The two Wills - where to from here?

[Nicholosophy]

As most of you would know, Australians Will Davidson and Will Power (known over here as the 'Two Wills' tested for Minardi the other day. Both seemed to have scquitted themselves well, with both apparently running times faster than this year's drivers on the same type of fuelload/setup.

The question is - where to from here? Whilst they are both quite deserving of an F1 drive if they have the speed that's reported, will they be able to get one? Both drivers have shown their skill, deternimation and racecraft overseas in the lower fomulae, but will they be able to find the backing to get a run? :confused:

I doubt both would, but wouldn't it be great - an Italian F1 team owned by an Australian, running two Australian drivers, with masses of Australian sponsorship all over it.

I guess it's now up to the Australian companies out there whether we see any money come their way...

[Don K]

I've got the feeling that almost *everybody* who tested a Minardi this week was faster than the regular drivers (Apart from Chanok Nissany) ...

And it looks as if most of them were faster than the two Wills ...

However, if Will Power and/or Will Davison can get better sponsors than the other drivers, I agree they *do* deserve to get the Minardi seats next season.

[Bobie]

I'm sorry the two Wills are quick, however, they both lack experience in european racing, powerfull cars and races that last longer than British F3's half an hour.

I think they both need to go into something like Formula Superfund or whatever for 1 year then go for the Minardi drive and make a real impact.

[marcus]

they simply are not ready for F1.

another year or two in lower formula and they might be ready but certainly not 05

[Gaz]

Originally posted by NickoGP
As most of you would know, Australians Will Davidson and Will Power (known over here as the 'Two Wills' tested for Minardi the other day. Both seemed to have scquitted themselves well, with both apparently running times faster than this year's drivers on the same type of fuelload/setup.

The question is - where to from here? Whilst they are both quite deserving of an F1 drive if they have the speed that's reported, will they be able to get one? Both drivers have shown their skill, deternimation and racecraft overseas in the lower fomulae, but will they be able to find the backing to get a run? :confused:

I doubt both would, but wouldn't it be great - an Italian F1 team owned by an Australian, running two Australian drivers, with masses of Australian sponsorship all over it.

I guess it's now up to the Australian companies out there whether we see any money come their way...

Both drivers are OK racers, neither are good enough for F1 though I'm afraid based on what they have or more like haven't achieved over here in the UK.

I'd rate Will Power higher than Will Davison if I had to choose between the two but there are much more deserving drivers, who have achieved much more in junior formulae than these two.

Get themselves some more experience, in higher powered formulae, with some actual results under their belts and then come back on if they should have an F1 ride or not.

But if they can find more money than their rivals then......

Just to make sure all the Aussie's don't come running after me all at once I beleive James Courtney deserves a chance more than all the other geezers tested put together

[marcus]

now you will have the aussies running after that statement

Will power is an excellent driver , i rate well above james Courtney anyday

[Gaz]

Originally posted by marcus
now you will have the aussies running after that statement

Will power is an excellent driver , i rate well above james Courtney anyday

After his first year in F3 over here I rated Will Power very highly Marcus but this season he was hopeless, driving for a team that took the title only two years ago.

Will Davison - well I'll say no more on his performances in the F3 world.

Courtney has achieved results, he won the British Formula Ford title (beating a certain Mr Anthony Davidson), he finished runner-up in Brit F3, to a Mr Robbie Kerr who deserves an F1 chance more than anybody, and he also won the Japanese F3 title and showed well at Macau last year. When you look at it like that Mr Courtney's certainly got the results down on paper to merit a stab at the big league. More so than the likes of Power and Davison

[marcus]

personal opinion I guess.

hey i guess they all better than me so good luck to them all

[BootsOntheSide]

In what way are either Will as good as Courtney? You can't make a sweeping statement like that and then wimp out by saying it's a personal opinion.

Ultiamtely the Minardi drives will be sorted based on money, but I hope they have at elast one experienced driver, even if it is Jos.

[Dixie Flatline]

I don't think either of them have any chance of Formula One, especially if they rely upon Australian companies to dig in their pockets to give up wads of cash. Webber seems to be a talented driver, but even if he had trouble convincing companies to sponsor him when he was in the lower formula of racing. Australian companies would prefer to tip money in to a driver/team competing in V8s because that's shown at a far viewer-friendly time in Australia than Formula One (except for the Australian, Malaysian, Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix).

[marcus]

yeah im good for wimping out boots

[Kicking-back]

Back to Aussie V8s for both of them probably

[marcus]

no never , not good enough for V8's , its open whewelers or nohting i guess.

will davison has made his debutnin V8's i must add.

[strider]

Originally posted by Gaz
Both drivers are OK racers, neither are good enough for F1 though I'm afraid based on what they have or more like haven't achieved over here in the UK.

Just to make sure all the Aussies don't come running after me all at once, I believe James Courtney deserves a chance more than all the other geezers tested put together

I'd second that. It would be ridiculous and harmful for their careers if either Will were to get an F1 drive right now.

[Raglanparade]

What are James Courtneys plans for next year?

