O'Neill's little dig

Jonny Apex · 8 Jan 2004, 07:08 (Ref:831249)

Anyone else see that story in Motorsport News - Paul O'Neill having a go at Vauxhall?

rdjones · 8 Jan 2004, 07:36 (Ref:831263)

I did see that yesterday, and I have to say I agree with what he said. IMO he did nothing wrong last year and the only reason why he lost the drive was due to someone coming up with more £££. He is quick, can race with the best. I just hope that he can pick up a drive with one of the other big teams.

Personally I think that Vauxhall have made a big mistake in dropping Owy. OK Hines is a good driver, but can he cut it againest the big boys. I am not sure........

coxmattycox · 8 Jan 2004, 08:15 (Ref:831274)

we could say the same about owy when he went into vauxual

JohnMiller · 8 Jan 2004, 08:38 (Ref:831284)

Surely he only got the drive because of his cheque book (indeed got anywhere near to the BTCC because of it) so can't see what he's got to complain about. If I was the team manager I'd take Hines over him.

racingdad · 8 Jan 2004, 09:03 (Ref:831295)

What has Hines achieved? He won a very depleted Production Class - I doubt he would have been in the top 6 in either Clios or Seats. Yes Owy was funded into the drive by his sister - but at he did learn and did prove himself. And, no matter what anyone says the public love him - I wonder how they'll take to Hines?

Super Tourer · 8 Jan 2004, 11:06 (Ref:831388)

Hmmm - not a great way to impress team bosses....particularly as O'Neill paid for his two seasons at Vauxhall, which is surely no different than what Luke is doing this year.

I think this is frustration from Paul now that he apparently no longer has the budget, and can see his BTCC future slipping away.

Howver it is a moot point that a manufacturer is 'helping' young drivers by allegedly relieving them of funds in order to drive one of their cars. Providing a 3rd car for free, or paying a 3rd driver would be more of a help - surely?

**touringlegend** · 8 Jan 2004, 18:40 (Ref:831849)

When Paul O'Neill signed up to Vauxhall, surely he deprived other, younger drivers with less of a budget than him ??

I'd put it down to frustration on his part that any decent chances seem to be gone now, but then if he was really good enough then he'd be snapped up ?

kykiske · 11 Jan 2004, 17:11 (Ref:834448)

If it was purely a question of talent, im sure Pyper would have a works drive by now but he doesn't

Thing is about paying for drives is it difficult to get our of it... I've got a suspision that until Owy can start producing more consistently top rate peformances, given his equipment, he'll find it difficult to get a drive where he's payed rather than expected to pay

Gareth Howell · 12 Jan 2004, 09:42 (Ref:835112)

I think that what Owy was saying was that the way the release was worded it seemed as though VX were "financially supporting" a young driver. They're not.

Neil Adams · 12 Jan 2004, 11:23 (Ref:835234)

Quote:

Originally posted by racingdad
What has Hines achieved? He won a very depleted Production Class - I doubt he would have been in the top 6 in either Clios or Seats. Yes Owy was funded into the drive by his sister - but at he did learn and did prove himself. And, no matter what anyone says the public love him - I wonder how they'll take to Hines?

can i point out that a certain James Thompson joined the works vauxhall effort (95)in only his second year in the series, just look at how he faired.

Hines beat the more experienced Blencowe all year - i think this says a lot.

Jonny Apex · 12 Jan 2004, 12:38 (Ref:835301)

Quote:

Originally posted by btcc-thunder
can i point out that a certain James Thompson joined the works vauxhall effort (95)in only his second year in the series, just look at how he faired.

Hines beat the more experienced Blencowe all year - i think this says a lot.

To be fair, James had worked wonders in his 'privateer' Peugeot in '94 (remember him getting in the top three in a damp, official test at Thruxton, ahead of Tarquini et al) on a very miniscule budget compared to the majority of the grid. I don't think you can compare his privateer results then to Luke's last year in Production class. In '95, who knows, he may have ended up being a title protagonist had it not been for that awful crash in testing at Knockhill ...

On saying that, I think Luke will do as good a job as 'Owy'. He's certainly not as in awe as was O'Neill when he joined Vauxhall. He's also more prepared, I think, to stick his nose in a few gaps and dish out a bit of rough stuff. I think that these are both attributes that can only work in his favour.

racingdad · 12 Jan 2004, 12:44 (Ref:835308)

Quote:

Originally posted by btcc-thunder

Hines beat the more experienced Blencowe all year - i think this says a lot.

