Internationals disappoint at Bathurst

[monaroCountry]

5th last year for Simonsen (with Richard Lyons) at Bathurst. The fastest lap for the pair was a 2:08.8859 (the 4th ranked pairing by fastest lap, behind Lowndes/Whincup, Winterbottom/Richards, Davison/Johnson). I assume it was Simonsen who set the fastest lap, but both drivers were setting times in the 2:09s. Very impressive. The car control showed by Simonsen at the top of the mountain when Bright, Skaife, and Ingall all found the wall was nothing short of superb as well.

The year before the same pairing was 12th with a 2:10.1279 fastest lap, shows what difference a year makes.

You would think that Simonsen has Bathurst down pat after 2003. Simonsen raced around the track for the Bathurst 24hr race. 5th isnt a bad result but when you include all the crashed and retired top placed drivers and the

[monaroCountry]

Originally Posted by Matt

Then again, the V8's are FAR more adapt to racing in the wet than NASCAR Stockcars, which were also running on 7 year old rain tires.

Oh, and don't forget this clip. :P
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=8rnA5Ijph2o

I remember some of those fotage, those inluded V8 supercars running in torrential rain IN SLICK TIRES!!

You have to admit that some of those NASCAR drivers are less than average when it comes to racing on a road course, especially when faced with a track like Bathurst and especially when faced with a wet Bathurst track. Many of the NASCAR regulars even lend out their seats for a ringer every road course events.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by monaroCountry

You would think that Simonsen has Bathurst down pat after 2003. Simonsen raced around the track for the Bathurst 24hr race. 5th isnt a bad result but when you include all the crashed and retired top placed drivers and the

You can say that about anyone. The fact they didnt crash when others did, in an unfamiliar car whilst setting 4th fastest lap of the day says something, something pretty impressive. These internationals with full time rides and experience in cars would be battling for championship not problem at all.

[ASH_03]

Roland isn't stupid, the reason they bring these internationals out to race is to show them how difficult these cars are to drive and how difficult the track is. To show the talent of our drivers. However i would rather see the aussie guys getting a drive

[TWRv12]

They have to give Gio more seat time, then he'll be on a mission. Few can match his skill or car control.

[mountainstar]

Obviously anytime you take someone from the outside who has driven different cars, tracks and in a different racing culture, is probably not going to be able to adapt overnight and win Bathurst. I imagine if I took a V8 Supercar driver and tossed him right in at Daytona or Le Mans he wouldn't be in the top ten.

I think if an international driver comes up though the Aus/NZ system there is no reason he could not be as successful as any other driver from the home country.

[monaroCountry]

Originally Posted by ASH_03

Roland isn't stupid, the reason they bring these internationals out to race is to show them how difficult these cars are to drive and how difficult the track is. To show the talent of our drivers. However i would rather see the aussie guys getting a drive

I doubt this!!!

More like protect valuable information from an upcoming driver that might end up driving for another V8 Supercar team.

[D.R.T.]

What valuable information is there? Isnt there an open viewing session to air such secrets these days in socialist v8 racing?

Roland has gone on record saying Australian drivers outpriced themselves from what they delivered. They use international drivers because they are talented and are already under contract in the cases of Muller, Giovanardi