baumgartner

[Dan Fielden]

does anyone else here think zsolt Baumgartner was treated unfairly by martin Brundle in qualy 1 in Round 1 this year.
Martin Said On air i might add. It was Something like this

" Sorry to interupt James but i'm standing up here and i'm watching Baumgartner and i'm wondering does he even watch the other drivers during the course of the weekend because he jut doesn't look like he knows what he is doing look!! he turned into n12 3 times thats 3 bites of the wheel, and i'm sorry but to me Zsolt Baumgartner shouldn't be behind the wheel of an f1 car, No doubt about it"

Bit harsh maybe or Justified.

[Kicking-back]

Not unfair at all.

I'd rather have a commentator - particularly an ex driver - use his insight to tell us what he sees, rather than just spouting bland nonsense and being frightened to offend.

Brundle's point was reasoned - he told us he'd watched all the drivers and their styles. He didn't just go "Baumgartner's rubbish".

So it's not "a bit harsh", no.

[Adam43]

On that particular lap Martin was spot on. it is not the way to drive any car, let alone a modern F1 car that really rewards smoothness.

However, overall, ZB is new to it and may well just be over-driving, like Firman did at the begining of last year.

[Ryder]

There are much more deserving drivers around than Baumgartner. The man is extremely lucky to even be in formula one. How does a mug like that get a drive? Does he have a lot of sponsorship or something to contribute to the team? He chooses to race the way he does and he deserves the critisism.

[Ryo28]

Originally posted by AdamAshmore

ZB is new to it and may well just be over-driving, like Firman did at the begining of last year.

Yeah, I didn't hear Brundle criticising Firman, certainly not to this extent. Baumgartner was all over the place but i'd imagine that Minardi is a bit of a handful... At least he was trying hard...

[Adam43]

Martin was just pointing out that lap and it appears he has a vendeta against ZB

Martin often remarked on how Ralph failed to get his one-laps Q efforts up to scratch due to over-driving.

MB did want fellow Norfolk driver Firman to do well and said so, and what is wrong with that. However, like with DC, it didn't stop him pointing out a bad lap...

[Knowlesy]

I think he was lenient with Zsolt.....

[DriverT]

Yeah, I think it was a perfectly reasonable comment.

[hamsmith]

Originally posted by Ryder
How does a mug like that get a drive? Does he have a lot of sponsorship or something to contribute to the team?

He doesn't evem have sponsorship to last the year does he. everyone who was going to sponsor him has pulled out or cut back the amount. maby thet are tying to say somthing that martin found the right words for.

[Dan Fielden]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
Brundle's point was reasoned - he told us he'd watched all the drivers and their styles. He didn't just go "Baumgartner's rubbish".

No no, i know, i'm with you i think there are far more drivers worthy of that seat. Namly Justin Wilson, Nico Rosberg, Liuzzi and the list goes on.
I was pleased the way Martin aired his view and i agree it was awfull wheelmanship if there is such a word.

[bluebeard]

Definitely agree with Martin ZB deos not deserve the seat ok we all know its in a Minardi but so was Justin Wilson last year and his talent clearly showed through.

[Dutton]

The boy is pants.

Martin simply said what we all know and believe.

[Chappelli]

ZB deserves the seat... It's a pay drive, in a pay drive quality car... He fronted with the cash... I see no problem with it... In the same way that all the other drivers on the grid supply a set of criteria their teams need (Ferrari need speed... a second a lap is more use than a million dollars, Minardi need money... a million dollars is more use than a second a lap)

[f1atic]

Sorry, I have to agree with the majority - ZB is not what I would expect when I think of someone with a super license. I think Martin was bang on as it pertained to the lap to which you refer.

I think during practice, ZB may do well to try to follow someone who is a good driver to see where they take the turn - entry and exit. It did not appear that ZB did any of that to me.

[Gaz]

Zsolt should never have qualified for a super license and is an absolute disgrace to F1! He is a complete and utter joke and is filling up a seat that could go to a driver worthy of making F1! With only 20 seats available these days I find it so hard to accept that somebody like Baumgartner is occupying one. I know Minardi needed the cash etc, but surely someone other than Baumgartner could have been chosen, he doesn't even have the money to complete the year!

There should be some rule that to obtain a superlicense that you must have first achieved a certain level of results.

An absolute disgrace Baumgartner and the sooner he's out the better! The more abuse the merrier Martin B!

[steve_r]

His lap was awful, anyone could see that.

Keep it real Martin.

[Russ]

Don't forget that Minardi will be the poorest handling car on the grid,hiddeously unstable under braking leaving its driver trying to second guess what is going to do next,which in turn will then only contribute to a slow lap!! At the end of the day it's very easy for any of you to sit on your arses at home and critisize this guy.Agreed he's no Michael Schumacher but at the very least he's trying to make a go of it.I've seen worse drivers grace an F1 cockpit over the years!

[BootsOntheSide]

Brundle tends to have the right balance - he wasn't rude about people the way James Hunt was, but wasn't over-polite and naive the way Murray was - perhaps because his own racing ability is somewhere in between the tow. He always keeps his criticisms factual and based on racing, rather than personal vendettas or private life issues.

His assessment of Zsolt was accurate and well-reasoned. Maybe he will improve as the seaosn goes on, and the Minardi isn't the easiest car to come into F1 with, but I've seen no evidence that he's anything other than a pay-driver.

[Mekola]

Anyone of us prefers Leinders for Baumgartner's seat?
Wait until Spa.

[ensign14]

Originally posted by Ryo28
Yeah, I didn't hear Brundle criticising Firman, certainly not to this extent.

'Cept Firman, had he swapped suspensions with Fisichella, could have been a Grand Prix winner and IMO never looked out of his depth.

[Rennen]

How did he qualify for a Super License?

[Don K]

Originally posted by Rennen
How did he qualify for a Super License?

By driving F3000, and making enough miles in a F1 test without causing problems.



I would think that a Super License should be for:
- F1 drivers
- Drivers who have good results in series like F3000
- And some escape clause for drivers with good results who did not have a chance to do f3000; They should show that they can drive a F1 car without problems over a race distance.

I don't know why that escape clause also aplies for drivers who did drive in high level series, without getting good results.

And I thought the rule said that FIA can give a Super License to a driver who takes the escape rule.
But now it looks as if any driver who completes race distance in a F1 test automatically gets a Super License...

[Mr V]

What i don't understand is why these guys arn't on "probation" just as Kimi was for his first 4 races?

[Ryo28]

Originally posted by ensign14
'Cept Firman, had he swapped suspensions with Fisichella, could have been a Grand Prix winner and IMO never looked out of his depth.

I was never a big Firman fan and i doubt he is a potential Grand prix winner IMO, but he was better than Baumgartner. He did look a bit untidy sometimes, though not to the extent that Baumgartner does... In Zsolts case the criticism does seem justified, its just that i don't think Brundle would be so scathing if Baumgartner was British, though no British drivers in F1 are as bad as Zsolt has looked so far...

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Ryo28
In Zsolts case the criticism does seem justified, its just that i don't think Brundle would be so scathing if Baumgartner was British, though no British drivers in F1 are as bad as Zsolt has looked so far...

To be fair to Martin, i believe he would be equally critical if Zolst was British, he's prepared to mention about DC if he (DC) makes a mistake and Martin manages him, which could, potentially, not be good for their relationship, but it doesn't stop him.

As you say, none of the British drivers are at Zolst's standard (fortunatly ) so we don't know what Martins (biased/un-baised??) opinion would be.