Great news for Servia

[tanalised]

from Champweb:

2002-12-06
Patrick Racing announces...
U. E. “Pat” Patrick announced today that Visteon Corporation will continue as the primary sponsor for the #20 Visteon/Patrick Racing entry and that Oriol Servia will drive for the team during the 2003 Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford.

“I am pleased to announce today the continuation of Visteon Corporation’s sponsorship of the #20 Visteon/Patrick Racing entry in the 2003 Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford,” Patrick began. “I am also happy to say that Oriol Servia will drive for our team.

“Visteon has been a tremendous sponsor and outstanding partner over the past five years and we look forward to continuing the relationship through the 2003 season,” Patrick said. “I am also excited about having Oriol driving the complete season for our team. He did a fine job for us after taking over at mid-season last year and is a tremendous talent. We are pleased to be able to give him the opportunity to continue to race with our team and are looking forward to challenging for the championship in 2003,” Patrick concluded.

The 2003 season will be the sixth year of Patrick Racing’s alliance with Visteon Corporation. Visteon Corporation is a leading full-service supplier that delivers consumer-driven technology solutions to automotive manufacturers worldwide and through multiple channels within the global automotive aftermarket. Visteon has approximately 79,000 employees and a global delivery system of more than 180 technical, manufacturing, sales, and service facilities located in 25 countries.

Servia, 28, originally joined Visteon/Patrick Racing at the end of July for a five-race trial. The native of Pals, Catalonia, Spain impressed the team with both his knowledge and driving skill and was signed to campaign the remainder of the year. Servia ran the first three races of the season for PacWest Racing. When PWR ceased operations he sat out the next six contests before making his debut with Visteon/Patrick Racing. During the 2003 season, Servia finished in the points in eight of the 13 races he contested and five of ten with Visteon/Patrick Racing. He had six top-ten showings in his 13 starts, four coming with Visteon/Patrick Racing. Servia had two top-five finishes, both with Visteon/Patrick Racing, a fifth place performance at Fontana and a season high fourth place showing at the Rockingham 500 in Corby, England. The resident of Miami, Florida placed 16th in the standings with 44 points. Servia will be entering his fourth year of Champ Car competition in 2003.

“I am very proud and happy that Mr. Patrick has the confidence to allow me to continue racing with the Visteon/Patrick Racing Team and I want to thank him for this opportunity,” Servia began. “I also want to thank Visteon Corporation and the entire Visteon/Patrick Racing Team for their support. We didn’t achieve all of our goals last year, but we worked hard and made a lot of progress during the second half of the season. I am looking forward to continuing to develop with the team and contending for the championship in 2003,” he concluded. Patrick Racing enters the 2003 season, its 31st year of open wheel competition, as one of the most successful teams in the history of USAC Championship Car (Indy Car)/CART racing. Patrick drivers have started 769 races, earning 45 victories including three Indianapolis 500 titles and two national championships. Considered one of the premier teams, Patrick Racing is owned and led by one of the most respected names in CART, U. E. “Pat” Patrick. Patrick became involved in racing in the sixties as a sponsor. By 1970 he had founded his own team and in 1978 became the co-founder of Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART). General Manager Jim McGee oversees the team’s operation from its Indianapolis, Indiana base. McGee, who is entering his 44th year of USAC Championship Car (Indy Car)/CART competition, has amassed the most victories by a manager/chief mechanic with 89. His record includes four Indianapolis 500 titles and nine national championships. Visteon/Patrick Racing concluded the 2002 season with eight points paying performances in 19 races including six top-ten and three top-five finishes. The team’s best showing were a pair of fourth place finishes. The first was by Townsend Bell at Portland and the second by Servia at Rockingham.

[mac]

We kinda knew that was going to happen.

The question is, will Oriol have a teammate?

[BobbyB]

No, the real question is: where are the results? As I stated on a different thread, after you account for mechanical problems, most of Servia's better finishes were due to large attrition of the field. Oriol played it safe during his Patrick tenure this year in order to keep his ride. Nice guy, and a good spin doctor, but I'm left wondering why McGee & Pat are so enthralled with his lackluster performance. "Also ran" comes to mind.

[mac]

Bobby, you're diatribe wouldn't be due to your strong support of a certain Mr Bell.

At least Oriol didn't crash into anything. I may be a bit biased, but Oriol's performances in the latter part of the season were a highlight of the year for me.

[BobbyB]

Originally posted by mac
Bobby, you're diatribe wouldn't be due to your strong support of a certain Mr Bell.

At least Oriol didn't crash into anything. I may be a bit biased, but Oriol's performances in the latter part of the season were a highlight of the year for me.

Well mac, you figured me out on the Bell thing. But really, at least Townsend showed he wasn't about to just be content as a backmarker. It may be true that Oriol kept the sheetmetal guys idle (unlike Townsend in his brief tenure), but starting from the back of the pack, when you deduct the cars that dropped out of each race, Servia really only gained about 2-4 positions. Mediocre or what?

