Katherine Legge

[Mackmot]

Originally Posted by Snrub

How well do you know her? Any comments on her in general? eg. It's been said a few times that after Long Beach she set her sights very high and started to get really down. Apparently she only got to grips with that recently. From the statements she was making, etc. earlier I suspected that was the case. Don't go nuts with this statement (not intending to offend), but generally women are more sensative and nicer people and I got the impression that she took things in a way that many other women might.

Shes a great person, who is easy to get on with and good fun. Like most drivers really. She is very competitive and likes to win. Shes not more sensitive but she does need things to be right for her to go well.

She did race with Danica in the same team at Andy Welch racing and in comparison both were about equal in terms of speed neither particularly amazing but both showed potential that required a good nurturing. Katherine is more chilled out and sensible and Danica is a complete nutter who has bigger balls than most guys.

[Amar7605]

Katherine's third win this season. Congrats!

At this rate, she may not need another Atlantic season to hone her skills!

[Rob29]

Yes,looks like she's ready compared to some of the tail enders in Champcar?

[Mosport67]

Originally Posted by Amar7605

Katherine's third win this season. Congrats!

At this rate, she may not need another Atlantic season to hone her skills!

She really has very little racing experience. Throwing her in at the deep end is a recipe for disaster. A mediocre year in ChampCar would not do anything for anyone.

[Kicking-back]

Correct.

This is actually her first full-time full-season drive anywhere ever.

[luke]

KK wants her in Champ Car next year but she wants to do another year of Atlantics which is a great thing, just learn the tracks this season get as much experience as she can, and just do what she is doing now...
Then she can be comfortable for Champ Car in maybe 2007.

And the Formula Atlantic format is very promising..

[Amar7605]

I agree that she needs a full season, considering that she has never had one before.

On the other hand, Kimi Raikkonen got his F1 fide with Sauber after only 23 races in a car.

[Kicking-back]

Kimi Raikkonen is a hell of a lot more talented than Katherine Legge though.

She needs more experience.

[luke]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

Kimi Raikkonen is a hell of a lot more talented than Katherine Legge though.

She needs more experience.

We don't that as a certainty.

Maybe we could see it happen maybe we wont...

[Kicking-back]

Oh come on!

There's supporting a driver and supporting a driver - but it's fairly obvious Katherine, however good she is, is not absolute top drawer fighting-at-the-front-in-F1 level!

[racerkeke]

I was at the ALMS race in Portland this past weekend, where one of our workers was receiving text messages on the results/issues at San Jose. When she announced over the land line that Katherine had won in SJ, there was a short silence, and then a voice said, "Katherine three, Danica zip", and the whole group cracked up.

I've gotta say that among the workers, Katherine is much better liked than Danica was. Possibly due to something called "grace under pressure", which Danica never had in Atlantics, altho she may have it now.

keke

[Snrub]

Interestesting stuff racerkeke. When you refer to "grace under pressure," was she rude to corner workers the way most F1 drivers are?

Anytime I've seen Legge on TV or read comments from her I can't help but get the feeling that she's a genuinely pleasent person. I suspect that is part of the reason she got her foot in the door.

Different people learn at different rates. I don't suspect her of being able comparable to Kimi in the future, but I think Amar7605 makes a good point.

[Kicking-back]

Katherine and Danica are racing lots of other (male) drivers - not each other.

[luke]

I was told my a friend who went to the IRL race at Michigan that he waited all day to get Danica's autograph but just ignored all her 'fans' and turned her nose on them and thought she was better than them, and she has only had a 4th place and has a big ego.

Anway it will be quite cool them two both in the two championships, and no matter how much you try to dismiss it there will be a rivalry.

But you can't take away how well Kathrine is doing in Atlantics, won three times now, won on her debut, and these are at tricky tracks she does not know. ....Well at Long Beach, where as Edmonton and San Jose were new venus, but never the less.

[Kicking-back]

Originally Posted by luke

I was told my a friend who went to the IRL race at Michigan that he waited all day to get Danica's autograph but just ignored all her 'fans' and turned her nose on them and thought she was better than them, and she has only had a 4th place and has a big ego..

At most races Danica has had so many people wanting her autograph there's been a separate queue for her!

As far as I know she's signed lots of them.

Any sportsperson always gets some reports of "she ignored her fans" - but I think in the main she's been accommodating.

And as for "only a 4th place" - true, "big ego" - not how she comes over on TV interviews anyway - and her season's been solid for a rookie.

