Scott Dixon's F1 aspirations

[Cameron H]

Originally posted by wblh
Yes cameron I disagree.
I think that if you really analyse this kid you would realize he was the real deal. You just have to look at how slow he looks posting quick times while saving fuel. Yessir this ones got speed and brains

For a guy with 'brains' he sure made a bonehead mistake writing off his car going in to the pits!

With that aside it's ultimately his ability to get to grips with an F1 car in an effective manner. He may be fast in CART and IRL but that does not guarantee speed in an F1 car as Zanardi showed us a couple of years ago.

Cam

[Hazza]

With that aside it's ultimately his ability to get to grips with an F1 car in an effective manner. He may be fast in CART and IRL but that does not guarantee speed in an F1 car as Zanardi showed us a couple of years ago.

It'd be unwise to raise that particular example as there are people who believe they have proof that it was the car and the luck, not the driver (I saw one guy give a race for race analyisis). But, you are right, look at the difference between Senna, Hakkinen and Andretti (All though he didn't realy have the right attitude -> jeting in and out of the states). You'd think that Andretti was driving a different car, this is all most painfully awares when Michael gets lapped by Michael at Monnaco in '93 after about 20 laps or so, with His teammate coming up fast aswell.

[Just Do It!]

Hazza: I wasn't aware that the Dixon release was released. I had to tread lightly, as you can understand, being privy to pre-released news from close to the horse's mouth.

Scott will go well in a Williams. If relationships between either of the existing driver and the team go sour between now and year end, you could even see him subbing there!

It must really wee off Marc Gene though, who really is no slug in his own right. Maybe he will get a 2005 seat if Webber can't make it.

Congratulations to Scott, his parents for their perseverance, and all his supporters who believed in Scott and his dream.
Seeing a Kiwi in an F1 car again, potentially vying for a permanent drive, well its enough to make the eyes water!

[rustyfan]

Autosport reports on Dixon's first test with Williams;

By the end of the morning, Dixon was setting lap times in the low 1m15s bracket, around three seconds off the pace of the regular F1 test drivers who have been pounding round the track since Tuesday.

Full article here: http://www.autosport.com/newsitem.asp?id=26545&s=5

Not too shabby IMO, considering it's his first run in a F-1 car. The three-day test in mid-April should be very interesting

[climb]

In the afternoon he reached 1.12.806, which is a very good time for a first shakedown, in april it's bound to improve.
Was I Chip, I'd start seeking a new driver for 2005

[rustyfan]

Seeing as Ralf Schumacher did a 1.12 flat on a newer compound Michelin tire, I'd say that 1.12.806 is a very good lap indeed.

Scott sure has done better than I imagined he would - I wonder what all the nay-sayers are saying right now

[wblh]

I know you cant really compare but who else was running and what times were they doing?

[wblh]

Pos Driver Nat Team Laps Time Gap To 1st
1. Jenson Button GB BAR-Honda 1:10.846
2. Ralf Schumacher D Williams-BMW 1:11.300
3. Anthony Davidson GB BAR-Honda 1:11.623
4. Scott Dixon NZ Williams-BMW 1:11.753
5. Pedro de la Rosa E McLaren-Mercedes 1:12.038
6. Alex Wurz A McLaren-Mercedes 1:12.256
7. Ricardo Zonta BR Toyota 1:12.427
8. Franck Montagny F Renault 1:12.524

I would say Dixon should be pretty happy with that

[Teretonga]

Ralf 11.330
Dixon 11.753
Scott was .423 slower after 59 laps in a car he hasn't driven before on a circuit he hadn't driven on before.
Tyres he has never driven on and less than half a second then the driver who has 5 years F1 experience in a car he has been driving for over 3 years. Can Dixon turn right? I think so.

[PaulSands]

RS must be pooping it now contract wise

[GP Racer]

Hmmm, with times like that, maybe you guys should go to my thread, "Dixons Replacement?", because he's gone!

The way Ralf is carrying on lately, ol Frank may give him the boot any day now!

[Cameron H]

I'm very impressed. Dixon performed far better than I ever imagined. Good for him.

[Just Do It!]

Scott did what real followers and believers in his ability over a long time (pre-USA) thought he would do.

With respect to his times, I am beside myself, which is good because I can lean on myself - such was the closeness.

To be honest, I was ballparking him at 1-1.5 seconds off the other Williams driver(s).

I reckon Ralf should be ****ting as I reckon for US$4-5 million in Year 1, Scott will have his bum powered by a BMW.

His times made most of those running in any car look twerpie!!

