Ganassi announces 2001 lineup

[KC]

As expected by many, Bruno Junqueira and Nicolas Minassian have been named drivers to replace departing Juan Montoya and Jimmy Vasser. With this move ganassi has plucked two of the best upcoming talents in the racing world. Junqueira took the 2000 F3000 championship while testing for Williams this year with Minassian taking second.

[R]

This is a good choice both on Ganassi's part and on the drivers'. It will be exciting to see how they will perform. Who will have the upper hand? IMO they will be pretty evenly matched.

Now, all I need is for a TV station to show CART races live in Norway next year.

[Jay]

And I am sure both of them want to stay in Cart...

Should be interesting though. Remember Bruno and Button were at war over that Williams seat last year, so it will be interesting to see how Bruno does.

[bella]

wow! this never happens to any of my drivers!! and finally, it has. well done, nicolas, you've done me proud

he won't win for a while. he's too cool for that. he'll work up to it, then *bang*! he'll win. d'you reckon he counts as an englishman? he's admitted to being thoroughly englishified, but ireland has made it's mark. he loves ze guinness, apparently.

i'm really excited can't wait till next year.

[Liz]

Wahoo, more Brazilians!

They are both cute too. And I hope Ganassi will let them race each other.

Just saw Gil saying "I'm as happy as I can be" and looking as if his stomach hurts. I think he just wants it to be Monday ...

[Liz]

OK so Nicholas whatzit isn't a Brazilian.

He is still cute.

[bella]

i'd buy him a pint any day. especially if he knows anything about the st patricks day celebrations here, and 2 free pints of guinness.....

i'm very annoyed with the americans getting all het up because allegedly, one american was overlooked for these two stupidly fast and talented racing drivers.

what was their last export to europe? elton julian? no, mr apple in f whatever. he's not exactly burning the place down, is he?

*grumble mutter, occasional f word and b word*

[White Van Man]

Danica Patrick ? 2nd at the FFord festival last weekend - a different league to Vincent Apple...

[Valve Bounce]

Well this came as a surprise to me. I thought Bruno was a cetainty to take the Williams test drive seeing that he just missed out in a drive this season when Bunsen got the nod. I am also surprised that Chip chose to have two rookies instead of keeping one experienced driver in the lineup. Still, we are all keen to see how Bruno will do - I hope that he will make a big impression here that will give him a step up to F1 later. Yeaah!! I think Liz has a crush on anyone that speaks Portuguese. How about someone who is half Portuguese and half Spanish?? That would send her crazy, yes??? Maybe someone who is half Brazilian and half Argentinian!! What a combination that would make on the grid.

[Liz]

I do love my Latin boys! If he spoke half Spanish and half Portuguese I would end up talking to him in Italian I think ... they are all much of a muchness anyway and Portugese more like Italian than Spanish, i think.

But I don't just love them for their Latin looks or their accents - I love them cos they can DRIVE!

WAHOO! FASTEST LAP IN RACING HISTORY AND GUESS WHO IS NUMBER ONE!

And it ain't Mikey ...

[Valve Bounce]

When I was in Lisboa listening to Fado, I waa surprised at the difference from the Spanish music. So the next day, I asked someone why the difference; his explanation was : the Spanish look to the Sun, and the Portuguese look to the moon. I have a Spanish grandmother, and a Portuguese grandfather, and that's why I am always confused.

[Liz]

Were they married to each other? That must have been an exhausting marriage if so!

[Valve Bounce]

Yes they were, and they had 8 children. My Grandmother lived till she was 100. And she swore by olive oil - cooked everything with it, and even used to put it in my hair.
Evreytime I type your name in the title box, the same title pops up. How come??

[Liz]

Maybe the machinery has it in for me. Did you ever type that in on purpose?

Try typing another thing in the subject line and see what happens.

Olive Oil is good for you - the Italians all say so anyway. It makes a nice dip for baguettes which is what I will be munching when the race starts today...

[Jared]

Excuse me, Bella, but no one seems to have a problem when Brazilians hire Brazilian drivers, or when Adrian Fernandez says he wants to bring more Mexican drivers into CART via his team, but when it's an American in question, we're accused of xenophobia. I'm sure you watch the Olympics to cheer for Chinese or Russian athletes?

The fact is, Rice and Mears were on the pace of the two imports, and gave good technical feedback as well. Now, I don't mind if something good comes to Rice with his F3000 drive next year. But we are looking at a series that is based in America, still has most of its races in America (not for long, though), but is floundering in its home country. We want to see our own drivers be able to compete with the world's best. I'm not asking or looking for a return to the early days of CART, when it was one or two foreign drivers, but CART is looking at having only two or three American drivers in its series next year, which I think is sad.

When this group here and the CARTisans at 7th Gear start acting like this, I smile when I see half-empty grandstands and TV ratings on the 1.0 range. CART is going down the drain.

[Dino IV]

That makes sense, Jared, but racing's attraction falls or stands with the amount of spectacle is offered too (only series that doesn't apply too is F1, coz everybody just watches it coz it is F1, even if it's as dull as it's ever gonna be). The whole field could be all-american but if the action is zero it loses it's attraction quite fast. Spectacular drivers like Zanardi and Montoya really conquered the american crowd, just by their driving and not by their nationality.

For that matter, Chip choose some of the best around (someone get Yvan Muller a CART ride too plz!).
Nicolas Minassian is one of my favs and I sincerely hope he'll put his potential to full display coz he's really awesome.

I sincerely hope Eurosport buys live broadcasting rights again for necxt season coz I don't wanna miss a thing!

[R]

"Regular" Eurosport won't show CART races at all next season, according to the Swedish commentator, not even one-hour summaries the following Wednesday, like they did this past season.

Don't know about British Eurosport though.

[bella]

you lot can get all huffy if you want, but if cart wants to expand into europe, the sure way to get people to watch is to bring in great european drivers. it is not going down the drain. it's losing its appeal in america because nascar is a more commerically acceptable thing. it's like wwf. is real wrestling popular?
quite.

nicolas is a fantastic driver. the only ameriasn i'd rate anywhere near him at the moment is memo gidley and maybe casey mears.

and if cart's floundering in it's home country, there's only two things to do - panic, or go and find yourself another audience. people who watch f1 on a sunday afternoon would on the whole, rather watch overtaking, car control, and strategy rather than som hyped up nonsense that isn't happening. cart could be huge in europe - it's friendly, great racing, and a great atmosphere. it should market itself on the party side as well as just the racing.

jared - 7g was being really really far right about the whole two foreigners oh no thing.

[Dino IV]

Well if R's statement about CART not being broadcasted by Eurosport is true, than they can bring in every racedriver they want but audience in Europe will not be able to watch it ...

[Liz]

I see the two new Ganassi boys have had their starts on ovals and both claim to have enjoyed the ride, despite the weather and all. They may do just fine next year.

As for ratings, although the Idiot Racing League is True Red White and Blue (or so they claim) I don't see their ratings actually climbing through the roof either. Perhaps they are not advertising it right?

Anyway it's purely ridiculous to put so much emphasis on the flag that is painted on the airbox instead of the talent behind the wheel. If you want to watch someone waving flags, go to NASCAR.