Scott Speed to Champ Car?

[Hazard]

Originally Posted by norman-normal

Gommendy has pretty much silenced his critics, he has won a pole. For a rookie, I think he has done quite well. I think he has brought some ca$h as well.
Minardi was talking about a 3rd car?? Still I think Speed will go to NHL; as Luke said: two good American drivers and Paul Newman on the same team, whats not to like.

Their results?

[norman-normal]

If you know that all ready, please share.

[D.R.T.]

Speed could be good aswell. Talks big, makes headlines, a little like PT, could be a good adition of the stars ever aline.

[gomick]

surely champcar is the next step for an american (ex) formula 1 driver... straight swap with sebastian bourdais - why not .... cant believe his team-mate is the team lebanon A1 driver

[Sev]

This would have the added bonus of letting us see how Bourdais/Rahal would fare in F1.

The whole Speed->NHL deal is almost too good not to happen.

[billiaml]

Sure the deal makes sense to us -- now we just have to see whether or not his people can strike a deal with their people.

[mp356a]

Maybe Speed could do a season in GP2. That might be cool and could rebuild his reputation.

[Fiorentina 1]

Originally Posted by mp356a

Maybe Speed could do a season in GP2. That might be cool and could rebuild his reputation.

I don't think Red Bull will pay for that. They have enough GP2 guys. Champcars is his best bet.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Muzza

I can confirm that NHL has not one but two eyes on Scott Speed as a replacement for Bourdais. Source is a team employee.

(Time permitting I will post some interesting things I heard during the weekend in San Jose)

The likelihood of Marco Andretti migrating to Champ Car next year is quasi nil. Some people blew out of proportion Robin Miller's words after the Cleveland race; there is a chance, but it is very, very remote. But I can tell you that there are interesting things happening to another CART dinasty...

Regards to all,


Muzza

I've personally heard some stuff about ganassi. There is also gibberish going about rahal.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by porsche45

Rumour was (still to be confirmed) Red Bull was dropping him, as well. A complete break. Some don't believe it as RB has supposedly put some $20 million into his development.

I can believe it regarding the money. What I can't believe is how RB does stuff like this. Klein and Bernoldi spring to mind but there are others.

[billiaml]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

I can believe it regarding the money. What I can't believe is how RB does stuff like this. Klein and Bernoldi spring to mind but there are others.

I guess that's what happens when you have more money than you know what to do with.

[norman-normal]

The troubling thing about Speed is: it seems, he fights with his employers. That would be a big turn off

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by norman-normal

The troubling thing about Speed is: it seems, he fights with his employers. That would be a big turn off

SO has Paul Tracy in the past...as have many others.

I think it would be in the best interest of Champcar to get Speed behind a wheel, and now. Even that means throwing Legge or "Speedy" Dan overboard now.

[Bluewolf]

Originally Posted by norman-normal

The troubling thing about Speed is: it seems, he fights with his employers. That would be a big turn off

Ridiculous - Speed defends himself against his owners when HE'S attacked - he has every right to do that.

[nycuk]

Originally Posted by norman-normal

The troubling thing about Speed is: it seems, he fights with his employers. That would be a big turn off

I'd fight with my employer if he (allegedly) grabbed me by the neck...

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by norman-normal

The troubling thing about Speed is: it seems, he fights with his employers. That would be a big turn off

Probably around 2003 or so my interest in european junior formulas dropped off so I didn't follow Speed's progress though the ranks as closely as I would have previously. I've heard he had an "attitude". Exactly what he did to earn that rep, I'd like to hear about it as I don't have enough information at hand to say either way.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Bluewolf

Ridiculous - Speed defends himself against his owners when HE'S attacked - he has every right to do that.

I'd agree. What happened was wrong.

[luke]

But in the past when he told DC to .... off that showed he has perhaps too much heart and less professionalism..But that is Formula 1.

I think Scott will be a big asset to Champ Car. Just imo but he's American, was the most promising American and does seem to have a personality. Then if he won the title at Newman/Haas he could basically stick his fingers up at F1 and show what he can do.

[nycuk]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

I've heard he had an "attitude". Exactly what he did to earn that rep, I'd like to hear about it as I don't have enough information at hand to say either way.

