Klien has no regrets about not taking up ride in Champ Car

[luke]

From Autosport.com

Christian Klien says he has no regrets about turning down an offer from Red Bull to drive in Champ car - even though it has left him with an uncertain future in racing.

Although the Austrian was dropped by Red Bull Racing in the wake of his decision, he insists that it was important for him to try and remain in F1.

"It would have been much easier for me to take the prepared race seat in the Champ cars for 2007," he told autosport.com. "But I decided to fight for my F1 future."

Klien is adamant that his F1 career would have been over if he had switched to racing in the United States, and he feels he is too young to make such a big career choice.

"My focus is that I want to continue in F1, because I trust in my ability," he said. "I am just 23 years old, and I have now nearly three years of race experience under my belt.

"My strategy is not looking just after next year. The question for me is, where will I be in two years in F1? Then I will be just 25 years old, and there is plenty of time left to be successful."

Klien has been linked with a third car drive with Spyker-Midland for the Chinese Grand Prix. But he admits that his priority is longer term.

"I am working hard on the options in F1," he said. "The new Spyker team would be very interesting, but my first target is to get a race drive in F1 for 2007.

"But I would appreciate as well a test role and reserve drive with a top manufacturer team."

Similar situation in terms of wanting to stay involved from the outside looking in at F1 with a possible test role..as Davidson when he was offered to drive for Newman/Haas last year in replacement of Newman/Haas.

[Snrub]

Klien didn't really seem to develop into a better driver than he started out as in F1. I think he is foolish to think that he will do it on his own. Red Bull backing ment that he would get a pay cheque and have a decent car no matter where he went. Waiting on a potential testing seat for the worst team in F1 isn't going to lead him anywhere.

[Notso Swift]

Now now, second worst team

[norman-normal]

I think Klien would rather continue to be a mediocre F-1 driver than risk be coming a mediocre Champ Car driver.

[BootsOntheSide]

I just hope he can find a paid drive in a year or 2 if he doens't find his way into a Spyker race drive for 2007 or 2008. He's young and confident in his ability, but there's no shame in racing in ChampCar instead of F1.

[norman-normal]

I agree Boots, but I think some of the European youths look to F-1 as though it were a panacea and anything less would be would be degrading.
Seabass is certainly one of the best drivers in the world; is he the best? we may never know in view of the petty politics and Ego's of F-1s establishment.

[luke]

Neel Jani is linked with PKV next year. He's doing A1GP throughout the winter alongside Sebastien Buemi for Switzerland you wish to know.

[N I Tram]

Jani looks most likely to get the Red Bull-backed PKV drive now that Klien has rejected it.

I don't regard Christian as a major loss from F1. Alhough he did reasonably well in a strong car last season, he has never shown that spark of class that an F1 front-runner needs. No matter how brilliant he is for Spyker (uif he gets the drive) next year, I can't see him getting a competitive F1 drive, and it's surely better to be regarly challenging for ChampCar wins than for F1 points.

[mountainstar]

After several years of plump RB patronage it's probably not a bad idea for mr. clean to make his own way in the world. I wish him all the best.

It looks like Jani will have the RB seat for next year and from what I know about him, he should be good.

In regards to champcar, I really don't care whether the drivers are male or female, or what country they come from, I just want drivers that really want to be here, not interlopers passing time.

[norman-normal]

I'll drink to that

[Fiorentina 1]

I don't blame Klein at all. Why would he take a job with a team that is fighting for 7th in Champcars. HVM are no where near Newman-Haas, Forsythe or RuSport. Besides, everyone knows that once you leave the F1 paddock it is virtually imposible to come back. Since racing F1 is his goal, then racing a Spyker or testing a Toyota or BMW would be better then racing for HVM in CCWS. Look at Glock, he had to go back to GP2 after doing a season of CCWS.....

[D.R.T.]

PKV, not HVM.

Seems Jani is all but confirmed.

[JeremySmith]

This must have been a difficult decision for KC to make, on the one hand he gets to stay with an organisation that he is very familiar with by going to ChampCar, but then how does he ever get back to F1???

[alonso11]

he does have a point, Bourdais won the title like what 8 times here? and nobody talks about him in relation to an f1 test, let alone f1 drive, ever.

[paul-collins]

Originally Posted by alonso11

he does have a point, Bourdais won the title like what 8 times here? and nobody talks about him in relation to an f1 test, let alone f1 drive, ever.

Aside from being completely wrong on both fronts, do you have a point?

[alonso11]

Originally Posted by paul-collins

Aside from being completely wrong on both fronts, do you have a point?

what are you talking about? i think you have difficulties understangin simple things, go see a doc or a teacher.

