Formula Nippon 2007 - Page 3

Monkey Head · 4 Feb 2007, 10:13 (Ref:1833109)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Öbus

I also know that Wirdheim is testing with Toyota at Sepang this week so obviously he will end up in one of the Toyota factory team cars in Super GT this season.

seems he will drive at lemans(which he has taken part in last year suzuka 1000km),alongside Tetsuya Kataoka

Bezzen · 4 Feb 2007, 12:19 (Ref:1833166)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monkey Head

seems he will drive at lemans(which he has taken part in last year suzuka 1000km),alongside Tetsuya Kataoka

He didn't get to drive any race laps though, as the car had broken down before he could get behind the wheel.

Monkey Head · 4 Feb 2007, 13:06 (Ref:1833186)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bezzen

He didn't get to drive any race laps though, as the car had broken down before he could get behind the wheel.

you mean the test in sepang?

Bezzen · 4 Feb 2007, 15:42 (Ref:1833244)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monkey Head

you mean the test in sepang?

No, I meant at the Suzuka 1000km.

META4 · 5 Feb 2007, 09:37 (Ref:1833749)

it is official

Carbone and Wirdheim have signed for Dandelion

SALEEN S7R · 5 Feb 2007, 09:53 (Ref:1833756)

Good news.

Anyone know where you can see video coverage of the races? Since Sky Sports "World Motorsports" stopped showing Nippon a couple of years ago I havent seen anything of it other than photos.

META4 · 5 Feb 2007, 10:02 (Ref:1833761)

here http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...&search=Search

SALEEN S7R · 5 Feb 2007, 10:12 (Ref:1833768)

Thanks META4. Shame there's no full coverage of the races but its better than nothing.

cds_uk · 17 Feb 2007, 13:15 (Ref:1843693)

Read that Toccacelo is looking at Nippon this year, any thoughts?

META4 · 17 Feb 2007, 13:19 (Ref:1843695)

i red something like he tested a japanese Gt car recently

i do not really see the point for him to go there he is not seen as a top driver then i think he will have to pay to drive then i guess the best for him would be to stay in europe racing in Euroserie 3000 with Ghinzani who will enter this championship (Ghinzani also run the A1Gp team Italia for who Toccacello drive)

Monkey Head · 17 Feb 2007, 13:41 (Ref:1843704)

Quote:

Originally Posted by META4

i red something like he tested a japanese Gt car recently

i do not really see the point for him to go there he is not seen as a top driver then i think he will have to pay to drive then i guess the best for him would be to stay in europe racing in Euroserie 3000 with Ghinzani who will enter this championship (Ghinzani also run the A1Gp team Italia for who Toccacello drive)

Toccacello not on Super GT test
all of european over there have been in there one year at least

META4 · 17 Feb 2007, 13:49 (Ref:1843713)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monkey Head

Toccacello not on Super GT test
all of european over there have been in there one year at least

I agree it was around Christmas

META4 · 17 Feb 2007, 14:09 (Ref:1843724)

i read somewhere

De Oliveira is more than likeky comfirmed at Kondo (where he race as well in GT)

Alex K · 17 Feb 2007, 23:48 (Ref:1844054)

Quote:

Originally Posted by META4

i red something like he tested a japanese Gt car recently

i do not really see the point for him to go there he is not seen as a top driver then i think he will have to pay to drive then i guess the best for him would be to stay in europe racing in Euroserie 3000 with Ghinzani who will enter this championship (Ghinzani also run the A1Gp team Italia for who Toccacello drive)

Are you serious, 'cause I think you are joking?! What is the point for him to do Euro 3000 (whatever it'll be called this year). Still he'll not be paid, and he will need to pay. It is better to him to start a new chapter, maybe fully paid, maybe in Japan. It's easier to be paid, and to find money in Japan than on European circuits.

Euro 3000 Series, is a major step back for him, that is no point in it. And he'd fit perfectly in GT cars, what's your comment on Monfardini?

SALEEN S7R · 18 Feb 2007, 00:11 (Ref:1844064)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex K

Are you serious, 'cause I think you are joking?! What is the point for him to do Euro 3000 (whatever it'll be called this year). Still he'll not be paid, and he will need to pay. It is better to him to start a new chapter, maybe fully paid, maybe in Japan. It's easier to be paid, and to find money in Japan than on European circuits.

Euro 3000 Series, is a major step back for him, that is no point in it. And he'd fit perfectly in GT cars, what's your comment on Monfardini?

I agree, Wirdheim should stay in Japan. At least in Formula Nippon he gets paid, unlike in the Euro 3000 series. Unless a WTCC/DTM offer comes along for him theres no point in him looking to Europe really. Perhaps he could look to the USA though? A ride in Champcar or the IRL could be a good prospect for him, or maybe even in one of the factory teams in the ALMS.

If Wirdheim was younger then perhaps his chances of getting a ride in F1 would be a little better than now, but as things stand the chances of him getting a F1 race seat are slim. May as well stay where he is. IMO.

