Indycar 2019 - News and Discussion

Including the Indy 500 and all junior series leading up to IndyCar
Locked
User avatar
kals
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 28276
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: Kieran
Favourite Motorsport: F1..BTCC..MotoGP
Favourite Racing Car: Benetton B189
Favourite Circuit: Donington Park
Location: New Jersey

#991

Post by kals »

Bottom post of the previous page:

This race at Laguna Seca has been a decent one so far.
User avatar
John
Ultimate Member
Ultimate Member
Posts: 8885
Joined: 8 years ago
Real Name: Jo
Location: Insert Swedish countryball here

#992

Post by John »

Just turned in. Glad to see Felix up there.
2018 GTP Accuracy champion.

CEREAL IS A SOUP.
User avatar
Everso Biggyballies
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 48991
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Chris
Favourite Motorsport: Anything that goes left and right.
Favourite Racing Car: Too Many to mention
Favourite Driver: Kimi,Niki,Jim(none called Michael)
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife, Spa, Mt Panorama.
Car(s) Currently Owned: Audi SQ5 3.0L V6 TwinTurbo
Location: Just moved 3 klms further away so now 11 klms from Albert Park, Melbourne.

#993

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Fortunately Ferucci wrecked himself out ofany chance of Rookie of the Year. :smiley:

* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
User avatar
kals
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 28276
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: Kieran
Favourite Motorsport: F1..BTCC..MotoGP
Favourite Racing Car: Benetton B189
Favourite Circuit: Donington Park
Location: New Jersey

#994

Post by kals »

Good race. The right title winner, the right race winner, the right rookie of the year, the right person classified last in the race.

But lol at Paul Tracy still managing to laud his driving for pulling off the road in a damaged car, then Robin Miller saying it was first mistake of the year... I’m guessing no-one saw or remembers what he did at Gateway?
User avatar
kals
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 28276
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: Kieran
Favourite Motorsport: F1..BTCC..MotoGP
Favourite Racing Car: Benetton B189
Favourite Circuit: Donington Park
Location: New Jersey

#995

Post by kals »

John wrote: 4 years ago Just turned in. Glad to see Felix up there.
Felix had a great race, pulled some great moves.
User avatar
MonteCristo
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 10660
Joined: 8 years ago
Favourite Motorsport: Openwheel
Favourite Racing Car: Tyrrell P34/Protos
Favourite Driver: JV
Favourite Circuit: Road America
Location: Brisbane, Australia

#996

Post by MonteCristo »

Not a classic race, but still very watchable. Some good racing. Please don't repave it!

Well deserved win by Herta.

Congrats to JoNew.
Oscar Piastri in F1! Catch the fever! Vettel Hate Club. Life membership.

2012 GTP Non-Championship Champion | 2012 Guess the Kai-Star Half Marathon Time Champion | 2018 GTP Champion | 2019 GTP Champion
User avatar
Vassago
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 3449
Joined: 20 years ago
Favourite Motorsport: Formula 1, IndyCar
Favourite Driver: Senna, Clark, Montoya
Favourite Circuit: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Location: Poland

#997

Post by Vassago »

kals wrote: 4 years ago Good race. The right title winner, the right race winner, the right rookie of the year, the right person classified last in the race.

But lol at Paul Tracy still managing to laud his driving for pulling off the road in a damaged car, then Robin Miller saying it was first mistake of the year... I’m guessing no-one saw or remembers what he did at Gateway?
Yeah, makes you feel like Ferrucci paid the TV crew to suck his kneecaps all year long tbh. It's kinda fitting that from all the rookies this season, it's this guy who didn't score either a win, podium or a pole. Sure, he finished 4th three times but that was as fortunate season as he could have hoped for. His ARCA brakes style will get him in big trouble going forward.

My quick thoughts on the season:

1. Newgarden is the deserved champ. He still made three bad mistakes without which the points battle would be a wash entering Laguna Seca even with those stupid double points.
2. Zach Veach is a waste of time. He finished second to last in points among full-time drivers only ahead of Leist in the perenially wretched second Foyt entry. Sheesh. That's even worse than Hideki Mutoh did.
3. Old-as-the hills Tony Kanaan beats out Marco Andretti in the points. Yikes.
4. 18 races in and Colton Herta has the same number of wins as Marco in 14 years.
5. Bourdais has had an invisible season tbh. A bunch of results in lower Top 10 region but not a contender to win many of them like he used to. I almost forgot he had one podium way back in the spring.
6. Hinchcliffe remains invisible too. Makes the Wickens loss even that more glaring.
07.04.1968 - Flower of Scotland when will we see your like again?
01.05.1994 - We'll never forget...
User avatar
Everso Biggyballies
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 48991
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Chris
Favourite Motorsport: Anything that goes left and right.
Favourite Racing Car: Too Many to mention
Favourite Driver: Kimi,Niki,Jim(none called Michael)
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife, Spa, Mt Panorama.
Car(s) Currently Owned: Audi SQ5 3.0L V6 TwinTurbo
Location: Just moved 3 klms further away so now 11 klms from Albert Park, Melbourne.