[Rick]

It'll be good to have a "Brisbane boy" in F1! Webber/Dixon sounds good.

[Hazza]

*Grins to self*

Onya Scutty.

[wblh]

I`m actually surprised there has been no real comment from Williams or the other major F1 sites

[rustyfan]

Originally posted by wblh
I`m actually surprised there has been no real comment from Williams or the other major F1 sites

Considering Dixon will do a proper 3-day test later, I reckon Williams might want to save their comments after that test.

As for major sites, GrandPrix.com (which at least I consider a pretty big one) reported on Friday's test.

[wblh]

Yes I see now there is quite a bit of favourable comment about SD post test. Now call me a conspiracy theorist or whatever but here is what I suspect Frank may do for the next test in a few weeks. In order to keep all the hype away ensure that Scott never has a fast car to run i.e make sure the car is always heavy or depower by some other means (I`m actually surpried Scott was given a car that was capable of the times he turned in at PR) This should keep any other franchises of the trail for a while and enable him to come back with a cheap as offer

[rustyfan]

Or, to turn it around, Williams could use the strong showing by Dixon as a way to put pressure on Ralf Schumacher. Ah yes, I can see Williams talking to Ralf, saying something like; "Hey Ralfie, you better come to a decision - now we even got this IndyCar only-turn-left guy here that could take your seat"

[wblh]

I did way up that scenario but I believe Frank is ready to say "bugger off Ralf I`ve given up on you I want someone who gives it 100% all the time"

[chunterer]

Ralf's had his day, simple as that. I don't think Williams will be too bothered about his contract negotiations any more as BMW have said that they're not too fussed about driver nationality as long as they can get the two quickest drivers available.

After Barca next month, i suspect that they'll know the identity of one of them, if they don't already after Ricard?!

What will be interesting is if they also sign Webber and make it an Antipodean dream team? Why not, we've had two British drivers, two French, two Italians in the same team before?!

It'll be a shame for IRL to lose a great driver, but he surely is going to become one of the leading F1 names over the next few years, fighting the likes of Alonso, Kimi, Montoya, Button and Webber to take over Schumacher's mantle!

[rustyfan]

Scott Dixon has started his three-day test with Williams today at Barcelona. I haven't seen any times yet, but it should be really interesting to see if he can put in some good laps once again

[rustyfan]

Overall times from today's testing;

1 Takuma Sato BAR-Honda M 1m14.687s 107
2 Jarno Trulli Renault M 1m14.702s 125
3 Luca Badoer Ferrari B 1m14.864s 118
4 Alexander Wurz McLaren-Mercedes M 1m14.935s 67
5 Fernando Alonso Renault M 1m15.119s 55
6 Marc Gene Williams-BMW M 1m15.217s 111
7 Olivier Panis Toyota M 1m15.803s 100
8 David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes M 1m15.835s 73
9 Scott Dixon Williams-BMW M 1m15.932s 97
10 Ricardo Zonta Toyota M 1m16.114s 97
11 Bjorn Wirdheim Jaguar M 1m16.579s 100
12 Felipe Massa Sauber-Petronas B 1m17.125s 48


I reckon we will see some better times by Dixon during the next two days, now that he's gotten a bit more familiar with the track (which he hadn't been to before).

[Down F0rce]

A respectible time from Scott

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally posted by tanalised
Does Jeff Gordon drive an open wheeler?

Jeff gordon grew up driving open-wheeled race cars....USAC Sprinters and Midgets

The three other drivers I've seen in person in the last 15 years in those cars who could compare with him were:

Tony Stewart
Ryan Newmann
Kasey Kahne

Look at where they ae and what they have done thus far...

and as a resident of Pittsboro, Indiana (about 20 mi. west of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway) Jeff's ultimate desire was to race at the Brickyard in the Indy 500...

But at that time in the early 1990s, CART was an "exclusive club" with only "franchise owners" allowed to participate....to those teams, it was a matter of who could pay $$$ for a seat as opposed to talent behind the wheel....

Thus Jeff chose to go his own way via the NASCAR Busch Series and ultimately to the top rung of that form of racing....

Jeff not getting a chance at Indy or in Champ Cars, when everyone who followed racing in central Indiana knew how good he was, is one of the reasons why Tony George decided to start the IRL....to give more drivers and teams an opportunity to compete in Indy Cars and at the 500....

BTW...I attended the "Trading Paint" exhibition with Jeff driving the Williams F-1 car and Montoya in the Stocker....in about a dozen laps, Jeff was really solid and quick....

He could run F-1 if he wished...no problem...just give him enough time in the car to get really acclimated....