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18 Jun 2004, 17:45 (Ref:1008134) | #51 | |||
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Yes, he had a good first year! He was a good driver, in a good car, with a good team; how could we expect anything other than a good run at his team mate? This is Formula 1 - if a driver takes 10 laps to learn a circuit then they don't belong on the grid. "Demolishing Trulli"?!?! You've gotta be kidding. Jarno finished less than half the races that season! If I'm remembering correctly, Jarno had 7 or 8 mechanical retirements that year, while Jenson had 1 or 2. Care to recall the qualifying "battle" between those two for that season? Further, of the handful of races that they both managed to finish, Jarno was more often ahead at the end. I think that Jenson's a better driver than Jarno, but my point would be that if he had had some greater pre-F1 racing experience, he would have beaten his team-mate somewhat more convincingly. Or perhaps you were watching a different 2002 season? "Hounding a former World Champion into retirement"? Jenson beat Jacques fair and square, for sure. My impression, however, of Jacques' performances of his last 2 years was that he just didn't give a rat's anymore. His mechanical reliability during that season was a sick joke and gave me some of the most frustrating times in however many years of watching F1 on TV. Yeah, he beat the ex-WDC, but look at how we can both put our own spin on it - it's not as clear-cut as you might like, is it? Jenson's becoming a great driver, it would be wrong to argue otherwise. My point would be that if he had spent, say, 2000 and 2001 in another lower category, he would have hugely increased his impact in his initial 3 or 4 seasons. You would disagree? |
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18 Jun 2004, 19:27 (Ref:1008192) | #52 | ||
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that may be true, but what would he have done after British F3 in 1999? If he'd stayed on with Promatecme he would have been expected to waltz to the title ( would have been a BRILLIANT year; Button, Pizzonia, Scheckter, Sato ), F3000 could have damaged his career.
His rise from karts to Fford then F3 was extremely fast, perhaps to then go to F1 was on his 'curve', if you know what I mean |
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18 Jun 2004, 19:37 (Ref:1008203) | #53 | |||
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After Button had become the youngest ever pts scorer in 2000, I was sure that he would break Bruce McLaren's record of being the youngest ever race winner, yet in the 2 plus years he had to do this, he never got close. (Record has now gone to Alonso. |
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18 Jun 2004, 20:54 (Ref:1008280) | #54 | |||
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As a result, I'm not sure 'greater pre-F1 experience' is the issue. Let's imagine if he'd've won UK F3 in 2000 (unlikely, as I say) then had a promising F3000 rookie year in 2001 (not a certainty by any means). He'd've been entering F1 in a team where he lacked support, expected to be on podium pace quickly, without his previous knowledge from 2 years in F1 and 1 year in the team. |
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18 Jun 2004, 21:10 (Ref:1008290) | #55 | ||
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Britain needed a new hero to step into the old James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill boots...Jenson had been groomed for stardom...packaged with a snappy memorable name...and was "Fast Tracked" the moment he won the 1997 F1A European Formula Super A kart championship...Good management saw him steered through a winning rookie season of Formula Ford, British Champion...Festival World Cup Winner...BRDC/McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year...On pole for his first ever F3 race...several wins...3rd in the British F3 camps...smart clued on dad who steered his career...did everything the British racing media wanted to boost their circulation...big flashing smile...charmed Sir Fw & DR out of the trees...podiums followed like honey...It's all about packaging...being good...well managed...and being in the right place at the right time...that's life...good luck to him...
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18 Jun 2004, 21:14 (Ref:1008293) | #56 | |
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True, Rennen, but talent helped too.
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18 Jun 2004, 21:16 (Ref:1008294) | #57 | ||
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Err...that's what I meant by..."Being good"!...you thought I meant eating up all his supper?
Last edited by Rennen; 18 Jun 2004 at 21:17. |
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18 Jun 2004, 21:16 (Ref:1008295) | #58 | |||
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18 Jun 2004, 21:21 (Ref:1008300) | #59 | ||
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Apologies. |
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18 Jun 2004, 21:32 (Ref:1008308) | #60 | ||
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I have to be honest, I cringe at any and all discussion in the F1 forum of CART or any US based series. Most of you guys just flat out don't get it or don't want to get it. For instance was PT clearly the best CART driver in 2003 and everyone disparages the series, but it's quickly forgotten that the car parity brings up the level of compeition. There were a group of good F1 caliber drivers or nearly F1 caliber, but yes there was some field filler. You guys are also very result driven, there's no sense of "how did they actually perform during the course of a race?" I see the same rational here as I do when someone starts succeeding in F1 because of their car. Where are all the Kimi boosters this year? Everyone's on the Button bandwagon because he's got the 2nd best car and his teammate isn't as good as him so he looks good.
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