So what do you think of Firman and Wilson?

high contrast · 19 Apr 2003, 23:36 (Ref:574425)

Well as these two 'Champions' enter their 4th Grand Prix who thinks they're doing a good job?

Last years rookies got loads of stick here last season, but not a word against these two here or in the British racing press!

Wilson is at least honest, and Ralph...Hahahaha Opps Sorry!

paulzinho · 19 Apr 2003, 23:50 (Ref:574431)

Ralph for me just isn't cutting it. He's way off the pace, though he admits he needs more time. Mind you Sato, massa, etc didn't have serious speed problems.

Wilson, his drive in Malaysia through the pain was admirable for his sheer determination, though we'll see how he progresses over the season. Mind you, he's probably the only F1 driver with another job at the moment!

jetsetter · 20 Apr 2003, 00:12 (Ref:574443)

Firman just isn't making the grade & i don't know how long Eddie Jordan will waste a car on him while the juries still out on Wilson.

f1manoz · 20 Apr 2003, 07:37 (Ref:574579)

Firman isn't proving to be any quicker than Sato, but he at least keeps the car on the track.

Wilson is doing a good job considering he is in a Minardi.

**GTRMagic** · 20 Apr 2003, 08:17 (Ref:574589)

Is Firman at Jordan to satiate B&H though??

Wilson isnt a good qualifier usually, Jos to me is as disappointing, the way he used to throw that Arrows around as if it was a part of him, in the 12th-14th fastest spot for a while, and the lunges from the startline to be several spots ahead... is this all bad not because the Minardi is junk??

JGM · 20 Apr 2003, 09:08 (Ref:574622)

Wilson makes fantastically good starts - he's usually up to midfield after three or four laps. This tends to be overlooked as the all the attention is up at the front.It is at least one sign that he's a real racer. I think Firman is a bit out of his depth.

z2252314 · 20 Apr 2003, 09:22 (Ref:574634)

All the rookies this year should be sent to Cart. Their second rate drivers and they belong in a second rate formula.

Valve Bounce · 20 Apr 2003, 09:29 (Ref:574638)

As with several other dirvers, including da Matta and Pizzonia, I think it is time for them to show some improvement because this is the fourth race.

Kicking-back · 20 Apr 2003, 09:37 (Ref:574646)

Firman's been a bit further from the pace than I expected - but given more experience and testing he should improve.

Wilson's doing an excellent job.

corkholio · 20 Apr 2003, 10:21 (Ref:574680)

Firman has been dead slow but it might have something do to with Jordan loading him up with fuel for qualifying. He held up pretty well against Trulli at Malaysia.

Pizzonia is overdriving the Jag which shows just how good Webber is.

The only thing I have ever seen da Matta pass on track is gas.

Wilson is doing a great job in a **** car so far.

BootsOntheSide · 20 Apr 2003, 10:46 (Ref:574694)

Firman doesn't seem to have got up to speed yet. He's put in respectable drives on raceday, btu nothing better. I wouldn't be surprised if Eddie rethinks his decision and brings Anthony in by midseason. 3/10

Justin has done very well though. He's been close to Jos' qualifying pace every time, has raced really strongly in ifnerior hardware in the first few laps, and hasn't made any msitakes so far. In Malaysia he was truly heroic and has showed what he's made of. The fact that he's workign a seocnd job just to put food on the tabel shows his commitment as well. I think he deserves much better machinery. 8/10

Pizzonia reminds me of Massa. There is obvious potential, but he's making a mess of it at the moment. Webber is getting the best out of the car, and Pizzonia is not getting clsoe, plus he's having too many accidents. Having doen a year of testing, you can't even say that he needs more time in an F1 car. 4/10

Da Matta has been very unlucky with technical problems,including losing his excellent Malaysian grid spot, and having to run fuelled-up due to a pickup problem in the spare that day. He would've scored in Brazil had the race continued, and has never looked out of his depth, with only one accident so far. There's more pace to come from him. 7/10

DNQ · 20 Apr 2003, 10:49 (Ref:574697)

Firman and Pizzonia are proving they are not F1 material so far, but I will give them more time before making a firm decision.

Wilson is a solid racer, maybe not WDC material, but a more than capable driver. He keeps the car on track, is level headed and has done the job Minardi need.

cos · 20 Apr 2003, 11:01 (Ref:574709)

Quote:

Originally posted by f1manoz

Wilson is doing a good job considering he is in a Minardi.

And is he still the only car on the grid without power steering?

