Looks like my informer was right!

Jukebox · 13 Aug 2002, 02:10 (Ref:356595)

Yep...what my informer had told me so far had been true all along.

picked this up at f1-live.com....

'Alex Yoong has received a lot of negative press in recent months with critics busy comparing his performances to that of teammate Mark Webber. However what they opt to omit from their reports is the fact that due to Minardi's meagre budget and the contract Webber has with Flavio Briatore, any new parts for the PS02 go directly to the Australian's car, leaving Alex to struggle with second best.'

to read more of this story go here

In there you'll all see comparisons made between Alex and Tarso. I'm not trying to defend him cause he's a fellow countrymen but it just sucks to what Stoddart did to him knowing that the major sponsorship money was not utilized for Yoong's car. No wonder KL didn't made the full sponsorship payment to them like Magnum did.

freud · 13 Aug 2002, 05:19 (Ref:356620)

hmm, interesting...

RWC · 13 Aug 2002, 07:28 (Ref:356648)

I THOUGHT that the way paul has kept him on is more than just good manners.....

strad · 13 Aug 2002, 08:08 (Ref:356666)

While his driving has not impressed me, his personality and actual commitment that came through in an interview I saw did...

Sato san · 13 Aug 2002, 08:15 (Ref:356672)

I still have the opinion that single seater racing may not be the future for Alex . In all his years leading up to F1 he has never even won a race in any series with the exception of Formula Asia in 1997 . Ok , so the Minardi's are not equal machines , but nor is the drivers either .

You may find he suits sportcars of saloon car racing much better . Look at Andrea Piccini , he seemed to struggle as a single seater driver but is now impressing in sports cars .

RussianFriend · 13 Aug 2002, 09:20 (Ref:356699)

Very logical step of Stoddart.
He can't fire the guy without strong reasons. We can't tell yet Young is lack of talent. To proove it to sponsors Stoddart needs to check if new recriut can show best results. Just compare.

I think Young should try tester role at least 1 year.

Minardi fan · 13 Aug 2002, 09:28 (Ref:356700)

It's nothing new, Alonso got the best car last season leaving Marques with the development car... Benetton usually did the same - remember the 'gap' between Fisi and Wurz or Buttinho? More of that was down to the difference in the cars than driver ability...

Jukebox · 13 Aug 2002, 16:13 (Ref:356943)

While i agree with what Sato san had mentioned but the guy finally gets my sympathy because the press and fans back home are not being supportive at all to him. It's true that he lacks confidence by constantly being badgered by the public but then it's time the public supports him so that he won't fail in whatever series he's going for next year.

I'm sure he had given his best and whatever the team's decision...by giving him a 2nd rate car or not, still the team has it's own right to do so.

But personally, Stoddart had made a mistake by doing so, (by favouring Webber) cause i know that Malaysia are willing to spend a lot of money in future if he knows how to play the cards right, he might be very well be in the picture. But i don't see that happening...Sauber was a very small team once and look where they are now?

mac · 13 Aug 2002, 22:35 (Ref:357313)

The fact remains that Webber has a much stronger chance than Yoong of getting the car on telly. The only time I've seen Yoong this year is being lapped or going off. Maybe if the Malaysian sponsors actually knew anything about F1, rather than blindly throwing in money and expecting Yoong to be a superstar and were actually more concerned about getting exposure, then they wouldn't have a problem with the current situation.

freud · 13 Aug 2002, 23:33 (Ref:357344)

To some extent Mac is right here. I can understand the broken hearts of people in the far east as there were a lot of expectations from Yoong. To be honest, he was just the wrong person at the wrong time. Zanardi's disastrous year in f1 doesnt tell about his actual talent, and same with Yoong. He has potential but he should have learned the ropes before jumping into the highly technical and sophisticated world of f1. He couldnt get to grips with the grooved tyres, the brakes & the telemetry readouts... I sympathize with him a little. Its better if he stops making a fool of himself, takes a pause, learns the stuff. Lets not be too hard on him...

And btw, whatever with the machinery, Webber is still a class above him..

Juke, I can understand you rpoint with regards to the sponsorship & Sauber. Lets not forget the fact that the Sauber team has integral connections with Ferrari. It is rumoured that Sauber does 'unofficial' testing for Ferrari (like parts, tyres etc) and Ferrari in turn supports Sauber. Sauber could never have achieved the status they have without engines from Maranello. To be honest I am a big fan of Peter Sauber. He knows what he is doing. Just look at all that he gained from Kimi Raikonnen...

Jukebox · 15 Aug 2002, 04:26 (Ref:358085)

Sigmund..

It's not because i'm from this part of the world that i'm questioning why Stoddart did this and that but as a business man he should make decisions in which it would not affect his team in the future.

It has got nothing to do with expectations because in the past i've endlessly been one of his critics over his (Yoong)performance.

There are lots of plan in the drawing board when KL began to me the main sponsor for the Minardi team and those plans will benefit both Minardi and KL in the long run. It's not all about the tv coverage but it's a long term kind of relationship in which Minardi were to be expected to be a partner to further help build a foundation of motorsports in Malaysia. Can you imagine the magnitude of dollars involved?

I gave Sauber as an example bacause at first Petronas came in with not such a big amount of sponsorship money and as the relationship became more profitable to both parties, the amount of money invested grew subsequently over the years and joint ventures were made between those two.

freud · 15 Aug 2002, 04:40 (Ref:358090)

The sponsorship wont go in vain just because Yoong isnt there. What Minardi needs right now are 'points'... anyone who can get them is good..

Jukebox · 15 Aug 2002, 04:46 (Ref:358092)

Partnerships are based on trust and what Stoddart did by favouring Webber with a better machine was like a breach of trust.

