Williams and Al Unser Jr - Page 2

marcus · 9 Aug 2003, 00:51 (Ref:683389)

ok pictures coming up

al unser Jnr testing for Williams

marcus · 9 Aug 2003, 00:54 (Ref:683392)

and here he is on track in the williams

marcus · 9 Aug 2003, 00:56 (Ref:683393)

I also have a picture of Moreno testing the McLaren which im trying to hunt down.

marcus · 9 Aug 2003, 00:59 (Ref:683395)

and here it is

marcus · 9 Aug 2003, 01:01 (Ref:683396)

and one more for the record books , this apparently is Tiff Needell testing for Williams in 1991 , something I didnt know even occured ???

JohnSSC · 9 Aug 2003, 02:15 (Ref:683415)

On his day, Al Jr could run with anyone (and he did). Should he have taken better care of himself? Absolutely.

If he were as described above he would have been injured or worse fairly quickly, either by the car or the other drivers. Fortunately I got to see him race before the problems began (that we all just recently have found out for sure) and I assure you, he was quick, agressive and absolutely relentless in running down and passing the guy in front of him.

I couldn't stand him, but he was a terrific driver and a great career was truly wasted by substance abuse. His daughter developing a paralytic condition, literally overnight, surely did not help. No need to hit him below the belt - he has absorbed and overcome more than any one man's share. I don't condone his actions, but there for the grace of God go I.

**Adam43** · 9 Aug 2003, 12:25 (Ref:683639)

Quote:

Originally posted by marcus
and one more for the record books , this apparently is Tiff Needell testing for Williams in 1991 , something I didnt know even occured ???

IIRC this was for some promotional footage and also an article on top Gear.

NiceGuyEddie · 9 Aug 2003, 13:00 (Ref:683657)

Quote:

Originally posted by marcus
and one more for the record books , this apparently is Tiff Needell testing for Williams in 1991 , something I didnt know even occured ???

Even Alain Menu tested a Williams in those days.

**Adam43** · 9 Aug 2003, 13:01 (Ref:683658)

Even? :confused:

marcus · 9 Aug 2003, 23:32 (Ref:683913)

ahhhhh well there you go , I seem to recall an episode of Top Gear where Tiff may have actually driven a 1990 Ferrari F1 car as well , but im a bit hazy on that one.

marcus · 10 Aug 2003, 10:03 (Ref:684123)

Its also interesting to note that in the picture of Moreno testing the McLaren , there is no signage on the tyres ?

makes you wonder if this was some secret tyre test or simply a case of mcLaren wanting tyres to quickly ??

**Adam43** · 10 Aug 2003, 22:37 (Ref:684573)

Quote:

Originally posted by marcus
ahhhhh well there you go , I seem to recall an episode of Top Gear where Tiff may have actually driven a 1990 Ferrari F1 car as well , but im a bit hazy on that one.

I remember a drag race type comparison between an F1 car and a road car. I can't remember if he drive the Ferrari F1 car round a track.

alesi95 · 11 Aug 2003, 10:11 (Ref:684842)

oooooooooo! lovely pictures.

Cheers guys.

I remember Menu testing the Williams.
It was one of those days when no Williams drivers were available. In 1993 when I don't think they had hired a test driver yet because Hill had just been promoted to the race team.

I remember reading about it in a Renault promotional magazine in my dentists waiting room.

Wayne Kerr · 11 Aug 2003, 10:21 (Ref:684847)

Williams would let anyone test drive his cars back then.
Even Princess Anne has driven a Williams! (Has anyone got a picture of that?)

JR Ewing · 11 Aug 2003, 10:25 (Ref:684848)

Menu was a contracted Williams test driver for a few seasons! he worked mainly on their stillborn CVT system which mainly consisted of a large rubber band in the transmission...

Knowlesy · 11 Aug 2003, 20:35 (Ref:685493)

And Tiff also drove the 2000 Jaguar round Catalunya I remember.

EERO · 11 Aug 2003, 22:06 (Ref:685620)

Quote:

Originally posted by JohnSSC

I couldn't stand him, but he was a terrific driver and a great career was truly wasted by substance abuse... No need to hit him below the belt - he has absorbed and overcome more than any one man's share. I don't condone his actions, but there for the grace of God go I.

Well said, John. Its nice to know someone here has a little compassion.

JohnSSC · 12 Aug 2003, 02:50 (Ref:685767)

Thanks EERO. I can't imagine what it would be like to watch your child go from athlete to paraplegic like he has had to do.

It kind of puts all the puffing and blowing that goes on about this or that race or driver in perspective, doesn't it?

Cheers!

Joe Machado · 12 Aug 2003, 10:12 (Ref:686004)

I believe Al Jr. has good funding from the Alcoholic Anonimous organization.........

The Moon Monkey · 12 Aug 2003, 12:06 (Ref:686108)

Quote:

Originally posted by Joe Machado
I believe Al Jr. has good funding from the Alcoholic Anonimous organization.........

come on guys. you have all had a bit of fun at Al Unser Jr's expense now. We all have to accept that he has got over his problems and is still racing competitively in the IRL. That takes a lot of courage.

**Adam43** · 12 Aug 2003, 12:51 (Ref:686168)

Agreed.

12 Aug 2003, 16:57 (Ref:686381)

Quote:

Originally posted by marcus
ahhhhh well there you go , I seem to recall an episode of Top Gear where Tiff may have actually driven a 1990 Ferrari F1 car as well , but im a bit hazy on that one.

I remember that!

IIRC, it was around the time of the F50 launch, and Top Gear compared the old Mansell/Prost F1 car with the supposedly F1 inspired F50.

marcus · 13 Aug 2003, 05:58 (Ref:686841)

yeah I think thats right , all I can really remember is the huge smile on Tiff's face and rightly so to

I cant remember how much driving he actually did but even if it was just a drag comparrison thats enough to get the blodd pumping.

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