Agreed, but I still believe that he would have struggled in Clios, and probably in Seats too. Can't really see that he has what it takes to have beaten the likes of Fyldes, Pead, Murray, Wilkinson or Rivett in the Clios or Sheddon & Hodgets in Seats.

I also have serious doubts that he will be able to please the crowd quite like O'Neil did. I will agree, however that Paul probably didn't do quite enough to convince Vauxhall to give him the drive in the face of a bigger offer!

Neil Adams · 12 Jan 2004, 13:02 (Ref:835324)

How did he do in formula ford? if he was a mid field runner there i'd have to agree with you that you would have struggled in clios etc.

Murray definately deserves a btcc drive he was extremely fast, at snetteton he was knocked of at the esses, resumed car in tatters but was still as fast as the leaders and was passing people!

Hines will have a fast car next year but it'll be interesting to see how he compares to Huff and (if hes back) Buxton, both being champions of Seats and Clios respectively.

racingdad · 12 Jan 2004, 13:33 (Ref:835370)

As he has arguably the fastest car in the field, while Huff will be in the ETC spec (not vey fast) Seat and Buxton is in the (not very fast) private Peugeot, it should be no contest....

**bella** · 12 Jan 2004, 15:46 (Ref:835498)

Quote:

Originally posted by btcc-thunder
How did he do in formula ford? if he was a mid field runner there i'd have to agree with you that you would have struggled in clios etc.

in reality it works exactly the opposite way.

Neil Adams · 12 Jan 2004, 15:50 (Ref:835507)

oh hilarious ha ha ha..

actually i dont get it, hows this funny?

racingdad · 12 Jan 2004, 15:51 (Ref:835508)

Quote:

Originally posted by bella

in reality it works exactly the opposite way.

?????????????? explain

**bella** · 12 Jan 2004, 16:00 (Ref:835525)

example : rob huff. bit middle of the field in fford, did far better in saloon cars.

i think your opinions of clios (and btc-p for that matter) are far too high. everyone in the single seater world knew that luke hines would walk into btc-p and spank the lot of them. money aside, it was his driving skill that put him so far ahead.

[edit - added to the hines discussion, he was always very aggressive for a single seater driver in formula ford. as jonny says, his ability to partake in overtaking will do him many favours]

racingdad · 12 Jan 2004, 16:10 (Ref:835545)

It was SOUTHERN FF he did, wasn't it?

**bella** · 12 Jan 2004, 16:11 (Ref:835548)

who hines or huff?

hines did national fford quite a few times.

racingdad · 12 Jan 2004, 16:16 (Ref:835558)

Hines did a couple of national ff races then dropped down to Southern where he looked a lot better..

Sorry Bella, I've got nothing against him, but he doesn't have the pedogree to suggest he'll be up there. I am more than happy to come back in 6 months time and eat my words if I'm proved wrong!

**Craig** · 12 Jan 2004, 16:51 (Ref:835592)

Quote:

Originally posted by btcc-thunder
Hines beat the more experienced Blencowe all year - i think this says a lot.

Yes, it says to me that Blencowe is nothing more than an over-hyped club racer.

DSM · 12 Jan 2004, 16:53 (Ref:835598)

Probably won't need to eat your words though 'dad. You're right about Luke's pedigree IMO. No more than average in karts and National FF (Which isn't good considering his background), since when he's picked his weight very carefully.
I'd be very surprised if he's up front next year, even with the (again IMO) not THAT strong field.

racingdad · 12 Jan 2004, 16:53 (Ref:835600)

As I recall, Blencowe was the slowest of the GA Alfas the previous year

BootsOntheSide · 12 Jan 2004, 17:11 (Ref:835623)

Blencowe is definately only club racer standard, but I wouldn't say he's overhyped. Most people seemed to realise that his results have merited little last year, and I can't see Barwell or GA really considering him as a frontrunner to drive for them this year.

Generally the driving standards in Seats, CLios etc are lower than in Formula Ford/Renault, whcih is to say that the midfield guys in those single seater series often do really well quickly with a roof over their head. The question is, would someone like van der Merwe or Hamilton neccessarily be a great Touring Car driver? People like Morbidelli and Palmer weren't.