Wheldon to F1?

**Adam43** · 1 Jun 2005, 20:15 (Ref:1317314)

This is not full of facts, but Autosport Radio has just mentioned that Autosport are going to run a story that Dan Wheldon may become the 3rd driver for BAR?

What does this mean for Davidson, a race drive?

Is a test drive good enough for the Indy 500 winner?

Is there anything in this? Or is it just a story that fits with the news of the big win?

alesi95 · 1 Jun 2005, 20:21 (Ref:1317321)

Wheldon wouldnt jump for a 3rd drive.
He's been pretty much trained to adapt to US racing for the past 6 years and he's extremely good at it. Not sure how that would translate in Europe.

mike bt · 1 Jun 2005, 20:41 (Ref:1317349)

The Beeb reported Wheldon as saying that he would only consider an F1 drive with a top team. I do hope he doesn't leapfrog Ant into the BAR seat! Would Honda reward Wheldon with an F1 drive?

GP Racer · 1 Jun 2005, 20:55 (Ref:1317365)

Dan's life will not be the same after winning the Indy 500, thats for sure, and an F1 offer is definetely not out of the question.

I do have to wonder if he'll accept though. He is always throwing little barbs and digs at the world of F1, and doesn't seem real fond of it, and out of all of the foreign drivers in the IRL, he by far seem's to be the happiest there. He is always talking up the IRL, and how he loves the fierce competition it offers. He also happens to be on a top team, with drivers that get along more like brother's than competitors. He has an ideal situation, that I'm not sure he will give up easily. Besides Dan likes to have fun and laugh alot, and I don't see much of that in the F1 paddock these days!

Have you heard about the Danica rumor going around yet? It says that she will test a Minardi very soon! Could happen, although I bear no responsibility for it's validity!

alesi95 · 1 Jun 2005, 21:04 (Ref:1317376)

Minardi run Israeli nobodies. surely she could manage better. Fisher drove a Mclaren.

Raven · 1 Jun 2005, 23:06 (Ref:1317495)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike bt

The Beeb reported Wheldon as saying that he would only consider an F1 drive with a top team. I do hope he doesn't leapfrog Ant into the BAR seat! Would Honda reward Wheldon with an F1 drive?

AFAIK Honda still haven't rewarded Tony Kanaan with a spin in the BAR for winning last years IRL championship.

Rich R · 1 Jun 2005, 23:15 (Ref:1317507)

i'd like to see dan stay in america and make a huge name forhimself as a multi indy winner and irl champ, the series is on the up after a very succesful indy 500. too many good drivers have been lured by f1 down the years when the best option would have been to stay where they were. not to say you shouldn't aspire to f1, it is after all the main focus of world motorsport(except the us), but sometimes you need to be realistic about your chances in such a competitive environment. if wheldon did come to f1 though i wish him luck, because i do think he is a good driver.

JeremySmith · 2 Jun 2005, 00:15 (Ref:1317544)

I don't think this is going to happen.

Snrub · 2 Jun 2005, 00:23 (Ref:1317557)

Why would Weldon want to take a pay cut to do testing for a midfield F1 team instead of winning races and having competition with the results more heavily as a result of driver ability?

I really think GP Racer hit the nail on the head with the enjoyment issue. Who dreams of a horrible burden where any mistake means your job is at risk, successes are few and far between and mostly the result of some engineer's work? That is F1. US based OW has a MUCH lighter atmosphere with fewer pressures where drivers get to enjoy their success instead of having a gun pointed at their heads. The simple example is to look at recent US OW visits to F1 with JPM, CDM and Zanardi. JPM is in a perpetual bad mood. When he was in Champ Car he was noted among his colleges as being friendly and with a smile on his face, granted with a temper when something really bad would happen (eg. engine expire while leading). CDM and Zanardi were very happy go lucky, even when things weren't going their way. In F1 it was clear that they were miserable.

