Bryan Herta to drive for Minardi?

[Zanardi 50]

It's about time we have an American driver in F-1 again. Even if Herta is going to drive for the worst (?) team in F-1 today, at least he can't do any worse than Alex Yoong.

Some say that Christiano Da Matta is going to be the next F-1 driver, I am not particularly fond of him at all, mainly because I feel that he's too confident to the point of being really snobby. I really would like to see Franchitti hitch a ride in F-1, but Herta is another character that I like to see after Yoong gets the BOOT. Bryan Herta, make us Americans proud of ya! :}

 

[gheba_nsx]

I kind of respect Minardi... small team, very small money but much hearth! So many years in F1 and very few points gained... but they never gave up!

 

[Zanardi 50]

It's too bad that Minardi, with smaller resources (at least within the F-1 community), has to deal with less-than-perfect driver like Yoong. Mark Weber's holding his own quite well, as matter of fact, he helped the team gain some championship points at Australian GP. Bottom line is that the team deserves better driver than Yoong, who has no F-1 talent IMO. He should step aside and let someone like Herta take a shot at it next year. It'd be interesting to see how Herta fares in F-1.

[This message has been edited by Zanardi 50 (edited 07 August 2002).]

 

[NSX2F1]

Originally posted by Zanardi 50:
It's too bad that Minardi, with smaller resources (at least within the F-1 community), has to deal with less-than-perfect driver like Yoong. Mark Weber's holding his own quite well, as matter of fact, he helped the team gain some championship points at Australian GP. Bottom line is that the team deserves better driver than Yoong, who has no F-1 talent IMO. He should step aside and let someone like Herta take a shot at it next year. It'd be interesting to see how Herta fares in F-1.

[This message has been edited by Zanardi 50 (edited 07 August 2002).]

Minardi made a decision to sign Alex Yoong because it need to satisfy its Malaysian owners/sponsors.

 

[apeltier]

Is it confirmed that Herta is going to Minardi? I didn't realize this. I don't follow CART so I'm not up on the latest and I haven't been following F1 news as closely with the 3 week gap.

I agree. F1 needs an American driver. Minardi unfortunately is not the place for one to show his talent. I respect what Minardi has been able to do all these years without any money and Yoong is unfortunately a disgrace. I'm just worried about someone like Herta going to F1 and just getting trounced. I'm not sure that's what Americans are looking for in an American F1 driver.

I think we really need to simply find someone young and new. F1 drivers are getting younger everyday. In F1 terms I imagine Herta is already going to be one of the old timers. It seems if you're over 25 in F1 these days, you're getting on in age.

Was Herta able to hang with Montoya while he was in CART? If so, maybe it makes sense. If Montoya kicked his butt, then why would we think that Montoya and Schumacher aren't going to eat Herta's lunch?

For me, until we get someone really worthy of F1, I guess I'll have to stick to being a Schumacher fan. Maybe about the time Shumacher retires there will be some good talent coming from the U.S. that I can get behind. Until then I just preach the gospel of F1 being king until everyone I meet is a fan!

Alan

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[lemansnsx]

Originally posted by Zanardi 50:
Some say that Christiano Da Matta is going to be the next F-1 driver

Da Matta Tipped for F1 Success - BBC, August 7, 2002.



------------------
Andrew Henderson
The NSX Model List Page

"We have long acknowledged that enthusiasm for things automotive is a sure
sign of emotional instability if not outright dementia" - Brock Yates

 

[lemansnsx]

Originally posted by Zanardi 50:
It's about time we have an American driver in F-1 again.

Herta to get Taste of F1 - BBC, August 01, 2002.



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Andrew Henderson
The NSX Model List Page

"We have long acknowledged that enthusiasm for things automotive is a sure
sign of emotional instability if not outright dementia" - Brock Yates

 

[lemansnsx]

Originally posted by Zanardi 50:
Bottom line is that the team deserves better driver than Yoong, who has no F-1 talent IMO.

Yoong Made to Sweat - BBC, August 06, 2002.


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Andrew Henderson
The NSX Model List Page

"We have long acknowledged that enthusiasm for things automotive is a sure
sign of emotional instability if not outright dementia" - Brock Yates

 

[lemansnsx]

Originally posted by Zanardi 50:
I really would like to see Franchitti hitch a ride in F-1

Franchitti Given F1 Warning - BBC, March 08, 2002.