Irv the Swerve · 20 Apr 2003, 11:35 (Ref:574723)

I think its really too soon to make a judgement on either, especially Ralph Firman.

I think Wilson certainly has the speed, but he will always get the benefit of the doubt because he is in a Minardi. Therefore any lacklustre performance will be put down to the car. That said, he has put himself into a position where he can say that, rather than just be rubbish all the time. He has gone along just as well as Verstappen, so he is doing better than Ralph at the moment.

Ralph is different though. He is not like Massa or Sato, who had good speed straight away, but Massa was dropped and Sato nearly bankrupted Jordan with repair bills, so Eddie probably decided to go in a different direction with Firman. Don't forget all the time they took to pick the second driver. Massa was turned down (too wild), Irvine as well (Frentzen, Hill etc,....) and Wilson, Davidson(whatever reason). EJ knew what kind of driver he was getting. Ralph is a grafter and will learn the Grand Prix trade bit by bit in his own way. I think he will learn it though and will gradually make his way to the front as the car improves. Don't forget, its a learning curve for everyone this year, so the help that the team or team mate can give is limited as they are looking after themselves.

Anyway, Mansell was rubbish for a while, Hill tailended in a Brabham, but they were dogged and determined. Thats they way they make some of the Brits. Firman could be similar.

cos · 20 Apr 2003, 13:46 (Ref:574771)

Ralph + Justin did OK today until their retirements - they were never going to do anything special being fuelled up heavily. Firman was running close to Fisi for a while, I think, I shall check the lap charts later.

Mr V · 20 Apr 2003, 14:09 (Ref:574789)

Firmans a waste of time imo, bring back Sato.

Justins doing okish, at least he's fairly close to Verstappen.

Rache · 20 Apr 2003, 14:19 (Ref:574800)

Quote:

Originally posted by GTRMagic
Is Firman at Jordan to satiate B&H though??

How is he connected with B&H? Scuse my ignorance....

And if he IS there for that reason, he will be out when tobacco sponsorship is banned next season?

IMO Firman is a squeaky-voiced nonce

Snrub · 20 Apr 2003, 14:36 (Ref:574813)

Can't really make a call on Pizzonia or Wilson. We can't tell if they're doing a bad job. Clearly Pizzonia has been a lot slower than Webber in qualifying.

Firman just doesn't seem to have it. He's way off the pace of Fisi. Give the guy some time, it's not easy to be an F1 driver. Remember, Kimi the current F1 'god' was outclassed by Heidfeld. It may take someone with the potential to be an average F1 drvier a bit longer.

egomeister · 20 Apr 2003, 15:01 (Ref:574836)

I don't think that we have seen yet what either driver is capable of. Firman seems to have always been loaded up with a heavy fuel load, and I think that he would admit himself that he has been overdriving the car in qualifying. He has put in pretty solid race performances but nothing to really set him apart from anyone else.

Justin has had a bit better time of things, getting good starts to bring him up a few places from his start position and has probably acquited himslef a bit better that Ralph so far.

Speedworx · 20 Apr 2003, 15:14 (Ref:574852)

Wilson is driving his heart out in a car that is still underpowered.

Firman plain and simple can't drive to save his life.

Rating out of 10:

Wilson 9
Firman 2

ensign14 · 20 Apr 2003, 16:13 (Ref:574910)

The rookies have all been hamstrung by the new regs. Either they can test all they want to get used to an F1 car and get up to speed, in which case they don't get to drive on a circuit, or else they can practise on the circuit but do not have the opportunity to get to speed.

This is especially acute for Firman who has not tested an F1 car before.

Firman's qualifying has been slow but is this part of the tactics? He is a decent driver, champion in F3 and F3000 (better than almost everyone else on the grid), and has looked better in the races than da Matta and Pizzonia, whilst Wilson is potentially a superstar.

MichaelH · 20 Apr 2003, 16:33 (Ref:574924)

Wilson is promising, but has still disappointed me. He needs to finish a race fast. Firman, in my opinion, is useless. Sorry.

429CJ · 20 Apr 2003, 17:47 (Ref:574966)

Ralf Firman just isn't fast enough, I think even Enrique Bernoldi would beat him.

MichaelH · 20 Apr 2003, 19:26 (Ref:575047)

I wouldn't go that far.....

aussie_f3 · 20 Apr 2003, 22:16 (Ref:575177)

I think its getting close to the time when Firman, Pizzonia, Wilson and Da Matta should throw the keys to the cars to the likes of Courtney, Kerr, Davidson and Sato - we know these guys can drive and it would make for some pretty exciting racing in middle-of-the-road cars

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