I guess we all see things through a different looking glass, and that's OK.

[f1manoz]

I think Servia has a tremendous amount of talent, and a number of his results DID come through some great racing along with some luck. But don't some results come about that way?

Certainly deserves the ride more than a certain Mr. Bell. Although I think Townsend certainly deserves another crack at Champ Cars. Perhaps this time he'll calm down and not blame everyone else for his mistakes...

[macdaddy]

Oriol is "the right stuff". The man can drive a car. And let's not forget how enthralled the team's engineers were to work with him. Apparently he gives excellent feedback, and is quite personable. Where are the results? He started the season with Sigma, so what could one expect? If you look only at the numbers from 2002, Servia would come out as a better driver than Fernandez! (Which he may just be - and that's not a knock on Adrian!) He reminds me of Helio when driving for Hogan. And I'll bet that next year he'll deliver three podiums and maybe even a win, now that he's got a comfortable position on an established team, and he can concentrate on racing.

[Speedworx]

Oriol Servia deserves his place at Patrick Racing.

He drove his heart out in every race and getting 4th at Rokcingham was well deserved. Bell's 4th place was a lucky fluke.

[Jordi]

Oriol is not an also-ran. If he was an also-ran he'd have a big sponsor behind him and he does not. That is a fact. Another fact is that he brings the car home, and you need to do so these days. These days, earning points it's very easy unless you make a mistake or the car DNF's.
Let's not forget about the Elkhart Lake drive, that would have been a top 5 for sure!

Jordi = Big Oriol supporter

Now, I've read in www.f1-live.com/es that Patrick will switch from Reynard to Lola, and have Steve Challis as the race engineer. Is that true? Why doesn't say anything about it in the official press release?

[BootsOntheSide]

Servia has to be one of the outside bets for the title. His smooth error-free style is in some ways remeniscant of Al Jr- who presumably Bobby doesn't rate either as he also 'played it safe'. How is only passing 2-4 cars a race not good enough. At least he didn't go backwards, relative to the cars around him on the grid, in any number of races.

[Jordi]

Confirmed: Patrick is also switching to Lolas and Steve Challis will be the race engineer.

So, that leaves Walker as the only Reynard entrant...

[Snrub]

I don't think Patrick has been a strong team of late. They seem to get it right sometimes, but their drivers seem to have difficulties much of the time. Servia is an under-rated driver. He didn't get to shine this year either.

[macdaddy]

Too bad about what's happening to Walker's Reynard operation.

[tanalised]

Oriol shows his maturity and cool headedness by bringing cars home to the finish, rather than playing didgems on the opening lap (ala T.Bell)

[macdaddy]

And yet my perception of Servia is one of controlled aggression, as I've seen him make some very determined passes. Not really so much last year, but in seasons previous he pulled off some daring moves, without contact.

[Jordi]

And he's also a nice oval driver, as shown by his top 5 places at Fontana, Rockingham, Gateway in his rookie year...

[StuiE]

Originally posted by Jordi
Confirmed: Patrick is also switching to Lolas and Steve Challis will be the race engineer.

So, that leaves Walker as the only Reynard entrant...

Hopefully some of the new teams will use Reynards.


Good news for Oriol, he deserves it.

when you deduct the cars that dropped out of each race, Servia really only gained about 2-4 positions. Mediocre or what?

And what of drivers that LOSE positions from where they started?

Im not against, I like drivers that are always pushing hard, and I don't mind a bit of panel damage :-D but that doesn't mean that Oriol isn't any good.

[mac]

He does pull some nice moves. 2 off the top of my head:

- Passing Kanaan around the outside for a whole lap at Rockingham.

- Passing Franchitti around the outside at turn 1 at Elkhart Lake.

Not to mention the countless mechanical failures during the year.

[Jordi]

Also, coming back from last to 5th at Fontana setting the fastest lap in the process... he has the pace too.

When you think Dominguez got a win much quickly than Oriol... Plus, Oriol's car that day burned. How can a car burn on a rainy day?

(I know it can, but isn't it too ironic?)

[macdaddy]

Glad to hear some of Pat Patrick's comments on CART.com. He always has been a favourite team owner of mine.

"I've got a lot of stuff going on in my life besides racing, but this is a crucial time for our organization and we need to stay together. Obviously, we've had a few problems the past couple years in CART and it's kind of like a sick child. But, we will get it cured, believe me."

The same article goes on to hint that, although they've ordered four new Lolas, Patrick Racing may only field one car.

McGee said he's ordered four new Lolas and he'll know in the next three to four weeks whether a second car will come to fruition.

Patrick understands a two-car effort would be good for CART's car count, but is comfortable there will be "18 for sure and maybe 20" by the season opener next February at Tampa/St. Pete.

"It would be nice, but I'm not convinced you have to have a two-car team to be successful," he said. "We've won a lot of races with only one car and I think this kid (Servia) can get the job done if we do ours."