Pizza is Back?

Led ZeppF1 · 27 Jan 2004, 05:47 (Ref:851860)

Antonio Pizzonia is back??

According to Pitpass.com its Pizza, not Rosbers jr or Piquet jr, that chosen as second test driver.

Led ZeppF1 · 27 Jan 2004, 05:53 (Ref:851864)

Link: http://www.pitpass.com/news2/news.cfm?newsid=8451

climb · 27 Jan 2004, 07:32 (Ref:851910)

I'm happy for him; the way F1 had set him free wasn't the most correct ever seen.

Led ZeppF1 · 27 Jan 2004, 07:58 (Ref:851920)

Why? Is he good enough?

Both Sir Frank ad Patrick Head praise him, but his perfomance in Jaguar was a bit dispointing, and his result in F3000 was ordinary.

ActiveMS · 27 Jan 2004, 09:11 (Ref:851969)

perhaps money talks yet again?

Comtec Renault · 27 Jan 2004, 09:13 (Ref:851974)

I ran him in his early days and trust me he is one if not the best driver I have seen in 20 years

Super Tourer · 27 Jan 2004, 09:34 (Ref:852001)

He was straight back on the pace when he got back into the William's, which puts his Jaguar experience into perspective.

Money won't be an issue, William's need a relatively experienced No2 tester to back up Gene. For William's testing is a serious factor in their program, they are not in the business of taking pay drivers for test seats, or any other drives.

**Adam43** · 27 Jan 2004, 09:40 (Ref:852006)

Quote:

Originally posted by Active MS
perhaps money talks yet again?

I don't think it is that. I think it is this:

Quote:

Originally posted by Led ZeppF1
Both Sir Frank ad Patrick Head praise him...

Frank and Patrick rate him highly, that is why they signed him.

A few months at Jaguar racing was hardly going to change their mind. Luckily they see more than 'the last race'.

(i.e. What ST said

)

darcym · 27 Jan 2004, 10:11 (Ref:852038)

Its interesting what Comtec Racing said.

If people like this can see talent in the lower formula he can't be that bad.

As an aside if comtec racing rate him (the username not the team) do you have any suggestions as to why the F3000 season was "ok" and not a stunning win, and I think there is a lot more to Driving a Jaguar F1 car than being quick, so he can be excused that although to be honest not many people get a second crack of the whip at F1.

**GTRMagic** · 27 Jan 2004, 10:12 (Ref:852040)

So is there at least some possibility that with Webber hosing Pizzaboy off, that some of that positivity rubs off on Webber?

Pizzaboy is slow in a junkheap Jag next to the long lost son they didnt know they needed, and then returns to the palace of BMW dreams and is a force again.

Maybe Webber is a bit special?

Jonny Apex · 27 Jan 2004, 10:40 (Ref:852059)

Or maybe you're biased?

I saw both drive for several seasons in the UK during their early careers and both stood out.

Pizzonia endured an awful time at Jaguar - an awfully-run team which, in my opinion, the more mature and more headstrong Webber dealt with much better.

Put Pizzonia in a team where he feels wanted, however, and he could also be a bit of terrific.

Kicking-back · 27 Jan 2004, 10:46 (Ref:852071)

Exactly.

Frank and Patrick rate the guy, they've given him a job.

End of story really.

Mr V · 27 Jan 2004, 10:50 (Ref:852072)

Quote:

Originally posted by ActiveMS
perhaps money talks yet again?

This is Frank and Patrick we are talking about, not Eddie Jordan

Super Tourer · 27 Jan 2004, 10:58 (Ref:852079)

Quote:

Originally posted by darcym
Its interesting what Comtec Racing said.

If people like this can see talent in the lower formula he can't be that bad.

As an aside if comtec racing rate him (the username not the team) do you have any suggestions as to why the F3000 season was "ok" and not a stunning win, and I think there is a lot more to Driving a Jaguar F1 car than being quick, so he can be excused that although to be honest not many people get a second crack of the whip at F1.

