways, who do you think is the best up and coming driver who could be suited for F1?

For me, I'll support the home turf and say Luis Lacerdas, from what I know he's raced against quite a few of the current F1 pack including Raikkonen, so he's got experience. Problem is he's still a bit young(I believe he's in 18-20 region, but don't quote me on that because I'm not totally sure.

Out of the CURRENT pack of 22... er sorry... 20 drivers(been 2 or so years since Arrows went under and I still have a hard time remembering it's only 20 ), I'd say Alonso. The guy's definitely a natural. The Renault was definitely much worse than the last season and he still managed to get to the top step, and that's a sign of driver skills, and not just better equipment (or cheating... FERRARI)...

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Welcome to GTPlanet Aviero-F1!

I see you've spotted that the future generation are already in F1. The Alonso-Raikkonen thing will play itself out before our very eyes in the coming years, and that could be extremely entertaining. It would be good if Massa and Sato could get their acts together as well, as that would make it very crowded at the top.

Of those not currently in F1, you've got to look at Lewis Hamilton. Signed as a protege by McLaren five or more years ago, he's progressed steadily through the ranks to the point where he made a very good case for himself at Macau. I think he's genuinely talented, and being black, there will be significant pressure to get him into a racing seat.

On the fringes, I've been wondering what's happened to James Courteney. Set for stardom, his F3 challenge was derailed after a massive F1 testing shunt, and little has been heard of him since.

And then there are the "famous sons", Schecter, Rosberg and Piquet. I think that the only one of those who is genuinely talented is Piquet.

Just my take on things...

 

[Mike Rotch]

Alan van der Merwe ! Won the British F3 champ didnt he

 

[Aveiro-F1]

Apparently, the Swedish have a lot of good drivers. Watching F3000 last year at least half the pack was Brazilian or Swedish.

 

[Ev0]

Some spotty rumors have been flying around that Paul Tracy could come to F1. He would be a good driver for F1 though, since he is a very experienced racer, especialy with open wheeled cars. He's also posting some of the best results of his career now, and with CART dying quickly, it would be a great move for him. Although I doubt that this will happen...

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Originally posted by Mike Rotch
Alan van der Merwe ! Won the British F3 champ didnt he

Yes, but then so did Takuma Sato and Jan Magnussen, and they have hardly covered themselves in glory.

I spotted your nationalism!

It would be nice to see Paul Tracy in F1, but I can't see who would have him. Jaguar perhaps at a pinch.

Of the crop of drivers currently employed in America, I could see Bourdais coming back to F1 though.

 

[Small_Fryz]

Well i reckon Mark Webber is very good as he has got some good finishes in a MINARDI

 

[Mike Rotch]

Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
Yes, but then so did Takuma Sato and Jan Magnussen, and they have hardly covered themselves in glory.

I spotted your nationalism!

True, but he did teach Mr Piquet Jnr a driving lesson in the process

 

[Bollocks#999]

Being an Aussie and a patriot to all things Australian, I'll go for Ryan Briscoe and to a lesser extent James Courtney

 

[Small_Fryz]

You forgot Mark Webber

*bashes bollocks over the head*

 

[Aveiro-F1]

Mark Webber for me is nothing compared to Alonso. I mean when Alonso was at Minardi the Minardi was MUCH worse than the one Webber drove, so to argue that Webber did well in a Minardi is little to no arguement, and he hasn't exactly set the world on fire at Jaguar, though the management over there is pretty messed up. They've had like 3 owners in 3 years ffs.

[Language edited by moderator]

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Ryan Briscoe is useless! It will be interesting to see how Webber's career develops, and whether he can make a succesful World Title bid - at Williams or Jaguar.

 

[Bollocks#999]

And I didnt forget Mark Webber, I just assumed that since he is already in F1...

