Who will partner Panis at Toyota?

[nichosnz 0]

This year will not be his Jens, judging by history every time he has stated that, he has finished the Championship in the top 5, so I suppose that for him makes it "his year". In 2003 he will finish 6th, Behind both Ferrari drivers, both Williams drivers, and Raikkonen, except in the case of an injury to any those drivers.

Stirling Moss and DC are, going by the numbers, the two best drivers to never win the championship. Bollacks. Moss yes one of the best (if not the best) not to, but DC I don't think so his record is flattered by 6 years in a top team.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

True, Coulthard is a good driver but isn't consistent enough.

[nichosnz 0]

He must be at the point now where he has to start accepting that his time is gone he is on the downward slope now.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

He has slowed down a lot, in 1997-1999 he still had that occasional good show, along with his race wins in 2000. When you think about it, had Mclaren used team orders to help Hakkinen he would be 2000 champion.

[nichosnz 0]

See, and that is why Ferrari use Team orders. And I don't thnk he would, I feel Hakkinen would have scored another 8 points, or if they were very clever in Malaysia 11. 11 points would have given Hakkinen 100 still 8 shy of Schumacher.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Well the 2000 season is in my view a season that should have been won by Hakkinen. Nothing can change my mind about it, but he didn't win and nothing will change that either. The Mercedes engine let Mika down, at some key points of the season (the start, and then Indy)

[nichosnz 0]

Remember though Jens what we said about Salo winning the 1999 championship, it didn't happen due to circumstances and that cannot be changed the same goes for 2000.

[daz 0]

Thats right. F1 is full of if's and but's but at the end of the day it doesn't change history. For me - I will always feel that Schumie would have won the '99 season had it not being for his accident. However his accident did happen and thats life. Likewise for hakkinen's unreliabilty in 2000 etc..

As for DC - I just feel he'll never be a DWC. Hopefully he'll see out next years contract and then make way for somebody capable of doing something decent in the Mclaren.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

I was quite hoping Wurz would get the nod for the race seat ahead of DC... But I guess DC has "the experience" to help the team out.

[nichosnz 0]

But experiance only counts for so much, Ron is to loyal. I can't help thinking that if Mika had done a Hill (Damon and Graham) and remained in F1 when he was past it , he would still be driving a McLaren. Scraping together a few 6th places while his team-mate was near the top of the championship.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Ron is too loyal for sure, but I dont think for the wrong reason. David is still good, but he needs the motivation and push from the team to really take a good shot at the championship. With the right pieces David could be champion, but I am already quite sure it wont happen. I dont think that Mika was past his time yet, we still saw good ol' Hakk at Indy, Silverstone, and a few flashes of brilliance throughout the 2001 season like Suzuka. I think it was just a case of the 2k1 Mercedes engine not being great at all, and the MP4-16 wasn't exactly Adrian Newey's best car. At the start of the season in 2001 you could see Mika was still in it, he was at the same pace as Schumi in the F2001 until his suspension started to fail. Malaysia was just one crazy race throughout, while Brazil had the scary startline problem. He was in good grid position that race, the start of the season wasn't going bad except for races. Imola was not good (qualifying second behind DC remember), while Spain must have just finished it off. I can't imagine how much it would take out of someone to retire on the last lap with such a huge lead. Even Schumi knew it, and I think at that point he was starting to see what way Mika was taking out of F1. Silverstone and Indy though were some of Mika's most memorable wins, no doubt.

[nichosnz 0]

I wasn't suggesting Mika was past it yet, I was trying to say if he stayed a few more seasons, and got to that stage, Ron would still have him then. I will admit DC best is great but he has never been able to sustain it for a whole season. Most Champs will have a bad patch in a season, DC will good patch, not quite enough.

[daz 0]

Agreed. RD is definitely to loyal to his drivers and I think that had Hakkinen wished to still race, chances are that he would be driving for Mclaren right now with KR relegated to testing duties.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Thats true, I still remember Hill's last race at Suzuka (not to mention the whole season...).

[nichosnz 0]

The end of 1998 would have been a good time for Hill to go. Just having taken Jordans first Victory, would have left on a bit of a high. His downturn was already starting to show, but he was still on it enough to win a race.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Spa 1998 was a great race, and I agree it is when Hill should have quit. The move to Arrows in 1997 was a stupid one, as the 97 Williams was a strong car.

[nichosnz 0]

He had no choice to leave Williams though.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

I think he had better choices than Arrows though, not sure.

[nichosnz 0]

He did including going stright to Jordan rather than going via Arrows.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Well Jordan wasn't too great in 97 besides for some good results from Fisichella. But still better than Arrows..

[nichosnz 0]

And if Hill had partnered Fissy in 1997, Nurburgring Schu v Schu may never have happened or I forget the race Fissy v RSchu the one Fissy could/should have won. Hill and Fissy would have been a better lineup than Fissy and RSchu. Hill was still commited and RSchu was a rookie. So Jordan my have got even more good results then they did.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Nurburgring 97 could have changed that whole year, thats all I can say. Fisi should have won Germany 97, until his rear wheel suffered a puncture in the closing stages and he managed a third I think.

[nichosnz 0]

Germany he didn't score, maybe you got the wrong race?

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

No it was Germany where he lost his rear wheel, right before the Stadium part of the circuit. I probably remembered wrong that he got back and scored points.

[nichosnz 0]

That is the race where he was running between Berger and Schumacher, isn't it. And at the end of the race Schumacher gave Fisichella a ride back to the pits, and got slapped with a fine for doing so, "holding up the podium procedure".