DC's real life

[chow wei hsien]

I have seen different F1 forums. and its all basically the same thing going on. Schumi fans against anti-Schumis.

but what really stood out is, I never seem to find any DC fans..... that is a real poor guy. what he gets in every forum is criticism of how stupid he is.

I dunno whether this things happen in that DC's real life. I mean, the other team's mechanic's, bosses, and whoever in the paddock, I got a feeling these people in the paddock always say things behind his back and laugh at him, like the guys in the forum do.

we know that MS and Mika will never ever change team in their carreer, how about that DC?

[CATMAN]

As one that has met David a number of times and spoken to the guy. I have to say I find him charming and intelligent, dedicated to his racing and with great focus. As he has shown on the track he is not a guy to be pushed around.
I believe that whilst he remains at McL he should be a number 2 driver as long as Mika gives good results. If it had been a clear 1 2 team Mika would have right fully been champion instead of McLaren bowing to the needs of F1. David is in a difficult position, so near the top but so far from the WDC, a good move for him could have been Williams if it continues to catch the Silvers and Reds. But that is out if Montoya performs and Jenson comes good in a year or two. When Mika takes the championship next year, maybe he will retire on a high and let David take over!

[White Van Man]

With the Stewart connection, I always thought he was lined up for a seat at Jaguar at the end of next season. But who knows how the departure of Jackie and Paul will affect this ?

If he did go there, it would likely coincide with the time that the team started to perform, and they would drag each other to the front of the field.

[Valve Bounce]

David has an inflated idea of his own ability. There are not that many races that he won without having inherited the race through someone else's misfortune. For DC to win the WDC next year, there would have to be incredible bad luck to befall both Mika and TGF. And in the unlikely even that Mika retires and McLaren hires Bunsen, by then Bunsen would beat DC regularly. I am not going to insult the guy and hypothesize about people laughing behind his back; that is just silly talk. Right now, I consider that both Mika and TGF are more capable, and so is Jacques. If Honda and BMW get their act together next year, DC would be pushing it to make the top 4 in the WDC.

[EERO]

Chow, count me as a fan. DC is still young and has won eight races, before his 100th GP more than any other current driver other than TGF by HIS 100th GP.
Monza in '97 was a brilliant win, even if it occured to Alesi's disadvantage. His drive in France this past season was magnificant.
For now, Hakkinen is faster, though not by much. I remain convinced that DC's day is yet to come. Perhaps he isn't a great, but he is a very good driver.

[Katherine]

Originally posted by EERO
DC is still young and has won eight races, before his 100th GP more than any other current driver other than TGF by HIS 100th GP.

I'm new here, who is TGF? What does it stand for? Many apologies for my ignorance!

[LYM]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Katherine

I'm new here, who is TGF? What does it stand for? Many apologies for my ignorance!

Here I go again...

TGF=That German Fellow=Michael Schumacher
TYGF=That Younger German Fellow=Ralf Schumacher
TOGF=That Older German Fellow=HHFrentzen
TBGY=That Baby German Fellow=Micky Schumacher.

So far only TGF os officially recognised here.

I find DC unlucky. McLaren does not have a distinctive no 1 driver like what BAR, Ferrari and BMW(first half of this season) have. He was sandwiched by both the external and internal competitors.

Anyone who has finished inside top 5 for so many seasons should try and have a go at the WDC so I don't know why some of you find him unrealistic. Wot's the point of racing if you are not aiming for victories?

[Liz]

Frenzy is usually called Frenzy except sometimes TOGF "That Other German Fellow" and Ralfie is called Ralfie or TGFLB "That German Fellow's Little Brother."

Not disrespectful, just shorter than typing all those letters for each name.

DC was very nice at the Champ Car race in Fontana and said he and Gil are good friends so I have nothing bad to say about him. His day will come.

[Jay]

I have always like DC, and thought that he is treated unfairly by the press, and various forums, including this one. He is a top driver, and had his car been more reliable in 1999, there would have been quite a battle between him and MH at the end of the year.

DC seems like a guy that can never get a break. If he wins, people say that it is all because of the car. If his car breaks or he spins people say that he is a horrible driver and shouldn't be in F1.

He has pushed TGF to the limits, and even given his teammate a run at his money, yet he is still treated as if he doesn't deserve his seat.

Anyway, count me in as a DC fan!

