Most disappointing team of the first two rounds

Kiwi3 · 13 Oct 2006, 03:16 (Ref:1736760)

As per most surprising thread, who do you guys think has been most disappointing so far?

Candidates for me must be Australia and Brazil:

Australia - qualified poorly at Zandvoort, although Briscoe showed his class by getting up to the podium in the feature. Problem 1: getting a good set up in time for qualifying. Then at Brno they were awful all weekend. Problem 2: getting their driver lineup finally sorted. Briscoe is not going to be available for Beijing either due to a Champcar clash, surely Australia can produce someone else capable? I guess being paid to race V8's will always come before paying or earning nothing to drive in A1.

Brazil - So competitive last season, and with pre-season talk of Bruno Senna driving it seemed the same would be possible this year. However they are stuck with Tuka Rocha who seems very mediocre, and at Brno the car seemed to be handling like a pig. One must wonder why when they are engineered by the same crew as the Czech Republic, who should know how to set a car up for Brno, and Enge didn't seem to have the same problems.

I won't put Pakistan as most disappointing as nothing can be expected of Nur Ali anyway. And Singapore obviously need Christian Murchison otherwise they won't be much better.

Go_For_Pole · 13 Oct 2006, 08:15 (Ref:1736880)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiwi3

Enge didn't seem to have the same problems.

Enge was not very fast either, if you check his best lap time in the race it is around 15th, even slower than our car. So I think Charouz screwed up big time, the difference between the cars being driver ability and a better starting position for the Czech car.

ceanndubhain · 13 Oct 2006, 08:22 (Ref:1736893)

What about Team Ireland??

They finished 8th last year and so far this year have not scored a point with a best finish of 13th place.

The car seems to have no speed and looks like it struggles to keep on the circuit.

I applaud their decision to use young up coming drivers however I do think that they have lost the expertise that Ralph Firman brought to the team especially his ability to set up the car.

They may have won the best presented team in 2005/2006 and may well do so again but as a proud Irish man who loves his motorsport, I do feel a little sad that I am having to look towards the back of the grid for any sight of my team.

Jennifer_ni · 13 Oct 2006, 08:26 (Ref:1736903)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ceanndubhain

I do feel a little sad that I am having to look towards the back of the grid for any sight of my team.

I totally agree, afther having seen Michael do a few demos in the car before the season started i thought he looked quite quick. Let hope thing improve for the next round!

EDA82 · 13 Oct 2006, 17:43 (Ref:1737361)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiwi3

Australia - qualified poorly at Zandvoort, although Briscoe showed his class by getting up to the podium in the feature. Problem 1: getting a good set up in time for qualifying. Then at Brno they were awful all weekend. Problem 2: getting their driver lineup finally sorted. Briscoe is not going to be available for Beijing either due to a Champcar clash, surely Australia can produce someone else capable? I guess being paid to race V8's will always come before paying or earning nothing to drive in A1.

The problem with the Aussie team is not the drivers. In Ryan Briscoe, Australia has one of the best steerers in the world NOT in Formula 1 right now. The problem he's had this year, as I see it, is that he just hasn't been able to settle in anywhere. A few IRL races, a couple of Grand Am, some V8 Supercars, now Champ Car, throw in some F1 testing with Toyota and of course, A1 Grand Prix. It takes time for a driver and team to gel and so far, Briscoe has not had the luxury of that time, in any catgeory he's raced this year.

As for Reindler, I know that at Brno he was complaining of massive understeer. Everything the team tried had little or no effect. Perhaps, and I'm just guessing here, there's some component damage/failure that the team has yet to isolate. Reindler is a good steerer, not in the Briscoe class, but better than his Brno outing suggests. And with Briscoe now on Champ Car duty, it will be interesting to see how Reindler and Team Oz perform given a stable working relationship. I for one hope, he's given more time in the car. Having said that, Alan Jones is not known for his patience and wants results. His biggest appears to be being beaten by the Kiwis and on current form, that's looking pretty likely.

Knowlesy · 14 Oct 2006, 15:31 (Ref:1737830)

It has to be Team Ireland for me. They really should be doing better. Bring back Firman!

SALEEN S7R · 14 Oct 2006, 16:24 (Ref:1737838)

It's got to be Team GB for me, after a great debut season and 3rd overall in the teams standings Team GB are now languishing down in 6th place with a best result this season so far of 5th at Zandvoort in the sprint race. Now whilst 6th place isnt terrible, compared to this time last year it is. IMO. Expectations were high during pre season testing with John Surtee's having a few jibes at Arden's efforts in the 2005 season and promising a better team of people for the 2006 season and progression. So far that definately isnt the case, I said at the time that I thought Team GB should have stuck with Arden or another well established motorsport team.

Still, it is early days for the 2006 season but so far the most dissapointing team for me is Team GB. Hopefully though they can sort things out a little in time for Bejing.

Rizweed · 17 Oct 2006, 04:35 (Ref:1739824)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiwi3

... I won't put Pakistan as most disappointing as nothing can be expected of Nur Ali anyway...

pakistan iz the most disapointing team on the grid... i jsut went to nur alis website n it sez he iz "widely considered the most successful, talented and fastest South Asian Race car driver in the world".

4 such a claim then wat iz he doing at teh bak of the grid?? hes a few secs off the 2nd last team. how coudl the team select such a driver 2 rep the country?!

