Ted's Imola Notebook---JV

[ben_3001 0]

Which brings me to an interesting point - I read yesterday that CP is positioning himself to buy out the Midland team, and that poses an obvious question - whether JV would be willing to go there to help his old friend get yet another team up off the ground? It was a disaster for JV the first time they tried it (it was purely ego and hubris that made them believe it could be done so simply then) but now, if JV has no other options, would it be such a bad thing, particularly if it was designed to seque him into another role within the team after a season or two thrashing out the bugs and faults that have wormed their way into the team over the last few seasons?

Food for thought............

I don't think JV would drive there, but it would be amazing leverage for a ride in 2007 with BMW-Sauber. Why because, at it's current pace the team might not have a friday driver next year. MT will definitly want Kubica to stay warmed up until he is definitly ready to drive full-time for a top-team. Now here is where it could be interesting. Pollock would definitly not mind having a young-gun like Kubica on his team, and MT would definitly not mind giving him great race experience. So Pollock might just be able to sign a double deal, JV could then stay at BMW-Sauber in 2007 whilst Kubica is getting ready at MF1 to drive in let's say 2008 at BMW-Sauber.

[funkejay 0]

I think we should start a JV for BMW 2007 supporters club.

He deserves it more than a fair few names in the F1 field, especially the most prominent name in F1 2006 crash history, Massa.

Why that's very generous of you Kaiser...... or perhaps you're just softening up to the unruly and unkempt French-Canadian afterall.....

I don't think JV would drive there, but it would be amazing leverage for a ride in 2007 with BMW-Sauber. Why because, at it's current pace the team might not have a friday driver next year. MT will definitly want Kubica to stay warmed up until he is definitly ready to drive full-time for a top-team. Now here is where it could be interesting. Pollock would definitly not mind having a young-gun like Kubica on his team, and MT would definitly not mind giving him great race experience. So Pollock might just be able to sign a double deal, JV could then stay at BMW-Sauber in 2007 whilst Kubica is getting ready at MF1 to drive in let's say 2008 at BMW-Sauber.

Excellent idea ben_3001!!!!!

I must admit, it hadn't occured to me. Perhaps you might want to mention it to CP????

[Null 0]

JV's kept his mouth shut a lot since he came back to F1 after his little break, thus, I like him much more than the days of old.

[nojvnof1 0]

JV got screwed by DR waiting on a contract. He won't make the same mistake twice.

I most certainly hope not. He who fails to learn from history is bound to repeat its mistakes (I think that's how it goes, but I'm sure you all get what I'm saying)

So Pollock might just be able to sign a double deal, JV could then stay at BMW-Sauber in 2007 whilst Kubica is getting ready at MF1 to drive in let's say 2008 at BMW-Sauber.

That makes alot of sense. As for Jacques, for some reason I don't see him at BMW next year. Nothing to do with his driving as he's doing well so far, it's just that I'm not a fan of Mario, call it cynicism, call it my having how JV was dealt with by DR still etched into my memory, but I have this gut feeling that no matter how well he does, it won't be good enough for Mario.

It would be great if JV ended up at Renault (very long shot I know, but you never know), he'd get to sign off from F1 with probably one of the best, if not the best car on the grid. It would be poetic justice in my eyes.

[YHR 0]

I most certainly hope not. He who fails to learn from history is bound to repeat its mistakes (I think that's how it goes, but I'm sure you all get what I'm saying)

That makes alot of sense. As for Jacques, for some reason I don't see him at BMW next year. Nothing to do with his driving as he's doing well so far, it's just that I'm not a fan of Mario, call it cynicism, call it my having how JV was dealt with by DR still etched into my memory, but I have this gut feeling that no matter how well he does, it won't be good enough for Mario.

It would be great if JV ended up at Renault (very long shot I know, but you never know), he'd get to sign off from F1 with probably one of the best, if not the best car on the grid. It would be poetic justice in my eyes.

sshhhhhhhhh, psssssst, I think you spelled Jacques name wrong in your banner.

[SIDEPOD 0]

...It would be great if JV ended up at Renault (very long shot I know, but you never know), he'd get to sign off from F1 with probably one of the best, if not the best car on the grid. It would be poetic justice in my eyes.