[Marshal]

I like DC and think he's a good chap, but he's not better than middle of the 2nd division in driving terms. Now people with an equivalent level of talent have won WDC's, but the luck will have to go his way. I thought the way he came back after his dreadful plane crash earlier in the year might spur him on to greater thing, but he seemed to slide backwards againafter a while. Personally I think Rubens is better.

[chow wei hsien]

oh dear,......i have just found a number of DC fans, EERO and JAy.

sorry Marshal, i don't agree that Rubens is better.
I have never seen Rubens troubling Mika and Michael before, in fact, very rarely is DC troubled by Rubens.

DC has got the ......balls and "not afraid of Michael" attitude when he is in wheel to wheel racing with Michael, never seen such stuff from Rubens. but i bet DC must have seen a psychologist a thousand of times more than Rubens!!!

but DC is inconsistent in his driving and the things he say to the press!!

[Gt_R]

i agree with chow...

DC is a good driver in his own rights... i was watching the Canada GP, Aust GP and Nurb GP 2000

And at times, DC is right up there with the 2 leading drivers Mika and Michael, but sometimes, he falls far too back. What hurt him most is his consistency, and he has admitted it himself too.

I admit, DC IS better than RUBENS. Maybe Pedro de la Rosa can drive a Ferrari No. 2 someday!~

IF he can pull up his socks, perhaps he would be good enough to lead the Mclaren team after Mika's retirement (which would not be too far away!)

[Marshal]

Gt_R and Chow, I'd agree with you based on this years performances, I was basing the opinion on seeing them race against each other directly in junior formulae, and previous seasons F1.

I think Rubens does have more latent talent, but DC is, on occasion, better at making full use of what he has.

[Billy_Hunt]

I wouldnt call my self a DC fan but I do think he is a good driver and does get too much criticism in the press and in this forum .
You DC fans where were you when This thread was going ? I even appealed for some DC fans to come forward.

[Carla O]

I'm a DC fan as well!

[LYM]

Originally posted by Billy_Hunt
You DC fans where were you when This thread was going ? I even appealed for some DC fans to come forward.

Billy if you beg me I will be a 10-Tenth DC fan. I hope you understand it takes one enormous courage to attempts forum suicides...

[chow wei hsien]

hey MARSHAL......I didn't know that Rubens and DC did race against each other in junior formulas.. which formula is that by the way?? Formula 3 or 3000 or the British Championship???

marshal, you reminded me of the previous seasons, yeah, maybe you might be right, in 1999, I always thought that Rubens performs better than DC when he is driving that not so competitive Stewart. The particular performance of Rubens in 1999 that really attracts my attention was in Austria, when DC screw up big tme, and Rubens was well within sight of the leader (DC) until his car blew up.
Another one of those good Rubens drive in 1999 was Hockeinheim, whereby Rubens was on maybe , 2 stops strategy, but he did really look amazing when he overtook a few cars and getting very close to the leaders and his car let him down again. another of such performance is 1999 Magny COur.In Hockeinheim 1999, DC does his typical stupid mistakes again, tried to overtake Salo and couldn't make it, and broke something in the front wing, second stupid attempt of overtaking was on Olivier Panis, DC cut way inside the kerb ..on the grass to overtake Panis, and got himself a 10 sec penalty, yeah, Rubens' performance in Hockeinheim did make DC look like a fool.






an interesting thing raised by marshal,..
quote-"Gt_R and Chow, I'd agree with you based on this years performances, I was basing the opinion on seeing them race against each other directly in junior formulae,"

hmmm..... you can compare this case to the comparison between Michael Schumacher and Heinz Herald Frentzen in the Mercedes Sports Car whereby some people reckon that HHF was faster than MS during those days, but look at MS now and HHF.
maybe in the lower formulaes, some drivers aren't really fully developed yet, ad when they reach the top formula, they just got their breakthrough and developed more than those guys who are supposed to be faster than them in lower formula


I would put the careers of the drivers from lower formula to the top formula as er.......equivalent to us in real lives.

some of us are very smart and thought to be intelligent during our secondary or primary education, while some of our friends who aren't so smart in primary education become top university students while we struggle to get good grades in university.

[Marshal]

Good point Chow, the real question is, do we think that Schuey and DC have improved a lot since they've reached F1, or is it that Frenzy and Rubens haven't yet managed to make the best of the talent they have. You'd have to say looking back at '99, in many Frenzy was the years outstanding driver. Hmm.