META4 · 18 Feb 2007, 05:30 (Ref:1844140)

Hey mates open your eyes we are not talking about Wirdheim but about Toccacello

i do not reckon him as a top driver then i do not really believe he can get a drive without paying, you got to have shown something if you want to get a paid drive in Japan, so that is the reason i believe if he gets a drive he will have to pay for it , i think there are many peoples who try to get a drive now in japan because it is a good deal

SALEEN S7R · 18 Feb 2007, 14:39 (Ref:1844360)

Ah yes, my mistake. Sorry! Still, Toccacello isnt a bad driver IMO. Sure he isnt on perhaps the same level as say the other F3000 drivers were when he was racing like Pantano, Enge, Bourdais etc but he is decent. He could probably get a ride in the DTM if he wanted to one day, theres a lot of guys that are slower than him who are getting paid rides. IMO.

Alex K · 18 Feb 2007, 17:54 (Ref:1844479)

That's the point Saleen S7R. He was last International Formula 3000 runner up, in BCN Competicion Lola META4!He is decent driver, he is getting older and older, and he deserves pay ride in, say Japan.

I do not know if Wirdheim is better than Toccacelo? How can you rate them?

Still E3000S for him is waste of time and money, if not Japan, than he needs to sign for GT/PROTO or TC. I'll ask again, who you rate higher Monfardini or Taccacelo?

Roninho · 18 Feb 2007, 17:55 (Ref:1844480)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

I agree, Wirdheim should stay in Japan. At least in Formula Nippon he gets paid, unlike in the Euro 3000 series. Unless a WTCC/DTM offer comes along for him theres no point in him looking to Europe really. Perhaps he could look to the USA though? A ride in Champcar or the IRL could be a good prospect for him, or maybe even in one of the factory teams in the ALMS.

If Wirdheim was younger then perhaps his chances of getting a ride in F1 would be a little better than now, but as things stand the chances of him getting a F1 race seat are slim. May as well stay where he is. IMO.

Wirdheim had his shot in the US, but failed in champcar for whatever reason. The only way he'll get a ride over there is by buying one.

As for F1, i don't know why but jaguar really did not see any future with him.

It's a shame really, imho Bjorn is a talented guy. I agree though, unless he get's a payed drive in dtm/wtcc/sportcars it makes no sense for him to go back to europe.

Roninho · 18 Feb 2007, 17:57 (Ref:1844481)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

Ah yes, my mistake. Sorry! Still, Toccacello isnt a bad driver IMO. Sure he isnt on perhaps the same level as say the other F3000 drivers were when he was racing like Pantano, Enge, Bourdais etc but he is decent. He could probably get a ride in the DTM if he wanted to one day, theres a lot of guys that are slower than him who are getting paid rides. IMO.

Wasn't Toccacello that italian guy that raced as a backmarker in champcar's last year for a couple of races?

edit: i think that was del monte.

Alex K · 18 Feb 2007, 17:58 (Ref:1844483)

Was he paid in Champ Car at all?

META4 · 18 Feb 2007, 18:01 (Ref:1844487)

Still E3000S for him is waste of time and money, if not Japan, than he needs to sign for GT/PROTO or TC. I'll ask again, who you rate higher Monfardini or Taccacelo?

i rate none of them i would prefer to see a driver like Perrera or Danielson getting a drive in Nippon...IMO!

do not forget this season the 3000 Euroserie will have an upgrade of horsepower with the new mecachrome engine so it will not really be a step back i think it will interesting to follow this championship this season and i would not be surprised if we find drivers coming from A1gp in this serie

For your information Toccacello will not run in japanese Gt from what i have seen in a recent official testing result

Monkey Head · 19 Feb 2007, 07:31 (Ref:1845245)

2005 GT300 Champion Kota Sasaki will join Cerumo,Yuji Tachikawa stay in the team too therefore 2 cars line-up of Cerumo

Jackman · 19 Feb 2007, 13:12 (Ref:1845495)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roninho

Wirdheim had his shot in the US, but failed in champcar for whatever reason. The only way he'll get a ride over there is by buying one.

As for F1, i don't know why but jaguar really did not see any future with him.

It's a shame really, imho Bjorn is a talented guy. I agree though, unless he get's a payed drive in dtm/wtcc/sportcars it makes no sense for him to go back to europe.

Wirdheim did pay a small amount for a year in Champ Car, but unfortunately it was with a HVM team so depleted of funds that they looked enviously at Dale Coyne's equipment: that was why he left before the end of the year.

As for Jaguar, he tested for them for a year and had an option for the next year, but Red Bull bought the team and had their own guys to bring in: they paid him to test for two months during the handover before putting their guys in the seat.

All things considered he's probably happy to be getting paid over in Japan, even though it means the probable end of his European open wheel career.

Monkey Head · 19 Feb 2007, 16:20 (Ref:1845607)

Photos of Sepang pre season testing

http://yurataku-ya.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/

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