Questionable decision?, AD to test again

[Kirk]

I hope that Anthony is staying at Honda-BAR in a testing role ONLY because there are no other opportunities out there.

[Sodemo]

I think Honda are foolish not to let him have a race seat, and Davidson is foolish to be strung along by Honda for as long as he has, the guy has talent, which is being wasted.

[Silk Cut Jaguar]

I wouldn't say his talent is being wasted, clearly he has a knack for development work otherwise Honda wouldn't keep him on the books in that role. Maybe it's just that they think he's more useful in the test seat rather than racing?

[kipper]

Whilst I would like to see Anthony Davidson in a F1 race seat, I think the main reason why he has stayed at BAR for so long has been a shortage of competitive, paid rides elsewhere and for the first couple of years as a tester a lack of experience. Also, for BAR to have selected Davidson over Button back for the 2003 season would have been an unlikely scenario and I would have thought that Sato as a marketing tool would have hindered Davidson's chances of that seat. Therefore, this year is probably the first in which Davidson could have gained a race seat and it has to be said he probably would have done so, if Button had gone to Williams.

[Rennen]

Originally Posted by kipper

Whilst I would like to see Anthony Davidson in a F1 race seat, I think the main reason why he has stayed at BAR for so long has been a shortage of competitive, paid rides elsewhere and for the first couple of years as a tester a lack of experience. Also, for BAR to have selected Davidson over Button back for the 2003 season would have been an unlikely scenario and I would have thought that Sato as a marketing tool would have hindered Davidson's chances of that seat. Therefore, this year is probably the first in which Davidson could have gained a race seat and it has to be said he probably would have done so, if Button had gone to Williams.

Spot on!...Remember Richards new in as team boss back then would have seen JB but known little or nothing about AD.
Honda have made AD a very lucrative offer to stay and made it crystal clear how much they needed him. Good and experienced F1 testers are more important to teams than they like to admit.
Most young drivers dream of being with a manufacturer, and AD is well aware many drivers out there envy the position he is in.
Race seats are very rare these days, (lets be honest due to safety) the paying seats are in great demand.
AD is in a good position now, Aguri is a very likely race seat when then are up and running with their definitive chassis later on this or next season.

[Kirk]

I wonder if AD has considered his options in Champ Car? He is a proven test driver but perhaps he could accelerate his F1 career if he could drive a good competitve car in that series; where he can put his racing talent on display. It would be a gamble yes, but a worthwhile one, IMO.

[safc_fan89]

I think that Davidson is foolish not to look elsewhere, ie. Champ Cars or something, for a drive. His F1 career is going nowhere, so perhaps if he decided to join an alternative series for a year, F1 teams would see his undoubted talent and give him a race seat.

[kipper]

Whilst Davidson could have looked to other series, one would have to question whether they would have helped to develop his career. Although he would be racing, Champ Car over the last couple of years has been unstable as well as the fact that Sebastien Bourdais has stated that he wants to be in F1, but has been unable to make the leap; whilst the IRL's oval format is unlikely to win too much favour with F1 team bosses. Therefore, the test seat at BAR/Honda has at least given him the opportunity to keep his name in the frame for F1 drives.

[cds_uk]

I can appreciate why Ant has stayed on as tester, i just think if he really had the chance to race for SA he should have gone for it, it`s all well and good pounding round and round Magny Cours on your own, i just think he would have got more out of it racing, even in a slow car to begin with, surely it would have been more productive for him to beat Taku convincingly and bring the car home race after race in one piece.

[Rennen]

Originally Posted by kipper

Whilst Davidson could have looked to other series, one would have to question whether they would have helped to develop his career. Although he would be racing, Champ Car over the last couple of years has been unstable as well as the fact that Sebastien Bourdais has stated that he wants to be in F1, but has been unable to make the leap; whilst the IRL's oval format is unlikely to win too much favour with F1 team bosses. Therefore, the test seat at BAR/Honda has at least given him the opportunity to keep his name in the frame for F1 drives.

I honestly don't know who you are 'kipper' I see you are a rookie here...but once again you are spot-on!...If you walk away from F1 at this point there's no way back! His situation doesn't hinge on showing he can race anything else! He has nothing to prove to himself nor F1 there at all.
F1 personnel say to new drivers 'Forget everything you have ever driven before...Formula One is totally differant to ANYTHING you have EVER experienced!'

IRL and CC can wait AD can do that kind of racing at any later stage or age! It proves very little to the F1 fraternity...you can't come back from the States when you're older and slot into the hi-tech world of F1.

[andy_b]

IMHO its better to be a good tester and a top team than say someone looking like a tit in a Midland. There is a fair chance that he might get a drive at some point. In 05, Wurz, Pizzonia and DLR all raced as testers

[Louis B.]

Thks Rennen but was Super Aguri still an option? Is it Anthony's decision not to go there or is it that he has no other choice but to go for the testing seat with HOnda?

Edited: Sorry, I see that Rennen kind of answered those very questions on another thread.

[safc_fan89]

I think it's a waste for him to test. He's been doing that for too long. If he doesn't find a race seat soon, he will just become another forgotten man. At the moment, teams like Williams seem to be looking for young, up-and-coming drivers. Davidson isn't under that category any more.

Also, I know I'd rather be racing than testing. Driving round an empty track can't be very exciting.

