Ant on Justin and Ralph

[Valve Bounce]

I report this from F1-Live:
“Justin and Ralph will be ill prepared and will be blown away by their teammates. Justin's partner Jos Verstappen has plenty of experience and, by the third race, I'm sure Justin will be p***** off, while Ralph is up against Giancarlo Fisichella, who is blindingly fast. F1 is a high-profile sport so why should you have to pay or do it for nothing? I honestly feel it's unfair some drivers have to bring money to a team. I don't believe it's good for the sport because I thought the whole purpose was to get the best drivers in the world. Another Alex Yoong on the grid or some inexperienced Yank getting a drive just because they have the cash is not going to set the sport alight. I feel Justin and Ralph have been blinded by the magic of F1 because what are they going to prove behind the wheel of a Minardi or Jordan?"

There's more at F1-Live.

[av8rirl]

I like AD, but what did he "prove behind the wheel of a Minardi"?

It seems that AD is getting a bit p1ssed off himself. Slagging of other drivers and now teams won't help.

[DavidStHubbins]

I wouldnt rate Davidson any higher than Ralph or Justin anyway. He is very good but not a Hakkinen, Schuey etc. Obviously he is getting frustrated and "mouthing off"! Good way to get ahead. We are always hearing how Ant and Jense were "bitter rivals" since karting... Who cares? Button has been shown to be nothing special in F1 so how good is Davidson? Handbags.

[JR Ewing]

'sad' 'immature' 'poorly thought out'

[sonic]

It sounds a bit like sour grapes but unfortunatley he is right. Ralph and Wilson will get blown away by their team mates. Something that can't be said about AD in the Minardi.

Its also worth Noting the source of this 'exclusive'- yes - The Sun. Not excactly reknowned for the accuracy of their journalism!

Nevertheless it raises a valid point- F1 is a multi million pound show, yet we expect professionals who have paid for and competed for over a decade to get where they are, to continue paying when they reach the top!

Can you Imagine that in any other serious sport - premiership football, world cricket, Baseball, basketball, Ice hockey, where the top-line athletes have to pay to play!

[Glen]

Ant was comprehensively shown-up by Mark Webber - he might have qualified close but to fail to finish was an opportunity squandered. I wish both the new guys well - lets give them a chance... Ant's already had his chance and failed to take it.

[JR Ewing]

If I was an F1 team boss I'd take Firman or Wilson over Davidson anyway, although I think AD has long-term potential.
He's only done two years of car racing, Fford and F3, and he needs MORE experience...

[Lee Janotta]

He had two races and was on pace in both Glen!

It's a hell of a lot easier to teach a fast guy to finish races, than to teach an unimpressive driver to be fast!

Why would _anyone_ hire Firman? He may turn out to be good, but at this point, he's got a rather unimpressive record, and didn't exactly set the world alight in JGTC!

[Speeddemon555]

From Autosport website:

Anthony Davidson who drove for Minardi last year critcizing Justin Wilson and Ralph Firman for paying their respective rides into F1. I guess Davidson is jealous of not getting a ride this year.

[Glen]

Try this

threads merged, so that is now a link to this thread!

[Glen]

On pace counts for nothing if you don't complete the race. Spinning off through your own fault in the race is only one degree better than failing to qualify at all.

Firman (and Wilson) may yet prove to be just as bad, if not worse - but I'm preapred to give them both a couple of races to see the evidence.

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by Valve Bounce
I report this from F1-Live:
Another Alex Yoong on the grid or some inexperienced Yank getting a drive just because they have the cash is not going to set the sport alight.

There's more at F1-Live.

Not keen on Herta or Townsend Bell then??

[neilap]

Originally posted by Lee Janotta
Why would _anyone_ hire Firman? He may turn out to be good, but at this point, he's got a rather unimpressive record, and didn't exactly set the world alight in JGTC!

