Impressions of Scott Speed

nycuk · 18 Jul 2007, 17:49 (Ref:1966714)

Scott Speed's position in F1 looks increasingly under threat, especially with Sebastien Boudais expected to join STR next season.. I wonder what your impressions of Scott are?

My own opinion is that he is a talented, quick driver who doesn't appear to have been given a fair crack of the whip by STR. He may not be Hamilton / Kubica / Rosberg material but his record coming through the formulae has been quite impressive, and Red Bull have obviously invested heavily in him. He has fought against a serious illness that was expected to finish his career, and (despite initial impressions) has grown into a consistent driver who I think deserves his place in Grand Prix motor racing.

Scott's arrival in F1 was very likely bolstered by the then apparently pressing need to break F1 in the US. Now the US suddenly seems not to matter to Bernie anymore, and the commercial advantage of having an American in F1 has dissipated with it.

Now it looks like he could be gone next season. I think that's a shame - your thoughts?

Knowlesy · 18 Jul 2007, 17:57 (Ref:1966724)

My thoughts really are that he is not really standing out and is wasting his time.

STR needs a shakeup and that begins with the entire driver lineup.

Scott can be reasonably good. He drove very well at Monaco for instance, but has done little else. He isn't destined to be a GP success.

FPV GTHO · 18 Jul 2007, 17:58 (Ref:1966725)

I think he wouldve benefitted greatly from a second GP2 season. He finished 3rd behind Rosberg and Kovalainen IIRC, but shouldve followed what Piquet did.

In F1, i think he's fast but the question is his consistency and commitment. I'd say right now that he could definately improve on both fronts. Maybe if STR dont keep him and another F1 team picks him up, he'll have a chance to show improvement. His time's running out though, and to fend off Bourdais and Vettel he'll need to do something like grab some points or qualify just outside of the top 10 a few times i think.

kartracer41 · 18 Jul 2007, 18:06 (Ref:1966735)

I really don't think he has been given a fair shot in F1. It is obviously hard to read a drivers ability on a second rate team. If the parent Red Bull team was leaps and bounds ahead of STR, I would think that he isn't as good as he could be. But that is not the case. I think he is doing a fine job with what he has to work with. It will be a shame if his chance is over after this short time. IMO Champ Car is a joke. American's don't even care for it.

Super Hans · 18 Jul 2007, 18:12 (Ref:1966740)

He's like Christian Klien - Is he good enough to race in F1? Yes. Is he ever going to set the world alight? No.

Davhut · 18 Jul 2007, 18:22 (Ref:1966747)

He's honest, he's funny and he's a hell of a starter. There's no way we can judge a driver in these backmarker cars against anyone but his teammate.

Mr V · 18 Jul 2007, 19:23 (Ref:1966799)

A waste of a seat i'm afraid, but then, so is Liuzzi (Trulli, Ralf and Fisi to name but 3 more also

).

Kudo's to Scott though for getting into F1, i read that he had a lot of health problems (stomach iirc).

rcarr · 18 Jul 2007, 19:28 (Ref:1966807)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super Hans

He's like Christian Klien - Is he good enough to race in F1? Yes. Is he ever going to set the world alight? No.

Or like Fisi, Rubens, etc.
I really like him, I dunno if its just his name, its such a great name for an American racing driver!
I support him in every race, like I do with Rosberg, Wurz, Davidson and Button. I wouldn't say I am a fan like I am with David Coulthard but I still support them!

Knowlesy · 18 Jul 2007, 19:30 (Ref:1966813)

Trouble is, this is F1. Not the "Best Named American Driver World Championships."

runshaw · 18 Jul 2007, 19:33 (Ref:1966819)

He has ulcerative colitis which blighted his time in British F3 very badly and made him look like a midfield driver, but then he got well for Formula Renault the next year and was European and German champion. Although he never won a race in GP2, he had many podiums and was blisteringly fast getting lots of fastest laps, poles etc.

And remember his stunning pace on his first few outings for Red Bull in 2005, including the Indy GP practice when he was the Friday driver. It's ashame he is in a Toro Rosso, his career may come to an end soon along with Liuzzi and those two I feel did deserve a shot at F1 given their junior records.

Super Hans · 18 Jul 2007, 19:40 (Ref:1966828)

Quote:

Originally Posted by runshaw

It's ashame he is in a Toro Rosso, his career may come to an end soon along with Liuzzi and those two I feel did deserve a shot at F1 given their junior records.

They're having a shot at F1.

They may be in a bad car, but there's still a chance to impress. Fernando Alonso did enough in that dog of a Minardi to prove he was special. Likewise Ayrton Senna in the Toleman. A truly top drawer driver would do the same in this year's Toro Rosso. Sadly, I don't believe that Liuzzi or Speed are top drawer.