[Sato san]

Originally Posted by luke

But you can't take away how well Kathrine is doing in Atlantics, won three times now, won on her debut, and these are at tricky tracks she does not know. ....Well at Long Beach, where as Edmonton and San Jose were new venus, but never the less.

Katherine is doing a fantastic job over there in the states ., ive got a lot of admiration for what she is achieveing this year ..Its great to see her doing such a top class job . Some of her performances this year have been very tough races , with some good solid aggressive driving ..its been a joy to watch her race so hard . Luckily ive got a friend in the states that posts me the races on tape every round to watch and its clear to see that she is pushing very very hard at races .

Plus , she is up against some good drivers too , i dont buy this weak field stories ..they are no push over , yet on her rookie year , she is mixing it up really well with them all .

Great to see a Brit up there winning races in the the States ...Top class !

[Nismo]

the american series is generally less competitive than the european series..

so tell me this, hows comes a mediocre driver from europe goes to usa and totally dominates?

[fantasytoca]

Have to say that having followed Katherines career for a number of seasons she is definitely showing a level of maturity this year which has not been there before - I think she has learned that you dont always have to win - if passing for the next place is too risky dont do it - it is better to finish in the points than to get a DNF.

And now she's adopted that attitude, she's winning more races - without getting over confident.

I think off track as well Katherine has managed to ditch the reputation which dogged her in her early career and now adopts a much more controlled attitude to her off track activities.

[Kicking-back]

Originally Posted by Nismo

the american series is generally less competitive than the european series..

so tell me this, hows comes a mediocre driver from europe goes to usa and totally dominates?

Because the American series is less competitive, obviously!

[Snrub]

There are lots of examples of drivers who do well in one series and not another, or take time to develop, or required the right situation to perform, or whatever. If Bremer and Ranger are able to consistantly beat Wirdheim in CC, does that mean that last year's Atlantics field was a lot better than F3000 in 2003? Bremer and Ranger are close to CDM in the points, given their inexperience that must mean that Atlantics 2004 was better than CC 2002! No one has suggested that Legge was just too good for European OW and her boredom negatively effected her performances. (j/k)

[racerkeke]

Snrub, you hit it exactly. We don't normally pursue drivers for autographs or pictures -- we're there to help them. In return we hope to get a small measure of acknowledgement in the form of a smile, a finger lifted off the steering wheel in salute, or a little restraint in a stressful situation such as an incident. It isn't that we'd stop helping if we didn't get at least a little respect, but we don't have to like the people who act like we are robots or incompetents.

BTW, usually opinions of this sort are formed over a period of time and over multiple incidents, but they do tend to remain connected to a driver forever. So far Katherine has not shown any inclination to tantrums as exhibited by other drivers.

keke

[rustyfan]

Regardless of how one spins it, the fact remains that what Legge does in Atlantics doesn't mean much. If anything, her success this year only adds to the expectations she will have to face once she does step up to play with the big dogs, especially since a lot of people will see her as Champ Car's "answer" to Danica Patrick.

Personally I hope she'll do well, and I'm following the careers of her, Danica Patrick and Erin Crocker with great interest.

[Tim Northcutt]

Katherine Legge will be here in Indianapolis tomorrow as part of an event hosted by Lyn St. James called the "Women in the Winner's Circle Luncheon" that raises money for charity. Lyn hosts these types of events a couple of times a year, and Katherine Legge has been one of the attendees at each one over the past few years...

Some of the current (in addition to Ms. Legge) and former drivers expected are Erin Cricker, Allison Duncan, Debroah Renshaw, Janet Guthrie and Sarah Fisher....

[rustyfan]

RM posted the following in a recent column at the Speedtv website:

A lot of folks seem to be taking great delight in the fact Katherine Legge has three Toyota Atlantic wins and Danica Patrick was shut out in her two years of competition.

Well, Ms Legge is a plucky Brit who certainly seems quick and smooth and could be in Champ Car by 2007 if she continues to progress at her current pace.

But she's not running against A.J. Allmendinger, Jon Fogarty, Ryan Dalziel, Michael Valiante, Ronnie Bremer, Andrew Ranger and Rocky Moran Jr. every time out like Patrick did.

Atlantic's current crop of drivers has a couple fast kids but nowhere the depth of 2003 or 2004.

[GBoehm]

I got her autograph and a picture with her at San Jose.