The man from Team Green, he say NO!

[fatbloke]

Dario has announced that he will not be driving for Jaguar in F1 next year - claiming that it does not 'make sense'

Looks like it's between Jenson, HHF and Jacques for that seat then... but will Dario stay in CART to fight it out with Johnny for next year's title ?

[Roy2]

Fatbloke
If Dario stays in CART (I'd like to see him get his chance in F1, the sooner the better) he'll definitedly be a title contender next year. But Johnny Herbert? Not a chance in hell, unless he somehow entirely remakes himself which is surely not possible.

The best young talent and the top F1 guns can win in CART, but not the chronic mid-field veterans. Mark Blundell might have been an exception, but some frightful accidents and an underperforming team seem to have sapped his will, or something. He should have jumped from Pac West and that inferior Mercedes engine before now.

[Gerard]

Heinz-Harald Frentzen is no longer in the picture with Jaguar, since he re-newed his contract with Jordan.
According to Autosport, Frentzen's renewed commitment to his team was the inking of a works Honda deal.
He wanted to drive for Jordan, but was unsure about the team's prospects without a works engine.
When it was announced that Jordan would use the same Honda V10's as BAR next year, with full works support on the engine front, Frentzen lost little time in putting his signature to a new contract, which is believed to be for two years and worth £4m a year.

[Sharky]

Actualy I have to agree with Roy2 there fatbloke. I don't think that we'll see JH fighting for the championship....well at least not next year. I think that next year's CART championship will be against Dario and the "young guns".

HHF is also out of the equation so lets recap. Giancarlo will go to bar if jaques go to renault and Pizzonia go to renault also and then panis would also go to bar....and.....jaguar's seat would belong to JB then.

[botsquad]

df:

"But we have to wait and see. It's a question of which deal will be the best for my career and which drives are available... on both sides of the Atlantic."

A move to F1 though remains a distinct possibility.

dario really has nothing more to proove in CART.

he lost out to montoya last season in a tiebreaker rule after finishing tied in points.

i think if montoya makes the move, so will dario.

[Liz]

I think Dario is already signed up. And good luck to him in another green car, he is a champion and a sweet guy and he deserves all the best luck in the world.

And he will give Eddie a run for his money as well as for his girls.

[Unknown Soldier]

Barry Green has stated that he will do everything in his power to keep Dario in Champ car.

I read statements from Green saying that he has given Dario a very very good offer to stay.

I've also read that Franchitti could be considering a ride from Chip Ginassi?. Has anyone else heard this?.

[Minardi fan]

Jenson will go to Sauber, if anywhere. The Jaguar seat will go to Burti - he's the only driver left.

Unless we see a shock move by a certain Mr. Diniz...

[jvilleneuve2000]

Taking time out after a second morning of running, the Scot added fuel to mounting speculation, saying: “I want to do Formula 1. If everything goes well here, and if Jaguar likes the job I’m doing, then it might be a case of saying ‘Yeah, let’s do something.’”

Seems to me that he will be in F1 if Jaguar want him, they might not want to take the risk, after Zinardi last year. There was also a story on autosport.com that Jenson Button could partner Villeneuve at Benetton next year.

[EERO]

This is one of the most confusing Silly Seasons in years. The way it will settle seems to be hinging on Villeneuve and where he finally decides to light.

I'm not convinced that Franchitti won't be at Jaguar next season-with Herbert and Wurz probably moving on, and Alesi, Zonta and Diniz possibly gone as well (and Salo probably locking himself in long-term at Toyota) there are a lot of seats still up for grabs. Franchitti is probably the best log term deal Jaguar could make at this point in time.

[Minardi fan]

I think it's possibly more and more likely that Johnny will hang on for another season, given that the Franchitti thing is probably not going to happen, and Button is more likely to go to Sauber.

Villeneuve is certainly the key player in this whole business, closely followed by Diniz.

Alesi has already said he has signed with Prost for 2001.

[Jay]

Gee, I told Dario "Good luck in F1" last weekend and he had an almost evil smirk on his face.

I don't know whether he has signed with Jaguar or whether he will, but he definately wants to go to F1 ASAP. I am willing to bet that he will drive for Jaguar for substantially less than he would for Team Green.

Once again I say, "Good luck in F1 Dario!" (you'll need it in the jag)

[Sharky]

The thing is Jay that Dario has some concerns regarding Jaguar's performance. If he didn't have those concerns he would have already signed as he's anxious to get in an F1 car and he's highly rated by Jackie Stewar. However....I think he's afraidhat he could get "burned" in an uncompetitive car specially when he can wait for a while, stay in CART, perhaps win the championship and see how the "jaguar thing" develops without risking his career.....or who knows....perhaps someone could even offer him another seat by then.

[fatbloke]

MF, Johnny has all but admitted that he'll be in CART next year...

[Minardi fan]

Well that leaves the Jag seat wide open then...

[MichaelC]

It's defintely an interesting one, this.

Herbert must go. He hung on at Stewart, then saved his season with a lucky win, taking good advantage of others misfortune. He somehow kept the Jaguar job because they couldn't find anyone else to go in it!! He can't hang on for another season, surely.

I believe that Franchitti will be in the seat next season. If he isn't, Frentzen would be my pick. He's already signed for Jordan, so you're looking at Burti or Button. Villeneuve certainly isn't going there. I think they would like Button, but Burti did OK in Austria...


PS Johnny says he'll be in CART next year. That assumes someone actually wants him. Has he already got a drive lined up or not??

[fatbloke]

Originally posted by Minardi fan
Well that leaves the Jag seat wide open then...

If it's THAT wide, maybe Mansell will fit in it ?

[Sharky]

I'm not sure that JB will take the seat at Jaguar because Stewart still thinks that the kid is too unexperienced for F1 despite a couple of impressive performance. If he does land that drive I think that it will be against Jackie's will.