Paul Radisich - Benetton F1 test?

[bman]

hey guys, did a seach and nothing came up.

while watching highlights of the '94 World Touring Car Cup, Murray Walker mentioned in commantary that Radisich was hoping to test for Benetton.

Did this ever happen?

(makes mention at 3.28)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk_-8...eature=related

thanks!

[Razor]

Try the F1 forum.

[Just Do It!]

I'm pretty cnfident that it didn't although I do remember discussing the potential and seeing Paul's genuine excitement about the idea when he was racing a Ford Telstar at Manfeild in NZ at about that time.

[Armco Bender]

No he never tested and the reason was something like Benneton changed from Ford engines to Renault at the end of '94 and as Radisch was contracted to Ford that killed it.
I think it was also more of a drive than a test as Benneton also had some guy called Schumacher driving at the time and I don't think The Rat was quite in the same league.

[V8 Fireworks]

Perhaps.

How did he end up going from top BTCC teams to midfield(?) Pugs and then DJR though? I suppose the winning marque did change every season so picking a good drive was a non-trivial exercise!

[Teretonga]

Armco Bender has it correct.
Paul had at one time was radically quick in British F3 but was underfunded and never quite got a clear run at it.

The 'test' was a drive Paul was trying to tee up through Ford, not a serious offer, but when the team changed the engine supplier for 95 nothing was going to happen.

The Ford team changed to later models which were never as quick and then Ford changed the chassis builder, engines builders changed, etc and Ford went downhill so Paul left to go the Peugeot but was never the same force again, primarily because he was never in a really good car.
Then he moved to Australia and joined DJR. The rest you know.