Would you trust a man with millions of dollars and award projects with such values?

Jukebox · 15 Aug 2002, 04:54 (Ref:358094)

In my opinion he should not favour anyone at all, give both drivers equal machines as Minardi can't follow other big teams as they are not in a position to do so in the first place.

andy_b · 15 Aug 2002, 08:03 (Ref:358158)

IIRC - i read somewhere that Yoong never won anything in FNippon. Not sure if thats true, but he got the drive on money, so its hardly surprising he isnt very quick

Jukebox- in an indeal world, that would be best but the problem is Minardi have little money, so if they waited for both cars to have the same spec conponents made, then both cars would be behind the Jags regularly and not just one

Also, I read in a magazine, F1 I think that a significant amount of KL and/or Magnum money has never been paid. Cant remember the details. I'll see if I can find the magazine. Maybe thats infulenced the signing of Davidson

Jukebox · 15 Aug 2002, 08:30 (Ref:358170)

Half of the amount have been paid and the other half was being held because of the ......i need not say more do i?

But the other half had been settled few months after the report came out.

Mekola · 15 Aug 2002, 20:33 (Ref:358637)

Quote:

Originally posted by andy_b
IIRC - i read somewhere that Yoong never won anything in FNippon. Not sure if thats true, but he got the drive on money, so its hardly surprising he isnt very quick

Andy, you're right, Yoong entered in FNippon in 2000 well supported by Malaysian government who made an agreement with FN promotors. They putted him a special one-car team (Team Malaysia) supported by one important FN team what was LeMANS. Next year Yoong moved to the main LeMans team and raced in it until he reach the F1 drive at Minardi.
In his all FN campaign the best result he reached in it was a 7th in his second year.

freud · 15 Aug 2002, 20:37 (Ref:358642)

Quote:

Originally posted by Jukebox
Partnerships are based on trust and what Stoddart did by favouring Webber with a better machine was like a breach of trust.

Would you trust a man with millions of dollars and award projects with such values?

Its just not possible to give 'valid' proof that Webber was given the better car. I think Webber showed in his first few races that he was better than Yoong. Considering the budget that Minardi had, they probably decided to go the 'TGF' way and give superior equipment to Webber. That happened in Bennetton during early 90s. Dont you agree?

mac · 15 Aug 2002, 23:05 (Ref:358776)

Quote:

Originally posted by Jukebox
Partnerships are based on trust and what Stoddart did by favouring Webber with a better machine was like a breach of trust.

Would you trust a man with millions of dollars and award projects with such values?

This is such rubbish. I'll make it simple - Minardi have no money. If they only have a budget to get good stuff on one car, what should they do? Not put it on any car because both drivers chould have the same rubbish cars?

No. Which leaves 2 options:

- Give it to the guy who can use it to drive the team into the top 10 and get a good result (thus having a better chance of getting air time.

- Or give it to the guy who is going to use it to scrape inside the 107% mark.

You tell me which option makes "business sense".

Jukebox · 16 Aug 2002, 01:08 (Ref:358811)

Mac....

Do you think all of the sponsors (fr M'sia) who sponsored Minardi have market globally to care about air time?

All of them are domestic business oriented, what they have in common is to help develop motorsports in Malaysia.

sigmund...

remember the race in Australia at the beginning of the season? Both Webber and Yoong's car had engine trouble during qualifying at the same spot once they exited the pitlane. they both shared the T car and both qualified. That's what i call having confidence and determination.

Why do you think suddenly now Yoong dosen't have any confidence anymore? You tell me....

steve nielsen · 16 Aug 2002, 04:29 (Ref:358829)

but those new parts don't cause Marks car to go 3 seconds quiker do they??

Alex is just to slow, he NEVER scored a point in formula Nippon.

Legend · 16 Aug 2002, 10:55 (Ref:358949)

Jukebox I am sorry if I make fun of Alex but he is ok, anyway to compete in F1 is hard and just he being there is an acomplishment in it self!

Sato san · 16 Aug 2002, 11:04 (Ref:358956)

Quote:

Originally posted by Legend
to compete in F1 is hard and just he being there is an acomplishment in it self!

i agree with you there Legend .

but i thought peter Winsor summed it up well on Sky Tv earlier today , when talking about Yoong , he said ," he is a very nice chap , but lets be honest , he aint no Formula one driver !"

i thought that summed it up well , Yoong has got talent without a doubt , but probally not enough to be racing in F1 in merit.

Jukebox · 17 Aug 2002, 01:23 (Ref:359539)

For the umpteenth time guys...i'm not trying to defend Yoong here. I agree totally that he's not up to the challenge yet as to compete in formula1.

Legend...you don't need to apologize because non taken to began with

It's just that i'm questioning the way Stoddart handles his team. Anyway i see that Davidson is doing a good job during practice yesterday and i do hope that he's getting equal machine.

05forever · 17 Aug 2002, 02:14 (Ref:359553)

How can you question a guy that is open and honest. A trait that is almost void in all other team owners

When he had financial difficulties he came out and said so and told of the action he was taking. Two other team owners denied troubles, one is now not racing this weekend and the other is still patching things together.

Webber was signed as No. 1 Driver everyone (including sponsors) knew this. Yoong was a pay driver, once again everyone new this and about the DNQ rule. Minardi test their improvements and produce 1 component to test on the track. If it works is gets produced for the other car.

Lets not kid ourselves the Yoong car is only 1 step behind the Webber car there is no talk that it is the same car they started the year with.

Juke, you stated in an earlier email their was a breach of trust. That is just wrong, everyone new the position of the respective drivers and the deals they did.