Lamy confirms TWS test!

[SALEEN S7R]

Pedro Lamy, 30 has today confirmed that he will be testing one of the Dallara Nissans on Monday at the Brazilan track Sao Paulo with the Racing Engineering team. With a view to contesting the 2003 season. Here is the full story..http://www.crash.net/news_detail.asp...0&language_id=

Seems as though the category is becoming a place for F1 refugees at the moment, with Marc Gene rumored to be looking for a drive in 2003. Anyway good luck to him.

[jjjoseee]

an another fresh new of WS with strong link with formula 1.
as many of you know the there is a limit in the teams number in the series (12 teams concretly), but if one of these teams drop for next season the new entry will be minardi squad.

ok, but not a junior eurpean minardi f1 squad. it will be the refundation of a minardi team with gian carlo minardi as owner and boss. i think you know that there are important diferences between stodart and giancarlo and for next 2003 season is clearly that giancarlo can go out of the team that he found in the seventies.
so we can say that if this notice is finally a reality the minardi WS team will not have any link (appart the name coincidence) with the formula 1 squad... we can say it will be an original 100% minardi squad. curious, no?

in the test that saleen said of pedro lamy also will be ricardo mauricio (also with racing engineering), nelson piquet jr. (with meycom... i think), joao paulo de oliveira (don'r remenber with who), and ricardo sperafico (in ricardo case i'm not sure 100% because finally he ran in sao paulo by the burgueño drop so, maybe meycom finally cancel the test with ricardo to give more laps to piquet, or maybe to another driver).

and a hot new (just ten minutes ago finish the last race of the champ) in the tv the speaker said that gabord will have a very strong line-up next year because the zonta renew of contract that is not sure 100% but very close to it, and a second drive that appears will be another ex-formula 1 driver.

[bella]

it;s all very well saying tws has a link with f1, but it's the wrong way, ie going backwards as opposed to forwards..!

(not questioning drivers abilities though, don't get me wrong!)

[ghinzani]

In Autosport this week Giancarlo Minardi said hes too old to restart Team Everest like he been invited to.

[SALEEN S7R]

I agree Bella, I mean there are a couple of drivers there heading for F1. The majority though are heading away from F1 and towards sportscars or the scrap heap.

(still the series is good.)

[SFonseca]

Originally posted by jjjoseee
because the zonta renew of contract that is not sure 100% but very close to it, and a second drive that appears will be another ex-formula 1 driver.

an ex-Ferrari F1 test driver....

[E46]

an ex-Ferrari F1 test driver

Yes, very probably

[SALEEN S7R]

If he does all well and good Id like to see Zonta remain in the series. Although Id like it to be a little more young driver friendly. At the moment it sounds like its trying to emulate Premier 1 grand prix's plans of getting ex F1 drivers.

Still its a good series.

[E46]

Still it´s a good series

Still it´s a fantastic series!! TWS doesn´t need to emulate Premier F1. RPM (the organiser) has proved to be better that Premier F1, TWS is a reality, Premier F1 is.... a dream???

[SALEEN S7R]

Premier 1 could still well happen, its got 7 football teams lined up already. But that is beside the point. As for calling TWS great, no I dont think so. Good? yes the drivers it will have are ex F1 drivers who didnt make it in F1 for whatever reason and a few F1 hopefuls. The likes of Zonta, Gene and Lamy are all well and good but dont forget Lamy hasnt raced in f1 since 1996 and hasnt really got any other options apart from TWS for a single seater race seat, for 2003 at least.

F3000 now thats what I call fantastic, ok so the cars are a bit slower, for now. Although the drivers u get into the series are well more exciting u are constantly watching them and asking yourself will they make it into F1? If not maybe CART? You dont get that as much in the TWS in my opinon. Okay the ex F1 boys are great but they are that, ex F1 drivers who probably wont make it into Formula One again at least not as a driver as they are getting old, by F1s standards at least.

In F3000 the drivers in my opinon are just as good and are a lot younger, well the majority are. Its like Bella said TWS has some great drivers but most of them are going in the opposite direction to those in F3000. If TWS concentrated on up and coming drivers more rather than drivers who cant make it in F1.

[SFonseca]

Zonta said this Friday.... "This year, TWS and CART were in same level".

[SALEEN S7R]

lol come on, lets spot a few differnces. Cart producing 750bhp, tws this year producing 420bhp. CART cars capable of 245mph, TWS cars capable of 195mph. CART producing F1 drivers ie Da Matta. You can argue that the TWS is producing F1 drivers ie Justin Wilson - if he makes it into F1, but thats not the case he sidestepped into the TWS because he was left without a ride at the end of 2001, beliving he would have a role in F1 of some kind and in fact was left out, even as a test driver.