#998

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Vassago wrote: 4 years ago
4. 18 races in and Colton Herta has the same number of wins as Marco in 14 years.
Ouch. Says it all.

* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
User avatar
kals
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 28276
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: Kieran
Favourite Motorsport: F1..BTCC..MotoGP
Favourite Racing Car: Benetton B189
Favourite Circuit: Donington Park
Location: New Jersey

#999

Post by kals »

Everso Biggyballies wrote: 4 years ago
Vassago wrote: 4 years ago
4. 18 races in and Colton Herta has the same number of wins as Marco in 14 years.
Ouch. Says it all.
It does. But it also says something about Andretti Autosport. I've been banging this drum for a few years now as people seem to believe Michael's team are one of the top in the sport. Why? Discounting Rossi, the team was winless in 2019. Including Rossi, the team scored the same number of wins as Rahal's team / Takuma Sato (and with vastly more resources).

Andretti Autosport is the perennial underachiever. Ryan Hunter-Rey achieved his third winless season in the last four years. Versus the other powerhouses of the sport of Penske and Ganassi, Andretti have little to show for their efforts since their last title in 2012.
User avatar
Vassago
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 3449
Joined: 20 years ago
Favourite Motorsport: Formula 1, IndyCar
Favourite Driver: Senna, Clark, Montoya
Favourite Circuit: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Location: Poland

#1000

Post by Vassago »

Andretti keeps having too many eggs in that basket. And two of those eggs are downright trash. Marco & Veach. Rossi carries this team on his back while RHR is serviceable but no longer elite driver. It's really that simple. Penske always tries to poach the best talent and even Ganassi has parted ways with aging Kanaan to jump on his proven European trail. Rosenqvist finishing 6th in the standings is quite a surprise. He had a slowish start to his career (esp. after that wrecks at COTA, Barber and Long Beach) where I even wrote he's on a short leash. He really improved the second half of the season but was kinda lost with NBC blabbering about Santucci all the time.
07.04.1968 - Flower of Scotland when will we see your like again?
01.05.1994 - We'll never forget...
User avatar
John
Ultimate Member
Ultimate Member
Posts: 8885
Joined: 8 years ago
Real Name: Jo
Location: Insert Swedish countryball here

#1001

Post by John »

Felix had a tough time figuring out the Firestones and didn't have the physique in the spring either. Combined with the mandatory rookie mistakes and some shit luck. When the pieces started coming together he was great.

Andretti would be best off to get rid of everyone except Rossi and Herta, RHR might win one more race at some point but that's it. Veach is safe for one more year at least where he will probably continue to be garbage. Marco should just flat out retire.

I'm tired of talking about the Santucci circle-jerk going on so I won't.

Felix was the top finishing rookie 8 times. Herta twice. Ericsson three times and Santucci four times. All in all the rookie class performed really well and the IndyCar grid is really close now. A pity we didn't get to see more of Pato O'Ward.

All in all a brilliant season. Long Beach was really the only snoozer, the other races was either good or great IMHO. Week in and week out we got some fantastic races.
2018 GTP Accuracy champion.

CEREAL IS A SOUP.
User avatar
kals
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 28276
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: Kieran
Favourite Motorsport: F1..BTCC..MotoGP
Favourite Racing Car: Benetton B189
Favourite Circuit: Donington Park
Location: New Jersey

#1002

Post by kals »

Felix's early season isn't given enough credit. It's made to look worse than it was for factors somewhat out of his control. For instance, Indy when he was having a reasonable run and was involved in that accident while trying to take avoidance. And COTA, when thanks to that track limits idiocy he was collected by Hinch.
User avatar
Vassago
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 3449
Joined: 20 years ago
Favourite Motorsport: Formula 1, IndyCar
Favourite Driver: Senna, Clark, Montoya
Favourite Circuit: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Location: Poland

