Montoya Leaves Mclaren, Replaced By De La Rosa (Now Official)

[BradSpeedMan 6]

Next year F1 could very well not have MS, JV and JPM. I don't care who you are, you lose three characters like that, and the sport has lost something significant.

Lets just suppose, DC, JV, and Mika decide that maybe Nascar would be kind of fun next year. Suddenly NASCAR takes on a whole new meaning with guys racing in basically spec cars. Might be kind of fun to watch.

What has F1 got left for driver personalities then???? A bunch of robots, scared to say the wrong thing.

I did not like JPM, and even wished he wouldn't be able to find a seat but now that he is gone I do know that F1 is poorer without him.

The problem is that in F1 you have so few cars that are actually able to compete for the championship. Drivers like Montoya, DC, and JV skills are squashed as soon as they are not in the top teams. People claim the are old and washed up, but the truth is it has very little to do with them and everything to do with the politics of F1 and the lack of competitive drives.

I mean lets face it BAR dropping JV for Sato????????? Pure crap and politics, that almost ruined JV's reputation, and would have any lessor man.

JPM, JV, they are not interested in riding around without any chance of stepping on the podium. Outside of the top teams in F1, there is very little appeal for good quality drivers to stay in the sport.

You basically end up with a two car race(if you are lucky) and a bunch of other drivers hoping that some day they will get a chance to drive one of the cars that actually has a chance of winning. Those kind of seats appeal to rookies and wannabe's, but offer little to retain quality drivers who have a chance to go somewhere else.

So you can laugh at JPM's move to NASCAR, but underlying this move, is a serious flaw in what F1 has become.

Basically drivers have little impact on how the car goes. FM and MS are driving the same equipment, and these guys times are a lot closer then anyone thought they would be. MS is not dominating Massa, which is a good indication of how little effect a driver has on the total performance of the car.

F1 is not in any stretch a driver series, and that to me is a serious flaw.

pure poetry my friend.....pure poetry

lovely stuff...

[monza gorilla 1]

Next year F1 could very well not have MS, JV and JPM. I don't care who you are, you lose three characters like that, and the sport has lost something significant.

Lets just suppose, DC, JV, and Mika decide that maybe Nascar would be kind of fun next year. Suddenly NASCAR takes on a whole new meaning with guys racing in basically spec cars. Might be kind of fun to watch.

What has F1 got left for driver personalities then???? A bunch of robots, scared to say the wrong thing.

I did not like JPM, and even wished he wouldn't be able to find a seat but now that he is gone I do know that F1 is poorer without him.

The problem is that in F1 you have so few cars that are actually able to compete for the championship. Drivers like Montoya, DC, and JV skills are squashed as soon as they are not in the top teams. People claim the are old and washed up, but the truth is it has very little to do with them and everything to do with the politics of F1 and the lack of competitive drives.

I mean lets face it BAR dropping JV for Sato????????? Pure crap and politics, that almost ruined JV's reputation, and would have any lessor man.

JPM, JV, they are not interested in riding around without any chance of stepping on the podium. Outside of the top teams in F1, there is very little appeal for good quality drivers to stay in the sport.

You basically end up with a two car race(if you are lucky) and a bunch of other drivers hoping that some day they will get a chance to drive one of the cars that actually has a chance of winning. Those kind of seats appeal to rookies and wannabe's, but offer little to retain quality drivers who have a chance to go somewhere else.

So you can laugh at JPM's move to NASCAR, but underlying this move, is a serious flaw in what F1 has become.

Basically drivers have little impact on how the car goes. FM and MS are driving the same equipment, and these guys times are a lot closer then anyone thought they would be. MS is not dominating Massa, which is a good indication of how little effect a driver has on the total performance of the car.

F1 is not in any stretch a driver series, and that to me is a serious flaw.

A good post YHR.

I have no opinion on JPM as a person, and I think he's over rated as a driver albeit one who shows occasional flashes of brilliance. Good luck to him in his new career, I hope he does well.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

A shame to see Monty go as I wanted him to sign off from F1 on a high.

De La Rosa will not see the whole season out, I think Paffett will get a chance in the latter part of the season. McLaren may well use this opportunity to test the 2 of them out to see whether they are worthy of the 2nd seat alongside Alonso next season. I think this is what Ron is thinking of...

There is surely no way in hell that PDR will be considered for a 2007 race seat!

[ButtonGod 0]

There is surely no way in hell that PDR will be considered for a 2007 race seat!

The thing is with PDR is that alot of people remember that race he did last year (can't remember where it was), when he was clearly the fastest man on that day despite his early error in the race.

I don't think he is worthy of it.... I bet Alex Wurz is kicking himself right now!

[ykickamoocow 0]

There is surely no way in hell that PDR will be considered for a 2007 race seat!

He will be considered if he does a good job for the rest of 2006.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

He will be considered if he does a good job for the rest of 2006.

