Team GB - Who should drive? - Page 7

duke_toaster · 25 Jan 2007, 18:37 (Ref:1825871)

I think they should get Dario Francitti (sp) in. What exactly is he going to be doing in 07 (I think he isn't in North America any more).

Knowlesy · 25 Jan 2007, 18:48 (Ref:1825880)

He is signed to do IRL again I think. As well as some ALMS races.

Mystery · 25 Jan 2007, 22:35 (Ref:1826047)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

It's a big ask for Team GBR to make an imaginative choice though, is it not?

Why take risks when you can settle for the lower steps on the podium occasionally, combined with a sprinkling of fourth, fifth and sixth?

They will just go backwards, but never mind. Nobody cares anymore.

Isn't that a bit harsh?? I wouldn't say nobody cares. A1GP certainly has a publicity problem in the UK but so does F3, WSR and even the likes of NASCAR.

Although it would be nice if the team themselves looked like they care.....

Kebab · 26 Jan 2007, 10:14 (Ref:1826275)

A team is a complicated beast - we can only guess what's happening on the inside that may be causing the problems.

I agree to go to a new race track with no rookie seems idiotic in the extreme - would have just required a tiny amount of effort to find someone new.

Hopefully a good result in Oz will cheer us all up!

Knowlesy · 26 Jan 2007, 13:16 (Ref:1826469)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mystery

Isn't that a bit harsh?? I wouldn't say nobody cares. A1GP certainly has a publicity problem in the UK but so does F3, WSR and even the likes of NASCAR.

Although it would be nice if the team themselves looked like they care.....

No, I just don't think anyone cares about how well Team GBR do.

I certainly care about A1 GP itself! It's great!

Raz0rRacing · 26 Jan 2007, 14:51 (Ref:1826542)

Manning and/or Jarvis

Kerr thrashes the s*** out of that car, probably why is blows up so much

Sid The Manager · 26 Jan 2007, 14:57 (Ref:1826546)

fault was reported to be battery related, as far as i know the gb car has never had an engine failure, so I don't really understand that last comment.

Kiwi3 · 28 Jan 2007, 05:46 (Ref:1827599)

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought the team's plan was to have Jarvis in the car for the whole weekend but they found out quite late for whatever reason that he wasn't going to be available. You cannot fly someone out from the UK to NZ and expect them to get over the jetlag at very short notice.

jackaroo · 28 Jan 2007, 07:19 (Ref:1827611)

It would be good to see how Ben Clucas would go in an A1 car on the Friday practice. He has experience on the Eastern Creek circuit, with a couple of F3 wins there. He has always been hightly rated in the UK and I beleive he is still in the area as he race in NZ last week.

nev · 28 Jan 2007, 11:25 (Ref:1827701)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiwi3

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought the team's plan was to have Jarvis in the car for the whole weekend but they found out quite late for whatever reason that he wasn't going to be available.

IMO
when Jarvis found out that he ws only going to be the friday driver again he threw his dummy out of the pram to drop team GBR in it !!
He said it was because he was testing the toms F3 car but tere is no way you would give up a drive for your country for a test in an F3 car especially after youve been harping on about how much driving for your country means to you. I would put another rookie in just to show your not being held at gunpoint by some kid. again only IMO

outflat · 28 Jan 2007, 12:19 (Ref:1827740)

Quote:

Originally Posted by nev

IMO
when Jarvis found out that he ws only going to be the friday driver again he threw his dummy out of the pram to drop team GBR in it !!
He said it was because he was testing the toms F3 car but tere is no way you would give up a drive for your country for a test in an F3 car especially after youve been harping on about how much driving for your country means to you. I would put another rookie in just to show your not being held at gunpoint by some kid. again only IMO

Both Jarvis and A1GBR have said he was down to do the whole weekend.

Given his main focus this year is his race seat with TOMS in Japanese F3 I can fully understand why he had to make the decision he did.

It also meant Kerr got to race at an event he wasn't scheduled for.

