Alex Yoong goes racing in Mexico/Yoong signs with Coyne (merged)

Speeddemon555 · 21 Mar 2003, 14:56 (Ref:543227)

A late deal has been made with former F1 Minardi driver Alex Yoong and Dale Coyne. Alex will be making his debut in Cart this weekend at Monterray, Mexico.

Testure · 21 Mar 2003, 14:58 (Ref:543230)

There's a release on Yoong's web site now. For what it's worth, I'm happy to see him. Think he's better than some of the other rookies that've appeared this season. Best of luck...

Jay · 21 Mar 2003, 15:01 (Ref:543235)

hmmm....interesting. Well, he was slow as anything in the Minardi, although almost on pace with his teammate by the end of the year, so try and be optimistic, and take a "Let's see" attitude. I don't think he can do worse than Lamarie or Gonzalez did (although Gonzelez says he wasn't given a fair chance of course...I don't think Coyne would do that though).

Anyway, as slow as he was in F1 sometimes, he kept his nose clean and didn't have many accidents. If he can do that in Cart, he has a chance.

shiny side up! · 21 Mar 2003, 15:44 (Ref:543275)

I don't expect him to turn too many heads, but if he tries hard and uses his head, I welcome him to the series. Can't judge the lad before he's even turned the wheel...

BootsOntheSide · 21 Mar 2003, 16:11 (Ref:543299)

Dale seems to have two slow-but-steady guys behind the wheel now, crucically Alex didn't have many crashes or spins in his 15 F1 starts, although he was pretty slow, he did come close to retaining the drive. Its unfortuate for Gonzalez, but, if he has the backing, he has every chacne of geting back on the grid.

Yoong has a better pedigree than Gonzalez and probably Camathias as well, althoug the lack of testing will hamper him badly, especially at first. The target will have to be just to finish in Monterrey.

Jay · 21 Mar 2003, 16:15 (Ref:543302)

He's near the bottom of the charts in the first practice, but Lemarie is below him in both his first and backup car! I know they're still learning but Lemarie and PK RAcing have to make a better showing compared to the other rookies.

Lee Janotta · 21 Mar 2003, 16:47 (Ref:543325)

Quote:

Originally posted by Testure
Think he's better than some of the other rookies that've appeared this season.

That's not exactly a high bar...

But, it's a small, weak field, and that car won't be on the grid without a pay driver in the seat. So, I suppose I can't be upset about seeing him.

Dov · 21 Mar 2003, 16:52 (Ref:543334)

He looks better then Gonzalez so far.

Dov · 21 Mar 2003, 16:55 (Ref:543338)

Haberfeld, Manning and Monteiro looked good in practice 1.

BootsOntheSide · 21 Mar 2003, 17:22 (Ref:543361)

There's another thread about this, perhaps one of the moderators can merge them.

Dov is right, he's even outpaced Lemarie in his first outing, although he isn't amking the instant splash without any experience that Montiero made in St. Pete's.

Lee's basically right too, it would be nice if CART could fund Dale or someone to run a young American, especially when Patrick and Rocketsports both appear to have potential to run 2 cars, perhaps Fernandez too, but this is all we've got for now. There are worse racers than Yoong.

extreme · 21 Mar 2003, 18:02 (Ref:543385)

With Alex in Who is out. In proctice there are 19 cars and there were 19 in the race at St Pete's ?

Dov · 21 Mar 2003, 18:14 (Ref:543388)

PT, Jourdain, Junqueira, and Bourdais had quicker times in practice 2 then last years pole sitter A. Fernandez...1:18.929!
BobbyB and myself have said that politics don't belong in a racing forum, but it is hard to concentrate today on practice and qualifying, when there are so many innocent Iraqi civilians dieing.

Dont't get me wrong, I no So-Dam-Insane needs to be killed or go into exile, but those poor civilians.

Jordi · 21 Mar 2003, 19:11 (Ref:543445)

No problem, Dov, as long as it doesn't turn the whole topic into a political discussion.

