F1 yearbook driver reviews, how did they get away with it?

luke · 26 Dec 2004, 21:00 (Ref:1188130)

I've been a collector of the yearbook and this year's took me by suprise.

This is their opinon on Da Matta.....

'He didn't look like a grand prix star, he didn't act like one, he didn't drive like one...next.'

I feel this is harsh to say the least, maybe true but still.

Their view on JV....

'Putting Jacques Villenuve in Trulli's car for the last three races was a great Briatore publicity coup, but it served no useful purpose. The Canadian was about as useless as he had been in the B.A.R the previous year, proving yet again that a monkey could have won the title in the 1997 Williams. And wearing a race suit that looks like a baby's romber suit should be classified as a crime by the style police. One can only feel sorry for Peter Sauber who will have the pleasure of JV in 2005.'

Not fair.

Tweed · 26 Dec 2004, 21:05 (Ref:1188131)

Bit harsh on Da Matta, yes, but I smirked at the JV one!

BootsOntheSide · 26 Dec 2004, 21:37 (Ref:1188145)

I think we'd all better duck before our Canadian friends are online - it won't be pretty.

I'd say the words on CdM are quite harsh - he put in some strong races throughout those 2 years in a less-than-competitive car - he certianly looked like he was in the right job while leading from Kimi at Silverstone last year.

As for JV, I don't think he was ever going to shine under the circumstances at Renault, but the jury's still out on whether he has the speed, commitment and motivation to really lead Sauber forward the way Fisichella did this year.

Kicking-back · 26 Dec 2004, 22:43 (Ref:1188165)

These ratings are all about opinions - and generating debate.

They've done that.

Why do people assume every "rating list" should reflect their own views?

ASCII Man · 26 Dec 2004, 23:03 (Ref:1188176)

If they wan't to **** off their readers, then fine.
But otherwise it's just bad publicity, or awful reading, or whatever...

Who did the second one?!
I demand names!!

Hazza · 27 Dec 2004, 00:03 (Ref:1188198)

Yeah I was going to ask, didn't the (ex)Autosport guys (Roebuck, Saward etc) used to do them? Or isn't this Autocourse?

Dixie Flatline · 27 Dec 2004, 04:42 (Ref:1188240)

They've interviewed Villeneuve in the latest edition of F1 Racing, and he said that Peter Sauber showed him respect, which was a motivating reason why Villeneuve signed with Sauber - apparently Williams never returned calls, and the BAR approach fizzled out.

It seems like some members of the journalistic fraternity don't always show respect to Villeneuve either. It's fair cop to say what you think about Villeneuve's performance in Renault this year, but Villeneuve has worn baggy race suits every since he began Formula One and before that, so it's not like it's news that should be attacked the way it did. And as for the comment that a "monkey could have won the title in 1997" in the Williams - I tend to think that HHF was better than a "monkey" and he did not ever make the same use of his Williams equipment as JV did.

Kicking-back · 27 Dec 2004, 08:51 (Ref:1188275)

This isn't Autocourse - I think it's a "Formula One Yearbook" which is inferior to the real thing!

luke · 27 Dec 2004, 11:45 (Ref:1188351)

It's the Formula 1 yearbook 2004-2005. It's written by all sorts of nationalities.

luke · 27 Dec 2004, 11:51 (Ref:1188357)

Nigel Roebuck from Autosport did part of it, not sure which parts. Also Anno Hecker, Paolo Ciccarone, Stephanie Morin, Kunio Shibata, Jacques Vassal.

Mr V · 27 Dec 2004, 11:56 (Ref:1188365)

These people are entitled to their opinions, just as we are, the only difference, they get paid for it, we don't

luke · 27 Dec 2004, 12:00 (Ref:1188366)

Yes and I respect that, but they haven't respected the drivers, they haven't taken into a count that Jacques hadn't raced for 12 months, he wasn't 100% fit, he wasn't familiar with the car.
At least with Autocourse they take into acount things similar to this, hence the top ten drivers.

Pondo · 27 Dec 2004, 12:15 (Ref:1188374)

"...The Canadian was about as useless as he had been in the B.A.R the previous year, proving yet again that a monkey could have won the title in the 1997 Williams..." I'd be really unhappy if I read stuff like that in a year book I'd bought.

Unless it was The Sun's annual F1 review.

RWC · 27 Dec 2004, 14:09 (Ref:1188424)

Not nessesarily dissagreeing with what's been said but there really are some opinionated idiotic sh*t-for-brains writers in f1

Kicking-back · 27 Dec 2004, 14:37 (Ref:1188432)

True, but it's their book.

If you don't like it, don't buy it.

Silk Cut Jaguar · 27 Dec 2004, 15:13 (Ref:1188444)

Who reads a book to see if they like it before they buy it though?

Either way you look at it those comments were written by somebody with an axe to grind, surely a year book should at least try to look at the season vaugely objectively?

Kicking-back · 27 Dec 2004, 15:21 (Ref:1188445)

Where would be the fun in that?

luke · 27 Dec 2004, 15:36 (Ref:1188450)

The only reason why I received it was because it was a Christmas present and it's usably good.
Cheap compared to the Autocourse yearbook.

Irv the Swerve · 27 Dec 2004, 18:44 (Ref:1188521)

It's usually a fairly comprehensive book that, with great photos, good technical information and some of the sports top writers. Not got this year's yet, but it certainly sounds like standards have slipped. The Villeneueve quote could have been written by my three year old nephew. I've no problem with someone having a point of view, but let's get it across with a bit of intelligence and reason shall we.

luke · 27 Dec 2004, 18:47 (Ref:1188523)

I've also noticed that the driver signs underneath, the quote. If I was Cristi, or Jaques, I would refuse to.

Redlake27 · 27 Dec 2004, 18:53 (Ref:1188525)

I would like to read opinionated stuff from journos. Their job is to take driver and team PR and cut through to the facts - as they see them.

These quotes seem fair. However, JV battling with the tailenders in a front running car doesn't need adornment or embellishment from any journalist. We could all see he was useless.

Irv the Swerve · 27 Dec 2004, 19:06 (Ref:1188530)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redlake27

I would like to read opinionated stuff from journos.

So would I.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redlake27

Their job is to take driver and team PR and cut through to the facts - as they see them.

These quotes seem fair.

Would you say that a monkey being able to win the Formula One World Championship was a fact? Even in the '97 Williams?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redlake27

However, JV battling with the tailenders in a front running car doesn't need adornment or embellishment from any journalist. We could all see he was useless.

Agreed.

luke · 27 Dec 2004, 19:15 (Ref:1188533)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redlake27

We could all see he was useless.

But they haven't taken things into acount,
respect for the champion?''

No.

I've learnt someting very important for my GCSE coursework, for every point you make give a reason.

Tweed · 27 Dec 2004, 19:16 (Ref:1188534)

Those yearbooks come off a lot worse than they are intended to sometimes, mainly because all the 'foreign' writers' contributions are poorly translated into English.
Good pictures though!

luke · 27 Dec 2004, 19:18 (Ref:1188535)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tweed

Those yearbooks come off a lot worse than they are intended to sometimes, mainly because all the 'foreign' writers' contributions are poorly translated into English.
Good pictures though!

Yeah! for every paragraph, there's a French or Italian word that's snuck in.

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