Doc Hollywood · 17 Oct 2006, 06:30 (Ref:1739843)

Team Ireland

**Stephen Green** · 17 Oct 2006, 08:48 (Ref:1739909)

Rizweed, Please try not to post in 'text speak'.

EvilPumpkin · 17 Oct 2006, 08:57 (Ref:1739920)

Ok Team Ireland haven't done as well as we hoped, but they had a slow start last season as well. Hell, they didn't even finish the 2nd race at the first event at Brands Hatch last year. I still remember the sick feeling in my stomach as I watched Devaney go off

Give them some time - every season has their late bloomers. Michael and John are both very good drivers. If there are problems with the car, they should have been identified now and I'm sure we're going to start seeing a much more competitive Ireland by the time they get to China.

cos · 17 Oct 2006, 09:04 (Ref:1739932)

Why didn't Ireland sign up Paddy Hogan? He seems to be making a good name for himself in FRenault.

Kebab · 17 Oct 2006, 09:29 (Ref:1739952)

Team GB had massive engine problems at the last race so I don't think the last race's performance was a true reflection of their potential. I reckon they'll do far better with time.

Arden were total rubbish and cost GB at least 2 wins last year.

EvilPumpkin · 17 Oct 2006, 09:34 (Ref:1739959)

Quote:

Originally Posted by cos

Why didn't Ireland sign up Paddy Hogan? He seems to be making a good name for himself in FRenault.

I haven't really been following him - what has he got in the way of international racing experience?

Jennifer_ni · 17 Oct 2006, 10:01 (Ref:1739984)

Paddy Hogan tested the car a while ago and i dont think he met the mark dispite what a good driver he is with a bit more experiance i think we could see him up there!

Rizweed · 17 Oct 2006, 10:05 (Ref:1739989)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen Green

Rizweed, Please try not to post in 'text speak'.

sorry. will be carful next time. thanks

gio · 17 Oct 2006, 19:18 (Ref:1740484)

Ireland are by far the biggest disappointment. Devaney is a serious talent and if the team running him would give him a decent car he'd be fighting for wins every weekend. I was at the first round and I saw all the other teams practice pitstops throughout the but not Ireland, they were obviously too good. Come pitstop time what happens? They jam the left rear.

Every time I looked into the garage it was jammed with 'hangers on' and that must affect the teams focus.

I hope they wake up fairly soon and get us some results because they are letting us down big style. As for bringing back Firman? That lad is no more Irish...Come on Mick Devaney!!!

Old Andy · 17 Oct 2006, 20:02 (Ref:1740517)

"Paddy Hogan tested the car a while ago and i dont think he met the mark dispite what a good driver he is with a bit more experiance i think we could see him up there!"

Word is he was very quick indeed, but Ireland insist on drivers bringing sponsorship money, lots of sponsorship money.

I think thats the reason.

nkfan · 18 Oct 2006, 00:29 (Ref:1740744)

for me its Armaan(India). I know he is young, but he had so much experience from last season, still he hasnt improved at all. He is still finishing in the same places he was finishing last year.

gio · 18 Oct 2006, 10:03 (Ref:1740989)

Paddy Hogan is doing a fine job after four years in renault but as I said before Irelands problem ain't the peddlers! John O' Hara has far more experiance and will do an excellent job this year. I'm sure Paddy has other plans for the future anyways.

karting legend · 18 Oct 2006, 12:05 (Ref:1741119)

If it ain't the peddlers what is it that is making go so slow?

gio · 19 Oct 2006, 08:25 (Ref:1741892)

The team!! Although I heard yesterday that there were some serious faults with the chassis so hopefully we'll see Devaney up the sharp end the next day. The team still have some work to do I think.

Kershaw · 19 Oct 2006, 08:35 (Ref:1741898)

Team Ireland too, I also dont believe its Devaney causing the problems. He won in F3 German series so obviously he can drive. Hogan was as quick as Devaney in the car on the same day, Devaney went a tenth quicker the following day when Hogan was not out. He didnt get the drive for reqsons already stated in this thread. OHara is as good as either of them, and once the car and team are sorted I think it will all come good.

strider · 19 Oct 2006, 13:13 (Ref:1742103)

For a number of reasons (and I'm not Irish), I rather like Team Ireland, but I have to say that so far it just hasn't gelled. Even last year I have this image in my mind of Ralph Firman's worried face as he was interviewed and him saying that now the team had done such and such he was sure it would be better.

But it wasn't, and it still isn't. And the trouble is it's a great paint job and you can always pick the car out on the track. But it's not at the sharp end.

gio · 20 Oct 2006, 11:59 (Ref:1743085)

Most of the team members have pretty good CV's and on paper I think they are the best team out there but silly things keep happening. I think the majority of the team have worked for Jordan so gelling shouldn't be a problem. Lazyness maybe.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Most surprising team of first two rounds	Kiwi3	A1GP	9	17 Oct 2006 04:49
Standings after 3 rounds...	Racer_kyle	Predictions Contest & Fun	18	11 Apr 2006 12:54
20 rounds	joey1	Touring Car Racing	7	10 Jul 2003 11:40
Best rounds so far	pb btcc	Touring Car Racing	3	2 Jul 2001 18:47