As for when they raced together, Rubens beat DC to the 1991 British F3 Championship. Rubens season consisted of getting poles, fluffing the starts, then fighting back through the field. DC wasn't as quick in qualifying, made fantastic starts, and held on for quite a few wins. Obviously that's a bit of a generalisation but what can you do describing a season in 2 lines. I think they both raced F3000 in '92 as well, and again Rubens finished ahead of DC over the season (I think).

One of the things that always impressed me about Rubens in junior formulae was his ability to overtake. I remember one particularly outstanding move round the outside of the 2nd part of Becketts, for position in an F3000 race. Magic.

[Peter Mallett]

I think that DC is a constant under-achiever. He was in the Williams and never made the best use of it. He got to Macaroon and as a proven winner, he was forced to allow Mika to win the 97 Jerez GP. If I were DC that would have been my last race for Macaroon. I would never have allowed Mika though. Then at Melbourne 98 he did it again!!

Its all very well being a gentleman but you also need to be a businessman.

He's a good racer but sadly I've never rated him because of those traits.

[chow wei hsien]

I would like to say that DC is someone who is always having trouble with his own needs and also his need to be mister nice guy or someone with intergrity or whatever.I think he has pyschological troubles in terms of his approach to racing. i have seen the "no more MR. Nice Guy" article about DC, which means that he does care about what the press say about him. He wouldn't have talked about ' no more mr. nice guy' if he doesn't care about what is said about him. Being someone who cares about what the press say about him makes his life worse. But sometimes, I think it does help DC when he listens to the criticism of the press. I said this becoz, I noticed that lately, 1999 & 2000, DC had been very aggressive when racing wheel to wheel with MS. I am sure DC psyche himself up to show that he is not afraid of MS, thus results in the aggressive battle with MS. DC surely tells himself he needs to do that to avoid getting criticism from the press, which will say DC lose out in the pyschological battle with MS. Proof of DC's hard driving when racing with MS:
the overtaking manouvre in Sepang 99, the middle finger in France 00(though in his attempt of psychological battle, he overdid it and overreacted here), the chop infront of Schumi in Hockeinheim00.

Other than that, DC's care about what the press say about him has done him more harm than good.


i think he really got the tag "Mr. Nice Guy" because of 1997 Jerez and 1998 Melbourne coz he sacrificed his own race wins for the sake of Mika, or rather just to please his boss, Ron Dennis the JERK. Besides, he talks more nice things before 1998 than stupid things, of which we only hear from him these days.

Whatever it is, the press has considerable amount of influence in DC. the fact that he isn't as good as mika and michael makes his life hard as the press always label him as the Third driver, in this case he can't do anything about it coz he is not as good as the top two.

[chow wei hsien]

hey marshal.....maybe, i just say maybe, Rubens' performance looked like short of expectation becoz he is Michael's team mate.

er.....i wouldn't say that DC improved alot(or rather no improvement at all) since his arrival in F1 despite his claims that he is getting better and better. He has been quick but inconsistent since his first year in F1, and it has been the same. I would say that this year, he might have improved a little bit compared to the previous years.

MS' approach to racing is the best, thats why he can bring himself to the current level. He had looked very promising in his very first day of F1, and along the way, there has never been any doubt about his future. I think it is MS' methodological approach and his very calculative manner that help get the best of himself so quickly + that great natural talent.

the only moment when there are doubts about MS is after the Silverstone accident, but he answered that doubt perfectly with the drive in Sepang 99. There were doubts in year 2000 as well, after Mika beat him in Spa and Hungarory, and again MS answered that with 4 wins in a row + the title.

[Gt_R]

While Hungary is a mystery as to why the gap is so huge, at Spa, the overtaking move is only possible as Michael's car is suffering heavily from worn tires and little fuel~

In fact, Spa showed why he is better than the rest. His thinking actions of cooling down the tires and slow the rate of wear by driving on the wet patches shows his intelligence!

:P

[EERO]

Originally posted by Billy_Hunt
I wouldnt call my self a DC fan but I do think he is a good driver and does get too much criticism in the press and in this forum .
You DC fans where were you when This thread was going ? I even appealed for some DC fans to come forward.

Billy, I was over here