Who are the next "Fisichellas"?

[allen_overy]

Seats at the tope drawer are limited, and there are only a handful of lucky drivers who can sneak their way through into the cockpits of the big three. this leads to talented drivers being squandered, like Fisichella, who is going his career in mid-field teams, and, regrettably WILL NEVER BE THERE. I personally apprepriate Fisi's talent very much, regarding if he is put in a say Mac (instead of DC), he could be giving Kimi his run of money. If he is put in a Mac instead of Kimi, he WILL be wiping the floor with DC. With respect to MS, he could be thrashing The Schu if he steps into Rubens' shoes. But nowadays F! is about marketability and nationality (As Kimi will tell you) more than other things else. SO Fisi is where he is, a jounryman with loads of talent and first-rate junior record. In three to four years time, i am sure a bunch of drivers who are in their late-20s will be in the same situation as Fisi now--starting early, good talents, rated highly, first rate junior record, yet not in the right teams, no wins, no championships, stick in mid field.

WHo will these people be?

From the grid of 2003,
Button (most likely, over-hyped and talents unreasoably blown out of proportions by British media, havent shined in a racing car except in 1st year)
Heidfeld (unlucky, lacklustre against HHF)
Wilson (possibly, if the top end remains where it is now)

[Kicking-back]

I think you over-rate Fisichella dramatically

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
I think you over-rate Fisichella dramatically

I don't think he does, although he does under-rate Jenson dramatically

[Smokey 6 litre]

Originally posted by mr v
although he does under-rate Jenson dramatically

i think everyone under-rates Jenson, especially in Britian, i believe that he would make a better go of the Mclaren than coulthard.

[Armco Bender]

Who will these people be?

JPM and JV

[Bononi]

You can say that any drivewr out of the 3 top teams are "Fisichellas"...

[krt917]

Fisichella thrashing Schuey!

I like Fisi, but that's ridiculous!!

[krt917]

Anyway, back to the point. I think that Nick Heidfeld might turn out to be one of those drivers, though he does (I believe) still have a Mercedes contract so maybe (and hopefully) not.

[high contrast]

Well said allen_overy...you are spot on!

(I'm not sure about Wilson yet though)

Button should have produced by now tho, considering the cars he's had!...a podium place at least!

[high contrast]

Perhaps it's...Ralph (hahahahaha) Firman (sorry) hahahahahah

[allen_overy]

yup....perhaps he has been gone by then!

Bon, i dont think EVERY driver outside the tope three team qualifies as the next "Fisichella"....as one of the "requirements" to become a "Fisichella" is he is under 30....so Panis, Trulli, Jos "the boss", and others who will be turning/have turned 30 are excluded

[golem]

I dunno if GF would wipe the floor with Schuey, but I feel he'd be scary competition for TGF. I think Wilson will be because of his height. Only teams that accomodate him specifically will fit him which is a shame. And it's also why I think Stoddy deserves a big round of applause for giving the guy a crack that his talent seems to deserve.

The car was actually made to accomodate him, I mean, that's going well and truly out of your way to accomodate someone.

Edit: Wouldn't it be nice if he could get into Jag next year? Either GF or Wilson. Seems the cars getting up to pace and both would make great teammates in case Pizzonia doesn't take it.

[Ralf]

Yeah right!

[Wrex]

There are about 6 or 7 drivers that on the right day could beat MS head to head, Rubins has already shown that. But none of them would get close over a season, including Fisi.

Back on topic, I don't think anyone would want to be the next Fisi. A huge talent in a rear of grid team, does'nt sound like anything I would aspire to.

Despite how highly myself and many here rate him, we are ignoring the obvious. The team bosses don't seem to value him as much, and there must be a reason that only those closer to the track action understand.

