Wirdheim to Jaguar?

Dov · 29 Jan 2004, 06:11 (Ref:854672)

From GrandPrix.com:

JANUARY 26, 2004

Swedes report that Wirdheim will be at Jaguar
There are reports in Sweden's Expressen (www.expressen.se) magazine that Bjorn Wirdheim has landed the deal to be Jaguar's test driver in 2004, fighting off a bid for the job from America's Townsend Bell and from British Formula 3 Champion Alan Van der Merwe from South Africa. The magazine however may not be correct as it is also predicting that Nelson Piquet Jr. will be the second test driver at Williams when in fact that job is going to go to Antonio Pizzonia. It is thought that Piquet and Nico Rosberg may end up with longer-term option deals with Williams but the team needs more experienced drivers for the day-to-day work this year and Pizzonia did a good job for the team in 2002 and is keen to rebuild his F1 career after the disasters at Jaguar Racing last year.

Wirdheim's career is being overseen by Arden International's Christian Horner.

IF this is true that Wirdheim has landed the deal to be Jaguar's test driver, could this possibly mean the return of Townsend Bell to ChampCars!?

rustyfan · 29 Jan 2004, 08:27 (Ref:854743)

I wouldn't read too much into it - yet. Our Swedish press has quite a record of reporting motorsport rumors and wishful thinking involving Swedes as "facts" and "a done deal" (the original Expressen article was posted several days ago, well before the test session held yesterday).

While Wirdheim did test for Jaguar yesterday (actually putting in a slightly better laptime than Jaguar regular Mark Webber), but it's far from a done deal that he'll get the third seat.

(edit) Or he didn't (in regards to being faster than Webber) - I've now seen conflicting reports about the lap times and I'm not sure which one is the correct one. Don't you just love the internet sometimes lol.

Liz · 29 Jan 2004, 12:52 (Ref:855092)

Is Wirdheim the one who slowed down before the finish line to wave to his crew and celebrate his victory -- which went to someone who kept on racing to the end of the race?

Dov · 29 Jan 2004, 12:57 (Ref:855097)

Yep.....I think it's the funniest thing I've ever seen in motorsports! lol

f1manoz · 29 Jan 2004, 13:11 (Ref:855107)

I wouldn't read anything into it until the deal actually happens...

rustyfan · 29 Jan 2004, 13:30 (Ref:855126)

Quote:

Originally posted by Liz
Is Wirdheim the one who slowed down before the finish line to wave to his crew and celebrate his victory -- which went to someone who kept on racing to the end of the race?

You know, I was going to write something that, while it's true, would have sent you into attack-mode, but I'll just ignore the flame bait.

All I'll say is that it was indeed Wirdheim who threw the victory at Monaco away, but as usual people (those like yourself that is) tend to ignore the way Wirdheim dominated the championship and simply focus on that mistake.

Dov · 29 Jan 2004, 13:46 (Ref:855143)

Take it easy, rustyfan! She just asked a simple question!?

rustyfan · 29 Jan 2004, 13:49 (Ref:855146)

Quote:

Originally posted by Dov
Take it easy, rustyfan! She just asked a simple question!?

If it had been a "simple" question, she wouldn't have included the "which went to someone who kept on racing to the end of the race?".

Simple as that.

Liz · 29 Jan 2004, 15:26 (Ref:855232)

That was a simple question. I thought it was the funniest thing I'd seen since TGF's "photo finish" which allowed Rubens to win at Indianapolis. Isn't the thing that made it funny the fact that he declared victory before the race was over?

Rustyfan, you have to work on your sense of humour.

rustyfan · 29 Jan 2004, 15:44 (Ref:855250)

Quote:

Originally posted by Liz
That was a simple question. I thought it was the funniest thing I'd seen since TGF's "photo finish" which allowed Rubens to win at Indianapolis. Isn't the thing that made it funny the fact that he declared victory before the race was over?

Rustyfan, you have to work on your sense of humour.

My sense of humour is fine, thank you.

Being a Swede obviously makes me quite biased on the matter, which makes it hard for me to appreciate the 'humour' in what was a unnecessary mistake that led to Nicolas Kiesa being handed a win he most certainly didn't deserve.

