What is Justin Wilson's Problem

[rlinter]

We all know that Justin Wilson deserves a good ride for 2002 but what is causing is lack of progression?

[ghinzani]

Thats easy isnt it! Farmer Palmer.... he should tell him to eff off and go sign for someone decent, anyone - Sears, Rosberg/Cotton, IMG, Robertson/Huysman, that Alan guy who looks after all those American Indycar types, Homer Simpson, Abe Simpson, Abe Lincoln.... u get my drift!

[Speedworx]

His manager is not the problem. Main problem is the F3000 has no substance. F3000 champion is supposed to get an F1 seat, it hardly ever happens.

Drivers who want to get into F1, need to skip F3000 and have lots of money.

[Rob29]

He's British. Sponsors are more difficult to find for us Brits unlike Brazilians who seem to have an unlimited supply of banks willing to fund their young drivers.

[Simon Pullan]

Originally posted by hakkiman
Main problem is the F3000 has no substance. F3000 champion is supposed to get an F1 seat, it hardly ever happens.

I know. I couldn't believe it when I spoke to Darren Turner the other week and asked him if was looking at F3000, and he told me he would consider it to be a step down from DTM.

They really need to do something about the prestige of F3000 or it will lose all the good drivers and end up as a rich kids playground.

[AndyF]

He could wait for a top-deal in Premier F1 when it begins. However, that seems another step down, unless it was with a really big club!?

[Lisa Davidson]

I would say that yes F3000 isn't a guaranteed step into F1 but that is because F1 is all about who has the money not who has the talent.

Justin doesn't come with a lovely Honda badge already sewn on his overalls and come with a supply of engines.

The fact is that nor will any British talents of the future. The only ones that will make F1 from the UK are the rich ones from now on.

We all know that's the reason he failed to get the Jordan seat. Justin hasn't got money - after all he didn't pay anything for his F3000 drive this year - he was on Czech Coke money brought in by his team mate. Why do you think it was Enge that got an F1 drive for the last couple of races? It was because he had the money. Yes Enge is a good driver but Justin is better.

And also out of the three drivers that Jordan had to choose from (and all three being very good) I do think he chose the wrong one.

All I'll do is pray that a Cart team sees sense and employs him.

[DanFlag]

I have to agree with Lisa, it must be a lack of money that did not get Justin and F1 drive yet.

[sonic]

Im gonna go against the grain here and suggest that, if anything, UK fag brand B&H would have been pushing Jordan quite hard to get a Brit in the Jordan seat. Jordan is the team that focuses most on PR and I reckon its proving tough for B&H to get their patriotic target market to empathise with the continental talents Joradan has employed.

Wilson, like Ralph Firman Jr, is just too Tall. Apparently Jordan really struggled to get him in the car and even then had to run it illegally...

[Nicholas]

What's up with Palmer???

[Marshal]

I think its best we don't go there....

Perhaps if you cruise round the Formula Palmer Audi threads you'll get a sample of opinion. Either that or PM Ghinzani

[pitbit]

Whats right with Palmer? I don't think he is a hit round the F1 paddock so how is Justin supposed to make a good impression when he is fronted by him. I really just hope Justin can get a drive in the US where else could he race? No one really knows that much about Premier or if it will be any good.

[Slick]

Palmer's completely useless. No one had respect for him as a driver, nevermind as a manager. Good PR and managing works wonders - look at Kimi! Unless Justin sorts himself out with a proper (good) manager, he will struggle!

[Marshal]

Hi Slick and welcome to 10-10ths, I hope you enjoy it here.

As for my view on why Justin isn't in F1, well he just doesn't seem to be in fasion at the moment, part of the reason is the profile of F3000 and part must be due to not managing to acheive the right PR profile. I think its a shame as he is clearly a gifted individual, with no where obvious to go.

[Slick]

Thanx for the welcome Marshal!o0h and btw can anyone tell me how to paste smileys in a message?? cheers!