Yep I agree with you on that one. JV is a far better driver than Fisi... Hope that this year is not JV's last!

[Jem of the Shire 0]

JV is a far better driver than Fisi

Thats certainly a matter of opinion

[blueboots 0]

Thats certainly a matter of opinion

JV would have certainly done a better Job at Renault than Fisi, who has been rather dismal considering his car.

[SIDEPOD 0]

Thats certainly a matter of opinion

Yes indeed... Interesting isnt it, that each of us think differently in our minds and at times those thoughts coincide with those of others and similarities are established (JB fans, JV fans...) and at times they dont even come close...which makes for interesting posts on the forum!! and adds the spice to our lives!! that is when we are not watching F1!!!

[Jem of the Shire 0]

JV would have certainly done a better Job at Renault than Fisi, who has been rather dismal considering his car.

But Fisi's car has been pretty dismal too when it comes to reliability. We don't know how well JV would do in a renault, he may be better than Fisi, he may be far worse. I personally don't think he'd be doing as well as Fisi myself

[funkejay 0]

But Fisi's car has been pretty dismal too when it comes to reliability. We don't know how well JV would do in a renault, he may be better than Fisi, he may be far worse. I personally don't think he'd be doing as well as Fisi myself

Yup, hard call Jem. Fisi is a tremendously talented driver, but a little tempermental and too easily unsettled. JV on the other hand is made of much tougher stuff, but it remains to be seen if he still has the same raw talent he displayed earlier in his career. I think he does, but it is by no means a settled question. A pretty even call, if you ask me.

[KoolMonkey 0]

If you put Fisi and JV in a Renault today, then Fisi would be quicker. If JV had had the same amount of time in the car as Fisi has had, then it would be JV being quicker. A driver of lesser talent in a great car can still do faster times then a better driver in a lesser car, that's not setup to their liking.

Just look at Rubens. He was never Schumi's equal but this year he looks horrid. Are we to believe Sato is a better driver than Rubens? No of course not.

I'd love JV to get a Renault drive. My only concern would be how much testing time he got and more importantly if the pit crew would actually listen to him and set the car up to his liking.

[Autumnpuma 0]

If you put Fisi and JV in a Renault today, then Fisi would be quicker. If JV had had the same amount of time in the car as Fisi has had, then it would be JV being quicker. A driver of lesser talent in a great car can still do faster times then a better driver in a lesser car, that's not setup to their liking.

Just look at Rubens. He was never Schumi's equal but this year he looks horrid. Are we to believe Sato is a better driver than Rubens? No of course not.

I'd love JV to get a Renault drive. My only concern would be how much testing time he got and more importantly if the pit crew would actually listen to him and set the car up to his liking.

Well said!

[nojvnof1 0]

Nobody knows if JV would have done a better job than Fisi. Of course his fans would like to think he would and the bashers would like think he would have struggled, but the neutrals would most probably, and rightly to a significant extent conclude that we will just never know.

It would be good to see Jacques have a chance in a top car again though, in my view anyways.

I'd love JV to get a Renault drive. My only concern would be how much testing time he got and more importantly if the pit crew would actually listen to him and set the car up to his liking.

I believe the crew at Renault would really listen to Jacques. By all accounts he was extremely hard working, easy to work with and had interesting and strong opinions on setup. Pat Symonds has been full of praise for Jacques since JV's stint at Renault and I think they know that JV now would put in a much better performance than the JV that raced for them at the end of '04. I think they (Renault and Jacques) would be a very good match. Both the team and JV are racers to its very meaning.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

It would be interesting to see JV in a better car - if Honda had given rubens a 1-year deal then they could have signed JV for 2007!! But thats not going to happen. BMW is JV's best hope for 07, and if he continues as he is doing, I don't see any reason why he should be replaced. He's picking up points and is pretty much on the same level as his team-mate who is loved by BMW

[nojvnof1 0]

It would be interesting to see JV in a better car - if Honda had given rubens a 1-year deal then they could have signed JV for 2007!!

They should never have ditched Jacques in the first place. Not only for Jacques' sake, but it would have been beneficial to Jenson to have a teammate of such calibre rather than having to carry the team with Sato and Rubens driving for them.

