Williams and Al Unser Jr

[alesi95]

Would I be right in saying that Al Jr once tested a Williams, In 1993 I think?

If so, has anyone seen or know where to see pictures of this event.

[garcon]

Not a clue. My memory doesn't stretch back that far

Who was it in Nascar that Montoya did a swap with earlier this season (just a few testing laps as I recall) ?

[paulzinho]

Jeff Gordon.

Dunno about AL Jj but 93 was when Andretti jr (Michael) flopped at Mclaren.

[senna12]

Paul Tracy tested for Bennetton at that time, and I think he was teammates with Al Jr. at Penske at the time, so I'm not sure about whether Al did any testing for Williams at the same time. I don't recall such an event. Perhaps I will soon be corrected.

[spearce]

Yes, but not sure which year.
Also Paul Tracy tried a Bennetton,
and Rick Mears a Brabham BT49.

[ghinzani]

it was in the camel days, maybe 91/92 - they strung him along something rotten.

[The Moon Monkey]

yes - Al Unser Jr tested a Williams around 1991. Don't know if he was any good though...

Paul Tracy did test a Benetton in mid to late 1994 - don't know how he managed to squeeze into an F1 car though!

[Lee Janotta]

Paul Tracy tested for Benetton at Estoril in 1994, the week following the GP. According to all sources, he was offered the ride, but turned it down. Perhaps something in the contract he didn't like?

Rick Mears was offered a seat at Brabham in 1980, as teammate to Nelson Piquet, after demolishing the Brazilian's best lap time in a test session, but declined, as Bernie wanted Mears to pay for the ride.

Bobby Rahal, of course, ran two very impressive races for Wolf in 1978, but James Hunt forced the team to field only one car for 1979, then simply walked away from the team and the sport. Arrogant arse.

Al Unser Jr. tested for Williams in 1992. Frank Williams suggested he do a season of F3000. Unser replied "What's F3000?" It was an insult to a driver who'd won the 1990 CART Championship, and the 1992 Indy 500, and finished third in Indycar points in both 1991 and 1992.

[Sato san]

Paul Tracy was made to sign the contract in 94giving Flavio exclusive rights to him if he ever came to F1.....Tracy wasnt allowed to get in the car until he had signed that .....

dont ever remeber little Al testing for williams though.

[craigmanning]

...Sir Frank wasn't particularly impressed with Little Al's level of fitness and that he smoked...

Paul's test at Benetton came mostly at the behest of Michael Schumacher. The two are friends from their karting days.

[Snrub]

Al Jr. was a world class driver, but he's never been much of a qualifyer. I wonder if he would have done much in F1.

F1 requires that the driver be a machine like the car. Driver error is not an option. I don't think Tracy would have been well suited to F1 until this year.

[f1manoz]

I'm surprised little Al could fit his fat-ass, coked-out head into a cockpit of an F1 car...

[DavidStHubbins]

Originally posted by Lee Janotta


Al Unser Jr. tested for Williams in 1992. Frank Williams suggested he do a season of F3000. Unser replied "What's F3000?"

He said in a drunken stupour, waving a bottle of whiskey at Sir Frank wildly....

[marcus]

I have seen pictures of little al testing for williams and it was 92 or 93 im leaning more towards 93 though.

not sure of the times and feedback he gave but obviously things just didnt work out.

but there are pics about and im trying to hunt one down right now , hopefully I can find one.

[William Dale Jr]

I'm pretty sure it was in 92 or possibly 91, because he was interviewed before Surfers Indy in 93 saying that he didn't go to F1 because the timing wasn't right, and that he wasn't willing to break his contract with Rick Galles.

[Alan Jones]

Originally posted by f1manoz
I'm surprised little Al could fit his fat-ass, coked-out head into a cockpit of an F1 car...

So your a fan then ozman ?

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by alesi95
Would I be right in saying that Al Jr once tested a Williams, In 1993 I think?

If so, has anyone seen or know where to see pictures of this event.

I've been racking my brains but cannot find an answer to this one at all. Why would someone from Dundee want a picture of Al Unser JR driving a Williams?:confused:

[cos]

Did a bit of digging to find some more info. It was back in November 1991:

The Canon Williams team is to give American Indy star Al Unser Jnr his first taste of F1 power next week. Nigel Mansell is in Florida and Mark Blundell in Japan hunting sponsorship for an F1 season next year. So "Little Al" is to join test driver Damon Hill and Riccardo Patrese in Portugal starting next Monday. "The circumstances have never been right before," said Frank Williams. "We needed a third driver with the right qualifications. Please do not read anything into it."

Al's comments on the car:

"I didn't expect the car to have so much grip. It was a big learning
curve for me. But by the third day we were right down there with
everyone else."

"The power-down grip of the F1 car is far more than the Indy car because
of the tires. The F1 car has more rubber on the ground and its a lot
lighter than the Indy car. It's the highest performance road racing car
I've ever driven."

"The engines of both have about the same horsepower, but Chevrolet's
Indy car engine has to make power at the top end to get through the
corners at Indianapolis. With the Renault, most of the power is at the
bottom end, most likely because its normally aspirated. But again, it
two different worlds."

"Because of all that rubber on the ground and because they're so much
lighter than an Indy car, the F1 car stops a whole lot quicker. There's
also the carbon brakes. All that took some adjusting to because you can
go so much deeper than to what I'm used to."

"It was a lot of fun. I know I can do it. I have no doubts in that. I
think I can win those races. I'd love to do some more running with more
fuel in the car and find out about running a race distance. But I feel
I could definitely win races with that car and that team."

And the times from that test:

1. Damon Hill (Reactive Williams)       1m 12.219s (Q)
                                        1m 13.5s   (C)
2. Riccardo Patrese (")                 1m 13.8s   (C)
3. Michael Schumacher (Benetton)        1m 12.751s (Q)
                                        1m 14.234s (C)
4. Martin Brundle (Benetton)            1m 14.99s  (C)
5. Al Unser Jr (Standard Williams)      1m 15.2s   (C)
6. Roberto Moreno (McLaren)             1m 16.750s (C)
7. Allan McNish (Semi-Auto McLaren)     1m 17.006s (C)

(Q = qualifying tyres)

[Valve Bounce]

Great effort, cos. Now, about that picture ..............

[Adam43]

Wow, thanks cos.

[alesi95]

Originally posted by Valve Bounce
I've been racking my brains but cannot find an answer to this one at all. Why would someone from Dundee want a picture of Al Unser JR driving a Williams?:confused:

Why not? Aren't you curious to see Al Jr in a Williams?

Why was Moreno testing a Mclaren? Was he one of their official testers after getting the boot from Benetton and then Jordan?

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by alesi95
Why not? Aren't you curious to see Al Jr in a Williams?

NO!!

Originally posted by alesi95
Why was Moreno testing a Mclaren? Was he one of their official testers after getting the boot from Benetton and then Jordan?

I suppose you want a picture of Moreno driving a McLaren now

[marcus]

yes Moreno did do some testing for McLaren.

[gttouring]

of course Al jr. wasn't any good, he was probably drunk
i never have had fond feeling for the red hair man
he never seemed to be fit and take it seriously, just run on the coat tails of papa
he was good, but just enough, and had great machinery...

[Adam43]

Al jr, double CART-IndyCar champion (1990,94), won Indy twice (1991,94), won 31 CART races in 18 years, he even won a 500 race in June this year in the IRL after many problems off-track (which I suppose is what you alluded too ).

Not by favourite, by a long way, but I don't think deserves that shot below the belt.

Anyway, where are these pictures?