Gaston popped by beer!!

[slicktoast]

I just read something about Gaston being hit with a beer by a 'spectator' after his spin. This is just awful and a low spot. Cheer-up Minardifan, the leading macaroon had to fight to get position over a Minardi!!(Wasn't it for 3rd at the time!!)

[Danielsun]

You're right there! I could not believe that a World Champion, in the best car, struggled for so long to get around the Minardi. Not doubt our dear Mr Fan was beside himself at that point!!

Quite probably the best drive (up to that point) in GM's racing career...

[R]

That was truly fantastic, to see Gaston fight with Mika Hakkinen for third. I could just picture Minardi Fan cheering at that point!

Gaston was hit by a beer??? Bottle or can BTW, being hit by a bottle I would imagine could be down right dangerous. Oh, the things some people do... That spectator should be banned from motorsport events forever, as he obviously has no respect for the sport or it's participants. The drivers expose themselves to enough danger as it is, without having to fear being hit by objects thrown from grandstands as well.

[Redneck]

I saw that on the digital fed television system. I was embarrassed for USGP fans. That was a low moment, hopefully never to be repeated.

[Liz]

Most of the time they don't allow the babies to bring anything in they can throw. Perhaps next year there will be only paper cups for drinks.

Murray was having hysterics that Mazza should let Mika by - and Martin had to sit on him to make him realise that for the first time in history a Minardi was LEADING a McLaren.

I was sorry to hear about the accident in the Minardi pits and hope the mechanic or mechanics were not injured too badly.

[Redneck]

I couldn't really tell, but it didn't look like a can of beer. There are no glass containers allowed. Still not sure what it was, but it definitely splattered when it hit right on the nose of the car.

Frankly, I thought Gaston did a wonderful job. But then I am a Ferrari fan, and I thought it was "just" payback for what McLaren had done earlier.

[Racer X]

Whoever they are must have one hell of an arm.

[Minardi fan]

It's so sad... I was nearly in tears when it came up that Mazzacane was 4th. And THEN he got up to 3rd!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!! It was a superb drive by Gaston.

Fans like that should be banned from any motorsport event - if they don't respect it or it's participants then they can clear off.

[Redneck]

Amen!

[Fiorentina 1]

In the stands, people were cheering for Gaston as if he were Highspeed Schuman…
Minardi fan: I stayed at the same hotel as the Minardi team, Saturday morning, I saw Marc Gene having breakfast…I just got to the hotel from an all night flight, so my only though was to get some sleep!

[Liz]

I've heard that the Lollipop Man at Minardi was hit by BOTH pilots - not their fault as they skidded on wet pavement coming into their box - but he was only badly bruised and has no broken bones.

[Jared]

As an American F1 fan, I was embarrased by that. I was hoping the drunks would not show their ignorance, as it reflects bad on all Americans.

I'm pretty sure it was a beer can. Then again, maybe the fan was just trying to give him a beer to cool down with?

I was really pulling for the Minardi when it was in front of Mika. Just think, next year they get the Supertec and get rid of that OLD Cosworth.

[Dhru]

Hi all! I'm new on here and I support Michael and Ralf Schumacher. So you won't be surprised when I say that is so mean to Gaston Mazacanne! I mean here he is having his best Sunday in F1, and someone just tries to knock him out! I think that it was absolutly hilarious to see him hold up the Reigning World Champion-in his McLaren- using the worst car on the grid! I mean everone's been saying that he didn't deserve to be an F1 driver, I think he's just proved them all wrong.
Dhru.

[Redneck]

Obviously the beer throwing offender was a McLaren fan. I say we ban all McLaren fans from next years event.

[Peter Mallett]

If it was a lite beer he maybe didn't notice

[Dhru]

Ban the McLaren team! After all, that would be the only way to ensure that McLaren fans act fairly. Besides, it would probably make the races a lot less predictable!
Dhru.

[EERO]

Is WARSTEINER available in the States in cans?
I've only seen it in bottles at the local packies.

Maybe Mika threw it.

[Edited by EERO on 29th September 2000]

[Liz]

He probably drained it first. He didn't have a happy day all round.

[Valve Bounce]

The person who threw the beer should be arrested and charged. This is extremely serious - if he can lob a can that far, he could have thrown the can while th ecar was going pst at full speed, and the results would have been catastrophic if the object hit the driver.
As for Mazza fighting it out with Mika, I'm not going to put things into perspective with any negative comments. It was absolutely sensational, and it just goes to show what a good chassis the Minardi is, and if only they had a decent engine and heaps of money to develop the car further, it would really make my day. It would make me happier to see a Minardi qualify on the front row and get on the podium, than it would if Jacques won the WDC - and that is saying a lot.

[R]

Valve Bounce, coming out of the closet as a Minardi Fan!

I agree, it would be great to see a Minardi on the front row and on the podium. But better than Jacques winning the WDC... you must be joking!

[Redneck]

Both seem like an impossibility!

[Fiorentina 1]

Hey, since a Minardi did start on the front row at Phoenix in 90 & now Mezzacane runs in third spot, maybe Minardi should start a Champcar team...

I wish Highspeed Schuman, when he retires, would agree to do Monaco in a Minardi & show the world how much better he is then everyone else! I'd bet if it rained, he'd win it. Especially if the car is decent, like this season, and he's still in his prime...

[Dhru]

Oh it would be so great to see a Minardi up the top end! Now that would really be a challange, Michael vowed to get Ferrari to teh top, Irvine took up the Jag challange, Villneuve's trying with BAR, Alesi's struggling with Prost ..so whos going to try helping the Minardis?
Dhru.

[Valve Bounce]

Hi DHRU, a big welcome to our forum. As most of you know, Ozzies always cheer for the underdog, and that is why seeing a minardi on the podium would be great, if miraculous. The only way forward up the grid is for Minardi too link up with a strong engine supplier, likes the works Renault engine, even if it means getting a development engine and trust to luck for the thing to hold together during a race. Naturally, my next wish is for Jacques to win the WDC next year. My third wish is for me to win the Gold Lotto. Somehow, I think I have all my wishes mixed up in the wrong order.

[Dhru]

JV's got such a big mouth. He can be funny, but sometimes he's just boring. A friend of mine is a big supporter of his, and we were at each other's throats during '97 about who was better, him or MS. Ever since Melbourne '98 she's calmed down a bit. But I want Minardi to get some cust Ferrari engines, like Prost, because their current one's are useless. I've started to support Prost too, 'cos Alesi really shouldn't be down there at the bottom somewhere.
Dhru.