Redbull/minardi '06 Lineup

[USAF1 0]

From F1 Central

Red Bull will not fund a 'Friday' driver for its newly acquired Minardi team in 2006, owner Dietrich Mateschitz has revealed.

But he told Italian magazine Autosprint that Swiss youngster Neel Jani is first in line for the equivalent role at senior team Red Bull Racing.

Also in the interview, the Austrian billionaire dropped the biggest hint yet that Vitantonio Liuzzi and American Scott Speed will line up for the 'Red Bull Rookie' (Minardi) camp next year.

Asked what the definitive lineup would look like, Mateschitz answered: ''Vito Liuzzi and probably Scott Speed -- even though there are many requests for the second car.''

Among those who may have knocked on the Faenza factory door are Robert Doornbos, Franck Montagny, Heikki Kovalainen, Narain Karthikeyan, Tiago Monteiro and Takuma Sato.

*** *** ***

I'm happy that DC & CK will be the fulltime pilots for RBR in 2K6. This'll also be better for Liuzzi, as he won't get yoyo'd from the second seat to tester & back, and Speed will get some seasoning too. Don' know much about Jani but if he's good enough to test, maybe we'll see him in the RBR livery in the near future? Watching the development & progress of both teams next season will be interesting to say the least...

[funkejay 0]

I'm happy that DC & CK will be the fulltime pilots for RBR in 2K6. This'll also be better for Liuzzi, as he won't get yoyo'd from the second seat to tester & back, and Speed will get some seasoning too. Don' know much about Jani but if he's good enough to test, maybe we'll see him in the RBR livery in the near future? Watching the development & progress of both teams next season will be interesting to say the least...

It's too bad that Speed's sponsors had to buy a team to get him a ride in F1, but whatever it takes to get the Americans to watch is what BE wants, and BE generally gets what he wants.

All I know is that Speed will be out of his league next year. If he thought GP2 was tough, where he did respectably enough, but hardly ever threatened to truly impress anyone, he is in for a tremendous surprise when he steps into the F1 ring.

BTW, to get an F1 superlicense, don't you generally have to have won a race in a major formula before you will have one issued? Wasn't that KR's difficulty? Speed never won a single GP2 event all year...........

[cavallino 2]

No FJ, Karthikeyan didnt have one either. you have to do some supervised laps with an FIA official watching over you ie its a mere formality.

[narain fan 0]

No FJ, Karthikeyan didnt have one either. you have to do some supervised laps with an FIA official watching over you ie its a mere formality.

nk won at magny cours in 04 in formula nissan

[Jem of the Shire 0]

Speed is only f1 so red bull can boost their image in USA

[Karta 0]

Well, Scott speed is usually leading Death Rally (I hope i remembered name correctly)

Until i surpass him of course

Now that i think of it i think it was Sam Speed there darnit

Anyways, give him a chance as he at least finished third in GP2. Liuzzi should be good indication of his skills

[Chris Strange 0]

Speed is only f1 so red bull can boost their image in USA

What a shame.. another pay-marketing driver

[Kennye 0]

It's too bad that Speed's sponsors had to buy a team to get him a ride in F1, but whatever it takes to get the Americans to watch is what BE wants, and BE generally gets what he wants.

All I know is that Speed will be out of his league next year. If he thought GP2 was tough, where he did respectably enough, but hardly ever threatened to truly impress anyone, he is in for a tremendous surprise when he steps into the F1 ring.

BTW, to get an F1 superlicense, don't you generally have to have won a race in a major formula before you will have one issued? Wasn't that KR's difficulty? Speed never won a single GP2 event all year...........

I would have liked it if Speed got some laps under his belt as a test driver for at least one season before promoting him to a full time driver. I don't want another American coming into the F1 Elite and then like Michael Andretti , having to run home to Mommy because he could not drive. I think Speed is more talented than him, but really wanted him to get some seat time first. Lets hope he does not embarrass himself and all of us back home. If he fails, it will do more harm than if he did not run.

[monza gorilla 1]

Michael Andretti's problem was a lack of committment - I think he underestimated what it would take to succeed. Staying home in the US instead of moving to Europe didn't help much. I hope Speed does well, but agree that testing would have been a better start to an F1 career.

[Kennye 0]

If you cannot tell, I don't like Michael rode his Dad's coat tail and thought his name would be enough to get by. I was so happy he retired without winning the 500. When Dan won this year it must have eaten him up inside, something he could never do as a driver is done his first year as an owner....

When I was talking to his Dad at the autograph table in Indy, Michael interrupted his Dad by shoving his autographed picture in my face. Mario looked at me and shot his son a look that made my knees shake. Michael pulled the picture down immediately and looked down at the table.

I almost wet myself, still in his fathers shadow....

[monza gorilla 1]

Now I understand. Sounds like a petulant child.

[AutoRacer5 0]

It was his THIRD year as an owner. get your facts straight. nichnosz is to F1 trivia as I am to Indianapolis 500 Trivia.

[mock 0]

No FJ, Karthikeyan didnt have one either. you have to do some supervised laps with an FIA official watching over you ie its a mere formality.

I am very surprised at such a cavalier answer from someone who generally does not have his facts wrong

A superlicense, the license required to be eligible to race in Formula One, has certain criteria to be met before being issued. A victory in a National F3 Championship, or a sufficient level of achievement in Formula 3000, IRL, or CART must be proved. All drivers in these series possess a Grade A license, which is also required to apply for a superlicense. In addition, a driver must previously have signed with a Formula One team

[funkejay 0]

I am very surprised at such a cavalier answer from someone who generally does not have his facts wrong

A superlicense, the license required to be eligible to race in Formula One, has certain criteria to be met before being issued. A victory in a National F3 Championship, or a sufficient level of achievement in Formula 3000, IRL, or CART must be proved. All drivers in these series possess a Grade A license, which is also required to apply for a superlicense. In addition, a driver must previously have signed with a Formula One team

This is what I understood to be the case. Thanks Mock for the details.

[cavallino 2]

I guess his F3 victories counted but he still had to do supervised testing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport...one/4251997.stm

In any case the granting of a superlicence is fairly arbitrary. There was a lot of controversy over Raikkonen being given a licence, many people had to eat their words that season.

grandprix.com was as usual among the top word eaters.

http://www.grandprix.com/ft/ftjs012.html

No-one would think of appointing someone who has just finished secondary education to be a college professor.

This is what Formula 1 is proposing to do with Raikkonen.

classic stuff..

basically its not that hard for anyone who has raced to get the licence unless you have some proven destructive tendencies in a car.