[BootsOntheSide]

I think the PRost drive went against him because of his height.For him to ideally fit a race car you would have to design it around him from the ground up. Alesi, Mazzacane, Burti, Frentzen and Enge are all less than 6 foot, whereas Wilson is 6'3. His media profile seems minimal, I think we could blame Palmer for this. He ought to consider Premier 1, its a gamble but it could make him. I just hope he isn't always the Invisible Giraffe.

[Fan]

Wilson didn't get the Prost drive because he didn't bring $2 million to the team. His height had nothing to do with it. The PR side is down to the British press not getting behind their national sportsmen, although Palmer could and should shoulder some of the blame

[DanFlag]

I believe we all know the answer to this question, it's another question that is also an answer!


"What is racing's problem, MONEY!!!"

[Marshal]

Originally posted by Slick
0h and btw can anyone tell me how to paste smileys in a message?? cheers!

Check out the FAQ,

Cheers,

M

[mac]

I don't think his height is too much of a problem. How tall is Alex Wurz? Also, Mark Webber is over six feet tall.

I just think that unless you are supremely talented, very young and have a lot of money, you hardly have a chance at a drive these days.

Unfortunately, I don't like Justin's chances of scoring a ride in CART for 2002 either.

Are there any F1 teams who need test drivers?

[rlinter]

Originally posted by Fan
The PR side is down to the British press not getting behind their national sportsmen, although Palmer could and should shoulder some of the blame

Th press will only print stuff if they are given at least a sniff of what is going on. AFAIK Palmer has ****ed them all right off as well and you do need some co-operation to make it to the national press as well as an angle - Look at the full page on Derek Hayes in the Sun earlier this year.

[Nicholas]

What about the double page on Wilson more recently in the Sun:confused:

[Nicholas]

Originally posted by sonic
Im gonna go against the grain here and suggest that, if anything, UK fag brand B&H would have been pushing Jordan quite hard to get a Brit in the Jordan seat

Not a bad guess...

Eddie Jordan has revealed that he is under huge pressure from sponsors Benson & Hedges to sign a British driver.

When Damon enquired if B&H had asked him to sign a British driver, Jordan said: "Absolutely, as was the case with you.

"But you have to forget about boundaries and territories. You have to go for the best driver you can get.

"Right now, we don’t have an Italian sponsor, but I had an Italian driver this year and I’ve got one for the next three years. In that respect I’ve got stronger mentally."

Jordan said he had been forced to take on most of the promotional duties himself since Damon left the team at the end of 1999.

He told his former driver: "You were the English-speaking person they used a lot and that was a key part of their marketing.

"They now use me to a greater or lesser extent because they know that I’m not going to go. I have to be here because I can’t sack myself.

"I respect B&H and if I have to do a vastly disproportionate number of functions for them, I will do that. But it was a lot easier when we had you. I could say that Damon would do them!"

[Lisa Davidson]

Some of you are being very hard and unfair on Dr Palmer. After all, Justin would not have even been in F3000 without him! In his first couple of years, Mr Palmer was paying for Justin in F3000 out of his own pocket! Not many other managers would do that. That shows the faith he has in his driver. It would be utterly disgraceful and completely unlike Justin to sack him just because he is not in F1 now. After all, it's only this year that Justin has not had to bring in money to pay for his seat.

Biting the hand that feeds you springs to mind here... This is why I cannot understand Richard Tarling - see FPA thread - and how he sems to forget that without JP he wouldn't have had a drive even in 2000. Yet now he doesn't mind slagging him off...

Oh, lets not forget one thing about the state of modern F1 - fag brands are going out as they have to - why else are Ferrari looking for sponsorship from sources like Vodaphone and not Marlb*** anymore (no free advertising from me!) - and the new trend is having a big manufacturer backing the team such as Mercedes and McLaren, BMW and Williams, Renault and now Jordan want exclusive Honda deals rather than share with BAR. They are thinking about the future now.

[AndyF]

I see no-one has put down that there are 24 drivers who are better than him in F1 already. Personally I think F3000 doesn't count any more, unless they in a Junior Team.......