IMO F3000 is quite a quirky series and one that is not that easy to get right. Webber for example, was beaten by Wilson in F3000, yet had a decent margin to him in the short time they had together in the Jaguar. F3000 is (IMO) right team, right place, right time.

Certainly Pizzonia was very quick in FVJ/FRen and F3 - although he did mess up at the Marlboro Masters IIRC.

Possibly his mental strength/durability is a weakness, I doubt he is as single minded or focused as say Kimi or Alonso.

Slightly OT (sorry Wrex!) - great little piece (from F1 business mag) about the pre-season crash when Pizzonia inverted an S Type load of journo's at Barcelona. Apparently to add to Jaguar's embarrassment, the car didn't even belong to them, they had borrowed it from the owner who had ordered the first S Type R shipped into Spain. He was proudly waiting in the pits for it's return, to see it brought back on the wrecker....

Burton · 27 Jan 2004, 11:15 (Ref:852102)

Saw him in Valencia last night so looks like he'll be out pounding round today!

BootsOntheSide · 27 Jan 2004, 11:16 (Ref:852103)

Driving the second car at Jaguar appears to be a career curse, and it's ncie to see that Frank is wise enough to look beyond it. He's had Pizzonia testing for hm for a long time, with positive results, and recognises the talent is still there. Massa and Sato look likely to have much better second seasons in F1 now that they've done some more testing and got over their initial overexhuberance, and Pizzonia can be exactly the same.

billiaml · 27 Jan 2004, 22:53 (Ref:852986)

Glad to see him behind a wheel somewhere. I was getting the impression that he was finally getting comfortable with the seat when he got sacked. His qualifying was starting to improve & he was finishing in the top 10 on a consistent basis -- and he may have been reaching a point where he could have been earning points. I hope he gets another chance within the next couple years.

Rennen · 27 Jan 2004, 23:48 (Ref:853041)

Leads one to conclude that the second Jag is like a second Minardi...a second!

El_Gibleto · 28 Jan 2004, 06:25 (Ref:853202)

Traditionally the second seat at PSR was a "graveyard" for drivers careers. Jaguar racing for all the rebranding is just a continuation of the PSR organisation.

Antonio did show exceptional levels of talent before he left F3, he just needs to be nurtured and focused on what he is doing and made to feel valued in his working enviroment, something that PSR/Stewart Racing/Jaguar have never managed to do.

Led ZeppF1 · 30 Jan 2004, 08:43 (Ref:856079)

Well done Pizza.

He is back testing and he breaks the Valencia laprecord.

http://www.autosport.com/newsitem.asp?id=25883&s=5

Valencia test times day three (unofficial)
Pos Driver Chassis-engine Tyres Time Laps
1 Antonio Pizzonia Williams-BMW M 1m09.123s 60
2 Michael Schumacher Ferrari B 1m09.407s 93
3 Marc Gene Williams-BMW M 1m10.440s 89*

**Adam43** · 30 Jan 2004, 08:45 (Ref:856081)

From what I understand (just from reading F1 sites/mags) it isn't official that Pizza has the second test role, but it is pretty likely

Williams has a lot to get through and he is the guy to help.

ljakse · 30 Jan 2004, 08:58 (Ref:856089)

Not just that he broke the lap record, but he did it in last year's car!!???

Led ZeppF1 · 30 Jan 2004, 09:13 (Ref:856108)

Well, its has been discuss in other threads. The last year car, with the engine and three element rear wing, is quite posible to be quicker that the new ones.

ASCII Man · 30 Jan 2004, 09:44 (Ref:856144)

The new cars are supposed to go slower...

PaulSands · 30 Jan 2004, 09:50 (Ref:856156)

But still hes in last years car and beat Schumachers time who was also in last years car...shows how much Jag know really doesnt it

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