Let's wait and see on Yoong. In all his time in F1, I only remember him clashing with Irvine in Malaysia last year, but nothing else, so he still can keep away from other cars...

Dov · 21 Mar 2003, 19:17 (Ref:543450)

Thank you Jordi.

Jordi · 21 Mar 2003, 19:19 (Ref:543453)

You're welcome Dov

Both Alex Yoong threads are merged now - Jordi

corkholio · 21 Mar 2003, 19:34 (Ref:543458)

Alex Yoong goes racing? Are we talking about Formula Asia?

Jordi · 21 Mar 2003, 19:44 (Ref:543468)

Give the guy a break for once in your life, corkholio

corkholio · 21 Mar 2003, 19:46 (Ref:543470)

Quote:

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
Dale seems to have two slow-but-steady guys behind the wheel now, crucically Alex didn't have many crashes or spins in his 15 F1 starts, although he was pretty slow, he did come close to retaining the drive. Its unfortuate for Gonzalez, but, if he has the backing, he has every chacne of geting back on the grid.

Probably because the 21 professionals last year knew to avoid him like the plague. He was not going to get the drive because he wasn't going to get the same money from Malaysia since Minardi was no longer running Asiatechs, so if you want to prop his reputation, you are going to have to do better than that. Gonzalez has defaulted twice already this year, so it's definitely a good thing that he is gone, considering the waste of methanol that he was.

Quote:

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
Yoong has a better pedigree than Gonzalez and probably Camathias as well, althoug the lack of testing will hamper him badly, especially at first. The target will have to be just to finish in Monterrey.

That's like saying Lavaggi had a better pedigree than Deletrash. Or like having a stroke is better than a heart attack.

Quote:

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
There are worse racers than Yoong.

Not unless Coyne starts selling his rides to people from this forum!

Considering that there are already 18 cars, which meets the contractual demands, then CART should have Coyne park his second car and concentrate on getting Camathias up to speed, unless he finds a real driver for it. Otherwise the likes of Yoong, who was rumored to have trouble keeping a consistent or fastest line in F1, will be nothing more than a major hazard, especially on ovals.

corkholio · 21 Mar 2003, 19:50 (Ref:543472)

Quote:

Originally posted by Jordi
Give the guy a break for once in your life, corkholio

OK! He beat Russian legend Viktor Maslov back in the 1999 Italian F3000 Donington race! Woohoo, let's hear it for my man Alex!!!

Dov · 21 Mar 2003, 23:05 (Ref:543627)

You no corkholio, from the time I saw your first thread, you have been maninly negative (very) about CART. You have the right to be negative about CART. CART is having a tough go of it now and they are in a changing stage. F1 will always be the top open wheel series to most racing fans. CART will Surpass the IRL by 2004-2006...you can bet on it. You just wait and see my friend.

Jay · 21 Mar 2003, 23:13 (Ref:543634)

seriously corkholio, I don't think anyone here expects him to win the race, he was 2 seconds off second last in qualifying. That said, this is his first time in the car. When he proves himself to be endangering others on the track (which I seriously doubt he will), you can complain. For now he has every right to be on the grid, even if it is only as a mobile chicane for now.

marcus · 21 Mar 2003, 23:33 (Ref:543660)

I hope he does well to prove everyone wrong , ya gotta give him a break , he's doing what we would all love to be doing and enjoying it as well.

good luck to him I say and its good to see more cars out there.

Liz · 22 Mar 2003, 00:13 (Ref:543692)

Me too, I'd like to see him do well -- and remember he has had NO testing time in this car or any CART car and I bet nobody could jump right into the car and do any better.

It'll be nice to have the race to watch on Sunday as a break from the war. Hope Yoong does well.

Dov · 22 Mar 2003, 00:41 (Ref:543702)

Excatly!!! Sorry if the spelling isn't perfect. It's nice to see you back Liz.

Jukebox · 22 Mar 2003, 01:36 (Ref:543747)

Sorry for being ignorant as i've never followed CART ever before...my question, isn't there any qualification criteria/license needed for any newcomer to enter a race/to race in CART? Like of the F1?

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