10 Best Drivers of 2003?

[DNQ]

Well ... the season's all over red rover - who are your picks for the ten best drivers of the year?

[Omega99]

Cool Thread! Unfortunately, my list is alomst identical to the top ten in the standings


1. Paul Tracy Paul Tracy - Without a doubt, he drove better than everyone, and better than he ever has before.
2. Michel Jourdain Jr. - Finished 3rd in the standings, and at the end of the day, I think he did a spectacular job.
3. Bruno Junqueira - Very very solid performance, but didn't seem to have the heart that the top two did. I expected better. I think we all did.
4. Sebastien Bourdais - Not quite the consistancy of the top 3, but the blinding speed he had from the moment he stepped into a champ car led some to believe he was going to run away with it. He's on his way up, and who knows where he'll end up.
5. Patrick Carpentier - I think after last year, many of us expected him to be a contender right up until the end of the year, but he never quite got there. Nontheless, a solid performance including a strong win at Laguna Seca, and the back half of the Players 1-2 at Mid-Ohio.
6. Orial Servia - A pleasant surprise. Solid season, I expect him to do quite well next year too.
7. Mario Dominguez - A surprise at the beginning of the season, but struggled thorugh mid-season. If it wasn't for the win at Miami, and the 3rd at Mexico City, he wouldn't have been so high on my list.
8. Alex Tagliani - Bias plays a role here, but you have to say good things about a guy who took a first year team to a solid finish. In fact, the best of all of the first year teams. Should have won at Montreal, and drove it flawlessly. A handful of podiums were good to see as well. If Fontana hadn't been cancelled, I'm sure he would have won it!
9. Darren Manning - An awesome, awesome guy! I was so happy to see him get a podium finish at surfer's, because he had deserved it so many times. A true sportsman, shown when he moved out of PCs way at Road America after losing a gear. Oh yeah, top Reynard and second rookie isn't bad either!
10. Adrian Fernandez - Brilliant at times, but usually wasn't a factor. It was hit and miss this year, as with last year, but he sure hit at Portland!

Honorable Mentions: These are guys I wish I could have had room on the list for.

Jimmy Vasser - Stand up guy. Keep on trucking Jimmy!
Ryan Hunter-Reay - A win and a podium. Stay tuned, there'smore to come! (Hopefully ASTJ gets some sponsorhip)
Mika Salo - Only a few races, but did something in the PK car that no one else did: contend. Maybe next year he'll be a force to be reckonned with


Super Awesome Above Honorable Mention Goes To:

Alex Zanardi - No one else could have done what he did. He's an inspiration, and a legend. Champ cars in 2005, Alex? Come on, whadya say?

[Tenoch]

That's a really difficult question but here are my picks.

1. PAUL TRACY when it came to it he showed everyone who was the boss, he is the champion with 7 wins. In the end I he fed everyone the apllesauce.

2. Michel Jourdain, he may of not won it this year but he showed us just how great he was with performances at Laguna, his domination of Milwaukee, and all the times he could of but didn;t win.

3. Bruno Junqueria, the talent is defenetely there, and when he wants to show it he will but most of the season the presessures of NHR got to him, and in the end went down wiothout a figth for the 2 place.

4.Mario Dominguez, his drives at Miami Mexico Germany and Brads Hacth left us all wondering is this the fluke kid from last year. He shows the racing spirit and drive that seems to belacking in a lot of the field.

5. Sebatien Bourdais, credit iis due where it's due he jumped out of the gates only to show us what a great roadblock he can be. But his fourth for a reason.

6. Patrcik Carpentier, he had a great summer run as he usually does but he serves his roll as speed bump quite well. I just wish Patrcik could be unleashed and not worry about teammates who outshime him.

7. Oriol Servia, When he has it he has it but most of the year he didn't i wouldn't be surpirised if Oriol was sent packing after this season.

8. Darren Manning, for doing the most with what he had most drivers would not try because they know with their inferior chasis they have no chance of an actual win but he went out and gave it his all.

9. Adrian Fernandez, Adrian has so much talent i honestly see him beign a championship ciontender if he did not have to worry aboutrunning his team, his talent is shown by his private jet Ferrari's and Lifelong sponsorship.

10. Roberto Moreno, proving that you can still rock and roll at 45 with the new kids. He just helped Mario out so much that I wonder how can that even team think of getting rid of him.

Extra Merit; goes to Ryan and Haberfield for proving that heart factors in to racing.

Extra credit for Jimmy Vasser please just stick around till you get your Lola, and for beign the only reigning champion not counting tracy to stay with the Champcars.

And of course Alex Zenardi, i wasn't a fan when he was winning champinships, but his will and determanation serves as an example for everuone.

[Raven]

1. Paul Tracy - This was his year and he fully deserves the championship. I never thought he would beat Bruno, but he gelled so well with his new team and was the man to beat from start to finish.