Winning Indy is significant and obviously generates a lot of press, but if a driver was to win Indy without having substantial success for the rest of the year, it would not indicate F1 readiness. Fortunately for Weldon he doesn't have that problem.

Interestingly on ITV's site they have a pole asking whether Weldon could handle F1. 2/3rds said no. There are a lot of stupid F1 fans out there.

Dixie Flatline · 2 Jun 2005, 01:35 (Ref:1317590)

It's been done before - JV won Indy 500 in 95 and was in a Williams in 96. But I believe that although he was clearly talented and Sir Frank and Patrick would not have hired JV if they didn't think he could get the job done, Bernie Ecclestone was pushing for JV to go into Formula One to expand F1's market into the USA.

Dan Wheldon is British, isn't he? I don't think there would be as great a marketing impact in North America as FOM would like, particularly with it being reported that the Indianapolis race is no longer attracting as much attention as it used to.

grandprix.com has been pumping up Danica Patrick's chances of getting into Formula One ahead of Wheldon. They could be right, as she would be a publicist's dream.

DKGandBH · 2 Jun 2005, 01:46 (Ref:1317595)

She would fow a while, and then it would be...
Oh how nice, here is our token woman driver, now back to the front of the pack ?

However, if (and I think it is a Big If), she excells, gets into a good team, is up the front and maybe even on the podium, she would be remembered for a long time, and that would be worth $$$ to a personal sponsor.

DKGandBH

Kicking-back · 2 Jun 2005, 05:46 (Ref:1317663)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snrub

Interestingly on ITV's site they have a pole asking whether Weldon could handle F1. 2/3rds said no. There are a lot of stupid F1 fans out there.

Maybe if they had asked if Wheldon could handle F1 more people would have voted yes

Silk Cut Jaguar · 2 Jun 2005, 12:53 (Ref:1318000)

It's damn near standard practise for this to happen, Kanaan was scheduled for a BAR test for his performance last year, Priaulx is often called up by BMW for promo and testing in the F1 car, etc, etc...

You win big races and championships and the people who badge your engine will reward you a few days out with the F1 team.

Kicking-back · 2 Jun 2005, 13:26 (Ref:1318048)

Just reading quotes from Dan - he wants to come in as a test driver, so he's fully prepared for F1 racing.

GP Racer · 2 Jun 2005, 13:29 (Ref:1318053)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

Just reading quotes from Dan - he wants to come in as a test driver, so he's fully prepared for F1 racing.

Where did you read that KB?

Kicking-back · 2 Jun 2005, 13:54 (Ref:1318078)

In today's Autosport magazine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Wheldon

Formula 1 is what I wanted to do when I was growing up. I definitely want to try it someday, but now isn't the time to talk about it. Until Sunday I wasn't even an Indy 500 winner. I'm in a good position here, I enjoy it and the atmosphere in the team is brilliant. I'm not going anywhere just for the sake of it. It depends on the situation and it has to be something worthwhile.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julian Jakobi, Dan's manager

Ultimately he should be in F1. Once you've won Indy, one of the greatest races, you've been there, done that. It's fair to say there has been interest from F1 teams.

sonic · 2 Jun 2005, 14:09 (Ref:1318097)

With Gil De Ferran at BAR and them looking to replace the high-profile Button this looks more than likely.

I read in Autosport today that Dan would be prepared to come in as 3rd driver, citing the difficulties experienced by Franchitti in his shambolic test for Jag as the way not to do, and the extent of Montoyas running in F1 as the right way to do it.

Whatever way, have to say it looks decidedly bad for Ant.

GP Racer · 2 Jun 2005, 16:57 (Ref:1318251)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

In today's Autosport magazine.

I'm in a good position here, I enjoy it and the atmosphere in the team is brilliant. I'm not going anywhere just for the sake of it. It depends on the situation and it has to be something worthwhile.

Almost exactly what I said in my earlier post. Certainly not a sure thing!

