Rob Nguyen: F3000 rookie

[27tim]

What do you make of this guy...Qualified about 1sec of the pace and finished 13th...In only his 10th EVER race, and he hadn't come from karting!!! It's virtually unbelievable...I am staggered. Surely there has got to be more to it????

[Mr Hahn]

Well, take a look at the lap chart:

http://www.f3000.com/2002/2002_resul...01_Results.htm

Fair enough, he qualified well, but in the race, he did nothing but lose places. Except right at the end, when he over took Kiesa.

I guess that tells me that he has some speed, but needs to learn to race. Interesting to see how he does over the rest of the season as he picks up experience.

[27tim]

Yeah I looked at the lap chart, I saw he lost places...But he took a couple back against ppl that have been doing this for years...He out qualified ppl with HUGE experince. The guy most have the greatest amount of natural talent...That or done more testing miles than the rest of the grid combined and then some.

[Russfeld]

Im kinda skeptical of him actually. There were all those stories that he had no money, blah blah, and now he's suddenly in F3000 with a front team and he finished like 5th in Formula Volkswagen?

[27tim]

Im kinda skeptical of him actually

When the flag drops the bullsh1t stops. He was close to the pace and qualified well.

[Russfeld]

Actually im more skeptical of his backround, not his ability. Im a little concerned if someone can go from being a midfielder in an obscure german series straight to F3000

[27tim]

Thats what I'm trying to ascertain...Surely he can't have done any more than those 9 races or whatever otherwise it would be all to evident and someone would have mentioned it by now...

[mac]

The story goes something like this:
Rob was given a drive of a Formula Opel car as a gift from his parents for doing well in his studies. He then managed to secure a drive in Formula Volkswagen. He finished 2nd in only his second race, and finished 5th in the series. He then had a test in a F3000 car (for Team Ghinzani, I think) and was 0.7 sec quicker than their regular team driver, and only a tenth or so off the team's track record. He then ended up at Astromega for this year.

Astromega have signed him for a 2 year deal. They realise he is quick and has huge talent, but is inexperienced. They are using this year to get him to learn more about racing, the cars and the tracks they race on.

As for the money situation, I think his parents are quite wealthy, but he doesn't have many sponsors (certainly not from Australia). But as has been pointed out. You can have money, but you've got to be quick. Rob's rapid rise suggests he's got massive ability.

[DanFlag]

10th race?!?!?

Talk about life in the fast lane!!

[Tomgreen]

14th race actually and i think money speaks here. Of course all the teams are going to say he is good if he has loads of money. Although he did race and qualify well in Brazil i am sceptical of him too. Don't forget that you can't judge him on one race.

[Öbus]

everybody is talking about Briscoe and some other ****drivers. whatabout bjorn wirdheim the swede? he is a reel talent and he was making the race of the day (year,history) at interlagos. Que?

[tune]

Appently the reason he lost places during the race is he seat wasnt correct and was in alot of pain during the race and had to be hospitalize after the race. Hope he is 100% for Imola

[bart_jacobs]

Astromega wanted Rodrigo Sperafico next to Mario,but I think that Rob will do fine,for this year i don't expect him to score points but he will be a decent mid-fielder...

[expert]

Quote:
"The story goes something like this:
Rob was given a drive of a Formula Opel car as a gift from his parents for doing well in his studies. He then managed to secure a drive in Formula Volkswagen. He finished 2nd in only his second race, and finished 5th in the series. He then had a test in a F3000 car (for Team Ghinzani, I think) and was 0.7 sec quicker than their regular team driver, and only a tenth or so off the team's track record. He then ended up at Astromega for this year"

I think there's something kept quiet: nobody can step in a racing car and be so fast...

[hysen]

The guy obviously has a load of money and therefore has done a load of testing. However, when it comes down to some proper racing he will be found out.

[expert]

time will tell...

just spoke to someone who said something very interesting: "motor racing is not a sport for honest people..."
haha, guess it's true that unless your father isn't a drug-baron there's no way you can make a MR-career...

[mac]

You lot are too sceptical. If it is all BS, and Rob has raced before, find me the series. He's never raced in Australia, and unless it can be proved otherwise Formula Volkswagen is the only series he's driven. Before accusations are made, let's see some facts.

So his parents have some money - let's not begrudge him for that. He doesn't have any sponsors. And even if he has got money, when he sits in the car, you've still got to do the business. And I don't think you could deny that he has been doing the business so far. And he can only improve.

[BootsOntheSide]

Yeah Wirdheim looks pretty good, don't forget that the guy took pole at Macau F3 last year.

[Russfeld]

Yeah but I think he's done either a lot of F3k testing or something else is going on. He wasnt spectacular, and Formula Volkswagen isnt exactly British or European FRS. For him to do so well in F3000 doesnt reflect well on the rest of the field.

[Nobody]

With his background in racing, I am quite convinced that Rob has potential. Lets see what he shows in his next races, i am looking forward to that!

[sneakyg]

He has to have competed in more than 14 races. The FIA will not give an International B license(Championship requirement) to a novice. Unless he finished in the top 3 of an FIA recognised championship, which i don't think Formula ****box is.

[AndyF]

Good luck to the guy - he has shown incredible pace considering his lack of experience. Personally, before the season, I thought he should n't be in F3000 because his lack of experience, but his first race performance has proved me wrong

[27tim]

Sneakyg, According to Autosport he got in on a special Swiss racing licence or something, which got around some of the problems...

[stevean]

For some back ground on Rob:

http://www.itv-f1.com/themole/mole_story/9489

I just don't get this kind of natural talent :-; Let's hope it gets properly developed.

Good luck to the lad.

[expert]

http://www.itv-f1.com/themole/mole_story/9489

I read the story, but there's a few things that I don't understand: how can you "arrange" a season of fomula VW and 2 seasons of formula 3000, based on 1 or 2 tests and not having a penny... when -for example- a proven race winner like pantano was left in the cold by super nova (of all teams) because he didn't have enough money to cover the costs of 1 season???

although I can believe the guy is an incredibly talented driver -why not? I know some other people that could kick ass given the opportunity)- there is no way talent can be a substitute for money when it comes to sorting out a contract with a race team... sad as it is: there is NO WAY!

so, somebody must be paying for Rob and he must have a good reason (that the boy has talent cannot be a reason!): maybe avoiding tax-problems or turning black money into white or the opposite or something, who knows?

don't get me wrong, I am really happy that a chance is given to a possibly future champion but it would be nice to have some TRUE background and not a fairytale-like story that only a complete retard would believe...