[Rennen]

Originally Posted by safc_fan89

I think it's a waste for him to test. He's been doing that for too long. If he doesn't find a race seat soon, he will just become another forgotten man. At the moment, teams like Williams seem to be looking for young, up-and-coming drivers. Davidson isn't under that category any more.

Also, I know I'd rather be racing than testing. Driving round an empty track can't be very exciting.

Blimey since when was 26 old!!!...and who miss informed you Nico was choosen for being younger? DC & RB wern't choosen for their youth...AD is vastly experienced too...and who told you the test tracks were 'empty'...Jeez!...Monaco is pretty crowded even when it's 'empty' when you're on the limit in an 900hp F1 car...AD followed MS in close company for many laps (and kept up) there in 2004...do we all assume you don't rate that then?

[KE30MAN]

AD must have his reasons and one of them might be fiscal. BAR have charged forward with him at the helm in testing and perhaps he is being duely compensated.

I would still like to see him in a race seats as well as many others...

[Rennen]

Originally Posted by andy_b

IMHO its better to be a good tester and a top team than say someone looking like a tit in a Midland. There is a fair chance that he might get a drive at some point. In 05, Wurz, Pizzonia and DLR all raced as testers

Spot on...Of course AD would love to race a competitive F1 but just driving what he calls "The best cars in the world" on the limit is still something that trancends anything we mere mortals can ever imagine! ADs just been unlucky not to get a break...the Minardi was way off the pace of what he'd been used to with the BAR and the Sepang failure was just soooo unlucky!

[safc_fan89]

Originally Posted by Rennen

Blimey since when was 26 old!!!...and who miss informed you Nico was choosen for being younger? DC & RB wern't choosen for their youth...AD is vastly experienced too...and who told you the test tracks were 'empty'...Jeez!...Monaco is pretty crowded even when it's 'empty' when you're on the limit in an 900hp F1 car...AD followed MS in close company for many laps (and kept up) there in 2004...do we all assume you don't rate that then?

My point is that teams aren't going for Davidson, who has proved himself to be quick. Yes, his cause wasn't helped by BAR signing Barrichello, and BAR not allowing him to move anywhere for 2005.

And at 26 you are not up-and-coming, especially if you have been driving F1 cars since 2002.

Empty as in not racing.

[Rennen]

Originally Posted by safc_fan89

My point is that teams aren't going for Davidson, who has proved himself to be quick. Yes, his cause wasn't helped by BAR signing Barrichello, and BAR not allowing him to move anywhere for 2005.

And at 26 you are not up-and-coming, especially if you have been driving F1 cars since 2002.

Empty as in not racing.

'The teams'...have full seats of excellent drivers already how many can you put into 2 seats! It's just luck to land one...like winning the lottery!

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by Rennen

IIRL and CC can wait AD can do that kind of racing at any later stage or age! It proves very little to the F1 fraternity...you can't come back from the States when you're older and slot into the hi-tech world of F1.

Yeah, that can be 10 or 15 years from now, his place is in F1 now !

[Dixie Flatline]

I guess we'll see which approach is potentially better - Briscoe has gone to the US to race but still harbours desire of racing in Formula One (and Toyota got him back to test for a day when Panis was unavailable).

[lookleft]

Dixie, as much as I would like to see it I would say Briscoe is a long shot to ever race a F1 car now for all the reasons above. Every year there are three or four new "stars" found, if you don't have the perserverance or management to stay in the F1 loop then you are in trouble. Montoya and Zinardi are the only drivers I can recall making a "come back" from ChampCar. (Mansell does not count for so many reasons ) I am sure Wilson isn't thinking a few wins will see him back in F1.

Briscoe shold have taken the Jordan deal over IRL but only if there was no Toyota test deal on the table. Forgotten men.

[Bononi]

My thoughts exactly.

[Kirk]

I'm not so sure about that. AD has proven he can get the speed out of an F1 car and has several years under his belt. That's where he betters the likes of a Sebastian Bourdais. Now if he were to go to Champ Car and impress or win, in traffic (under real race conditions), it could make some F1 teams take notice. Other than a nice paycheck and the usual perks, another year testing with Honda will not accomplish much unless, for some reason, RB or JB are unable to drive for a given stretch. I can understand AD's predicament but sometimes the safe route is not the best route. This decision could define his career.

[JohnSSC]

I agree with Rennen here completely. CC or IRL is not where you want to go if you are already testing for a top team. You might as well suggest that he take an A1 GP seat or something as CC is clearly a big step backwards these days. Further, he would then be exactly 2,500 miles (at least) away from the direct notice that he gets by staying in Europe/F1 with BAR.

You want the Team Mangers to notice you and be reminded of you on a regular basis (as in daily), not a one paragraph article that you had the pole at the San Jose Grand Prix.

Rennen, off-topic here but I really appreciate the insight you provide. Thank you.

[BootsOntheSide]

ChampCar doesn't get you noticed anymore. it is only roughly half the strength it ws when JPM won it. Bourdais was comfortably top rookie before winning the series easily twice, and his name is barely mentioned for F1. However, his chance of a full-time race seat is now frankly minimal, unless Super Aguri give him the second drive from mid-season and he can match Sato. Anyway, if they do, who would test the Honda, especially on Fridays? Honda need someone for that role, and they're fortunate to have Ant.