I wonder if team owner, Michael Andretti will try and talk him out of F1 at all? He certainly didn't enjoy his expierience there...

StickShift · 2 Jun 2005, 17:15 (Ref:1318266)

I think even Michael realises that he messed up his F1 experience himself.

I don't see why anyone would try and hold him back.

BootsOntheSide · 2 Jun 2005, 17:40 (Ref:1318292)

The test is probably a mere courtesy, perhaps with the home of generating more publicicty for the team ahead of the US and Canadian f1 races, but if he does a good job you can never say never. One possibility might be for him to do some tests alongside his IRL duties, but as BAR will be able to have a Friday tester next year they might be temtped to use him for non-clashing races, or even have him only doing the 500?

jock25 · 2 Jun 2005, 18:14 (Ref:1318318)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GP Racer

Almost exactly what I said in my earlier post. Certainly not a sure thing!

As I suggested in the IRL forum GP Racer, Dan knows how to play the media and he is clever enough not to publicly admit to wanting to leave Indycar racing until he has a contract signed for F1. It is pretty clear though that he will use his 500 win as a springboard out of Indycars.

I personally think it will be a shameful (but particularly "F1") decision if Wheldon was to squeeze out Davidson as third driver, particularly if this left Davidson without another F1-related opportunity.

Quote:

Originally Posted by snrub

Interestingly on ITV's site they have a pole asking whether Weldon could handle F1. 2/3rds said no. There are a lot of stupid F1 fans out there.

But on the evidence of Zanardi and da Matta they have a valid point, do they not?

GP Racer · 2 Jun 2005, 18:17 (Ref:1318324)

Quote:

Originally Posted by StickShift

I think even Michael realises that he messed up his F1 experience himself.

I don't see why anyone would try and hold him back.

No arguing that point. Michael certainly didn't do F1 properly. But I am pretty sure that Dan looks up to Michael for his expierience, so you never know what Mike may tell him...

I have to wonder though, if Dan regards the Indy 500 so highly like he says, would he want to stay here and win 3, 4, or even a record 5 and a couple of championships along the way, and truly become a super hero here in the States, alongside names like Foyt, Mears, and other's? He's young enough, good enough, and on the best team to do it. Just a thought...

Kicking-back · 2 Jun 2005, 18:33 (Ref:1318351)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GP Racer

I have to wonder though, if Dan regards the Indy 500 so highly like he says, would he want to stay here and win 3, 4, or even a record 5 and a couple of championships along the way, and truly become a super hero here in the States, alongside names like Foyt, Mears, and others?

His manager regards the 500 as "he's won it, so the goal has been achieved.

The three names you mention are American - Dan is not - so it's perfectly logical why his dream is F1 rather than a long IndyCar career.

Anyway - if F1 didn't work out he could walk back into an IndyCar drive.

jhansen · 2 Jun 2005, 18:40 (Ref:1318357)

I agree with K-B, if Wheldon get's a worth while shot at Formula 1 he will take it, and rightfully so.

Snrub · 2 Jun 2005, 20:35 (Ref:1318481)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jock25

But on the evidence of Zanardi and da Matta they have a valid point, do they not?

Most tend to believe CDM had promise after his first season, but why would his performances drop in his second year? That says to me that it was more than just his ability to turn the wheel at play (eg. unpleasent environment @ Toyota). I don't know what to say about Zanardi, but was he not worse when he came back to F1 than before he left?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Dan Wheldon to Williams? possible	Marbot	Formula One	15	27 Sep 2005 15:48
Wheldon to F1 ????????	luke	IRL Indycar Series	72	5 Jun 2005 23:20
Wheldon	pink69	IRL Indycar Series	5	9 Nov 2002 06:31
Dan Wheldon	O'Schumacher	National & International Single Seaters	4	11 Mar 2002 05:33
dan wheldon......	gomick	National & International Single Seaters	6	31 Aug 2001 18:01