#1003

Post by Vassago »

kals wrote: 4 years ago Felix's early season isn't given enough credit. It's made to look worse than it was for factors somewhat out of his control. For instance, Indy when he was having a reasonable run and was involved in that accident while trying to take avoidance. And COTA, when thanks to that track limits idiocy he was collected by Hinch.
I listed Felix's crash list from the earlier part of the season in this thread before. Track limits is the new black in video game era of racing and COTA was build as such for F1. He also crashed in LB qual, Indy practice and then completely crapped the bed in Detroit. I believe this is when he realized he's earned a reputation of a crasher half-way into his rookie season. And we could be talking about sth completely different if he wrecked Dixon at Mid-Ohio. They were inches from making contact there tbh. Herta's 7 DNFs helped him win ROTY a lot as I believe no other full-time driver had more than 4 DNFs this season.
07.04.1968 - Flower of Scotland when will we see your like again?
01.05.1994 - We'll never forget...
User avatar
kals
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 28276
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: Kieran
Favourite Motorsport: F1..BTCC..MotoGP
Favourite Racing Car: Benetton B189
Favourite Circuit: Donington Park
Location: New Jersey

#1004

Post by kals »

Vassago wrote: 4 years ago
kals wrote: 4 years ago Felix's early season isn't given enough credit. It's made to look worse than it was for factors somewhat out of his control. For instance, Indy when he was having a reasonable run and was involved in that accident while trying to take avoidance. And COTA, when thanks to that track limits idiocy he was collected by Hinch.
I listed Felix's crash list from the earlier part of the season in this thread before. Track limits is the new black in video game era of racing and COTA was build as such for F1. He also crashed in LB qual, Indy practice and then completely crapped the bed in Detroit. I believe this is when he realized he's earned a reputation of a crasher half-way into his rookie season. And we could be talking about sth completely different if he wrecked Dixon at Mid-Ohio. They were inches from making contact there tbh. Herta's 7 DNFs helped him win ROTY a lot as I believe no other full-time driver had more than 4 DNFs this season.
I think it's fair to say you rate Felix as highly as I rate a certain DCR driver. A rookie driver making errors is hardly surprising, neither was he alone in crashing in races, practice or quali sessions. Isolating him while ignoring others shows bias. Only in Detroit race 2 did he make a significant error which cost him and Ganassi result. Regarding Mid-Ohio, he was allowed to race and did. He didn't do anything wrong, raced clean and fair. Compare that situation to RHR who at the same race on the same lap squeezed Newgarden, causing the two to touch and putting Newgarden out of the race.

Yes Herta had a lot of bad luck and mechanical DNFs. No denying that.
User avatar
Vassago
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 3449
Joined: 20 years ago
Favourite Motorsport: Formula 1, IndyCar
Favourite Driver: Senna, Clark, Montoya
Favourite Circuit: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Location: Poland

#1005

Post by Vassago »

Mid-Ohio was totally Newgarden's fault. Should have sit back in 4th and carry the points. He made a similar ill-fated decision in Detroit Race 2. Without these two mistakes he'd have only one finish outside of Top 10 all season (Indy GP where the off-strategy call didn't work).

What bias? Rosenqvist is experienced enough not to be treated on the same level as Herta. Not all rookies are equal. These crashes are a fact which contributed to his slow start of the season. You prefer to blame COTA track limits to bail him out of any responsibility. Quite frankly you make it sound like Rosenqvist was the driver of the season, no mistakes, hard but fair racing. It's almost a shame you can't spin the Detroit race into any positives and blame someone else for that crash.

Moreover I remain highly critical of Herta myself as he is a reckless driver IMO. Just because he has two wins, it doesn't change my opinion that he will have to alter his driving style or will remain a boom or bust driver.
07.04.1968 - Flower of Scotland when will we see your like again?
01.05.1994 - We'll never forget...
User avatar
kals
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 28276
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: Kieran
Favourite Motorsport: F1..BTCC..MotoGP
Favourite Racing Car: Benetton B189
Favourite Circuit: Donington Park
Location: New Jersey

#1006

Post by kals »

We will disagree on Mid-Ohio between RHR and Newgarden, he shouldn't have to sit back and he does deserve racing room, like any driver. RHR on the other hand has shown multiple times than in wheel to wheel situations he has the spacial awareness of Sebastian Vettel.

In respect of Rosenqvist there are a couple of matters. Firstly I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt, whereas you are not. That's fine. You're the only person with a highly critical viewpoint of him, again that's fine. What isn't fine is that no-one is / was suggesting his season was perfect, only objecting (previously and now) to your points against him. And while he may be experienced, that's fairly irrelevant when it comes to US racing and Indycars.

As for Herta, I'm not sure how his driving at Road America suddenly means he's reckless and needs to change his style. Also, how does that fit the context of him being unlucky with some mechanical failures through 2019?
Locked