JJ Lehto

milano · 13 Feb 2008, 15:08 (Ref:2127963)

Hi everybody,

I am Simone an italian supporter of JJ Lehto.
I want to tell you JJ is fit to race and he is not injuried.
I would like to know if he will drive BMW or DeFerran's Acura

Can you give me some infos?

Thanks Ciao Simone

cmk · 13 Feb 2008, 15:40 (Ref:2127984)

Chances of JJ at BMW are next to none. He was none too pleased about driving in GT2 during the M3 GTR year, so I can't see him changing his mind on that now. I think he is the sort of chap that is at a stage in his life where he drives what he wants to, or he's happy not to drive at all.

De Ferran Acura? Who knows. Maybe some insiders know who is on the shortlist, but I haven't seen that info leaked into the public domain.

paul-collins · 13 Feb 2008, 16:52 (Ref:2128041)

I think Gil has chosen a co-driver, closer to home.

juicy sushi · 13 Feb 2008, 18:15 (Ref:2128108)

this driver from closer to home wouldn't happen to speak portuguese (sp) and play the guitar, would he?...

**joeb** · 13 Feb 2008, 18:27 (Ref:2128117)

I wish JJ would be back racing in America. I would of course like to see him in a prototype competing for the overall wins, but if he was in any class I would not complain!

Maybe if Audi acutally develops a customer R10 program Champion would be free to run as a privateer and could pick Lehto up. ahh, the good old days.....

jhansen · 13 Feb 2008, 18:39 (Ref:2128124)

While I like many drivers from the "old guard" I'm happy to see new blood come to the series. And actually, it's probably past due. If JJ gets a ride then cool, but if not I'm ok with that.

Btw, welcome to the forum milano.

cmk · 14 Feb 2008, 02:41 (Ref:2128412)

Quote:

Originally Posted by juicy sushi

this driver from closer to home wouldn't happen to speak portuguese (sp) and play the guitar, would he?...

He's having Seu Jorge co-drive for him?!

The Badger · 14 Feb 2008, 07:52 (Ref:2128498)

Im hoping to see Lehto back with BMW next year .

Why does it seem that Lehto is not really popular with teams . He is consistantly quick and wins in whatever series he races in ? Some say he is a bit of a crasher , but that can happen when your on the limit too .

He is a loss to both ALMS and LMS in my opinion .

deggis · 14 Feb 2008, 09:42 (Ref:2128560)

Last year JJ and Johnny Herbert had some plans with CET Solaroli... but that team looks like it's vanished again. Apparently they still have a brand new RS Spyder in their garage or something.

cmk · 14 Feb 2008, 21:05 (Ref:2129101)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Badger

Im hoping to see Lehto back with BMW next year .

Why does it seem that Lehto is not really popular with teams . He is consistantly quick and wins in whatever series he races in ? Some say he is a bit of a crasher , but that can happen when your on the limit too .

He is a loss to both ALMS and LMS in my opinion .

Where did you get the 'JJ is not popular with teams' thing from? Champion certainly never seemed to have that issue with him. He's a little aggressive but he garners a lot of positive attention for the team from fans.

If anything, teams (or rather cars) aren't popular with JJ. He doesn't like GT2 cars, and had nothing but crap to say about DPs. The man is picky, aggressive, and a character, who likes to give people the finger a bit more often than most.

The Badger · 15 Feb 2008, 07:24 (Ref:2129357)

I did use the word "seem" ..... and it does seem that he is unpopular , otherwise he would have a drive or at least we would hear about him in discussion about a drive . Or not ?

SebringMG · 15 Feb 2008, 08:54 (Ref:2129418)

AFAIK he has been on a retainer with CET for the last year (at least) so his not racing in the last year has nothing to do with being unpopular!!

The Badger · 15 Feb 2008, 10:02 (Ref:2129467)

So Herbert and Lehto were on retainers ? Where did you read that ?

Somebody got money outta the bum project then , I somehow doubt that !!

chocmonster7 · 15 Feb 2008, 12:31 (Ref:2129562)

The Bear mentioned in his latest report that the drivers had been paid to sit around.

vorsprung · 15 Feb 2008, 15:31 (Ref:2129655)

He'll be commenting F1 again for Finnish tv.

**chunterer** · 15 Feb 2008, 18:23 (Ref:2129744)

Lehto's still a helluva talent behind the wheel and personally I'd love to see him behind the wheel of a GT1 maybe the rumoured 3rd Vitaphone MC12 with his compatriot Mika Salo alongside, or Herbert, both have past experience of the MC12 after all.

It won't happen but hey one can hope!!!

TWK · 17 Feb 2008, 05:58 (Ref:2130677)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chocmonster7

The Bear mentioned in his latest report that the drivers had been paid to sit around.

It may seem to be "semantics" to some, but important semantics nevertheless. The Bear mentioned there was "a story," then didn't exactly endorse it. He seems to have left it as a possibility, but not necessarily probable.

Quote:

Another story has it that a Finn and an Englander were actually paid during 2007. Murphy’s not sure about that, but if you pay for a car and don’t race it, why not drivers, too?

chocmonster7 · 17 Feb 2008, 17:53 (Ref:2130990)

Herbert seems to still think something might happen, found this in an interview with him from the first Speedcar Series race in Dubai at the end of January.

'"I still want to go back to Le Mans, that's my main aim," he told Crash.net Radio, "I've still got a Porsche deal that I'm waiting on in the American Le Mans Series, but I don't know what's going to happen with it and, as for Le Mans itself, I'll have to see where that ends up [this year]."'

PS. Pass my apologies on to the furry one for mis quoting him.

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