Last2LiftOff · 28 Jan 2007, 12:33 (Ref:1827752)

Some comments from Kerr on Taupo:

http://www.a1gp.com/News/NewsArticle...ookieSupport=1

Quote:

Originally Posted by bella

i think it's not as much that kerr should have "blitzed" the world series field, but he should have at least beat sean mcintosh...

At the very least Bella?

strider · 28 Jan 2007, 18:48 (Ref:1828015)

I'd like to mention that Team GBR reject Darren Manning has, with his co-drivers, just finished 2nd in the Rolex Daytona 24 Hours. Anyone else remember him?

Oh, and the race winner, along with JPM and others, was Team Mexico's Salvador Durán.

nev · 28 Jan 2007, 19:13 (Ref:1828025)

Quote:

Originally Posted by outflat

It also meant Kerr got to race at an event he wasn't scheduled for.

And so for Kerr to step up to the challenge when he wasn't expecting shows comitment !! i agree with you totally

I dont think Robbie should be slammed for being in A1gp representing GBR, its not his fault they pick him over oher drivers. If you think he is the wrong driver your opinions should be pointed towards the teams bad decisions.
If the team asked me to drive i would jump at the chance, id be rubbish but id love to do it and if i failed who's fault is it, mine or the team for picking me.

lovebritF3 · 28 Jan 2007, 20:58 (Ref:1828082)

priaulx would be dream driver - but cant see him doing it, hes got to be looking up!

kerr is only man for the job at the moment, great driver just need right support, is he getting it? was awesome in BF3 but never had the budgjet untill A1 came along

nev · 28 Jan 2007, 21:52 (Ref:1828146)

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovebritF3

priaulx would be dream driver - but cant see him doing it, hes got to be looking up!

kerr is only man for the job at the moment, great driver just need right support, is he getting it? was awesome in BF3 but never had the budgjet untill A1 came along

Didn't have the budjet in F3 eiher but had the support from people like Alan Docking who believed Robbie could win him the championship

Kebab · 29 Jan 2007, 07:54 (Ref:1828325)

Its a pity Kerr is getting heat here like he's a bad guy or the reason for batteries exploding - he's doing his best with what he is given and I'm sure he wishes he was in a NZ or German car!

But he isn't so I personally think the best we can expect from him is to come 3rd in the championship unless those other two have problems. Look at SUI - 2nd last year currently in 8th!

I very much doubt even someone like Schumacher could make the GBR car go faster than NZ or Ger - they're in a class of their own. Just like France and SUI last year.

Kiwi3 · 29 Jan 2007, 10:32 (Ref:1828431)

As much as I would like A1GP to be secondary to only F1, in reality I can understand why Jarvis would prioritise a TOMS F3 test. They are heavily backed by Toyota, and if you do well for TOMS you have a very good change of being backed by the world's largest car company as a well paid racing driver for possibly years to come. A1GP cannot compete with that yet.

strider · 29 Jan 2007, 14:31 (Ref:1828608)

People are making this much more complicated than it really is.

Jarvis's deal with Team GBR is that he will test and/or race when he can. He has signed a contract with TOM's in Japan to race there this season, so of course that has priority.

It's a shame that the first test in Japan ruled him out of Taupo because he was indeed down to do the whole meeting, but that's the way it goes sometimes. It wasn't a last-minute decision either. The team had plenty of time to nominate an alternative if they'd had the gumption.

Jarvis will be back doing rookie duties in Eastern Creek and, who knows, he may get a proper crack at a race meeting before the end of the season.

In the meantime, Kerr is the contracted driver and will continue to drive. Nothing like as well as Michael Schumacher, though.

Sev · 31 Jan 2007, 16:47 (Ref:1830380)

Is there any reason Mike Conway's never been mentioned in connection with the seat?

Clearly fast (Winning Macau and BF3); almost certainly faster than Kerr. More experienced in high power cars than Jarvis...

The only thing I'm not sure of is whether _he_ would have anything to gain from it.

So, any thoughts?

foreversideways · 31 Jan 2007, 16:55 (Ref:1830384)

I have said all along that team GB should follow the French route and rotate their drivers. The format gives a team the ideal opportunity to do this.

strider · 31 Jan 2007, 17:30 (Ref:1830420)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sev

Is there any reason Mike Conway's never been mentioned in connection with the seat?

