Kyle Busch eyes F1 test

[VilleneuveTracy]

He told reporters at the Charlotte track in North Carolina that he was currently working to arrange a demonstration run in Toyota's F1 car in Japan at the end of the season.

"We're working on a test session right now at the end of November or beginning of December sometime - going to Japan and doing a little exhibition sort of deal and see what it's like," Busch was quoted as saying by speedtv.com.

When asked whether he wanted the test to lead to a race opportunity, Busch said he was open to offers.

"If I can do it and I'm good at it then I'll give it a shot and try it.

http://www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx?id=42669

It would good to see an American on the F1 grid and Busch is young enough to make the switch to F1 and could always return to NASCAR in his mid-30's, which is the age bracket Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart are in right now and they are title contenders.

[ThePenguin]

I was always hoping that Jeff Gordon would get a shot at F1, but he is too old now, but with Busch's ties to Toyota now I could really see this happening.

[Graz]

Has Busch any single seater experience? Peronally I think he'd struggle in an F1 car not for reasons of talent but just because they are so different to anything he's driven recently. I read this story today and I found it refreshing that a current NASCAR driver has such an interest in racing outside of NASCAR. I hope he gets a test.

As mentioned above, Jeff Gordon could easily have done a job in F1.

[f1toy]

toyota got very lucky when k.b. signed on with gibbs.

but to put him in an f1 car, they need to up the ante pay for a usgp.

[Burnsie]

Originally Posted by Graz

Peronally I think he'd struggle in an F1 car not for reasons of talent but just because they are so different to anything he's driven recently.

He could always ask Juan Pablo Montoya for some advice...!

[fish88]

Originally Posted by burnsie

He could always ask Juan Pablo Montoya for some advice...!

He already gave it

http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/67571

Montoya downplays Busch's F1 test



Juan Pablo Montoya says Kyle Busch's planned test in a Formula One car could end up being a struggle for the NASCAR points' leader due to the higher physical demands and little time he would be given in the car.
The former Formula One race winner said the planned test Busch is setting up with Toyota at the end of the year in Japan could end up being similar to the event where Jeff Gordon switched cars with the Colombian at Indianapolis in 2003.
"It's like what we did for Jeff (Gordon)," Montoya said. "We took the real car and the real deal - actually when Jeff was there, the car had no rpms. I told them, 'You can't do that.'
"So when Jeff drove the car, I actually convinced Mario Theissen to put in all the rpms like we normally would when we race it. And he did pretty good. Jeff did really good actually. We were very impressed with Jeff.
"But going from a demonstration to an actual test is a big difference. He's going to get the pleasure to drive a Formula One car, but from there to actually get a proper test, the first problem you're going to get is your neck.
"You need to train for months to be able to hold the neck. At least for the Formula One car."
Montoya said that even a driver of Busch's talent, who has already won on a road course in NASCAR, would struggle with the little time he would probably be given to get used to the car and the track.
"They give you a day or a half-a-day, you're not going to do anything and nobody is going to look at you," Montoya added. "Can he do it for talent? Maybe. But you have to remember, all his life he has done ovals.
"He's not a road course expert. Yeah, he won in Mexico, but he's not a road course expert.
"Part of the challenge that he will have is the same challenge that I had when I came here. I've done how many IndyCar races on ovals? Seven or eight races a year on ovals?
"So I did about 16 races on ovals before I came to NASCAR. So that's a tall order. People don't understand that, but it is."
When Jeff Gordon ran in a Williams-BMW at Indy in 2003 he was around five seconds slower than that year's pole position time, although he reportedly ran less than a second and a half off a benchmark lap set by Montoya earlier the same day.

[mattcat]

Kyle Busch would be eaten alive in F1. Don't get me wrong, I like Kyle Busch, and he's an excellent driver, but he's also used to contending for victory, and that is unlikely to happen at Toyota any time soon. When he's not in contention, he pushes too hard and would find himself in the gravel. Furthermore, an F1 car is not suited for Busch's driving style. You can't smack the wall and go on to win the race, like he did at Darlington. Plus, diplomatic he is not, and the politics of F1 would prove too much, I believe. I would really like to see what would happen if he were given a shot, but I think it is unlikely.

[chemhead1]

I'd like to see Toyota give him just one serious test just for fun, not like it'll hurt anybody. I mean, come on. Kyle DID give Toyota their first Cup win, you'd think he'd get something for that.

[Knowlesy]

Toyota do not operate on basic human logic though.

[Dutton]

I was listening to this show that Tony does on the NASCAR channel on Sirius satellite radio, as I was winding my up northern BC to the Yukon, and one part of the show had Kyle on. A part of their conversation saw them talk about this F1 gig, and, basically, Kyle was taking it to be what it is: a chance to have hell of an experience that is not expected to lead to anything, plus Tony moaned enough to get Kyle to try and get himself a shot a too.

He did add that he would certainly take any chances offered, but the manner. tone, and such, in this regard makes me think we can pretty safely assume Kyle Busch isn't ever going to have an F1 career.

[fieldodreams79]

seems tony MIGHT be more suited for an F1 seat anyways, since his sat in an OW car before.

but that seems to what i had been thinking about this the whole time, Dutton; PR scheme at best. maybe...just maybe, this can get some people in the US looking at F1 when NASCAR's hottest driver is talking about it.......




maybe.

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

seems tony MIGHT be more suited for an F1 seat anyways, since his sat in an OW car before.

Not sure he could sit in an OW car now though.

[Dutton]

They could find a way...*thinks of Red5 with his Mclaren*...ok, yeah, maybe there are better plans....

[MobileTradition1]

Let's be honest here. Kyle is doing the F1 car test and that's it. F1 certainly isn't interested in another American who goes fast on our side of the pond. And Kyle's not looking to go back to 'rookie' status in an unfamiliar part of the world (remember, F1 no longer races in America). Lastly, Kyle's a bit too redneck to fit in at the F1 level. And that's not an insult, just a fact. But at the end of the day, he gets to be one of few people who get to take a spin in a road missile for a day.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by MobileTradition1

Lastly, Kyle's a bit too redneck to fit in at the F1 level. And that's not an insult, just a fact.

calling him a redneck is an insult to real rednecks.