12 year old/red bull driver search winner

[Russfeld]

The bit I dont understand is the age, he's not even old enough for Formula BMW yet, so other than more Skip Barber stuff, or loads of 'secret' testing, he's a bit stuck at the moment.

[strider]

Exactly. Alan Docking Racing provide the F3 cars for this shoot-out or evaluation , but even supposing the kid wins it, what then?

[flor]

they will print him a fake passport

[Suze]

skips again, then bmw! What else can he do, at his age? Surely he would have been better to have done a couple of seasons in karts, and then go into skips / other single seater? I think he risks losing interest as he won't be able to compete at the level he wants to.

[Suze]

Originally posted by flor
they will print him a fake passport

lol But everybody knows his age now. Had a quick look at his website, which seems quite well put together with merchandise etc etc, and it does keep mentioning his age, so they wouldn't be able to fool anybody!

[Fiorentina 1]

Originally posted by ems
I'm his dad

You're his dad, but you were the one who started this thread a year ago asking if it were true that a 12-year-old was racing Formula Dodge? Nice. :confused:

I think the Red Bull people picked him because of his age. At the end of the day, he wasn't too impressive in the National Series this season, considering how much time he has in the car. What, he averages 4 race weekends a month in Skipy? But, when he's 18 he'll have 5 years of cars under his belt, and that is what Red Bull is banking on. The only thing is, talent should not be confused with experience. The question is can the kid improve enough to be a super-star by the age of 18, and be ready for F1?

Next season we will get a better idea. If he doesn't walk away with the National series after 100 or so 2-liter races, then I don't think he's has what it takes to make it to F1 on merrit alone.

[ems]

I think you are correct that Red Bull considered his age by picking him in the semi-finals. They picked younger than they ever have. He also qualified on the pole for the "race" having the fastest qualifying time of the 25. You are correct, he wasn't too impressive in the National Series this season. We did not plan for him to race Nationals. Most kids do a regional year prior. He did some regionals, but we went slow early on for seat time. He was 12 you know. Yes, experience was recommended by Danny Sullivan, Barry, Waddell, etc. We don't know how much is experience and how much is inherent talent. Clearly he has more experience than most. We have not suggested that he will become a "superstar". He is simply achieving something at 13 that others have done, or have not had the opportunity, for several reasons, to do. We tend to believe that learning while your mind and muscles are maturing is the best way to maximize your talents. Obviously, noone knows the answer. You are obviously correct; next season we will get a better idea. We have yet to determine where he'll race, but we'll see. I'm not so concerned with "walking away with a championship". JPM did not win the Barber Dodge Champ, rather placed third. We're just looking at the whole picture.

It's nice to see candid opinions. I posted the followup knowing I'd get the uninhibited opinions of the most knowledgeable fans. I appreciate your advice.

[ems]

I must say that I've learned alot about this website over time. "Russfeld" is a friend/competitor from way back and when I first posted my comments about the "12 year old" I was just "testing the water" to see what the response would be. I also wanted to provoke Russfeld, since I have always thought he had perhaps the most detailed understanding of entry level motorsports than anyone in the U.S. Yes, my first comments were prompting, and a bit misleading. Sorry about that, since this is obviously about the most candid, no nonsense site on the web in regard to single seaters.

[Mr Jinxx]

I'm all for the principle of getting kids who want to race single seaters, into a single seater at an early age.

I'm also a great fan of having racing experience, which should come through karting. Until he/she has bucketloads of racecraft under the belt, there is a risk of being a liability in a car, which is far more dangerous and also far more costly. Learn your trade for as long as possible in karts, then jump to cars at 15/16. Assunming you start at age 8, that's about 8 years of karting experience, which should make you a lot better driver

[mrinvader]

This is what will happen if he makes it past portugal. They will prob offer him a ride in JICA with either Birel or Intrepid. If he races JICA in Europe he most likely will look like a fool. He would be smart to race on his own in the states and move to Europe when he is 15 to race German BMW, then Renault, then off to F3 if it is still around lol.

[BarryCrocker]

From what i´ve seen so far he has far more maturity than many racing drivers that have tried to race at F3 level!!!

[karimbo]

He has an advantage greater tan his "age": he is an American. Nobody would care to see a Dane or a Portuguese driver in formula 1. But the fact that he's American is a tool for promoting formula one in the U.S. On the other hand his father should not pressure him. john Michael should mature smoothly. In Europe there are some wheel-banging karters that race in Formula Renault. They'd have no mercy even for a 12 year old.

[mrinvader]

Who cares if he is that mature. I know a bunch of kids who are mature past their years and they have nothing going for them, even though they are good drivers. I think it would be even worse for him in JICA because a lot of kids will think this kid hasnt proven **** and he is sponsored by Red Bull and is with a factory team.

To be honest I think the Red Bull program will be finished. They have their wonder boys and they know that these three kids wont be able to match Scott and Colin's success.

[Triple J Motorsport]

No one should race cars until they are 16 when they are legally responsible for their actions. He should be racing karts until then. Then he can be judged against his piers.

Has the world gone mad?

[ems]

The announcement regarding the Red Bull Final Champion should be out tomorrow

[mrinvader]

Theres only one?

[ems]

I do not know as yet. It now looks like later today or tomorrow. I heard there might be only one, maybe two. It ends today, but no word as yet as to the time of an announcement. He called me on his cell phone to tell me that he was encouraged by his last session in particular. He also said that the F3 car was incredibly responsive, easy to induce exit understeer, and easier to drive that the F BMW and F Renault 2 liter. We did not talk long, expensive call.

[ems]

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpa...s_art_id=22642

[Suze]

Well done to him for winning.

However, what can he now do / what is he restricted to because of his age?

[ems]

John and I are waiting to discuss this with Dr. Helmut Marko and Danny Sullivan. I simply do not know at this point. Three or four options have been brought up, but we are not speculating too much, because of his age, at this point.

[Russfeld]

Marko knows what he's doing, I still dont understand why they threw Sullivan into the mix.

[latemdnof]

splash a bit of the good old $$$$ and anyone given enough testing can be good at a particular descipline...

unfortunately due to the lack of funds some ppl will never be able to reaslise their talents..

13 and racing a f3 is absulutely bonkers! that kid will not be mature enough...imagine at 150 he could wipe himself and the next guy clean off the road!

[Kicking-back]

Originally posted by Russfeld
Marko knows what he's doing, I still dont understand why they threw Sullivan into the mix.

Sullivan says it was him who took the idea to Red Bull in the first place....

[Teretonga]

As far as the age thing is concerned he is not the youngest driver to win a single seater race-scott dixon won FVee races at 12, a whole string of them, and by the time the season was finished the championship.
NZ has a policy of allowing youngsters to start racing at 12 and we have had a number in FF and FVee start at 14-15-16.
A national scholarship program is in place in FVee and young karters have dominated it.
I steward alot of karting events and my own opinion is that a kid is better to stay in karts till 17-18-19 at the highest level to max out his learning in karts before making the tranisition to cars.
Wade Cunningham has done this, winning the karting world champs then taking to F2000 in the tates like a duck to water. It's not that they can't drive, its a maturity thing. Premature starts in cars can lead to later problems with some of the kids. There are some exceptions to the general rule but they aren't common or typical. Most of them would be better off with a couple more seasons in top level karting.

[Russfeld]

Im pretty sure it was Maria Janice(spelling optional) who sold the original Red Bull Grand Prix Idol format