[bella]

jason - read the national and international single seaters forum. there's plenty of info about courtney in there.

will power is completely pants. he's only good cause he's completely and utterly fearless (although i'd pay money to obtain tv footage of the time he tried to start a fight with another driver, then ran away when he realised how tall his opponent was...). will davison is much much better, but he seems to let outside factors influence him too much. such a shame, if you put the two of them together you might have a pretty decent driver.

obviously i'll be wrong cause i'm dissing a couple of aussies...

[Mr Jinxx]

Sorry, much as it pains me, I have to disagree with the gorgeous bella.

Alex having partnered both of them, I'd put Will Power as being a quicker driver, but Will Davison a better media prospect.

Will Davison jumped up to F3 too soon. He needs nurturing. Neither of them should/could jump straight into F1, they'd bomb, it would be madness.

But where do you get the money from to nurture them through the next step (the step up from F3 is a biggie)? I don't know, but they both need the WS/GP2/Superfund experience to grow, if they can

[GTRMagic]

Originally posted by bella
will power is completely pants. he's only good cause he's completely and utterly fearless (although i'd pay money to obtain tv footage of the time he tried to start a fight with another driver, then ran away when he realised how tall his opponent was...). will davison is much much better, but he seems to let outside factors influence him too much. such a shame, if you put the two of them together you might have a pretty decent driver.

obviously i'll be wrong cause i'm dissing a couple of aussies...

I actually thought your view was the opposite on these two, that Power was better than Davo, but you live and learn.

I dont know if either guy is absoultely first rate material, they havent really had the circumstance to show off their talents.

If its of any interest at all, both have competed in V8Supercar down here, Power in 2002, Davison this year, and while both did an ok job, they werent consistently as quick as their team leaders....

I am also led to believe Mr Davison's money trail has run out, something that is apparently scheduled to happen to Mr Power in the not to distant future as well, so this discussion may become one for the bar stools as opposed to the race tracks...

[steve nielsen]

what where his parents thinking naming their son Will Power??

[ozrevhead]

its a great name for a aspiring f1 driver steve, cause to get there you need plenty of it

they will go the same way as ryan brisco - if it's too good to be true it usally is

[frederick]

Slightly off topic, but here is a note I penned to Minardi a couple of weeks ago regarding Drivers

Dear Paul,

It seems that you are in the enviable position of being “spoiled for choice” when it comes to eager young talent that wants a drive in 2005 and that got me thinking about Minardi and your role in F1.

Now please don’t be offended by what I am about to say because it is rooted deep within a genuine affection for you and Minardi,
BUT
You are not going to be challenging for the constructors title in 05
None of your drivers are likely to be WDC in 05

It must be tremendously hard to maintain motivation within yourself and the team knowing that these are the facts and it must be equally hard to attract media attention and, consequently, Sponsors when you are consigned to the back of the pack
You must all do it for the sheer love of it and that is the single biggest redeeming feature of Paul Stoddard and Minardi, it is with guys like you that the true spirit of F1 resides.

So having got the “Warm Fuzzy” **** out of the way I’ll get to the point

Given that your role within F1 seems to be to make up the numbers, why don’t you inject some real interest into the proceedings by being the Team that bloods young hopefuls …..ALL OF THEM
Montiero, Albers, Kiesa, Davidson, Power, Doornbos for example.

There are likely to be 19 races next year which gives you 38 race drives and 19 Third Car testing spots to fill
Each young hopeful does 3 Friday tests and Six races during the course of the season, that covers 18 races, the 19th race goes to the ones that did the best. The most consistent or the ones fortunate enough to score a point.

This scheme has one problem in that toward the end of the season you will have no Friday testers that haven’t driven in a GP so you will need to seek an exemption from that rule from Max and the other Teams

The advantages of this scheme are:
• It provides a Competition within the Competition which will attract the attention of the Press, TV camera’s and all the Anoraks that populate the F1 fansites on the internet.

• It will give you more flexibility in attracting Sponsors for 6 race packages instead of the whole season

• It will give the major Teams a chance to assess the skills of these young guns under Race conditions and if you are smart enough to be holding a script on any of them you can sell them on

• It will be good for F1 generally in that it will dispel some of this “closed shop” aura that surrounds it and sees the same old hacks being given yet another chance

• And finally, each of the young hopefuls only has to raise half the usual budget to secure a spot. (yes, half,……. six halves,…… a 50% increase in funding from the pay drivers)

Just a thought
any comments from youse "Anoraks"

[marcus]

Sounds like a great plan and i reckon it would be great to see BUT there is a rule that you are only allowed 2 (I think its 2) drivers changes during the season unless forced to do so by Injury to a driver so therefore your plan doesnt work.

But I certainly Love the idea and it would be fantastic for Minardi

[frederick]

Yeah I think it's 3 maximum per car per season (williams had ralf +2 this year)
but like all rules they are subject to negotiation
and given the state of the F1 show they should be thinking "outside the Square" to keep the fans interested

[Don K]

At the moment the maximum is 4 drivers per team per season (according to F1 Sporting Regulations at www.fia.com).

[Raglanparade]

why cant the FIA grant an exemption to the bottom two teams in the constructors championship that they are allowed to run as many drivers as they wish during the season.