Your Opinion of Servia's 2004 Season?

[Snrub]

What do you think of Servia's 2004 season?

* I can see how one might think that Servia did previously unimaginable things with a Coyne car. He ceratinly had the best record of any driver the team's ever had. He often passed and had some excellent finishes.

* I can see how one could argue that the parity in the series and the fact that Coyne drivers are almost always pathetic, that Servia's record wasn't that great. One could say that much of his results are simply by beating a few lesser drivers and benifiting from other's DNFs. Yoong was the only other competent recent Coyne driver and he seemed to perform similarly to Servia's average.

Servia's Record:

Qualifying/Finishing/Best Lap (fastest race lap taken from each driver and drivers ranked in order):

Long Beach - 12/15/15
Monterrey - 9/14/14
Milwaukee - 11/7/14
Portland - 14/11/13
Cleveland - 13/4/3
Toronto - 10/9/13
Vancouver - 13/12/14
Elkhart Lake - 8/6/8
Denver - 6/6/8
Montreal - 10/9/8
Laguna Seca - 12/3/7
Las Vegas - 0/12/15
Australia - 0/13/14
Mexico City - 5/7/14
Average Qualifying Position (ignoring failure to qualify events): 10.3th
Average Qualifying Position (with failure to qualify events ranked as 18th): 11.4th
Average Finishing Position: 9.1th
Average Best Lap: 10.4th
10th in points

[BootsOntheSide]

He did a lot better than I ever thoguht he was capable of. He made up 2.3 positions per race, didn't chuck the car into the fence, was consistantly ahead of theoretically faster drivers, and demolished his team-mates. I underestimated him in the past, but it's fair to say that in the current CART climate he's capable of regular podiums and perhaps a lucky win.

[f1manoz]

IMO Servia performed remarkably well in 2004. He outperformed all his teammates - although that was to be expected - and put a Coyne car in positions they wouldn't have dreamed possible during last year.

[macdaddy]

A couple of P7's, a couple of P6's, a fourth-place and a PODIUM!
Servia AND Dale Coyne had one heckuva year! First time Dale's ever finished in the top-ten for points. I hope that they stay together next year, and find some dollars to spend. There's nothing I'd love to see more than a Coyne car running consistently at the front.

Servia obviously gives excellent feedback and has a great rapport with his engineer. And as for his driving talent - I've never doubted it. He was (IMO) a sensational rookie.

[Omega99]

He belongs in champcars, no doubt about it. He's probably even too good for the Coyne team, but I'd agree with you that it sure is encouraging to see a Coyne car doing so well.

[brightline]

Servia probably had the best starts of any driver this year. How many times did we see him starting 12th or 13th and by lap 2 or 3 he was up to 5th or 6th place. Then thanks to poor pit stops he would lose places in the pits or coming out of the pits.

Servia did an excellent job this year. Hats off to the Coyne organization and hopefully we'll see Servia in the AMR car since Gaston has his new sponsors livery.

If Servia is in the AMR car when he gets up front we can call everyone else the AMBULANCE CHASERS next year!!!
(no offense to any attorneys out there)

[Jordi]

You all know what I think of his season - f***ing great!
I think he proved he belongs in Champ Cars, not only in the 2004 field but in any of the late nineties ones.

[BootsOntheSide]

I gues I owe Jordi an apology based on my past comments on Servia, who I never rated much until this year. While he's not in the same league as Zanardi, Montoya or Bourdais, he's among the better half of current CART drivers, and would be able to put in the odd good showing in the late 90s fields, or a theoretical combined field today.

[Snrub]

Servia DID put in some good showings in the fields you refer to.
http://www.champcarworldseries.com/D...00&DriverID=23

[enemy-ace]

Personally I think Servia was a standout this season. He really seems to have a knack for finding the speed in a car. I imagine his degree in mechanical engineering is an asset towards this end. When thinking on Servia's season I like to compare him to Vasser, who IMO was situated at a similiar team as Servia. Vasser by contrast however didn't seem to be able to find the speed in his mount. This also from a driver with vast more experience than Servia.
Servia was a standout this season, however the question still remains with him as to whether he has the inherent speed and racer's edge to reach the top step. I hope Coyne is able to employ a third driver to compliment Servia next year. Mazzacane is obviously just bringing the Coin.

[N I Tram]

Servia probably belongs in a better ride than Coyne. Maybe a team owner elsewhere will step in and give him a chance to race towards the front. I suspect he's improved a lot in the past 2 seasons.

[BobbyB]

Ho Hum..... Nice guy and all that, but I'm amazed that I'm the only poster so far that finds Oriol's performance to be mediocre at best. Consistent, yes. Consistently in the middle. Better than I would do, but is it befitting a seat next year?

[BootsOntheSide]

Bobby, don't forget what an uncompetitive team Coyne's has been in the past, and bear in mind that Oriol had some atrocious luck throughout the season, especially Surfer's.

[Dov]

^^ Considering who Oriol drove for this past season i'm surprised that you feel his performance was mediocre and how you could ask if he is worthy of a seat is beyond me.:confused:

[GTRMagic]

My question would be... what would it take to make a DCR car a front runner.... besides the obvious cubic dollars?

And if Mr Servia is doing such good things in a say 80% car, what would he be like in a Forsythe or Newman Haas vehicle?

[Jordi]

Bobby... I could understand some people could find Oriol's 2003 mediocre, with Patrick Racing and being unable to win a race, but 2004 with Dale Coyne on a deal signed hours before the first race? And getting them their best result (equal with Pupo)?

[BootsOntheSide]

Precisely Jordi. I wondered if he had done enough in 2003, and wasn't really bothered at his potential absence from the 2004 grid, but he did an excellent job in difficult circusmtances.

[gomick]

hopefully servia & coyne can build on that for 2005 - coyne has got to get a decent 2nd driver.... the pay drivers are poo

[Snrub]

Unfortunately Mazzacane is already signed up for next year. He really strikes me as a Hiro Masush!tsa type of character with no real hope of competing, one wonders wouldn't he be better of trying to improve before he attempts to compete at the top?

[BootsOntheSide]

How do you expect him to improve? He's been in most major championships at some point, including Formula 1, and this is surely as good as he'll get. Still, Dale is (optimistically) hoping to run 3 cars next year, so maybe someone with talent or potential will be with Oriol and Gaston.

[Snrub]

Lol, I'm not sure that I do expect him to improve. I tend to think he needs a few years in something like formula BMW to improve his race craft. If you're over your head in F1 or CC, it's much harder to learn than if you get the fundimentals in a more managable vehicle. It's like if you were trying to learn to fly in an ultra light vs. X-15. You're probably never going to learn how to pilot the X-15 if you don't have prior experience.