So if ur telling me TWS is the same as CART please, do tell us in what aspects are the cars the same? I mean at a track like say Catalunya the F3000 cars were say 10 seconds a lap slower than the F1 cars, the CART cars would be around 7 seconds, they were after all 6 seconds slower at Montreal than the F1 cars, and Barcelona is a twisty track just like Montreal.

Please, if u can tell me what Zonta thinks are the same in TWS as in CART Id be very intrested to hear.

[E46]

Yes Saleen, TWS has ex-F1 drivers but you say they are only ex-F1 drivers, no more. The same that Cart for example, or maybe better F1 drivers that Cart (Zonta is better driver than Nakano for example, and Gené, and Lamy, and...).

You also says F3000 you call fantastic. OK. Why??? More slow cars like you said for example... Why F3000 is fantastic and TWS simply good???

TWS has also young drivers, Garcia, Villaamil, Sperafico brothers, .... Do you want more???

[SALEEN S7R]

lol TWS has a few big deal. F3000 for example has better drivers who are testing for F1 teams ie Pantano, Frisechaer, Toccello. And has produced drivers this year such as Enge, Bourdais and Pizzonia.

The F3000 cars might be a bit slower but they visit a much bigger variety of tracks and the drivers there are young, not old ex F1 drivers who probably wont make it into F1.

Zonta may be better than Nakano yes, but then Nakano is a back marker. CART has a lot of better drivers, Yoong (who might be entering the series.) Janqueria, Dixon, Fitapaldi, and possibly Wilson.

TWS might have young drivers but they are short in quality young drivers. F3000 isnt.

Also, Gene isnt better than Nakano and neither is Lamy, Lamy is how old? lol in his 40s? The reason Nakano is in a true world series in powerful cars and Lamy and Gene arent is because they arent good enough.

[bella]

this whole ex-f1 drivers thing is a good idea because it's obviously a very good series, and offers a product similar to f3000. i don't know about budgets, but as i understand it they're far smaller. the only problem is not enough exposure to f1 teams, but i guess when you've got a good management behind you that doesn't matter.

by recruiting the ex-f1 drivers and getting them interested, it gives it good publicity. the cars look the business, and in getting young drivers that can only be another plus point. get famous names in there, whether they're talented or not and it gets the series publicity, and when you're approaching sponsors that's important etc.

i'd say there's another step in the 'ladder to f1' thing now, and it's putting being a f1 test driver in between something like f3000 and f1. which is odd really, because it's not gaining any racing experience, just some experience in a car you won't get to race. can't say i'd want to be in the shoes of anyone who's on the end of an exclusive f1 testing contract.

rant over.

[SALEEN S7R]

Yeah i see what ur saying completly. Lets not lose sight of the fact though in 2005 the F3000 cars will all be upgraded and for the first time in 6 years the f3000 cars will have a new engine producing around 800bhp. I expect that will be more powerful than the TWS cars.

The FIA made the wrong decision in putting a development freeze on the engines. Okay they should have made it a one engine deal yeah, but they should have done the same as they have with the chasis, a new development once every 3 years. Not six.

[bella]

i think f3000 is fundamentally flawed though, and with all this backing that the tws series seeks as a whole series and individual teams rather than just the drivers, at the moment it's the better option. essentially it's the same sort of product, maybe with slightly different results, but if justin wilson can get his hands on the money for the minardi drive hopefully people will see it as a viable and cheaper alternative.

[SALEEN S7R]

I suppose if u look at it like that, but then again why would u? Peoople like Justin Wilson have said all along if they cant get into F1 they are aiming for CART. Outgoing F1 drivers such as Yoong also has his eyes set firmly on retaining a F1 drive but if not and most likely a seat in CART.

I admit that F3000 isnt as erm sponsor friendly as it could be though but if u look, the F3000 series gets live tv coverage on Eurosport and a 30 min slot on ITV 6 weeks later.

The TWS in comparisson gets a 30 mins slot on Eurosport - delayed covereage so F3000 has that in its favour if u ask me.

[bella]

yeah but you don't need sponsors as much if you're getting into tws. i see your point but so few people watch either it's not really a matter for sponsors is it? you're promoting the end product ie exposure in f1 to them i guess.

[E46]

F3000 had better drivers who are testing for F1 teams ie Pantano, Friesacher, Toccello

Also TWS has drivers testing for F1: Montagny, Wilson, Garcia, ... (for example) more ex-F1 drivers, Does have any exF1 driver the F3000??? I don´t believe it
Friesacher is probably that the next year will be in TWS races, Why??? because maybe he thinks TWS are better series.

