Courtney in minardi test.

play mate · 11 Dec 2002, 12:46 (Ref:447560)

source autosport.com

The proposal for a two-hour test session on Friday mornings of grands prix looks sure to be introduced for 2003, and it looks like Ex jaguar tester James Courtney has been suggested as a candidate for the race in Melbourne...
"I have had a phone call from James' management," said Stoddart. "I have to be honest, we make no secret of this, we are looking to get revenue out of Fridays. The way it's shaping up at the moment is that we will most likely take a test and reserve driver who will participate for some of that period at all 17 grands prix and we will take local drivers, where available with budget, to compete in also those Friday morning sessions."

mac · 11 Dec 2002, 22:39 (Ref:447948)

Hopefully he'll go faster than the muppet in the Minardi.

James really needs a good seat for 2003.

DanFlag · 11 Dec 2002, 23:26 (Ref:447971)

Kermit drove the Minardi?

mac · 12 Dec 2002, 02:46 (Ref:448009)

No but it'll be just as good if Albers gets the seat next year.

bingman · 12 Dec 2002, 09:44 (Ref:448145)

albers has a nicer helmet

ringo · 12 Dec 2002, 09:46 (Ref:448147)

yeah it's all pink

Extra Rib · 12 Dec 2002, 12:34 (Ref:448238)

Good news for James though - about time Australia recognised the talent that they release on the world. Come on sponsors support him and lets see him racing

DavidStHubbins · 12 Dec 2002, 14:10 (Ref:448353)

Why Courtney? Why not Robbie Kerr who beat him in F3??

Daisy · 12 Dec 2002, 14:22 (Ref:448358)

Because Courtney is from Australia, and they want to lett him test in Australia. And probably Minardi will take Yoong for Malaisia, Bobbi for Italy and so on. Maybe they let Kerr test in the UK, for the British Grand Prix.

Morcilman · 12 Dec 2002, 14:27 (Ref:448362)

some drivers deserve it more, like Kerr for sure, I would put there Kovalainen as well (imposible because Renault)maybe green. Courtney is good as well, but I think that he has to mature and get over the accident with the jag. I hope he does well.

BennyBoy1978 · 12 Dec 2002, 17:34 (Ref:448490)

Quote:

Originally posted by Daisy
Because Courtney is from Australia, and they want to lett him test in Australia. And probably Minardi will take Yoong for Malaisia, Bobbi for Italy and so on. Maybe they let Kerr test in the UK, for the British Grand Prix.

If thats the case it would seem minardi have struck a nice little money spinner!

Although if there planning on changing the driver at each location they might end up shooting themselves in the foot with a big repair bills ?

girl r4cer · 12 Dec 2002, 18:14 (Ref:448511)

it would be nice to see kerr doing some sort of F1testing next year.

mac · 12 Dec 2002, 22:43 (Ref:448678)

Kerr and Courtney is, to a lesser extent, like Wilson and Webber. The advantage Courtney and Webber have/had is F1 testing experience. Admittedly Courtney didn't get much of it last year due to THAT prang and the damn Silverstone rain. But he knows what to expect in an F1 car, and that's a big advantage.

aussie_f3 · 13 Dec 2002, 06:15 (Ref:448857)

Quote:

Originally posted by DavidStHubbins
Why Courtney? Why not Robbie Kerr who beat him in F3??

...those rocks will start hitting your roof David!!!!

Obviously James' management are working harder at getting his bum in a seat than Robbie's are - BOTH are good drivers so lets support BOTH of them.

James probably has the inside running due to the aussie connection - I reckon they would both peddle it faster than Webber anyway

DavidStHubbins · 13 Dec 2002, 07:23 (Ref:448872)

Quote:

Originally posted by aussie_f3
...those rocks will start hitting your roof David!!!!

James probably has the inside running due to the aussie connection - I reckon they would both peddle it faster than Webber anyway

You really think so?! WHo knows. I would put Webber above both but it wold be nice for the current British F3 CHamp to get his butt behind the wheel of an F1 car.

And anyway, we lost the Ashes so i'm still bitter, especially as i paid to see them lose at the WACA...

mac · 13 Dec 2002, 07:26 (Ref:448874)

Quote:

Originally posted by aussie_f3
James probably has the inside running due to the aussie connection - I reckon they would both peddle it faster than Webber anyway

Huh?

