Who will race for GBR in China?

play mate · 8 Mar 2006, 10:03 (Ref:1540144)

Just found this on A1 canadas website and it led me to thinking this could mean Robbie Kerrr won't be doing the Chinese GP either. Could this mean alex Lloyd could be in the car?

..."Sean McIntosh, winner of his last outing for A1 Team Canada in Indonesia, was originally scheduled to return to action for the Chinese event but a date clash with his pre-season testing commitments in the 2006 World Series by Renault means the 20-year-old standout is unable to compete in the A1GP season finale..."

Raymondo · 8 Mar 2006, 11:25 (Ref:1540216)

Robbie will be racing in China

Kebab · 8 Mar 2006, 12:54 (Ref:1540271)

He won't be testing?

girl r4cer · 8 Mar 2006, 13:04 (Ref:1540280)

How are you so sure he will be racing in china?

Mystery · 8 Mar 2006, 13:25 (Ref:1540288)

Quote:

Originally Posted by girl r4cer

How are you so sure he will be racing in china?

Check Raymondo's other posts - if genuine (and i have no reason to doubt him) then he seems well connected

Raymondo · 8 Mar 2006, 14:58 (Ref:1540350)

well connected maybe but i may actually be wrong here, apologies

andy97 · 8 Mar 2006, 16:12 (Ref:1540518)

How about giving Andy Priaulx a go?

play mate · 8 Mar 2006, 16:40 (Ref:1540538)

What is it that you have heard Raymondo?

SALEEN S7R · 8 Mar 2006, 20:27 (Ref:1540714)

I read a article on www.crash.net today and it mentioned the possibilty of Dan Wheldon making his debut in A1 GP in China. Would be good news for the series and for Team GB if this is the case. IMO.

strider · 8 Mar 2006, 22:59 (Ref:1540803)

Assuming that Team GBR is still disputing 3rd place in the Series with Brazil, it would be logical to keep Robbie in the car, if possible.

If not, then I really do think it's time they gave the long-suffering Alex Lloyd a shot. He's had a raw deal out of all this, imo.

But if they want to pursue the publicity angle again, then Wheldon (or someone similar) it will be.

SALEEN S7R · 8 Mar 2006, 23:27 (Ref:1540819)

Publicity? Wheldon is faster than either Kerr or Lloyd. IMO. If Wheldon gets some serious testing time under his belt he will I think undoubtedly do a better job than Lloyd would, and probably better than Kerr, certainly better if he had all the seat time that Kerr has had. You dont become the IRL champion for nothing after all.

strider · 8 Mar 2006, 23:47 (Ref:1540827)

I'm not disputing that Wheldon is a quicker driver, that's proven, but the only time he would get in the car would be the usual free practice sessions before qualifying. If they were serious about it, they could have put him in the car this weekend as well.

jondownunder · 9 Mar 2006, 02:39 (Ref:1540871)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

You dont become the IRL champion for nothing after all.

True, I do rate Wheldon highly, but really more for the consistency of his earlier career than his IRL achievements. With only a handful of road-course races on the calendar I don't think that title is necessarily strong evidence he would be faster than Kerr, who we should remember hadn't had a full racing season since taking the 2002 BF3 title.

strider · 9 Mar 2006, 11:58 (Ref:1541646)

Not quite right. He had a full season winning what was then the Scholarship Class in BF3 the year before.

He did FPA before that, too, I think?

Kebab · 9 Mar 2006, 12:14 (Ref:1541653)

I think he's saying SINCE F3 he's not had a full year racing so Kerr's performance is more impressive than it seems at first?

Personally I doubt any driver could jump into these things and go as fast as the top guys who've been doing it all year... not in a single race weekend, anyway

Hazza · 9 Mar 2006, 12:24 (Ref:1541658)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jondownunder

True, I do rate Wheldon highly, but really more for the consistency of his earlier career than his IRL achievements. With only a handful of road-course races on the calendar I don't think that title is necessarily strong evidence he would be faster than Kerr, who we should remember hadn't had a full racing season since taking the 2002 BF3 title.