2. Bruno Junqueira - We all expected more, I agree. He lacked the sparkle, but he was always there and I think he'll be ruing the incidents at Montreal, Milwaukee, Mid-Ohio and Surfers. Without those, he probably would have lifted the title.

3. Michel Jourdain

4. Sebastien Bourdais - Had a brilliant start to the season, 3 poles and 2 wins in his first 5 races, but seemed to lose steam as the season wore on and only once or twice more did he show the same turn of speed. Will be interesting to see how he gets on next year.

5. Adrian Fernandez - His team has progressed immensely over the past two years and as an owner/driver I honestly didn't expect him to be as competitive on as many occasions.

6. Mario Dominguez

7. Darren Manning - Did a great job IMO. He was usually the top Reynard, and comfortably adapted to the series.

8. Patrick Carpenter - Disappointing year really. Never looked like consistently matching PT, which surprised me as I expected his experience with Forsythe would play into his advantage. Was also surprised to see him often out performed by Dominguez, Jourdain, and some of the other rookies on occasion.

9. Alex Tagliani

10. Mario Haberfeld - For a rookie in a new team with a Reynard chassis he did a lot better than many expected of him.

[racer69]

1. Paul Tracy
2. Sebastion Bourdais
3. Michel Jourdain Jr
4. Bruno Junquira
5. Alex Tagliani
6. Mario Dominguez
7. Adrian Fernandez
8. Oriol Servia
9. Patrick Carpentier
10.Alex Yoong

[F3lollipops]

I can't believe that none of you have even mentioned Tiago Monteiro in the Fittipaldi team!

[x_dt]

1. Paul Tracy
2. Sebastien Bourdais (bearing in mind he was a rookie, next year should be a title contender)
3. Michel Jourdain, Jr
4. Bruno Junqueira
5. Oriol Servia. OK he had rather too many DNFs but he was usually up there on pace.
6. Mario Dominguez. Surely the most improved driver of 2003.
7. Darren Manning (given he was in a Reynard)
8. Adrian Fernandez
9. Patrick Carpentier (disappointing season especially when compared with PT)
10. Alex Tagliani

Honourable mention: Mika Salo. Until he arrived on the scene PK Racing were rarely competitive.

[Jordi]

1. Paul Tracy: Despite still showing some flashes of madness, he's a worthy champion

2. Sebastién Bourdais: Impressive! Lost his way a bit in the middle of the championship, but he's gonna be title contender.

3. Michel Jourdain Jr. : Has demonstrated he now has what it takes to lead a team and mount a championship challenge

4. Oriol ServiÃ*: Notably this year, he has nearly always been in the top 6, but the problem is that he's had too many DNF's. Poor luck, some mistakes, deserves a win.

5. Mario Dominguez: Most Improved Driver I say too. Special mention to the Herdez team, which has really stepped up this year.

6. Bruno Junqueira: Played a good championship but unlike Tracy, he didn't seem to "be" there in the hunt. Had some costly failures and mistakes.

7. Darren Manning: Tremendous job in the Reynard. Very reliable, never puts a wheel wrong, deserves a good car!

8. Patrick Carpentier: An obscure season, but still, Laguna Seca stands.

9. Jimmy Vasser: Another one that deserves a good car. Tremendous race driver and better person.

10. Alex Tagliani: Nice job in first-year team, very unlucky too.

[ascarracinguk]

Manning
Tracey
Jourdain
Hunter
Fernandez
Junky
Bordais
Vasser
Carp
Domingez

[Snrub]

Approx order. It's hard to say for some of them.
Tracy
Jourdian
Tag
Dominguez
Junky
Bourdais
PC
Jimmy
RHR
Manning
Haberfeld

Biggest Disappointments:
Servia - I thought he could do a lot better.
PC - His performance really paled in comparison to PT.
Moreno - sad to see the end is near.

[Mofo]

1. P.Tracy - Champions deserve to be on top
2. S.Bourdais - Great rookie season
3. B.Junqueira - Failed under pressure
4. M.Jordain Jr - Fast, but should have been faster
5. D.Manning - Nice bloke, heaps of top 10 places
6. M.Dominguez - Proved 2002 Surfers wasn't a fluke
7. R.Hunter Reay - Great debut year, if unspectacular
8. P.Carpentier - Below average, but there's little else to choose from
9. J.Vasser - One word REYNARD
10. O.Servia - Way below expectations ...

[BootsOntheSide]

1 Tracy
2 Bourdais
3 Jourdain (to think we all dismissed him as a pay-driver 2 years ago)
4 Junquiera
5 Manning
6 Tagliani
7 Dominguez (to think we all dismissed him as a pay-driver one year ago)
8 Caerpentier (might've been better off with a Reynard)
9 Servia
10 Hunter-Reay