German driver at the Eurospeedway?

[*formula3*]

the european races are close, and it is very likely that a german driver will get a chance...but who will it be?
i read in a motorsport mag that alex müller (former f3000 driver) is still hoping to get the cockpit, and he has expiriences on ovals, as he past the rookie test for the crapwagons...
on the other hand there´s andre lotterer, who did very well last time...i personally hope that it´s lotterer (he has no other races at this weekend)

what do you think? or is it someone else? or nobody?

*fingerscrossedthatthepollworks*

[DavidStHubbins]

Has to be Lotterer.

[f1manoz]

Isn't Lotterer racing in Japan?

[BSchneiderFan]

Actually, I'd like to see Muller in the car; he has more experience, and needs a break. Seems like a long time since he was a BMW junior driver...

[*formula3*]

Originally posted by f1manoz
Isn't Lotterer racing in Japan?

yes he´s racing in F Nippon, but there is no race onmay 9-11th...

@BSchneiderFan I think you mix him up, as far as i rember alex was never BMW junior driver, i think you´re talking about Jörg Müller but there are three german müllers out there racing, really confusing

[BootsOntheSide]

What has become of the other German drivers who've raced in CART? Christian Danner is probably retired by now, btu what of Arnd Meier and Michael Krumm? Might they be posisbles? All the same, Lotterer looks a good bet, but he would have to do seperate rookie practice on ovals.

Which team would run this effort? Presumably Dale COyne has his hands full, and I cant think of any existing team which has a spare crew, although PK are looking to get a seocnd car out there.

[*formula3*]

christian danner has more or less retired, he´s a commentator now, and did one race in touring cars last year...
krumm is still in japanese gt, don´t think that he can raise any money
arndt meier? haven´t heared anything of him for loooooooooong time...not sure whether he´s still racing...

[BSchneiderFan]

Originally posted by *formula3*
BSchneiderFan I think you mix him up, as far as i rember alex was never BMW junior driver, i think you´re talking about Jörg Müller but there are three german müllers out there racing, really confusing

No, no, I meant Alex. He raced in F3000 for ORECA in (I think) 1998, and at that time ORECA was billed as a BMW junior team. I think Dominik Schwager (of whom..?) may have been the other driver, but I'd need to check.

I don't suppose there's any chance of Bernd Schneider getting the call-up for the Lausitzring..? After all, he nearly made it to CART a few years back with AMG. (What became of that idea?)

[*formula3*]

ah, okay, you may be right, i thought you meant jörg müller who was f1 tester for bmw...

[BSchneiderFan]

Jorg was indeed a Williams-BMW test driver, and indeed it looked for a time as if he might get the race seat vacated by Alex Zanardi at the end of 2000 - but 'twas not to be, and now it looks like he'll never make it to F1, which is, I think, a shame.

(After all, F1 doesn't race at Road Atlanta, so he couldn't dump his car off the road at the very end of the race while leading, could he, Mr. Lehto?)

[Dov]

Im surprised nobody has mentioned the Schumacher brothers or Frentzez.

[Dov]

That was Frentzen.

[*formula3*]

or norbert haug

[macdaddy]

What's everybody talking about? A German driver would be great, but where's the seat? A one-off to replace Camathias? That's the only thing I could think of.

[*formula3*]

dunno about the seat, but in the interview i read, alex muller seemed very confident to race there...

[Snrub]

We probably don't want Lotterer to race, he'd probably win it.

MS wouldn't want to be a part of it beacuse it would be embarrasing if/when he lost. Don't get me wrong, I just don't think he'd win his first try on an oval. Second time sure.

With the budget F1 teams have, I'm surprised in the past some F1 drivers haven't ended up with a ride at one of the european races. It would create a lot of interest if we had 5 F1 drivers with the CART guys. It would have been especially true last year or earlier. At the very least you'd expect JPM, JV, Da Matta to show up. Seems silly to have to have F1 drivers watching a race and not participating. I think with a stunt like that the F1 sponsors would get much better exposure per dollar than through F1.

Guys like Salo, Irvine, Alesi should be actively pursued by CART teams anyway.

[*formula3*]

sorry for te doubl post, but i have to add something
in an article on a german website (http://www.motorsport-berlinbrandenb...car_2003_2.php)

Deutscher Fahrer weiter im Gespräch

Weiter hoffen die deutschen Motorsportfans auf einen deutschen Fahrer in der Champ Car World Series. [..]Die Champ Car-Dachorganisation CART und der EuroSpeedway Lausitz arbeiten daher mit Hochdruck an einer Lösung mindestens für die europäischen Läufe in Brands Hatch, U.K., und zu den "German 500".

and now the translation:

German driver still in talks

The German motorsport fans are still hoping for a german driver in the champcar world series
The CART organisation and the Eurospeedway are still working under high pressure to find a solution, at least for the European races in Brands hatch and for the German 500

[Jay]

I'd be happy for anyone who gets the ride. No doubt it would be a huge shot in the arm for the event.

[BootsOntheSide]

Its unlikely that Camathias would sit the race out, especially as its the closest he has to a home race. In any case, it'd be a bad rpecendent for Dale to set to other wannabe pay-drivers; suggesting that they will onyl have the seat if someone else doesn't show up with a better offer.

It could be that CART will entirely fund an entry so as to get the local fans excited, or that Brand or Arden might include a German driver in their rumoured one-offs.

[Dov]

Originally posted by Snrub
We probably don't want Lotterer to race, he'd probably win it.

MS wouldn't want to be a part of it beacuse it would be embarrasing if/when he lost. Don't get me wrong, I just don't think he'd win his first try on an oval. Second time sure.

With the budget F1 teams have, I'm surprised in the past some F1 drivers haven't ended up with a ride at one of the european races. It would create a lot of interest if we had 5 F1 drivers with the CART guys. It would have been especially true last year or earlier. At the very least you'd expect JPM, JV, Da Matta to show up. Seems silly to have to have F1 drivers watching a race and not participating. I think with a stunt like that the F1 sponsors would get much better exposure per dollar than through F1.

Guys like Salo, Irvine, Alesi should be actively pursued by CART teams anyway.

In the mid 1970's 3-5 F1 regulars came over here to race Gilles Villeneuve (and others) in a Atlantic exhibition race and GV blew them away. They went back to Europe and told everybody in the F1 circle about this young talent from across the pond. Soon after GV was being pursued by Wolf, McLaren and Ferrari Racing. It would be nice to see some older retired F1 drivers try their skills in CART...Salo, Irvine, Alesi, D. Hill and Hakinen. The same goes for the current F1 drivers...when you are finished with your career over their...then why not come over here. Even if it's only for a year or two.

[Marcel ten Caat]

My guess: Michael Krumm, as Andre Lotterer won't be back from Japan.

[corkholio]

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
Its unlikely that Camathias would sit the race out, especially as its the closest he has to a home race. In any case, it'd be a bad rpecendent for Dale to set to other wannabe pay-drivers; suggesting that they will onyl have the seat if someone else doesn't show up with a better offer.

Coyne's been doing that for a long time. It wouldn't be anything new. Just ask Gualter Salles.

Bring back Volker Weidler!

[Omega99]

What about Michael Shumacher? Can he drive ovals?

[Dov]

That smiley face is turning the wrong way. Since we are talking about ovals, he should be turning left.

[Jay]

...he's too much of a whimp. This is a very fast and dangerous (speeds of Fontana, but tighter) oval. You need guts and lots of 'em.