[monza gorilla 1]

I tend to agree with that view.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

Me too. At the time, I thought it was right to sack JV cos I thought he was bringing the team down and his salary could be used for better things - but now I see that it was all just Richards being a gimp and that BAR could've had an even better season in 2004

[nojvnof1 0]

Had he agreed a new deal for '04 onwards I have no doubt he'd have taken a massive pay cut.

but now I see that it was all just Richards being a gimp and that BAR could've had an even better season in 2004

Two thumbs up to you Jems!

We'll never know how much better, if at all, 2004 would have been for the team, but it's definitely a significant 'what if' for Jacques, Jenson and the team.

[blueboots 0]

Had he agreed a new deal for '04 onwards I have no doubt he'd have taken a massive pay cut.

Two thumbs up to you Jems!

We'll never know how much better, if at all, 2004 would have been for the team, but it's definitely a significant 'what if' for Jacques, Jenson and the team.

Yeah, I think they would have pushed Ferrari harder had JV been in the team, instead of Jenson doing all the work on his own.

I still think that JV to Renault next year is a very distinct possibility.

[zippy 0]

It would be interesting to see JV in a better car - if Honda had given rubens a 1-year deal then they could have signed JV for 2007!! But thats not going to happen. BMW is JV's best hope for 07, and if he continues as he is doing, I don't see any reason why he should be replaced. He's picking up points and is pretty much on the same level as his team-mate who is loved by BMW

Unfortunatley I dont think that JV will have a race seat with BMW by the end of 2006. He has been driving well, but Mario is just waiting for one or two bad races and he is going to throw Kubucia in. I read an article a few weeks ago that Mario was praising the pole and said he would be ready to race by the end of the season.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

I think it would be pretty stupid to put kubica in the race seat unless JV does a really, really bad job for the rest of the year. Even if JV is dropped at the end, there are probably better alternatives like Wurz or maybe even Klien

[zippy 0]

I think it would be pretty stupid to put kubica in the race seat unless JV does a really, really bad job for the rest of the year. Even if JV is dropped at the end, there are probably better alternatives like Wurz or maybe even Klien

Why do people keep on bringing up Wurz name for a race seat. He had his chance. If he was good enough then benetton would have never let him go. He had one or two good races (including the overtaking move on Schumacher at Lowes hairpin at Monaco.

Yes he got a podium last year subbing for JPM, but that was after a few retirements and the BAR fiasco and he was in the fastest car.

he may be a great tester but if he was really good enough then he would have been picked up by some other team to race years ago.

In his last full season he only qualified the crap benetton in top ten twice compared to fisichellas 9 times and was outscored 18 -2 in points.

If JV was dropped next year I think that could go for a new driver over wurz.

[Ctrl300 0]

Why do people keep on bringing up Wurz name for a race seat. He had his chance. If he was good enough then benetton would have never let him go. He had one or two good races (including the overtaking move on Schumacher at Lowes hairpin at Monaco.

Yes he got a podium last year subbing for JPM, but that was after a few retirements and the BAR fiasco and he was in the fastest car.

he may be a great tester but if he was really good enough then he would have been picked up by some other team to race years ago.

In his last full season he only qualified the crap benetton in top ten twice compared to fisichellas 9 times and was outscored 18 -2 in points.

If JV was dropped next year I think that could go for a new driver over wurz.

Agree. But why should BMW go for Wurz in the first place? He's a Williams driver and BMW has that Polish fellow Kubica as well. If Wurz ever is to get a race-seat again it must be as a paydriver at Midland. Now that can be a problem as that que must be staggering. Imagine all the Narains in the world lining up to have a 'crack' at the big leagues...

[zippy 0]

Agree. But why should BMW go for Wurz in the first place? He's a Williams driver and BMW has that Polish fellow Kubica as well. If Wurz ever is to get a race-seat again it must be as a paydriver at Midland. Now that can be a problem as that que must be staggering. Imagine all the Narains in the world lining up to have a 'crack' at the big leagues...

I agree, I was just responding to Jemstride who brought up Wurz instead of Kubica.

Time for bed