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Andrew Henderson
The NSX Model List Page

"We have long acknowledged that enthusiasm for things automotive is a sure
sign of emotional instability if not outright dementia" - Brock Yates

 

[Michigan NSX]

As of last Saturday, at the ALMS race at Troi Riveres (sp?) Bryan said in an interview that "he has been invited for a TEST with the Minardi team, and that people shouldn't blow that out of proportion".

I like Bryan as a driver but I don't know how well he will do in F1. He is only the third fastest driver on his Panoz ALMS team. The two teamates who are ahead of him?...Gary Brabham and Jan Magnusson, both driver with a bit of F1 experience.

I have been following F1 since 1987 and don't personally think the drivers nationality matters much. I didn't get excited when Eddie Cheever or Michael Andretti were in F1 and I didn't get depressed when they left.

Originally posted by apeltier:
...I don't follow CART so I'm not up on the latest...

Bryan has been driving for Panoz this year in the American LeMans Series (ALMS). I don't believe he has done any CART races this year.


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'91 Black/Black

 

[Tom Larkins]

I'll wait until I see him in the car. If Yoong is gone can we assume that may leave Minardi w/o sponsor $'s from him? And if Herta is in, where are the $'s coming from (Shell)? He's not gonna get a ride if he isn't well funded. Personally, I think alot of the CART guys will be looking elsewhere. F-1 or switching to the IRL, CART looks like its wilting on the vine with car counts, lack of competition and with corporate dollars being harder to come by. I hate to say it, but it looks like its going in the wrong direction even w/good attendance at some of the tracks. Heck I heard on RPM Tonight that Fittipaldi is gonna make a switch to NASCAR.

 

[lemansnsx]

Originally posted by Tom Larkins:
I'll wait until I see him in the car. If Yoong is gone can we assume that may leave Minardi w/o sponsor $'s from him?

Minardi's money comes from the state lottery in Malaysia. I've not actually seen anything that says Yoong was paying for his drive.

And if Herta is in, where are the $'s coming from (Shell)? He's not gonna get a ride if he isn't well funded.

Good point.

CART looks like its wilting on the vine with car counts, lack of competition and with corporate dollars being harder to come by. I hate to say it, but it looks like its going in the wrong direction even w/good attendance at some of the tracks.

Be very wary of those attendance figures! Since Goodyear no longer publish the numbers that they used to do tracking every major motorsports event it is hard to know what figures to believe!

------------------
Andrew Henderson
The NSX Model List Page

"We have long acknowledged that enthusiasm for things automotive is a sure
sign of emotional instability if not outright dementia" - Brock Yates

 

[gheba_nsx]

"Was Herta able to hang with Montoya while he was in CART? If so, maybe it makes sense. If Montoya kicked his butt, then why would we think that Montoya and Schumacher aren't going to eat Herta's lunch?"

apeltier,
this statement makes no sense since they will race on two completely different levels. Montoya will race to get one of the first three positions and Herta would race in order to enter the first ten. It would be logical to me that Montoya was a better driver even in CART, otherwise BMW (Big Team and Big Money) would have chosen Herta as a driver on the first place.

 

[Zanardi 50]

Originally posted by NSX2F1:
Minardi made a decision to sign Alex Yoong because it need to satisfy its Malaysian owners/sponsors.

I know that already. Doesn't life (in F-1) sucks?

 

[gheba_nsx]

"Doesn't life (in F-1) sucks?"

No... life could be worse than this!

ps: if I was not here at work with the NSX today probably I would question myself about MY life...

 

[apeltier]

apeltier,
this statement makes no sense since they will race on two completely different levels. Montoya will race to get one of the first three positions and Herta would race in order to enter the first ten. It would be logical to me that Montoya was a better driver even in CART, otherwise BMW (Big Team and Big Money) would have chosen Herta as a driver on the first place.[/B][/QUOTE]

I agree. I realize Herta wouldn't be able to compete at the top level. I don't think anyone coming into the sport with one of the lowest teams can compete. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I would like to see an American driver come into one of the 4th or 5th teams like Renault or even Sauber. I think these cars are at least at a level where a driver can take it to the big boys once in a while and demonstrate some talent.

To me the point of everyone wanting an American driver is to get the American fans into it more. For us diehards, it doesn't really matter. We're going to love it regardless. However, to have an American driver come in and suck like Andretti it might just turn new viewers off. Then again, seeing your star get his butt handed to him might give some insight into the world that is F1.

Alan

 

[Zanardi 50]

Originally posted by gheba_nsx:
"Doesn't life (in F-1) sucks?"


No... life could be worse than this!

ps: if I was not here at work with the NSX today probably I would question myself about MY life...