Incorporating Farzad's F1 Gallery & F1Onboard.com
https://forums.the-fastlane.co.uk/
Bottom post of the previous page:
O'Ward is so damn exciting. The way he rides curbs is a joy to watch.They were saying during the NBC telecast at the time when Power went in for the 2nd stop that it was odd that he wasn't on the reds for that stint because it reduces his options for the third and final stint, but the team justified it as having a brand new set of reds.
It is just a observation. On the other hand, why did such an observation trigger a response from you?
I do agree with you regarding Pato. I consider him the biggest talent in the US right now (I don't really see Herta as F1 material) but the biggest issue he will face will no doubt be the Pirelli tyres and getting to grips with how an F1 car drives compared to an Indycar. His balls to walls, all out attacking style would have worked great in F1 in 1975, it works great in Indycar today, but I'm not sure it will translate all that well to F1.Ruslan wrote: ↑2 years agoIt is just a observation. On the other hand, why did such an observation trigger a response from you?
But, of course, there was a point in the making the observation, and it is a point that I made a while ago on this forum that appears to have annoyed a few people; which is that this series is really not as good as, or what Indy car racing was from say 1911 to 2000 or so. It is a pale shadow of the premier American racing series that it used to be. In fact, one could argue that it was the premier racing series in the world from say 1911-1920. It is clearly not that right now, with a NASCAR star flailing around in the rear getting a lot of the share of the press, a back-of-the-pack pay F1 driver winning races, etc.
That said, Pato O'Ward is a breath of fresh air. I really liked his drive yesterday (I did watch the race). Here appears to be a fresh new driver of some ability that may be going places. I had not seen anyone in Indy Car racing that I would consider worth moving up to F1 since Montoya first was there (1999 & 2000). Needless to say, I never considered Christiano De Matta (1999-2002) and Sebastian Bourdais (2003-2007) to be really top-level drivers, and unfortunately, I was proven right with their two-year stints in F1 in 2003-2004 and 2008-2009 respectively. Since then, no one has been pulled up from Indy car racing to F1.
It's not a world championship. Its a typical series run on one continent. The only race that sticks out is the Indy500. Outside that, i see or hear no interest in Indycar.
Pretty much agree with everything you say here... except:John wrote: ↑2 years agoI do agree with you regarding Pato. I consider him the biggest talent in the US right now (I don't really see Herta as F1 material) but the biggest issue he will face will no doubt be the Pirelli tyres and getting to grips with how an F1 car drives compared to an Indycar. His balls to walls, all out attacking style would have worked great in F1 in 1975, it works great in Indycar today, but I'm not sure it will translate all that well to F1.Ruslan wrote: ↑2 years agoIt is just a observation. On the other hand, why did such an observation trigger a response from you?
But, of course, there was a point in the making the observation, and it is a point that I made a while ago on this forum that appears to have annoyed a few people; which is that this series is really not as good as, or what Indy car racing was from say 1911 to 2000 or so. It is a pale shadow of the premier American racing series that it used to be. In fact, one could argue that it was the premier racing series in the world from say 1911-1920. It is clearly not that right now, with a NASCAR star flailing around in the rear getting a lot of the share of the press, a back-of-the-pack pay F1 driver winning races, etc.
That said, Pato O'Ward is a breath of fresh air. I really liked his drive yesterday (I did watch the race). Here appears to be a fresh new driver of some ability that may be going places. I had not seen anyone in Indy Car racing that I would consider worth moving up to F1 since Montoya first was there (1999 & 2000). Needless to say, I never considered Christiano De Matta (1999-2002) and Sebastian Bourdais (2003-2007) to be really top-level drivers, and unfortunately, I was proven right with their two-year stints in F1 in 2003-2004 and 2008-2009 respectively. Since then, no one has been pulled up from Indy car racing to F1.
As for the age-old discussion of IndyCar today vis á vi IndyCar of the 1990's: We know. It's a shame. But the sport is on the up. Besides, IndyCar wasn't that stacked in the 1990's anyway, excluding Mansell. Have a look at 1993, where we'll exclude Mansell as that was an oddity.
Mario Andretti was 500 years old.
Foyt retired that year.
Eddie Cheever was an also-ran in F1.
Emmo was 500 years old as well.
Gugelmin was an also-ran in F1.
As was Teo Fabi.