BennyBoy1978 · 13 Dec 2002, 10:42 (Ref:448946)

Quote:

Originally posted by aussie_f3
...those rocks will start hitting your roof David!!!!

Obviously James' management are working harder at getting his bum in a seat than Robbie's are - BOTH are good drivers so lets support BOTH of them.

James probably has the inside running due to the aussie connection - I reckon they would both peddle it faster than Webber anyway

I think Both Robbie and James will get a few tests next year there both very quick drivers, but I'd have to agree with Aussie and say there both better then webber

Mr Jinxx · 14 Dec 2002, 01:30 (Ref:449503)

who ARE Robbie's management, and who are James' ??

racer69 · 14 Dec 2002, 04:58 (Ref:449604)

James Courtney's manager is Alan Gow. Racing driver/commentator Neil Crompton was involved in there a while back as well.

It's about time more Australians got time in F1 cars. Stoddart wants to help to get Aussies into F1, there is nothing wrong with Aussie drivers using this to their advantage

Mr Squiggle · 15 Dec 2002, 06:04 (Ref:450178)

I think a lot of people underestimate the severity of the testing accident that James had mid year while playing crash test dummy for Jaguar.

I would say IMHO that this misfortune had more to do with losing the BF3 championship than anything else.

Courtney had Robbie and the others bluffed before that with his own interesting brand of.... ahem...... forceful driving.

DavidStHubbins · 15 Dec 2002, 07:58 (Ref:450211)

Courtneys crash as an excuse cuts no mustard with me. Top level racing drivers experience big crashes all the time. They have to deal with it and carry on. If you let a big crash get to you then team managers are going to say "hmm, mentally weak, can we depend on this guy to fight for us?"

Formula One is a sharks world, we all know that! Theres little room for compassion - too much money at stake. James has to show that he is strong which he hasnt really done recently regarding his last few performances.

Many drivers have had bigger crashes than that and come back fine - its what seperates the men from the boys.

El_Gibleto · 15 Dec 2002, 08:48 (Ref:450232)

Surely James Courtney has to be considered as "damaged goods". Failing to win the british F3 championship when he was in the #1 seat of the best team, has to a major negative mark against him.

rlinter · 15 Dec 2002, 14:15 (Ref:450404)

El,

Some might say JC has always been quick testing and even quailfying but has always been 'Damaged Goods' when it comes to racing with even the slightest competition.

Other might conisder that his 'Italian Adventure' cost him the BF3 title.

My views are well know on the subject so I won't bother repeating them here other than to say that JC needs to go out in a MAJOR single seater series and constantly win, uncontroversially to re-establish his credentials.

Sure he will more than likely get to test the Minardi at Melbourne for a couple of hours on the friday as Stodard has publically acknowledge that he sees that is a revenue generator for any team on the program to run a local driver in the car at each race... And let's face it JC is the 'top' aussie contenter at the moment, with the exception of the formally toyotal backed young master Briscoe, so anyone else would be completely illogical.

aussie_f3 · 15 Dec 2002, 21:07 (Ref:450621)

I'm starting to doubt the value of winning the BF3 Championship - Robbie hasnt been overrun with offers of drives for next year........or is it the fact that teams are seeing his win was pretty hollow given Courtney's injury mid way through the year?

180 mph into a wall is hardly an accident that happens "all the time" David - give the guy a break - he survived it and came back to drive the season out only missing one meeting - I dare say you would have had more time off bumping your Toyota Corolla into a Beetle in the Woolworths carpark!!!!

El_Gibleto · 15 Dec 2002, 22:30 (Ref:450673)

Aussie_f3,

Sometimes it's not actually winning the championship that matters, but how you perform during the year. With Sato and Pizzonia they both won the championship and performed in a way that made them attractive to F1 teams, so that they were a more valuble & desirable product after their F3 season.

This year in F3 two drivers added to their value significantly, Robbie for the way he won the championship and Heikki Kovelainan, who in only his 2nd season in cars was top points scorer in the second half of the season, Heikki probably added the most to his reputation during the season.

It's quite obvious the Courtney's reputation has been very significantly damaged by his losing the f3 championship, despite having the #1 seat and top engineer in the Carlin team. HIs driving throughout the season showed that he had difficulty coping with the pressure of his situation.

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