I think he'd have to kick kimi's a## to be considered, and thats not going to happen. Even if PDR consistently gets 4th and 5th places I'd still put Hamilton alongside alonso, imagine what a pairing that could be

[AutoRacer5 0]

The thing is with PDR is that alot of people remember that race he did last year (can't remember where it was), when he was clearly the fastest man on that day despite his early error in the race.

I don't think he is worthy of it.... I bet Alex Wurz is kicking himself right now!

Bahrain. I remember watching highlights of that.

[Null 0]

This is interesting.... with PDLR being promoted to race driver, would Paffett be promoted to first tester, with Hamilton being drafted in as the second tester in replacement for Gary? hmmmmm

I think he'd have to kick kimi's a## to be considered, and thats not going to happen. Even if PDR consistently gets 4th and 5th places I'd still put Hamilton alongside alonso, imagine what a pairing that could be

Ergh... stop being a slave to the British press. Sure, hamilton is good but has he ever so much as even been in the McLaren to test it properly?????? NOOOOOO. Go and look at both Paffett's and Hamilton's CVs. Then compare them. Just because gary competed in germany for ages, he missed out on the british press hype. Compare them, then tell me Hamilton is more deserving. I dare you.

[kiko01 0]

Needless to say i

[ButtonGod 0]

Bahrain. I remember watching highlights of that.

That's it! Thanks.

[tifosi too! 0]

Yes but... we all know De la Rosa used to be a regular F1 driver and accomplished nothing and all he got was a test drivers seat.Many people act as if after Bahrain, the minute PDLR gets his hand on the Mclaren,it will take off!!He did a very impressive race but so did Wurz!I don't think he can possibly do any better than JPM.

[Autumnpuma 0]

One of my tester 'picks' is getting a ride..I hope my faith in him is justified...

Now we need to get Wurz and Ant a seat and I'm a happy camper...

[Jem of the Shire 0]

One of my tester 'picks' is getting a ride..I hope my faith in him is justified...

Now we need to get Wurz and Ant a seat and I'm a happy camper...

wurz had a seat for 3 years and was far from being anything special

[tifosi too! 0]

wurz had a seat for 3 years and was far from being anything special

Agree!!!The same for PDLR!I don't understand why people are so happy to see him race !

[Autumnpuma 0]

wurz had a seat for 3 years and was far from being anything special

I seem to recall you don't think Alonso is anything 'special' either...perhaps your judgement is off a bit?

[irishfemalefan 0]

Agree!!!The same for PDLR!I don't understand why people are so happy to see him race !

im not - i think he will be a step backwards for McLaren but then half way through the season they dont really have too many choices

[Autumnpuma 0]

im not - i think he will be a step backwards for McLaren but then half way through the season they dont really have too many choices

Bah! You'll eat those words when he comes good!

I think...

[Null 0]

Wurz was nothing special when he raced, the same goes for Davidson and (to a lesser extent) PDLR. There's a reason they're test drivers.

[aussief1 4]

Maybe their roles as test drivers, with top teams has blurred our judgement on them. Let's just wait and see what happens. PDLR will no doubt be a little lacking a little racecraft, but I'm sure that he will pull his weight for the couple of races that he is given.

[Autumnpuma 0]

I really hate using this defense, but Wurz was never really in a top team. He was one of those that came and went without showing us what he's made of. There were flashes, but I suppose I'm in the minority for spotting them...

[aussief1 4]

I really hate using this defense, but Wurz was never really in a top team. He was one of those that came and went without showing us what he's made of. There were flashes, but I suppose I'm in the minority for spotting them...

I agree, one flash that has stuck with me was when he started with Benneton in 97 and getting a podium in his 3rd or 4th race. I thought at the time that this bloke Wurz was the real deal.

[Fed up 0]

I really hate using this defense, but Wurz was never really in a top team. He was one of those that came and went without showing us what he's made of. There were flashes, but I suppose I'm in the minority for spotting them...

Wurz was very quick in the benneton, but made the mistake by joining McLaren while seemingly at his prime. He had a couple of opportunities to leave the team but was always blocked and offered more money by the team to stay.

McLaren is fast becoming a graveyard for F1 drivers, witness the decline of the following drivers;

DC

Kimi

Juan Pablo

Wurz

Mansell

What a waste

[raikkonen_dominates 0]

I seem to recall you don't think Alonso is anything 'special' either...perhaps your judgement is off a bit?

Well that Renault sure is special... Maybe next year also Kimi will be something special, if he joins Renault

[aussief1 4]

Wurz was very quick in the benneton, but made the mistake by joining McLaren while seemingly at his prime. He had a couple of opportunities to leave the team but was always blocked and offered more money by the team to stay.

McLaren is fast becoming a graveyard for F1 drivers, witness the decline of the following drivers;

DC

Kimi

Juan Pablo

Wurz

Mansell

What a waste

Good point Fed up

[Autumnpuma 0]

Well that Renault sure is special... Maybe next year also Kimi will be something special, if he joins Renault

Yes, that Renault is so special that one of it's drivers is leading the championship with 88 points and the other is...

...back in third with a whopping 43 points (that's less than half, I believe...).

Yep, that Renault is sure special.