Saleen you say F3000 has more young drivers, take a look to this: Sperafico brothers, Garcia, Villaamil, Ravier, Couto, Karthikeyan, Rocha,... Do you want more???

You also say F3000 has live coverage in Eurosport, TWS has coverage (also had two races in Eurosport live and it´s his first year) in Italia, France, Monaco, Brasil and other South American countries and Asia. OK??? If you don´t see live races in England maybe is because England isn´t the main market of TWS.

Nakano better than Gené and Lamy??? and more
Are you talking in serious??? Nakano was one of the worst drivers when he was in F1 grid!! If in F1 was bad and in Cart he is good, maybe it´s because TWS has more level of drivers. Takagi is other top driver in Cart, in F1 he was always more slow than his teammates (Salo and De la Rosa). Can you understand this???

[SALEEN S7R]

Originally posted by bella
yeah but you don't need sponsors as much if you're getting into tws. i see your point but so few people watch either it's not really a matter for sponsors is it? you're promoting the end product ie exposure in f1 to them i guess.

Hmm I see ur point, but F3000 does get televised across Europe live. And repeated again on ITV. Also F3000 benefits from travelling with F1 thus getting bigger crowds and more likely F1 teams than if u are in TWS at another track and at another time. F3000 according to the viewing figures for the UK at least reaches 2 million ppl on average.

Id be willing to be the TWS dosent.

[ghinzani]

Ok he may be biased but Dr Marko said to Red Bull they should stop with him in F3000 and put their money into TWS. Says a lot does'nt it?

[SALEEN S7R]

Originally posted by E46
Also TWS has drivers testing for F1: Montagny, Wilson, Garcia, ... (for example) more ex-F1 drivers, Does have any exF1 driver the F3000??? I don´t believe it
Friesacher is probably that the next year will be in TWS races, Why??? because maybe he thinks TWS are better series.

Saleen you say F3000 has more young drivers, take a look to this: Sperafico brothers, Garcia, Villaamil, Ravier, Couto, Karthikeyan, Rocha,... Do you want more???

You also say F3000 has live coverage in Eurosport, TWS has coverage (also had two races in Eurosport live and it´s his first year) in Italia, France, Monaco, Brasil and other South American countries and Asia. OK??? If you don´t see live races in England maybe is because England isn´t the main market of TWS.

Nakano better than Gené and Lamy??? and more
Are you talking in serious??? Nakano was one of the worst drivers when he was in F1 grid!! If in F1 was bad and in Cart he is good, maybe it´s because TWS has more level of drivers. Takagi is other top driver in Cart, in F1 he was always more slow than his teammates (Salo and De la Rosa). Can you understand this???

Actually this year yes it did F3000 had Tomas Enge, he drove for Prost in 2001 if u remember? Wilson as Ive said before went to TWS because he had nowhere to turn to. This year he has been busy making plans and if he dosent make F1 hes going for CART. Gee I wonder why he dosent want to stick around in TWS?

Also Gene and Lamy arent exactly the best stars of F1. Nakano wasnt the worst driver in F1 i think that was Turero, or perhaps yoong. Also the Ricardo Sperifco races in F3000 mainly.

And now E46 ur trying to tell us that TWS has better drivers than CART?? Gee E46 ur logic gets worse and worse..

[bella]

Originally posted by SALEEN S7R
Also F3000 benefits from travelling with F1 thus getting bigger crowds....

not wanting to nit pick here, but the number of people the actually hang around for the f3000 race or qualifying is probably around the same number that sees a f3 race at the track rather than on tv, ie minimal. having watched one of the spanish tws rounds this year on tv, the crowds definitely looked big.

any figures for attendance anyone?

[SALEEN S7R]

80,000 at the Barcelona track, so the commentator said. Also though at Barcelona the grandstands were also packed for the F3000 race. I was at silverstone this year and saw the F3000 race and the main straight at least was about 3/4 full.

The tv exposure though lets not forget is far greater in F3000. As they have LIVE tv covereage not delayed. TWS is normally played at times when people are at work or in bed. This week TWS has been broadcasted at 21:30-22:00 on Friday night and again on tuesday at 22:15-22:45. Hardly peak viewing hours when u compare it to the Saturday live tv coverage of 2pm.

Not sure about any attendance figures for F3000 though, will have a dig though lol. Although tv coverage is anything from 2 million viewers on averege in the UK to 3.5 million in other countries such as Italy.