Pantano "abandoned" by F1 teams

[429CJ]

Pantano drove for Jordan in 2004, no points, team mate Nick Heidfeld got 3.
Pantano's change in F1 came and went.

[f1manoz]

Just because Pantano won the GP2 title doesn't mean an F1 team must give a Formula One test.

There are many factors as to why or why not a driver gets a test. Experience, skill, financial backing, potential etc.

Pantano has been around for a long time now and although he won the GP2 title this year, it will most likely be his ultimate triumph as his face simply doesn't fit on the F1 grid.

[pirenzo]

I do think its a shame he hasn't been offered a test. But then it doesn't sound like he's exactly been around asking for one either.

Ultimately, he's too old. For my money he's slightly better than Senna, di Grassi and Buemi, but they're young, and have time to improve. Arguably they will all end up better than Pantano.

You have to feel for the guy though. Think how long he's been pursuing his dream. To have done everything you can possibly do to prove yourself, and then just be discarded without a mention must be a real kick in the teeth. Sure, he has no right to a test, but the sport has been quite cruel to him.

[wapomumalo]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

Never take a press release at face value. Oh, and Mecachrome doesn't to the gearbox either, GearTek (the Italian one, not the US company that shows up on Google) does. As far as Mecachrome designing the engine or not, let's go to the horse's mouth:


From http://www.mader-racing.com/fr/Histo...istorique.html. Though note that they claim to have done the gearbox too - I suspect that they hand a hand in it, as designing a full race car requires cooperation.

If you're desperate for links about the BMW connection, I'll give you a few. Information on this is scarce at best as Renault does its best to hide the origin of the engine.

http://www.grandprix.com/mole/mole17179.html <- The Mole certainly thinks it's a Beamer
http://www.forum-auto.com/sport-auto...ujet378163.htm <- As do these people
http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=101842 <- As does others on this forum

Of course a lot has changed along the way but the base of the engine is still a BMW. I'm sure others in the know will back me up on this info (Sam! Were are you?).

Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy, your sources sounds like the sources from 911 Truthers...



Yep, ask for help...Now you´ll end up saying that the Supertec F1 engines built by Mecachrome back in 1998 and beyond, where also BMW blocks as well...



Well, well...let´s not make wood from the fallen tree...

I´d previously done my research and had found the very same "sources" on the google, I can trust in your info or dump it...I choose the first.

[Mekola]

Twenty years ago he'd surely found a place in F1.
Even could have raced many years for backmarker teams, like (for example) De Cesaris did.

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by f1manoz

Just because Pantano won the GP2 title doesn't mean an F1 team must give a Formula One test.
There are many factors as to why or why not a driver gets a test. Experience, skill, financial backing, potential etc.

Pantano has been around for a long time now and although he won the GP2 title this year, it will most likely be his ultimate triumph as his face simply doesn't fit on the F1 grid.

No it doesn't but it seems strange that a series like Formula Master can offer a 'play' in a F1 car, WSR offers a 'test' and yet GP2 offers..... nothing....

The rest is entirely because he didn't make an impression the first time round with Jordan and although he has won the GP2 title after 4 attempts he still hasn't made an impression in doing so...

[BootsOntheSide]

Pantano made completely the wrong career choices in recent years. It might have been worthwhile to contest GP2 in its first year, but after that he had little to gain by winning the title. If he'd got a decent ChampCar drive, or even sportscars or DTM, maybe he'd have a solid career there - possibly even a route back into F1 (as demonstrated by Bourdais and partly by Glock). Seven years at the second tier of single-seater racing just suggests a slow learner. Would he get seven chances to impress in F1?

[Dixie Flatline]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

Would he get seven chances to impress in F1?

Nope. He's had one chance and he blew it.

[jambo1998]

At the end of the day Pantano had his chance in F1 and didn't deliver, he took several attempts to win the GP2 title (several chances in F3000) and then even still that was a lot of luck.

Senna and Di Grassi are both younger and up and coming drivers. Senna will always get sponsors with his name.

[Hesketh]

Pantano simply does not have the talent and the wits to be a F1 diver.