What? He was by far the fastest driver in the series last year. He took off in the first race never to be seen again until the checkered dropped (ok until his co-driver got in). It was pure bad luck why he did not run away with the title. The Mobil NSX did not have the hp that the Supra's had but he still managed to put a "hurtin" on them on a regular basis.

As for Ant, I think again, the man was asked for his opinion, when he gave it, it was blown way out of proportion. If he turns out to be right then it wont sound like sour grapes, will it?

[BootsOntheSide]

Not sure either of those guys have any money; I'm sure Herta would be on the grid in CART this year, and Bell would probably have a second Patrick CART entry alongside Servia.

Sadly, pay drivers are a neccessity for Minardi. Without them, the team can't survive. Davidson could've put himself in the Jordan (Firman didn't pay for the drive, I'm sureof that, it was a typically leftfield signing from Eddie - he is pretty good at talent-spotting) by impressing in the 2 races he did for Minardi. He wasn't much quicker than Yoong, and at least Yoong generally kept it on the island.

Davidson should look to augment any testing work he can get this year with a race-drive in F3000, TWS, ideally CART, or Nippon failing that. He showed potential in F3 but is probably not ready for F1. If Firman and/or Wilson flop, I'll eat my words, but I have very high hopes for Justin, and I'm sure Ralph will not embarass himself.

[Jellybabe]

Originally posted by av8rirl
I like AD, but what did he "prove behind the wheel of a Minardi"?

He never said that he proved anything, which kinda proves his point about Wilson not being likely to impress anyone at the wheel of a Minardi. Especially as he's going to be up against Verstappen, who is, I think, one of the most underrated drivers on the grid.

Originally posted by sonic
Its also worth Noting the source of this 'exclusive'- yes - The Sun. Not excactly reknowned for the accuracy of their journalism!

Maybe not, but I've had a few conversations with Ant along the same lines, usually around the point that he doesn't think Justin Wilson's dad should have sold his garage to pay for what is likely to be just one season in F1, as Minardi had to adjust their car to fit him and no-one else is likely to want to do that for him unless he is absolutely phenomenally quick this year. Which he's not going to be.

[Jellybabe]

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
Sadly, pay drivers are a neccessity for Minardi. Without them, the team can't survive. Davidson could've put himself in the Jordan (Firman didn't pay for the drive, I'm sureof that, it was a typically leftfield signing from Eddie - he is pretty good at talent-spotting) by impressing in the 2 races he did for Minardi.

I don't know what EJ was thinking or what happened with that seat, but Ant really was very very close to signing for Jordan, but they kept asking for money. Anyone who says Firman's driving for nothing hasn't got the full story.

Davidson should look to augment any testing work he can get this year with a race-drive in F3000, TWS, ideally CART, or Nippon failing that. He showed potential in F3 but is probably not ready for F1.

He's more ready for F1 than either Firman or Wilson - he's done literally thousands of miles in the BAR and to the people in the know (ie the F1 team bosses) he did impress in the Minardi last year.

He's got some racing planned for this year already - he's doing Sebring ALMS the week after next then I think he's doing a race in Mexico as well. Then he's doing Le Mans too, all three in a Prodrive Ferrari.

[DavidStHubbins]

If Davidson is so good why did BAR choose not to give him a race seat and give one to someone who has been whooped by his team mates every year?


Didnt Sato beat Davidson? Sato was weak as **** in F1 last year... ONE good race.

[Jay]

Davidson's own career aside, he's sooo right here. Once a pay driver, always a pay driver.

There's the very good possibility that neither Ralf, Justin, Jordan nor Minardi will be in Fromula 1 at the end of the season, nevertheless 2004.

[BootsOntheSide]

Get your facts right David. Button outscored Trulli last year, outpaced him on racedays for most of the season, and even got close to him in qualifying. Fisichelle beats everyoen because he's an uncrowned God - only Michael, Montoya and perhaps Kimi and JV could beat him. In his rookie year, he got the best grid position of the season for a rookie - in his first ever visit to SPA no less - and ran him close on the final total. Jenson is also ideal for publicity as he's young, has a memorable name, photogenic and British, and can take over leading the team if JV goes.

