De Matta's views on the depressing state of CART

[Rambo]

http://www.autosport.com/newsitem.asp?id=21359&s=7 - from AUTOSPORT:

"I am very sad about the way Champ Cars is going," da Matta told Reuters. "The only real motorsport there is in America today is Champ Cars. IRL is a good series and is getting better in everything but it is only ovals.

"CART is such a good series because the equipment is so similar and teams are [at a] very high level. Now many teams and the drivers are leaving so I think the series will go back in time a bit to what it was like in the late 1980's and early 1990's where there were a few good drivers and teams."

[Jordi]

In the late 80's and early 90's, CART was almost F1's rival. I'd like to get back to those times!

[Liz]

Me too. Cristiano is absolutely correct. Last year was depressing and we need to gt it fixed. Fortunately Chris Pook agrees with him and that, I think, is the way we are headed.

[BootsOntheSide]

I think the series is starting to rise again, and 2003 will see a lot of new stars emerge, with a grid full of committed teams who love racing, rather than money-grabbing corporate lowlives.

[f1manoz]

2003 will see the reverse of fortunes for the CART World Series. 2002 wasn't a great year for the series, but thanks to new rules and regulations, we will see the return of great racing in 2003 and the re-beginnning of the 'war' between the series.... a war in which Champ Cars will eventually prevail...

[Rambo]

I think what he means is that, rather than the extremely competitive last few seasons, we'll end up going back to the years where one or two top teams like Penske dominated, no matter how good the drivers in the other cars. I don't see myself it with the "one-make-series" formula they'll be running, but you can see his concern with people jumping ship.

[Liz]

But he also says this:

"The only real motor sport there is in America today is ChampCars," said da Matta during this week's F1 test session in Spain. "Next year is definitely a crucial year for the series but I just hope for the best because it is such a better series than anything else in the United States."

"CART is such a good series because the equipment is so similar and teams are at a very high level. For Americans it is a good series... but if you look at it from the world point of view I don't think a guy from Europe or Australia or Japan will want to go to America to race IRL."

[Jay]

Yeah...it really does pay to read the entire article.

[greg.n]

The whole article is actually quite affirming about CART. Its the Autosport headline that is depressing, but that is just mindless echoing of the 'bla bla ' press who jump on any negative bag 'em thread going. Christiano is very pro CART.

[Rambo]

If he's so pro-CART, why is he going to be driving a Formula One next season?

[Jordi]

Because F1's the pinnacle of motorsport. Sure, when he was growing up, he was dreaming of reaching F1.

[Liz]

He followed his dream. I've heard him say that Emerson Fittipaldi was the one who led the Brazilians into European racing and that Adrian Fernandez is doing the same thing for the Mexicans. Fernandez is leading his countrymen into Champ Cars.

Perhaps some of the guys coming in from other countries will do the same for their countrymen.