Liz · 29 Jan 2004, 18:11 (Ref:855407)

The guy who crosses the finish line first is the winner. That's the way it's always worked. Remember when Carlos Sainz lost the WRC Championship because his car gave up 500 yards from the finish of the final race? Perhaps he "deserved" the win -- but he didn't get it. And that wasn't even his fault!

And think of Tomas Enge, who threw his championship out the window by smoking pot and failing a drug test. Yes, he "deserved" the championship. But he didn't get it.

On the other hand, I doubt the Spaniards and the Czechs found either of those situations amusing, so you do have a point.

Öbus · 31 Jan 2004, 10:53 (Ref:857399)

Quote:

Originally posted by Liz
The guy who crosses the finish line first is the winner. That's the way it's always worked.

And so what? Even if he obviously made this mistake in Monaco he crossed enough finish line’s trough the 2003 season to win the championship with more than 20 points.

Liz · 31 Jan 2004, 14:55 (Ref:857624)

But that question wasn't about his other races. It was about that one.

Dov · 31 Jan 2004, 14:58 (Ref:857628)

Now I know why I've never heard of any comedians from Sweden...

Öbus · 31 Jan 2004, 15:40 (Ref:857671)

Maybe so Dov but on the other hand we may have a different sense of humour than Canadian. We normally don’t joke and laugh about people’s mistakes or misfortunes and definitively not as long as we know it could hurt somebody’s mind. Is that fair enough for you Dov?

Dov · 31 Jan 2004, 16:12 (Ref:857694)

Quote:

Originally posted by Öbus
Maybe so Dov but on the other hand we may have a different sense of humour than Canadian. We normally don’t joke and laugh about people’s mistakes or misfortunes and definitively not as long as we know it could hurt somebody’s mind. Is that fair enough for you Dov?

I apologize if it upset's you that much.

Btw, do you know if Wirdhiem got the seat at Jaguar as a test driver?

suzmac · 31 Jan 2004, 19:34 (Ref:857892)

IF this is true that Wirdheim has landed the deal to be Jaguar's test driver, could this possibly mean the return of Townsend Bell to ChampCars!? [/B][/QUOTE]

God, let's hope not!!! He does not know how to drive in Champ Cars!!! IMO

Sue

rustyfan · 31 Jan 2004, 19:43 (Ref:857912)

Quote:

Originally posted by Dov
Btw, do you know if Wirdhiem got the seat at Jaguar as a test driver?

Nothing has been officially announced yet, but I think the recent test went quite well, so who knows..?

Obviously I'm hoping he'll get the seat

Wirdheim is supposedly doing another Champ Car test in the middle of February, according to his father (who somewhat regularly posts at a Swedish forum), but if Björn does grab the third Jaguar seat, I reckon the Champ Car test will be cancelled.

Öbus · 1 Feb 2004, 15:53 (Ref:859003)

Wirdheim will sign for Jaguar.

Dov · 1 Feb 2004, 16:04 (Ref:859013)

Quote:

Originally posted by Öbus
Wirdheim will sign for Jaguar.

Link please!?

Öbus · 1 Feb 2004, 20:32 (Ref:859394)

Wirdheims inner circle. Trust me Dov just wait one more week and you will see.

zerO · 1 Feb 2004, 21:15 (Ref:859465)

Allthough I'd love to see Wirdheim in Champ Cars, fact is that he's only the #2 candidate for the second seat at PK Racing - PK's #1 preference happens to be Christian Murchison - guess, it has "something" to do with the K in PK ?!?!

zerO

corkholio · 1 Feb 2004, 21:37 (Ref:859492)

Quote:

Originally posted by zerO
Allthough I'd love to see Wirdheim in Champ Cars, fact is that he's only the #2 candidate for the second seat at PK Racing - PK's #1 preference happens to be Christian Murchison - guess, it has "something" to do with the K in PK ?!?!

zerO [/B]

Now that you have claimed that as fact, can you provide a link or some sort of validation for it?

Hazza · 2 Feb 2004, 00:08 (Ref:859586)

sevenspeed.com is my guess

rustyfan · 17 Feb 2004, 12:19 (Ref:876880)

Wirdheim has now been confirmed as Jaguar's third driver.

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