As for the F3, Davidson was a rookie and Sato in his second eyar - after the first few races, Ant considerably outpaced him. Its possible that Honda gave Sato better engines, but there's no evidence of this (although I'm convinced they did so at Suzuka - 'fan power' doesn't make you better than Fisichella at a track you've never been to before).

I'm not convinced that Ant is telling the truth regarding Firman - and, in any case, isn't it possible that Eddie views Firman as the better choice, but would be willing to take Ant instead if he could provide additional sponsorship.

And, Jay, as long as Minardi are around for at least half the season, I'm sure Justin will do enough to get a drive somewhere else in 2004 - Alonso and Webber had no trouble getting noticed at Minardi, and Wilson is at least twice as good as Webber.

[Glen]

Originally posted by DavidStHubbins
If Davidson is so good why did BAR choose not to give him a race seat and give one to someone who has been whooped by his team mates every year?

7th Button - 14 points
8th Trulli - 9 points.

Where did you get the "whupping" from? If anybody got whupped it was Trulli.

[neilap]

Not to mention that near seasons end Trulli was getting the developments from Renault while Button was being shown the door.

From what I remember Honda had two motors that were really untested in Suzuka. One was given to Jordan and the other to BAR. Maybe it was all a rumor, I am not sure.

[CleanTone]

for DavidStHubbins: Justin Wilson has won convingcingly a series regarded as THE feeder for F1(at least officially)
for ValveBounce and others like him: who is Antony Davison to say his opinion on anyone except for those in his team or in F3. From were I'm standing I saw a guy who likes gravel so much that he sent his car into it (Twice)in the same car that Webber has won 2 historic points for Minardi(and I don't think the world either for the Aussie)

[Lee Janotta]

Originally posted by Jellybabe
I don't know what EJ was thinking or what happened with that seat, but Ant really was very very close to signing for Jordan, but they kept asking for money. Anyone who says Firman's driving for nothing hasn't got the full story.

Yup, there ya go... I mean, racing in Japan is like... Playing baseball in Japan. The playing field is pitifully low, there are maybe a dozen competitors with the talent to suceed at a higher level. Success there isn't a good gauge of how you'll do elsewhere.

He's got some racing planned for this year already - he's doing Sebring ALMS the week after next then I think he's doing a race in Mexico as well. Then he's doing Le Mans too, all three in a Prodrive Ferrari.

Good to hear.

I think Wilson and Firman are probably both making the right moves for themselves, though, paying for a year in F1. Just having "former F1 driver" on your resume does wonders. It's certainly improved Ant's recognition. Cripes, look what it did for a miserabe backmarker like Deletraz, a couple of paid F1 rides got him a pretty good career in GTs.

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by CleanTone

for ValveBounce and others like him: who is Antony Davison to say his opinion on anyone except for those in his team or in F3.

I resent this, and its implications. Have another look at the lead post before you mouth off!! I quoted an article from F1-Live so that we can have a sensible friendly discussion here.
If you can't do that, then maybe you should go to the Gravel Trap and post 50 posts there first before coming here with your insinuations.

[I Ate Yoko Ono]

Originally posted by Lee Janotta
He had two races and was on pace in both Glen!



Why would _anyone_ hire Firman? He may turn out to be good, but at this point, he's got a rather unimpressive record, and didn't exactly set the world alight in JGTC!

Wrong. Any UK F3 champion is F3 material. I seem to remember he was a JGTC championship contender last year too despite not competing in every round. I'd say he might be one of the surprises of the year. He's definitely in F1 on merit, there is no question about that. His track record is too impressive to suggest otherwise.

On your earlier statement, yes I think for his level of experience he did a good job in his two Minardi outings. Whether or not he is better than Ralph F or Justin W or Jenson B is open to debate however.