Because it has been proven that driving in the US for a few years dulls your hand eye co-ordination, set up ability, racecraft and all the other aspects that are essential to a racing driver.

/Sarcasm

strider · 9 Mar 2006, 12:29 (Ref:1541660)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kebab

I think he's saying SINCE F3 he's not had a full year racing so Kerr's performance is more impressive than it seems at first?

Personally I doubt any driver could jump into these things and go as fast as the top guys who've been doing it all year... not in a single race weekend, anyway

Whoops, you're right, I misread the post. Apologies.

What you're saying about a single race weekend is also what I think about Wheldon coming in. It just isn't that simple.

SALEEN S7R · 9 Mar 2006, 14:48 (Ref:1541757)

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxy mole

He did FPA before that, too, I think?

Yeah he did back in 2000, he finished 2nd overall in the championship behind Damien Faulkner.

stradlin21 · 9 Mar 2006, 17:08 (Ref:1541824)

It is Team GB after all not Team England so I though that Dario should have had a shot.

It's not going to happen now though because IRL testing is in full swing

cos · 9 Mar 2006, 17:10 (Ref:1541825)

Autosport says that Darren Manning will fill in for Kerr in China

stradlin21 · 9 Mar 2006, 17:13 (Ref:1541826)

Quote:

Originally Posted by cos

Autosport says that Darren Manning will fill in for Kerr in China

That would be a great move, I rate Darren very higley and it was a shame that CG sacked him from his IRL team last season.

If Darren is in the car then best of luck to him

Kebab · 9 Mar 2006, 21:56 (Ref:1541991)

Seems strange and quite insulting to Lloyd for them to bring in Darren? Sounds like Arden had a big say in the choice.

Poor Alex, why on earth didn't they give him the drive? He's been in a car more recently than Darren has (afaik)??

jondownunder · 9 Mar 2006, 23:01 (Ref:1542015)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hazza

Because it has been proven that driving in the US for a few years dulls your hand eye co-ordination, set up ability, racecraft and all the other aspects that are essential to a racing driver.

/Sarcasm

When I said about Wheldon's impressive earlier career, I was including his years in US FF2000, Atlantics and Indy Lights btw... it's just the IRL title that I don't regard as particularly good evidence of being a great racing driver

It will be interesting to see how Manning gets on reunited with Arden, though with two seasons of primarily oval racing he could be a little rusty. About Lloyd, don't quote me on it, but I was always under the impression he'd basically parted company with Team GB when it became clear he wasn't going to race. I don't think he's even been nominated as a Team GB driver since round 3 at Estoril has he?

cos · 9 Mar 2006, 23:34 (Ref:1542039)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kebab

Seems strange and quite insulting to Lloyd for them to bring in Darren? Sounds like Arden had a big say in the choice.

Poor Alex, why on earth didn't they give him the drive? He's been in a car more recently than Darren has (afaik)??

From the PR, Surtees says "Alex Lloyd hasn't had the running opportunities we would have liked and Arden expressed their preference for a driver with extensive F3000 experience for this highly pressurized occasion. We are doing our best to help Alex find a seat in either a premier European race series or in the revitalized Champ Car Atlantic Championship in the USA to get his experience level up."

Quote:

Originally Posted by jondownunder

It will be interesting to see how Manning gets on reunited with Arden, though with two seasons of primarily oval racing he could be a little rusty

I think he'll be fine - IRL had some road curses last season, and as a racing driver you don't forget how to turn right!

courageous · 10 Mar 2006, 08:28 (Ref:1542112)

I think it has been shown this year that nobody can jump into these cars and be right on the pace straight away - Tracy, Carpentier, Fittipaldi and others have all done it & struggled at first.

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