Clearly fast (Winning Macau and BF3); almost certainly faster than Kerr. More experienced in high power cars than Jarvis...

The only thing I'm not sure of is whether _he_ would have anything to gain from it.

So, any thoughts?

See my post #148 a couple of pages back.

I don't see why Mike could not have done Taupo when Oli became unavailable, maybe even Eastern Creek as well, but it's too late now. He'll be into GP2 testing soon.

ISPL · 2 Feb 2007, 13:27 (Ref:1831865)

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider

Jarvis's deal with Team GBR is that he will test and/or race when he can. He has signed a contract with TOM's in Japan to race there this season, so of course that has priority.

Jarvis will be back doing rookie duties in Eastern Creek and, who knows, he may get a proper crack at a race meeting before the end of the season.

If team GBR is second choice I'd rather he didn't bother. At least then we could give commited rookie a chance for the remainder of the season.

It makes no sense at all to go to meets with no rookie at all. The team need to see someone else in the car to give them (and us) a proper marker agianst which to judge Kerr's performance. If the rookie is quicker then I don't think Kerr, team GBR or anyone else can complain if they get the race seat.

The problem is that without a commited second driver it is impssible to know whether performance is a driver or team issue. There is no point jumping out of the frying pan into the fire by changing lead driver mid-season unless you have a rookie who has proved he is quicker. I am sure that if the team thought Jarvis was quicker than Kerr that change would have been made already.

strider · 2 Feb 2007, 18:24 (Ref:1832082)

I don't think you and I are ever going to agree about this, ISPL, but I'll give it one last shot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ISPL

If team GBR is second choice I'd rather he didn't bother. At least then we could give commited rookie a chance for the remainder of the season.

Okay, that's your view, but the present arrangement is what Team GBR and Jarvis agreed and their opinions count for more than yours. Sorry. Anway, with a new season fast approaching, who is going to forget about that and just be an A1GP rookie driver?

Quote:

It makes no sense at all to go to meets with no rookie at all.

As previously mentioned my me and others, there were alternatives for Taupo, but Team GBR chose not to explore the possibility. Their decision.

Quote:

The team need to see someone else in the car to give them (and us) a proper marker agianst which to judge Kerr's performance. If the rookie is quicker then I don't think Kerr, team GBR or anyone else can complain if they get the race seat.

Not necessarily. Team NZ didn't have a rookie out this morning, but were still fastest in the afternoon session. They are simply doing a better job.

For what it's worth, Jarvis was 9th quickest this morning and Kerr only 13th in the afternoon, but the weather conditions were different. Do I think Jarvis should drive for the rest of the weekend? No, not unless the conditions are going to the same as he had to deal with in the rookie sessions.

Be realistic. Normally the track conditions for the rookie sessions will always be worse than later in the day. The track will be dirty and the rookie driver has to help achieve a decent set-up for the weekend, as well as doing housekeeping duties like bedding in new brakes or a new engine. If Jarvis were to be quicker in that session than Kerr later in the day, both in dry conditions, it would be astonishing.

Quote:

The problem is that without a commited second driver it is impssible to know whether performance is a driver or team issue. There is no point jumping out of the frying pan into the fire by changing lead driver mid-season unless you have a rookie who has proved he is quicker. I am sure that if the team thought Jarvis was quicker than Kerr that change would have been made already.

It's hardly mid-season. There are only four rounds to go. Most of the other drivers out there have drives lined up for the season proper, including Hulkenberg, and no-one questioning his commitment! It doesn't look as though Kerr is going back to the WSR, so I guess he's become a career A1GP driver.

The bottom line is that A1GP is great fun and very entertaining for the winter months, it's not a major career move. Sure, it can give a driver a push up the ladder if he does particularly well, but that's all.

Last2LiftOff · 3 Feb 2007, 13:37 (Ref:1832552)

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider

It doesn't look as though Kerr is going back to the WSR, so I guess he's become a career A1GP driver.

Nothin' to write home about huh Strider?

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