Your greatest talent spot

[Remus]

Have you ever seen a young gun at a clubbie meeting and thought wow - now there is talent, and then for said person to go on and make it big? I think the biggest impression an unknown has made on me was a young Andrew Kirkady (spelling???) during a regional FFord race at Mallory. Overtaking on the grass on the approach to the hairpin. Awsome move.
Still can't understand why his career has faltered ( in relative terms)

[DavidStHubbins]

He wasn't that good once he was amongst the big boys.

I used to follow Robbie Kerr in Formula First years ago on the old Eurocar tour and he won most of his races by almost a lap. Knockhill was ridiculous!

[ascarracinguk]

kimi raikonnen in the winter series f renault... in the old style car.... winning of course

[Snapper Baz]

Some bloke caled Anthony Davidson 1st time out at Brands in FF1600-they used my picture of him Autosport about 3 or 4 times as he started to win everything at Brands in his first few outings. My claim to fame is the first ever pictures of him in Autosport were mine!

[formulafordster]

Yan Magnussen testing FF1600 at Mallory in early 90s, Gearards Flat without a lift, he went round in the 86s the "legend" goes.

[racingdick]

justin Wilson winter series of the Formula Vauxhall Jnrs.
94 i think
Mind you i was only 13/14

[AndyF]

It's not quite the same, but I was so impressed when Mark Sumpter won all 17 rounds of the Porsche Cup in 1998. A very impressive performance. Always good to see his performances in the GTs in recent years.

[racingdick]

sorry it was 95

[TimD]

I was terribly impressed by some bloke called Ed Irvine who raced a Mondiale Formula Ford in '85/'86.

But my early commendation usually seems to put the kibosh on someone's career - I thought Jan Magnussen was really going places, and had high hopes for Peter Dumbreck. Nowadays I tend to keep schtumm, so that they have a chance!

[JR Ewing]

Originally posted by formulafordster
Yan Magnussen testing FF1600 at Mallory in early 90s, Gearards Flat without a lift, he went round in the 86s the "legend" goes.

I think you mean 46s and I'm not quite sure. Maybe, just maybe 46.99...

I once went round flat in my RF89 and made it but hit the wall on there on the next lap. Phil Andrews had told me that he could take it flat but neglected to mention that he also rolled it the next lap - bast'd!

[mpj]

ive always followed robbie kerr, since formula first, have quite an intrest in him as he only lives down the road.
just hope he has another good season this year.

[Andrew Kitson]

A young Brazilian called Ayrton Senna Da Silva. Brands FF1600 March 1981.
Another was a young Finn, Thruxton F. Vauxhall Lotus in 1988 - Mika Hakkinen.

[El_Gibleto]

Donington Park on both occasions, both drivers with amasing car control and an incredible desire to win.

1996 1st round of the Vauxhall Junior series a young brasillian driving for John Village.

1999 1st round of the Formula europa(nee Vauxhall Lotus) a young Japanese driver who totally dominated in the wet race for Diamond Racing..

The drivers?????



Antonio Pizzonia & Takuma Sato

[alfaman]

I remember being at a BARC meeting at Silverstone in March 1981 when a young driver called Ayrton Senna da Silva blitzed the field.

The irony was being only 12 years old at the time I was more interested in the then Miss World who was posing for photos in the paddock cafe! She was there with sometime racer Julian Morley son of Eric & Julia Morley....

But on the day the programme was highlighting Dave Coyne who was going for victory in both the FF1600 & FF2000 races.

Did Martin Brundle race in production saloons around that time or am I mistaken?

[formulafordster]

I think you are right, Brundle used to race an Audi in BTCC. His team mate was another young gun, some one called Stirling Moss?

[Woolley]

Andy Priaulx was sensational in hill climbs, and I remember asking him why he didn't have a go at circuit racing...

[Chris Y]

I remember seeing Mr. Priaulx in the Spiders and thinking he was destined for greater things..

Same with Lee Caroline, who is currently kicking butt in Tuscans

[racingdick]

i remember seeing sato's first race in the f3 scholoship again with Diamond, though fast he spun out on the first corner 'hatchets'

[Marshal]

I remember seeing this young Brazilian kid in his second ever race at a Silverstone international trophy meeting, actually overtaking cars in the GM Lotus Euroseries, which was pretty much unheard of, and thought, Rubens Barricello, there's a name to watch.

[the_extreme]

There were quite a few from Karting that I thought would of made an impression - guess you can't be right all the time...

Terry Fullerton
Mickey Allen
Jackie Brown

Thought they were all going somewhere

Jeff

[DavidStHubbins]

Jackie Brown made it big in Hollywood

[ensign14]

Barrichello from Vauxhall Lotus.
Andy Wallace in F3...criminal waste of talent.

[rdjones]

My first ever meeting - Donnington 1998 (Mansell Touring Car's), there was a bloke out in the FFord's - J.Button, I think he has done rather well for him self snice.

[marklanyon]

I remember Dario Franchitti, as a driver for Paul Stewart Racing Formula Vauxhall Team in 1993. Didn't think he'd get far. What's he doing now?!

[marklanyon]

I've seen quite a few up and coming drivers who I didn't think would get far. Don't ever ask me for advice on who to bet on.

Antonio Pizzonia (FVJ),Kimi Raikkonen (F3 Winter),Justin Wilson(Palmer Audi),Ralph Firman (FVJ),Takuma Sato (FVaux),Juan Pablo Montoya (FVaux),Giancarlo Fisichella (ITC).