Giles: Like I said, I was just being patriotic with Briscoe
I knonw I'd like to see Webber win a championship some day, I reckon it may be in a something other than a Jag though

 

[millencolin]

Originally posted by GilesGuthrie


On the fringes, I've been wondering what's happened to James Courteney. Set for stardom, his F3 challenge was derailed after a massive F1 testing shunt, and little has been heard of him since.

he is racing i think f3 in japan and i aced it. i think next year he is racing formula nippon

i think briscoe is good, he did kill european f3 but i think the next up and coming star is sebastien bourdais. He lead his first ever champcar race and went on to win 3 more races. he is a genuine up-and-comer. Hopefully CART can stay good so he can boost his f1 chances

 

[advanR]

sato was voted most underrated driver of the year by 2 out of 4 guys on a speed channel f1 year in review. and he wasnt technically even eligble. the other two were alonso, and probably webber. (they mentioned every race in which alonso didnt have a mechanical failuer he was on the podium, or in the top five, forgot which.)

i hope BAR are strong next year.

i have a bad memory.......

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Originally posted by millencolin
he is racing i think f3 in japan and i aced it. i think next year he is racing formula nippon

i think briscoe is good, he did kill european f3 but i think the next up and coming star is sebastien bourdais. He lead his first ever champcar race and went on to win 3 more races. he is a genuine up-and-comer. Hopefully CART can stay good so he can boost his f1 chances

Thanks for the update about Courteney. I think he was pretty shabbily-treated by Jaguar after the Monza shunt. Racing in Japan is a bit of a cash-cow, certainly Irvine and Salo made quite a lot of money doing it. I do think it's lost its status as an F1 Feeder series though, especially after Firman so completely fluffed his first season in F1.

Did you mention Bourdais in response to me mentioning him, or as a separate idea?

I think that ChampCar would have survived the ownership turmoil, and the engine issues, but what concerns me now is the fact that most of the good teams and most of the good drivers are now in IRL. They need to get sorted, and quickly.

 

[millencolin]

i didnt realise u mentioned him, i only half read the posts. maybe i should start reading them

well its confirmed that champcars WILL go ahead next year. i dont think the good teams (penske, ganassi, green) and the manufacturers, sponsors etc. will come back for a least another 2 years so thats the biggest problem because there is f1 talent out there.

your right about most of the good drivers going to IRL, franchitti, dixon, castronevres and now mannang etc. But there still is bourdais, junquiera and soon maybe dominguez (if he keeps improving and brings his mexican sponsorship with him)

 

[Aveiro-F1]

Originally posted by advanR
sato was voted most underrated driver of the year by 2 out of 4 guys on a speed channel f1 year in review. and he wasnt technically even eligble. the other two were alonso, and probably webber. (they mentioned every race in which alonso didnt have a mechanical failuer he was on the podium, or in the top five, forgot which.)

i hope BAR are strong next year.

i have a bad memory.......

Shows the brilliance of David Hobbs' brain. Someone need to buy out the USA F1 coverage, preferably ABC(so we can watch it on Sky like we were able to watch Monaco and a few other races in 2002).

 

[Aveiro-F1]

Just saw a karting race on Speed, amazing stuff. Last lap, 2 guys at the front, second place driver takes first, and then the first place(now second) place driver goes to overtake him back and instead of leaving the move clean the other driver turned onto him and both cars went around and ruined each other's day lol. Funny stuff, but good driving up till the end of their days.

 

[millencolin]

Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
It would be nice to see Paul Tracy in F1

yeah, add some character into the sport. Villenerve is gone so another canadian in the sport could do some good. Ive been saying for a while that the established cart drivers i reacon could do good in f1, like Vasser and Tracy

 

[Wastegate]

I think Vasser and Tracy are probably too old for F1 now, and Tracy might be a little wider than your average F1 driver too.

Apart from Bordais, how about Bjorn Wirdheim for an F1 drive, loads of talent and has just had the most sucessful F3000 season of anyone has ever managed.

As GilesGuthrie says, Lewis Hamilton made a point in Macau, and he made an even better one in Korea. I hope that his McLaren Mercedes contract isn't a hindrance to get into F1 with McLaren apparently already flush with drivers for 2005.

 

[vat_man]

Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
On the fringes, I've been wondering what's happened to James Courteney. Set for stardom, his F3 challenge was derailed after a massive F1 testing shunt, and little has been heard of him since.

Indeed - he won the first Macau race after putting one of the best outside passes on Nicolas Lapierre I've seen in some time. He was leading the second race, but copped a puncture which put him into a wall.

Lapierre was pretty impressive.