Autosport Porsche Young Driver Farce!

[Andy Roberts]

Autosport, January 13th 2005, Page 135
"with the emphasis on younger drivers currently struggling to find funding to showcase their talents"

This is how I along with every other Autosport reader read the article about Autosport backing the Porsche GB guest car in 2005. Finally I thought, a real chance for some drivers like myself who struggle for years on end just to make it out on the grid in anything you can muster the money together for, to show what your really capable off.

I voted for several friends in the same position as me so it was a bit of a shock when the first driver was an ex McLaren Autosport Award finalist. Fair enough Dan Eagling wasn't currently racing though lack of funds and I don't think he is now but upon reading Autosport today I am totally shocked that Autosport have given the next drive to Susie Stoddard!

I've met Susie a few times and she is a lovely girl, but hold on, isn't she currently racing in British Formula 3? I thought the emphasis was on drivers struggling to find funds, yet here Autosport have managed to pick a driver who is racing in a championship where drivers regularly pay in excess of £250k per season! No disrespect to Susie on this but how can you pick a driver who has raced continually for the past 4-5 seasons in top line championships like Formula Renault UK, Formula Ford, currently Formula 3 and who was twice an Autosport Award finalist as "struggling to find funding". I know how hard it is to raise funding as I've been trying to do it for the past 8 seasons and the only way I could continue my racing was to get a 2nd job and save every penny I had to go racing. Even with this 2nd job I've still not raced solidly for 2 years now, unlike people like this.

I'm not angry, just disappointed that Autosport could actually do something like this. I'm sure Susie will "struggle" along in F3 for the rest of season and I wish her well, and I'm sure many more drivers out there who didn't get the chance, to continue on in there 2nd jobs just hoping they can get that extra bit of cash to go racing, whenever that next may be.

Shame on you Autosport.

[Russfeld]

And with her ankle problems, is it really responsible of Autosport and Porsche to risk further injury?

[sceptic]

I don't think there was ever any doubt that the drivers selected by Autosport would be those who were already rated highly by Autosport, and who had already achieved something significant.

I believe that they have already decided the drivers for the full season, although I haven't seen the list.

[Kicking-back]

Originally Posted by Russfeld

And with her ankle problems, is it really responsible of Autosport and Porsche to risk further injury?

She says the injury is manageable in a car like a Porsche, but would be bashed around too much in a single seater.

Which may or may not be true

[No 4]

"with the emphasis on younger drivers currently struggling to find funding to showcase their talents"

Andy has got it totally right. There are loads of young drivers out there, e.g. Mike Spencer and Ben Clucas, who have proven talent, but who are not currently racing due to lack of funds.

In this context, Susie very definitely does not qualify as 'a young driver struggling to find the funding to showcase their (her) talents'. Therefore, what we need is a representative of Autosport to come on here justify/defend the magazines choice of her and indeed their selection policy/criteria in general. However, don't hold your breath, as I think there's as much chance of that as Plato and Muller becoming bosom pals!!!

[Craner Curves]

There's a pattern isn't there. Herself and Dan Eagling were Autosport finalists and then there's Gordon Shedden who they've given some backing to over the past couple of seasons. I did see a list of the guest drivers for every meeting this year, but god knows where I saw it. Can't remember.

[Ian Sowman]

Hillclimb star Adam Fleetwood and ex-Formula Vee champion Jeremy Clark are also due out.

[Kicking-back]

Autosport are paying the bills and can do as they please, of course.

[No 4]

Exactly. Money talks in the rest of motorsport, so why should Autosport be any different! However, why couldn't they have been upfront about this, instead of putting out claims that were open to misinterpretation, in that most people took the "with the emphasis on younger drivers currently struggling to find funding to showcase their talents" wording, to mean drivers who had real ability, but who didn't have family or corporate money to take them onto the next stage of their careers.

[Kicking-back]

Well, for those who don't believe she's injured, Susie is a driver who's struggling to find funding

[Jamie P-E]

i know for a fact she is injured

[Craner Curves]

Good for you.

[Fiorentina 1]

You know when someone does these kind of deals, there will always be people that are angry at the outcome. If she is indeed racing full time, then it does suck that Autosport picked her if their objective was to find someone not racing. I don't know the whole scope of things, but from what Andy says it sucks. Personally, I would have picked Jonathan Cocker. I tried to get him to race at the Daytona 24 hours with a team I was working for, but I couldn't juggle the budget to fit him in. Hopefully next year. I understand he is racing in Asia, but not what he should be racing. Anyways, Autosport knows that susie Stoddard generates interest, so this is the reason they picked her. It might be the fact that one of Autosport's advertisers is paying for this deal and they wanted a marketable driver as well. It does suck that there are so many capable British drivers out there with no ride. I read last weeks Autosport and couldn't believe the quality guys sitting on the sidelines.

[keithc]

Autosport are a bunch of wasters anyway !

[racingdad]

Originally Posted by Fiorentina 1

Personally, I would have picked Jonathan Cocker. I tried to get him to race at the Daytona 24 hours with a team I was working for, but I couldn't juggle the budget to fit him in.

James Cocker hardly qualifies as a struggling driver - someone spent a lot of money last year taking an unknown and untested driver, putting him in the best team with one of the best professional GT drivers - that was not cheap.

[Kicking-back]

Autosport printed Andy's letter.