Retro Silly Season

[Theunser]

Christian Danner nearly ended up at Jordan in 1991. I'm not 100% sure of this one, as the source is a post on Autosport forum. But it makes sense, as Jordan had a Ford engine, and Ford Germany earlier tried to put Bernd Schneider in the car.

"I have heard on the radio set, during a nostalgia program of formula one, that Christian Danner was onthe way to sign with Jordan-Ford in 1991 before, like each time, Andréa De Cesaris gave at Eddie the money of Marlboro italia !!!"

Link to the thread where i found it:
https://forums.autosport.com/topic/6.../?fromsearch=1

[S griffin]

Danner did end up as Leyton House test driver that season, but that’s the first time I’d heard of the Jordan link. Not sure about the Ford link, because that season he was a BMW driver, but I’m sure EJ would have loved to have an experienced driver like him in the seat

[Theunser]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Danner did end up as Leyton House test driver that season, but that’s the first time I’d heard of the Jordan link. Not sure about the Ford link, because that season he was a BMW driver, but I’m sure EJ would have loved to have an experienced driver like him in the seat

I read an interview with him, where he said Akagi wanted to start a second, more japanese based team, along with March, and Danner would be the driver.

[Theunser]

Here's the interview:
https://f1i.com/magazine/66571-break...r.html/3?amp=1

"I fell out with Formula 1, or Formula 1 fell out with me at the end of ’89, so I had an offer to go racing in DTM with BMW to be their Number 1 driver, but Akira Akagi (owner of Leyton House) asked me to go and race in Japan. He was a nice man, a super nice gangster. He asked me if I’d be prepared to create a Formula 1 team with him, as he wanted to be the first person in the world who had two Formula 1 teams, as he had the Leyton House Racing, with Adrian (Newey), Maurizio (Gugelmin) and Ivan (Capelli) and he wanted to have one with some Japanese involvement. So I did the entire Formula Nippon series with him (maybe it was still called F3000) and I did the Mugen-Honda 3.5 litre engine test programme and the initial Bridgestone testing, pre-Formula 1. That was with the Reynard Formula 1 car, with Malcolm Oastler as the chief designer it was a kind of hybrid between a 3000 and a Formula 1 car and it’s in the Honda museum now. That’s how I ended up in Japan."

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Theunser

Here's the interview:
https://f1i.com/magazine/66571-break...r.html/3?amp=1

"I fell out with Formula 1, or Formula 1 fell out with me at the end of ’89, so I had an offer to go racing in DTM with BMW to be their Number 1 driver, but Akira Akagi (owner of Leyton House) asked me to go and race in Japan. He was a nice man, a super nice gangster. He asked me if I’d be prepared to create a Formula 1 team with him, as he wanted to be the first person in the world who had two Formula 1 teams, as he had the Leyton House Racing, with Adrian (Newey), Maurizio (Gugelmin) and Ivan (Capelli) and he wanted to have one with some Japanese involvement. So I did the entire Formula Nippon series with him (maybe it was still called F3000) and I did the Mugen-Honda 3.5 litre engine test programme and the initial Bridgestone testing, pre-Formula 1. That was with the Reynard Formula 1 car, with Malcolm Oastler as the chief designer it was a kind of hybrid between a 3000 and a Formula 1 car and it’s in the Honda museum now. That’s how I ended up in Japan."

Very interesting reading. Thanks for providing it..

[Theunser]

March was going to start Jonathan Palmer in the 1981 British GP, but couldn't enter him, as Osella entered Jarier.

"Osella n'avait engagé qu'une seule voiture en France, limitant ainsi le nombre de participants Ã* 29 et laissant donc une place libre. John Macdonald espérait présenter une seconde March si Osella en restait Ã* un seul engagement. Il songeait confier tout d'abord cette deuxième voiture Ã* l'espoir anglais Jonathan Palmer, leader du championnat de Formule 3, avant de se rabattre sur le Suédois Stefan Johansson. Mais l'arrivée de Jarier chez Osella a ruiné ce projet."
https://www.statsf1.com/en/1981/grande-bretagne.aspx

[Theunser]

Reigning F3000 champion Erik Comas talked to Brabham and Ligier for a 1991 seat.

