Monza qualifying

[nichosnz 0]

Still can't agree with 1994, the FIA fixed it so Hill was still in with a chance in Australia. Mika Salo could have 1 or 2 for Ferrari also.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

That is also true, instead of having Schumi be Ferraris star it could well have been Salo. He had the deal to go to Ferrari instead of Irvine for 1996, but the team wasnt doing very well then.

[nichosnz 0]

That looks like it was the biggest career choise mistake that Salo has made. Isn't hindsight grand.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Has to be, but I think he was offered the deal before it was made known that Schumi would come to the team along with Brawn/Byrne/Martinelli. Its hard to think about it now, but Ferrari were not nearly a top level team in the early to mid 90s.

[nichosnz 0]

I wonder if he would have taken it if he'd known about Schumachers signing.

[daz 0]

I reckon he would have joined them then. Schumacher is known for bringing a team together around him and turning it into a championship winning force. Definitely one of the worst mistakes Salo ever made. Very good for Irvine and Barrichello though.

[nichosnz 0]

I think he would have too, and stand by my thought that as Schumachers team-mate rather that sub he would have won the DWC in 1999.

[daz 0]

Gotta agree. Salo was fantastic as the stand-in, so if he had being a full-member as the squad since the opening race then I would say he would have being the 1st Ferrari WDC in 20 years... Now that would have being a turn up for the books wouldn't it??

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

That would have been something, to have a Finn bring the first championship to Ferrari in 20 years. But definitely I think Salo would have signed to partner Schumi, and would likely have given Hakkinen a very real run for his money with the championship, likely he would have won because he is better than Irvine.

[nichosnz 0]

Of course he is and he proved that at Ferrari, of the 6 races the had together, he dominated Irvine on the track. And Irvine was supposed to know the car better than Salo, Salo having never driven it until about a week before his first race in it.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Yep his first test in the car was only a few days before the race. Too bad he let Irvine win at Hockenheim, it would have been nice to see him win a race before retirement.

[nichosnz 0]

It would have been great, he is certainly a driver of winning quality, as is GF.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Salo though will likely end his career as one of the great drivers that could have won GPs but never got the chance. Maybe Salo should seriously consider CART or a completely different form of motorsport, like rally...

[nichosnz 0]

Rally?, yes the WRC was invented for Finland wasn't it.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

LOL you do see a lot of Finnish flags when they show the top six standings after each stage But Salo has always been a fan of the series (at least in the press), so he could maybe do a oneoff rally for Grifone or even more likely in the Toyota Celica/Corolla.

[nichosnz 0]

That may be the way to go then.

[daz 0]

That would good to see. Alternatively he could try his hand at DTM or sportscars...

[nichosnz 0]

DTM, yes he could get up behind Alesi, them he would be able to win when Alesi slows on the last corner.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Haha or have the opponent crash out on the last turn!!!

[nichosnz 0]

Sportscars must at least be a little tempting, lots of former F1 drivers try sportscars.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Could be because of the closer racing, the chance to win races again and also because they use a lot of the same tracks.

[nichosnz 0]

And for some drivers it is where they came from, so HHF, MS and AW may go back then they have had enough of F1.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

A lot of the European drivers in CART have shown a lot of interest in the WRC, Dario Franchitti said he would be thrilled to rally after he is done with racing on track.

[nichosnz 0]

Is that because of what we stated in another topic, WRC cars are more like real / normal cars?

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Yea, and rally is really the most proving of someone's driving skills and handling skills.