1. the title of the thread is: klien has no regrets about not accepting the champcar ride
2. i can completely understand it since champcar is not the place where you can attract the attention of f1 circles.
3. bourdais did a few very successful f1 tests for arrows and renault before he went on winning the champcar title for like a thousand times outpacing everything that moves there and nobody talks about him over here, absolutely nobody, so if anything, champcar made f1 forget about him. of course he can claim he doesnt want f1, but you know.. first you need to have offers to refuse them and bourdais has no offers from f1.
4.back to the title of the topic, klien does have a point, he made the right desicion, his goal was to stay in f1, and testing for say toyota (let alone racing for skyper) is a way better way to ahcieve that, better than racing in champcars

in the future try to read and understand things yourself, i dont have time for pointing out the obvious.

[paul-collins]

Originally Posted by alonso11

what are you talking about? i think you have difficulties understangin simple things, go see a doc or a teacher.

1. the title of the thread is: klien has no regrets about not accepting the champcar ride
2. i can completely understand it since champcar is not the place where you can attract the attention of f1 circles.
3. bourdais did a few very successful f1 tests for arrows and renault before he went on winning the champcar title for like a thousand times outpacing everything that moves there and nobody talks about him over here, absolutely nobody, so if anything, champcar made f1 forget about him. of course he can claim he doesnt want f1, but you know.. first you need to have offers to refuse them and bourdais has no offers from f1.
4.back to the title of the topic, klien does have a point, he made the right desicion, his goal was to stay in f1, and testing for say toyota (let alone racing for skyper) is a way better way to ahcieve that, better than racing in champcars

in the future try to read and understand things yourself, i dont have time for pointing out the obvious.

You don't have time in sticking to facts either, it seems. First you say that Bourdais has had no interest from F1 camps, then you say he's successfully tested. If I were to go searching through, for instance, the F1 forum here, I could easily find Bourdais rumours from this year.

Second, pay attention yourself. Your hyperbole is way over the top. He's won 8 championships? Now a thousand times? He's won it twice so far (with a third coming). People tend to look the fool when resorting to such tactics.

Oh, and "attack the post, not the poster" is a really good rule of thumb. Next time we talk, I'll keep my mod hat on.

[alonso11]

Originally Posted by paul-collins

You don't have time in sticking to facts either, it seems. First you say that Bourdais has had no interest from F1 camps, then you say he's successfully tested. If I were to go searching through, for instance, the F1 forum here, I could easily find Bourdais rumours from this year.

Second, pay attention yourself. Your hyperbole is way over the top. He's won 8 championships? Now a thousand times? He's won it twice so far (with a third coming). People tend to look the fool when resorting to such tactics.

Oh, and "attack the post, not the poster" is a really good rule of thumb. Next time we talk, I'll keep my mod hat on.

you hardly make any sense whatsoever, i dont think you need to tell how many times bourdais have won it on a champcars forum ... even you know it. and i obviously know more about bourdais than you do, i am quite aware of his f1 tests, and no, he had no offers eversince, try to make some sense next time you talk to me

[paul-collins]

Um, ok.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by alonso11

......and i obviously know more about bourdais than you do,

Really .......

Originally Posted by alonso11

Bourdais won the title like what 8 times here? :

....... or perhaps not, then!

Originally Posted by AlonsoII

what are you talking about? i think you have difficulties understangin simple things, go see a doc or a teacher.

in the future try to read and understand things yourself, i dont have time for pointing out the obvious.

Apart from being extremely discourteous, both these comments breach website rules, as Paul has taken the trouble to politely point out. Not only have you attacked a poster, you have attacked a mod who gives his time freely to keep these discussions running smoothly, so you should find the time yourself to endeavour to be accurate in your statements, if you don't wish to be challenged. Calm down and discuss constructively.

[marcus]

I would agree with what John has just stated Alonso11.

Please use the exit door and have a think about how you reply to topics in future when you return , you have obviously been here at ten tenths long enough to know the rules so please stand by them when visiting all frums.

other than that continue on

[norman-normal]

Bourdais has had more than one F-1 offer but not in a car that He feels could win,

[mountainstar]

Part of it with SB is that he hasn't exactly been over in europe knocking on doors, has he? I think he's already had a taste of the F1 backstabbing bit and hasn't really been keen to go back. I seem to recall some interviews with him early on about his F1 testing experiences which he was quite negative about.

[paul-collins]

Typical:

http://www.totalf1.com/view-article.php?newsid=178195

Should all else fail, Klien would cross the ocean to start in the ChampCar Series. "I don't need Red Bull for that project. I have received offers from three of the best teams, Newman-Haas, Rusport and Forsythe. All I need to do is to say yes."

Sure you have.

There's been a specific denial by a Forsythe PTB on this; I'd bet the others would find it to be news to them, that they were in line to inherit his brilliance.

[luke]

Klein was one of my favourite drivers in Formula 1. He didn't deserve to be replaced, however tbf he was just one of those average drivers and never showed huge potential. A driver who does what he needs to and can be great but doesn't show awesome promise. Similar to Heidfeld you could say.
Would be nice to see him in Champ Car, but from those comments above who really wants him there? He's always come across as arrogant but lets see what happens.