"Le nouveau champion international de Formule 3000 Érik Comas est dans le paddock, accompagné de son manager Jean-Paul Driot. Il discute avec Brabham-Middlebridge et Ligier-Gitanes pour un volant en 1991."
https://www.statsf1.com/en/1990/espagne.aspx

[S griffin]

Anyone want to translate the two above quotes?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Anyone want to translate the two above quotes?

https://bfy.tw/OpOz

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

https://bfy.tw/OpOz

No need for that, we’re trying to have friendly conversations

[S griffin]

Not sure if this was mentioned, but Hulkenberg was a strong contender for the Ferrari seat in 2013

[gert]

Originally Posted by Theunser

"Osella n'avait engagé qu'une seule voiture en France, limitant ainsi le nombre de participants Ã* 29 et laissant donc une place libre. John Macdonald espérait présenter une seconde March si Osella en restait Ã* un seul engagement. Il songeait confier tout d'abord cette deuxième voiture Ã* l'espoir anglais Jonathan Palmer, leader du championnat de Formule 3, avant de se rabattre sur le Suédois Stefan Johansson. Mais l'arrivée de Jarier chez Osella a ruiné ce projet."
https://www.statsf1.com/en/1981/grande-bretagne.aspx

Originally Posted by Theunser

"Le nouveau champion international de Formule 3000 Érik Comas est dans le paddock, accompagné de son manager Jean-Paul Driot. Il discute avec Brabham-Middlebridge et Ligier-Gitanes pour un volant en 1991."
https://www.statsf1.com/en/1990/espagne.aspx

Originally Posted by S griffin

Anyone want to translate the two above quotes?

1.
Osella had only entered a single car in France, limiting the number of entries to 29, and thus leaving a free space (= 1 entry available).
John McDonald hoped to present a second March if Osella stayed on 1 entry.
At first he was thinking of entering that 2nd car for the British young star J. Palmer, leader of the F3 championship, before finally settling for S. Johansson.
But Jarier's arrival at Osella ruined the entire project.


2.
The new champion of Int'l F3000 E. Comas is in the paddock, along with his manager JP Driot.
He is discussing with Brabham-Middlibridge and Ligier-Gitanes for a drive in 1991

[chunterer]

And he did sign for Les Bleus for '91.

[Theunser]

I recently listened to the Beyond the Grid podcast with David Brabham, where he revealed, Eddie Jordan offered him the Jordan seat after Gachot was jailed, but he didn't have the budget for it.

[S griffin]

And on the podcast with Johnny Dumfries he revealed that he was offered the chance to replace the injured Brundle at Tyrrell in 84, but decided to concentrate on winning the F3 title.

[S griffin]

And according to that chart that was posted earlier, Chiesa was linked to Brabham during 1992

[Theunser]

Originally Posted by S griffin

And according to that chart that was posted earlier, Chiesa was linked to Brabham during 1992

As there were possible swiss buyers for Brabham, he was. Also there were talks about David Brabham coming.

[S griffin]

Also Carlos Guerrero was going to drive for them in 1993

[Theunser]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Also Carlos Guerrero was going to drive for them in 1993

Yes, he had a contract. After Galmer got involved, Guerrero was signed, and I belive he was going to be the only driver.
There was a great article the whole Brabham 1993 saga, but i don't know where.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Theunser

Yes, he had a contract. After Galmer got involved, Guerrero was signed, and I belive he was going to be the only driver.
There was a great article the whole Brabham 1993 saga, but i don't know where.

Shame the Galmer thing didn't have legs, the Galles/Galmer set up had done well in the US after all. The Galmer Indycar was a nice design but I think got pulled after just one season?

I'm not sure but did Alan Mertens take over from Rick Galles which may have led to a change in priorities?

I'd also like to know where a great article might be about something that didn't happen!

[S griffin]

Also the reason why the new Brabham supercar is the BT62 is because the BT61 was going to be the car they raced in 93 F1 season. Not sure if any car was actually built, but I think there was at least a blueprint of the car

[Theunser]

I think this was the article I was remembering:
https://www.unracedf1.com/brabham-ga...iving-brabham/

But still there might be another one, because I remember reading somewhere that Chiesa and D.Brabham were candidates for Brabham.

[S griffin]

Brabham had already raced for the team bearing his father's name in 1990, and given his determination to make Project Brabham work, it doesn't surprise me he was linked to a return

[S griffin]

Thanks for the link btw, seems there was a fair chance we could have seen Brabham on the grid for 1993, if only they had managed to find the cash

[Theunser]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Thanks for the link btw, seems there was a fair chance we could have seen Brabham on the grid for 1993, if only they had managed to find the cash

The same is true for March.
It"s a shame teams like those are disappeared so suddenly.
March had some potential buyers, they secured the Beta sponsorship, but they didn't make it.