I'm not sure about what happened in the junior formulae but Scott apparently made an unfavourable first impression at his GP debut in Australia last year when he 'answered back' a steward and invited David Coulthard to '**** off' following an on-track incident. I personally like a bit of balls and character in my racing drivers but the apparent hypocrisy of some F1 watchers annoys me. When Eddie Irvine was pulling similar stunts a decade or so back it was 'good old Irish blarney'. When Scott Speed does the same he's branded an 'arrogant yank' (not my words)... pity, I think.

[norman-normal]

What does anyone of know for sure? I confess, I know nothing more than 'disagreements' aside from the Couldhard affair.

I guess I'm "old school" but would any of you want a young smartass working for you, who wasn't setting the world on fire with his talent? That sort of thing soon spreads to other employees and robs you of control.

[Lightning Bug]

Originally Posted by luke

Then if he won the title at Newman/Haas he could basically stick his fingers up at F1 and show what he can do.

If he won the title at Newman/Haas, Europeans would have an even lower opinion of the standard of drivers in Champ Car than they do now.

[luke]

Originally Posted by Lightning Bug

If he won the title at Newman/Haas, Europeans would have an even lower opinion of the standard of drivers in Champ Car than they do now.

Funny guy.

[Bluewolf]

Originally Posted by Lightning Bug

If he won the title at Newman/Haas, Europeans would have an even lower opinion of the standard of drivers in Champ Car than they do now.

I see it differently Lightning -- Scott was in a horrible car and remember -- he went through the ranks in Europe not America -- He was the Eurocup champion and the Formula Renault German champion in 2005 -- I think the quality of CC drivers versus Formula 1 is low, but I don't include the drivers that were ladder series champions in Europe. The fact that he was says that he has a lot of ability. And look at Doornbos and Wilson and Jani who are are doing very well in CC. And none of them is running a NHL car which is clearly a superior team to the field almost every year. And this is also why I'm not convinced that Sebass will necessarily be quicker than Speed or Liuzzi was -- we've only seen him in a superior car to the field and haven't seen him against the best of the best which is F1. {We all remember Christiano Di Matta's failed attempt at F1 after leaving Newman Haas}

Mind you I'm not saying that the CC drivers who cut their teeth in Europe are the best, because if they were they'd be still in F1 - But what I'm saying is that they're very good drivers who are "in general" a cut above the CC drivers that don't come from the European ladder series' {there are exceptions of course} -- Speed is not Senna but people would be talking much differently about him and Liuzzi too if they were with BMW or Ferrari and Mclaren.

One more thing -- Keep your eye on the very highly touted Vettel as this year progresses -- If he dominates Liuzzi every time out - then you can have an argument that Speed and Liuzzi are inferior -- but if he's only a tick quicker or slower, and Toro Rosso stays at the back, then you have to say "will never know where Speed really stacks up because every driver they try runs about the same." I would've loved to be able to see what Speed could do in a legitimately competitive F1 car.

[norman-normal]

Bluewolf, I agree with all that you say, there is however a problem in any attempt to compare drivers. The difference between the cars and teams, in F1 is huge compared to champ Car.

The switch between Bourdais and speed and then judging their performance against Liuzzi and Rayhal would go a long way toward determining the relative merits of the two series.

[gttouring]

more than anything in F1 team preparation is key, for every eventuality
Speed is alright, and F1 is the most wealthy driver, or seriously the best drivers.
Alonso, schumacher, Hamilton, Senna, these are great drivers in anything.

Sebastian bourdais has done godly well in Champcar, as did Zanardi and Montoya the F1 careers didn't do too well what does this say?
F1 is even more fickle than a driver is good or bad.
Champcar drivers whether they come from Europe, the Americas, or Asia are still very good, but the atmosphere is so different the cars are crazy different what can be compared...a good driver is always a good driver, a crap car in the field is a crap car and makes the driver look bad. Zanardi has won in WTCC with no legs, and he is the best IMHO for his abilities and never being in the right F1 team and getting shafted for it.
and you can't say when Nigel was racing in Champcars it was a poor series...things change yes, but the fundamentals are the same, the best are the best where ever
and Speed was really good- F1 good, in a more level playing field like Champcar maybe he will show better too.
look at poor mark webber- he is good, don't things in a back marker car most wouldn't dream (well not that much...)