Surprising news - Page 2

Mr.S · 20 Aug 2000, 18:12 (Ref:31650)

Gene doesn't pay for his ride, Mazzacane does.

Wait till MinardiFan reads the above post!

Minardi fan · 20 Aug 2000, 20:38 (Ref:31700)

Gene DOES NOT pay for his ride - he pays no money to Minardi and they pay no money to him. He SHOULD be paid a bloody good wage. As for Mazzacane, no amount of money he pays Minardi justifies his place in the team.

Liz · 20 Aug 2000, 21:42 (Ref:31723)

You should properly say "for their talent ALONE" as I doubt very much if Minardi would allow Bill Gates to campaign their cars on matter how much he paid them.

Both Mazza and Gene have more talent than anyone on this forum, as far as driving a Formula One car.

Sparky · 20 Aug 2000, 23:55 (Ref:31741)

Only 'cos they wouldn't give me a test...

I heard that Flav was peeved at Master Button 'cos he released his Benneton move news on Jensonbutton.com before Benneton could! True?

So he's already upset the boss... Tut Tut!

Ace · 21 Aug 2000, 00:05 (Ref:31744)

Telefonica pays for Gene and that is a fact. If Gene was a talented driver he would have already found a more competitive drive. Lets compare a similar case. De La Rosa. He already has a place in F1 regardless of the money repsol paid for him. And that is a fact.

Minardi fan · 21 Aug 2000, 00:53 (Ref:31756)

Telefonica does NOT pay for Gene, and DLR has his place because of Repsol and also he brings money from the Spanish government.

Both are extremely talented drivers who should be in F1 for a long time to come.

Liz · 21 Aug 2000, 01:54 (Ref:31761)

Ace, if you are just here to wind people up, you're just wasting everyone's time.

You're entitled to your opinions about pilots, but aren't you just picking on a pilot because someone else likes him?

Valve Bounce · 21 Aug 2000, 04:12 (Ref:31786)

Well, I for one, would like to see de la Rosa and Zonta have good drives next year. I can go along with the idea that Pedro Diniz also is not that bad a driver; just because his pop pays a mega sum for him to be in a team, at least he often qualifies in mid field. Put a dumb schlock like me into an F1 car, and I would be looking for toilet paper before the first bend. I admire anyone that can get into F1 and qualify a car - Mezzacane (God I hate to admit this) is pedalling an inferior car and can still get within the 107% rule in quals. Suppose he was in a Jordan or Williams, then where would he qualify in the field? Same goes for Pedro Diniz - where would he qualify in a McLaren? Now I've done it. I think I have infuriated the entire ten-tenths BB.

angst · 21 Aug 2000, 07:22 (Ref:31808)

I'd go along with you as far as the drivers, every one of them in F1, being far, far better drivers than any of us on this forum. But if we are looking at the competition they are in then some of those drivers are less talented than drivers who aren't in F1 or are in inferior cars. As for Diniz in a Mclaren, well that's just too scary a thought. Not only would he not win any races, he would be an absolute danger to everyone on the track. Just try and imagine how much he would overdrive to try and keep up with MIka.

Ace · 21 Aug 2000, 23:28 (Ref:31974)

As a Minardi fan you should know that the driver's sponsorship is the main source of income in their budget. Don't tell me that Gene is there because he can bring any other thing that money to the team. Nothing personal against the guy, but facts are facts.

De La Rosa has earned his place in F1 running some brilliant races this year. that is the big difference.

Do we need to talk to about Diniz here? I mean, the guys is useless. If not for the money he brings to the team and the "excitement" of seeing him destroying his or others cars.

Minardi fan · 22 Aug 2000, 01:29 (Ref:31991)

Gene has also driven some brilliant races this year - Austria being THE perfect example.

He does not bring sponsorship money - he is a quick, talented driver.

Liz · 22 Aug 2000, 02:57 (Ref:32027)

Gilles Villeneuve was a terrifying driver to watch, and from Formula Atlantic on, he destroyed almost every car he drove, in a spectacular fashion that makes Pedro Diniz look like Prost.

Millions of us believe he was a truly great pilot and I for one still miss Gilles every time I watch what passes for Formula One these days...

Mr.S · 22 Aug 2000, 04:22 (Ref:32032)

Ace, any proof that Gene pays for the ride? And if Gene DID bring in Telefonica money then why would they have considered droping him instead of Mazzacane who pays alot less then Telefonica? :confused: -Gene is there because of talent, and MF is right Austria was a perfect example of this.