[golem]

Actually wrex, I think there is indeed a reason but none of it is race pace. One, EJ will to keep him as much as budget allows. I think he knows he gets more speed out of Fisi than the equivelant cash spent on engineers and infrastructure at the moment.
Also, there are indeed some potentially faster drivers, but either cheaper to get ahold of or more marketable. As mentioned before, nationality indeed can play a part. Or who is your manager, another big one.
I don't doubt for a moment that if you put Fisi alongside Trulli for example, he could decimate his fellow italian and convincingly. But no briatore so no go. Maclaren? Well, Kimi Hakkinen is Rons new boy, whil DC is the reliable and loyal servant. Ferrari is all tied up, Jag wanted new blood and marketability in Webber was also a major selling point, not to mention cost. BAR had jaques and figured button might be faster. They're dead wrong. Jordan is much the same as Sauber. Toyota personally made a HUGE mistake in going past Fisichella and I cannot understand why. Panis though was free and so cheaper. Panis is also somewhat talented but I do think Toyota should have taken GF over one of their two.

Maybe he isn't that quick. Maybe. But I think there's a reason EJ has kept a driver as long as he has. DeLaRosa for example became free. McNish might have been cheaper. Salo. Someone. Nope, GF stays. EJ knows because he sees the telemtry.

[Wrex]

That may be true, but the big teams did'nt pass on him in 2003, they have been doing it for years. Also the top teams are less concerned about cost and marketability. If Fisi was Michaels equal (or real close) in the eyes of the teams, then they would snap him up regardless of the cost.

[TeddyG]

I do belive it has a lot to do with the marketablity of Fisi. He has shown time and again that he has what it takes and deserves a shot in one of the big teams but gets shot down time and again. Why? There just doesn't seem to be any real racing reason for him not to have been offered a top spot.

Other Fisi's to come; Button, Heidfeld.

[allen_overy]

The problem with Fisi is that he has no choice. The timings are not right. The time when his contract is up just does not fit into the top teams' headhunting profile.

When Fisi's contract was up at Jordan (1997), only Benetton was really available. Mac was not, since it has just got DC and Mika under its wings. F1 Racing said in 1997 that when Mac was considering its driver choice for 1998, in order to win, they need Schuey. But then Schuey was tied to a deal to Ferrari to the end of 1999. So it was out of question. It then decided to look at the second-tier guys, who, according to JYS, consisted of Hill, Hakkinen, JV. there is not sufficient ground for MAc to replace Mika for any of the other two. There was no mention of Fisi. At that time Fisi was still a young fledgling driver with little experience (1.5 years). And Mac already has two experienced pilots in Mika and DC. SImply no reason to replace him. Ferrari was AT ALL MATERIAL TIMES out of the equation due to politics, "we-cannot-place-an-Italian-alongside-Schu" sentiments, etc. You name it. Williams? they have two drivers contracted until 1998. With BMW powers in the offing, it's politically correct to prefer Ralf Schu.

ANd so the Benetton stint. Between 1998-2000 the teams except the top two are relatively equal, and there is no incentive for Fisi to change teams. Human nature. Even netted 18 points and 6th in WDC in 2000. He naturally hoped, but which never realised, for an up, with Renault works coming 2002. Renault did came, and so did Flavio, and Fisi was given the marching orders, in favour of "the boys".

COme 2001. True, Mac needs a driver, but its profile does not need Fisi. Their "Cycle" with Mika has come to an end, and it is in a phase of restructuring, moving to Paragon, etc. Their immediate aim is not the title, but preparation for the title in 3 to 5 years. They were looking for a young gun with potential and develop this guy in the 3 to 5 years. Whitmarsh admitted that. This guy must be young and moldable into Mac's corporate culture. Fisi was too old to be molded into the Mac culture and have at most 5 years to go by his sell-by date, while Kimi fits into this perfectly.

[f1manoz]

Nooooooooooo, not Heidfeld!!

But you are probably correct. If he doesn't beat HHF this year, he will be consigned to the mid-field for the rest of his career.

He looks like a driver lacking confidence in himself and his machine at the moment. Though I couldn't blame him....

[BootsOntheSide]

Heidfeld and Button could be. I think Jenson has a lot to offer a top team. It could well be that BAR becomes a leading team though, Dave Richards seems to know what he's doing, and I'd rather see them at the top than Jagaur or Toyota (no disrespect to Webber)

Wilson? I hope not, he really deserves a long-term competitive drive. If he continues to show this kind of form at Minardi, a leading team may be happy to build a car around him.