Stefan Johansson was the only regular driver who wasn't a gazillion years old (in racing terms) and still carved out a good F1 career. As for the rest? Vasser, Robby Gordon, Arie Luyendyk, Raul Boesel, Adrian Fernandes, Paul Tracy, Danny Sullivan, Bobby Rahal and the like? They're no worse or better than Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Alex Rossi and the ones we have today.
Michael Andretti had of course left for his ill-fated F1 spell that year. So talent wise I'd say IndyCar is as good as it's ever been. It's never been "up there" alongside F1 in terms of raw driving talent. Sure, when JPM and Greg Moore raced in the late 1990's, they were quality. But the field was still filled to the brim with drivers who either made a stink in IndyCar, or had reached their peak in IndyCar/CART.
What's lacking right now is the fanbase, and media interest, which is nowhere near what it was in the 1990's.
Cheever wasn't doing a terrible job. Scored four podiums in title-capable Renault in 1983 - his first season in a very good car. The switch to Alfa Romeo was a very bad decision (maybe influenced by the fact he lived in Italy so wanted to drive for an Italian team?) and the two seasons were very unreliable even by 1980s standards. Just a ton of engine/turbo issues all over the place. He recovered well at Arrows, beat out Derek Warwick in the first season. It's been few years since I last watched the 1990 CART season but Cheever got a lot of hype when he came over to drive for Ganassi. Then he really should have won at Nazareth in 1995 only for AJ Foyt team to blow it up with not putting enough fuel on his car (right after the pitstop they knew they didn't put all the fuel in).John wrote: ↑2 years agoI do agree with you regarding Pato. I consider him the biggest talent in the US right now (I don't really see Herta as F1 material) but the biggest issue he will face will no doubt be the Pirelli tyres and getting to grips with how an F1 car drives compared to an Indycar. His balls to walls, all out attacking style would have worked great in F1 in 1975, it works great in Indycar today, but I'm not sure it will translate all that well to F1.Ruslan wrote: ↑2 years agoIt is just a observation. On the other hand, why did such an observation trigger a response from you?
But, of course, there was a point in the making the observation, and it is a point that I made a while ago on this forum that appears to have annoyed a few people; which is that this series is really not as good as, or what Indy car racing was from say 1911 to 2000 or so. It is a pale shadow of the premier American racing series that it used to be. In fact, one could argue that it was the premier racing series in the world from say 1911-1920. It is clearly not that right now, with a NASCAR star flailing around in the rear getting a lot of the share of the press, a back-of-the-pack pay F1 driver winning races, etc.
That said, Pato O'Ward is a breath of fresh air. I really liked his drive yesterday (I did watch the race). Here appears to be a fresh new driver of some ability that may be going places. I had not seen anyone in Indy Car racing that I would consider worth moving up to F1 since Montoya first was there (1999 & 2000). Needless to say, I never considered Christiano De Matta (1999-2002) and Sebastian Bourdais (2003-2007) to be really top-level drivers, and unfortunately, I was proven right with their two-year stints in F1 in 2003-2004 and 2008-2009 respectively. Since then, no one has been pulled up from Indy car racing to F1.
As for the age-old discussion of IndyCar today vis á vi IndyCar of the 1990's: We know. It's a shame. But the sport is on the up. Besides, IndyCar wasn't that stacked in the 1990's anyway, excluding Mansell. Have a look at 1993, where we'll exclude Mansell as that was an oddity.
Mario Andretti was 500 years old.
Foyt retired that year.
Eddie Cheever was an also-ran in F1.
Emmo was 500 years old as well.
Gugelmin was an also-ran in F1.
As was Teo Fabi.
Stefan Johansson was the only regular driver who wasn't a gazillion years old (in racing terms) and still carved out a good F1 career. As for the rest? Vasser, Robby Gordon, Arie Luyendyk, Raul Boesel, Adrian Fernandes, Paul Tracy, Danny Sullivan, Bobby Rahal and the like? They're no worse or better than Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Alex Rossi and the ones we have today.
Michael Andretti had of course left for his ill-fated F1 spell that year. So talent wise I'd say IndyCar is as good as it's ever been. It's never been "up there" alongside F1 in terms of raw driving talent. Sure, when JPM and Greg Moore raced in the late 1990's, they were quality. But the field was still filled to the brim with drivers who either made a stink in IndyCar, or had reached their peak in IndyCar/CART.
What's lacking right now is the fanbase, and media interest, which is nowhere near what it was in the 1990's.
It might very well be. It got pretty sad for a while.