I'm not talking about public perceptions either. The armchair fan might not notice a top driver in a backmarking car, but I'm sure those in the paddock could. Gerhard Berger would want to hang on to them if he thought they were the real deal, but to be perfectly honest, I don't think he does.

chillibowl · 18 Jul 2007, 19:41 (Ref:1966831)

in all fairness to Speed, he has been very unlucky this year.
a couple of tire failures, reliability problems, hit from behind a couple of times (2 by Wurz), and really iirc his only really bad race was his home race.
so not bad for a team that has failed to score a point or one which has not had the reliabilty to even make it to the end of a race.
does he deserve to stay...more than his teammate imo.

rcarr · 18 Jul 2007, 20:21 (Ref:1966867)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chillibowl

in all fairness to Speed, he has been very unlucky this year.
a couple of tire failures, reliability problems, hit from behind a couple of times (2 by Wurz), and really iirc his only really bad race was his home race.
so not bad for a team that has failed to score a point or one which has not had the reliabilty to even make it to the end of a race.
does he deserve to stay...more than his teammate imo.

This is true! I agree! Chillibowl is even Canadian and is saying it!

chillibowl · 18 Jul 2007, 20:54 (Ref:1966901)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcarr

This is true! I agree! Chillibowl is even Canadian and is saying it!

oh i forgot he was American...i think they will revoke my passport now...well at least my free health care card

Dutton · 18 Jul 2007, 21:12 (Ref:1966925)

Free healthcare? By free I trust you mean in the "you do pay money for it" sense of free?

Marbot · 18 Jul 2007, 22:52 (Ref:1966981)

I'm not very good at impressions,but here goes: 'Hi y'all,seeyer all in Champ cars next year,Yee Haaa!'

BootsOntheSide · 19 Jul 2007, 13:33 (Ref:1967456)

I'm not convinced that either he or Liuzzi are up to the job - both have a fair few crashes and are rarely putting the car above where it belongs (although it's difficult to judge when neither driver is a known quantity). His attitude seems all wrong as well - I can't picture him putting the time into development or team-building, which is probably why other teams don't seem interested. With no USGP next year his overall value to F1 has gone down considerably.

chunder · 19 Jul 2007, 16:14 (Ref:1967612)

Think he was only there because Red Bull were desperate to get a Yank into F1 anyway, they put a huge effort into getting Americans into lesser formula and IRL with guys liek Cheever running teams.

Liuzzi I dont know, I think he could be very good, but then we all though that about Justin Wilson didnt we and he struggled like hell in F1 before going well in CC

Knowlesy · 19 Jul 2007, 16:22 (Ref:1967621)

Justin didn't struggle in F1 at all. He did rather well in fact. Sadly, he is taller than three feet and nobody wanted him.

Compared to Liuzzi, Wilson was different league.

Bluewolf · 19 Jul 2007, 17:18 (Ref:1967648)

Of course I would love to see Speed stay because I root for him every race and although because of that it's hard to be objective I'll try my best --

Positives --
Extremely quick off the line
Runs solid consistent lap times
Has really improved as far as making mistakes

Negatives--
Not aggresive enough
poor qualifier versus his teamate {better lately}
Although no one is saying he's not good enough to be in F1 -- His level of talent is not turning heads in the paddock which is what you need to move up -- There doesn't seem to be a "Buzz" on him.

Conclusion -- Overall a better driver than many give him credit for but he's going to have to kick it up a level for the rest of the year if he's going to partner Sebass -- If I ran STR I must say I would pick him over Liuzzi who makes way to many mistakes, but I would definitley want to test Vettel who I have a feeling may be quicker than Bourdais, Speed, or Liuzzi.

mp356a · 19 Jul 2007, 18:47 (Ref:1967710)

I think he is better than his car is allowing him to show. His starts are great and that's about the best you might expect from any driver in that car. His interviews are refreshingly honest and I'd like to see him in F1 (in a better car) next year.
You asked,
Mike

Fiorentina 1 · 19 Jul 2007, 22:51 (Ref:1967890)

There are maybe 3 or 4 Americans currently racing that are good enough for F1, Scott is the only one who has been bread for F1. I.E racing in Formula Renault, F3 & GP2 instead of Formula Atlantics and Champcars. Does he belong in F1? YES. But, unless he moves into a Williams, Red Bull or Renault then you can't really judge, because Toro Rosso is a backmarker team. His mistake in Canada really hurt his chances of scoring points and probably guaranteing his spot on the team for 2008.

mp356a · 19 Jul 2007, 23:36 (Ref:1967908)

Paul Edwards was doing a fair job in Europe but had no backing. I wish someone had given him a chance.....

Bluewolf · 19 Jul 2007, 23:49 (Ref:1967912)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiorentina 1

There are maybe 3 or 4 Americans currently racing that are good enough for F1, Scott is the only one who has been bread for F1. I.E racing in Formula Renault, F3 & GP2 instead of Formula Atlantics and Champcars. Does he belong in F1? YES. But, unless he moves into a Williams, Red Bull or Renault then you can't really judge, because Toro Rosso is a backmarker team. His mistake in Canada really hurt his chances of scoring points and probably guaranteing his spot on the team for 2008.

Actually he was running pretty far back in Canada when he collided with Wurtz while trying to pass - It was Liuzzi who was running in 5th or 6th place with about 15 laps to go and then he lost it and crashed into the wall that hurt STR much more that day.

JeremySmith · 19 Jul 2007, 23:52 (Ref:1967916)

Nice chap I like Scott. Always upbeat and honest when being interviewed..I hope he stays in F1..

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