Marshal · 22 Aug 2000, 08:08 (Ref:32059)

Quote:

Originally posted by Liz
Gilles Villeneuve was a terrifying driver to watch, and from Formula Atlantic on, he destroyed almost every car he drove, in a spectacular fashion that makes Pedro Diniz look like Prost.

Millions of us believe he was a truly great pilot and I for one still miss Gilles every time I watch what passes for Formula One these days...

I agree with most of that Liz, but the difference with Gilles (my first hero in racing), was that while he was somewhat on the edge(!) he always gave the people he was racing against enough room to race.

Diniz on the other hand, has driven into 2 people in a straight line this year. I have no problem with him (or his daddy) paying an exorbitant fee so he can race, until he starts putting himself and his fellow drivers and potentially the public in general, in danger.

downforce · 22 Aug 2000, 10:15 (Ref:32069)

Put Jacque in a Mac!!!!

Btw Minardi fan...did u see what the Coult had to say abt Gene????

Minardi fan · 22 Aug 2000, 13:34 (Ref:32117)

Oh yes I know what DC had to say about Marc - look for the 'DC blames unfair treatment and Gene' thread in the F1 forum and you'll find my opinion of this...

Ace · 22 Aug 2000, 23:29 (Ref:32214)

Lets put it this way. If Gene is in Minardi for his talent and not because Telefonica pays the seat for him, the only possible reasons would be:

1. Gene is a miracle maker and one of this days will win a race.
2. Minardi hopes Gene will amaze everyone and then sell him to a big team or exchange him for an engine deal with Mercedes or Ferrari.
3. Gene brings enough money to balance the budget.

So far, option 1 and 2 are as remote as any of us in this forum getting a drive at McLaren, don’t you think?

The answer IMHO is 3.

Minardi fan · 23 Aug 2000, 01:19 (Ref:32233)

Trying to reason with you Ace is impossible but never mind.

Of course Gene isn't going to win a race in a Minardi (well, he might...), but neither is Diniz in a Sauber, or Alesi in a Prost, or even Eddie in a Jaguar (why do I get the feeling I'm going to be eating my words on Sunday???), but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be driving that car.

Diniz is a talented driver but he's not likely to win a race. It's the same for Gene, unless of course a better drive comes his way.

It's not him who is balancing Minardi's books - it's Mazzacane, who pays the team $5.5 million per season. Gene pays $0, and receives $0.

And have you forgotten 1999??? Not a lot of drivers score in their rookie year for Minardi. In fact can anyone tell me if Gene is the FIRST Minardi driver to be a rookie AND score a point for them?

And remember Ace - every time you go on about Gene or Diniz for that matter, you are showing a lack of respect for them.
They're all good drivers, otherwise they wouldn't be in F1 - and yes, Minardi can be choosy over which pay driver they take - in this case Marzipan.

EERO · 23 Aug 2000, 01:30 (Ref:32236)

Good Points M-Fan.

It grieves me to hear members of this forum slagging the skills of the drivers who race in F1-they are doing something we can only dream of. I appreciate all of your words to this effeect.

Tristan, I entirely agree with you about Wurz, though I admit I have silenced my defense of him recently. Honestly, I am mystified by his performance this season-he is in my opinion, a much better driver than he has shown, who appears to be stuck in a terrible slump.

Mr.S · 23 Aug 2000, 04:22 (Ref:32264)

Ace:
Option number 4: Minardi keep him around because they believe that he can score a point or two so that they can recieve money from the FIA. I heard that the teams who score points in F1 get a percentage of the TV profits.

Now that sounds more likly then option number 3 doesnt it?

Gerard · 23 Aug 2000, 20:10 (Ref:32387)

I don't know if teams who score points in F1 get a percentage of the TV profits.
I can hear Bernie screaming: 'It's MINE, ALL MINE!'

But the reason why a single point is so very important for a minor team is the FIA pays for transportation costs the following year.

Minardi fan · 24 Aug 2000, 00:11 (Ref:32420)

Precisely. The single point can determine whether a team finishes 10th or 11th in the Constructor's Championship. Whoever comes 11th gets no transport costs returned.

If both Minardi and Prost fail to score this season, then at the current time Minardi will finish 10th in the championship by virtue of two 8th places and the ridiculous amount of dnf's by the Prosts.

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