Leaning Toward JPM

Liz · 4 May 2000, 23:12 (Ref:5640)

Sir Frank has been quoted as being rawther fed up with Baby Button's entourage and "Spice Girls" publicity machine (BB has ditched his longtime girl friend and is auditioning replacements from Villeneuve's leftovers, as I understand, with no visible success), and is said to be leaning very heavily toward JPM as his 2Car for next year. I am proposing Memo Gidley for the Mo'Racing Team if this happens. What do you think? Is this a good thing for JPM or not? And who would you put in his car?

TimD · 4 May 2000, 23:33 (Ref:5641)

Hmm. How about Jenson Button for Indycars next year?

Has Ashley Judd got a sister?

Rachel · 5 May 2000, 00:30 (Ref:5642)

Memo in Mo Nunn's car? Where would that leave Tony? I think it would definitely be a good move for Juan. Both William F1 drivers have done well this year, and the equipment seems to be much better than last year.
I'd continue the trend of filling the spot with a relatively unknown driver.

Actually, she does have a sister! (either Naomi or Winona...can't remember which is her sister and which is her mom though)

enemy-ace · 5 May 2000, 01:57 (Ref:5643)

JPM could make lots of money and drive for a respected team in F1, if that's what he wants. If he wants to really race he should stay in CART.

Liz · 5 May 2000, 02:20 (Ref:5644)

Tony should go to Ganassi. He ought to be in a two car team where he can race his teammate; I think it makes Helio better to have Gil to play off.

Baby Button wouldn't make it in CART. No glamour!

Has there been a Colombian in F1 before?

craigmanning · 5 May 2000, 12:26 (Ref:5645)

...there has been talk of Button coming over and switching with Montoya like they did with Zanardi. I think Sir Frank is leaning towards keeping Jenson at the moment and is concerned that Juan might pull an Alex if he joined the F1 team. I read that recently and think it's unfounded but I do respect Frank's opinion. I'm sure both JB and Juan would rather be in F1. I heard JPM is being considered by Toyota to partner Allan McNish in F1 but my opinion is he would rather stay here than do that. I think he would rather jump in an already developed race car than be part of helping to evolve one, whereas the situation couldn't be better for McNish except this type of offer comes late in his career.
I think Jenson has proven he can adapt to any situation maybe as quick as any driver we've seen this generation with the possible exception on Montoya. What a couple of lads, it will be fun to watch this unravel won't it?...

TimD · 5 May 2000, 13:11 (Ref:5646)

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Liz:

Has there been a Colombian in F1 before?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Isn't Roberto Guerrero Colombian? If so, he had an F1 career in 1982/83, with Ensign and Theodore.

R · 5 May 2000, 15:20 (Ref:5647)

Why would Sir Frank want to change when he's got the two hottest young drivers in his team? This could leave JPM a little in the lurch if he wants to join F1, though, there might not be any seats available in any of the top teams, and I really think that a driver of his capability ought to be in a top team. He had better stay in CART than to drive for an unknown quantity like Toyota in F1.

jamie928 · 5 May 2000, 22:37 (Ref:5648)

R.... Sir Frank doesn't like it when his drivers get more press coverage than his cars.

[This message has been edited by jamie928 (edited 05 May 2000).]

Liz · 6 May 2000, 00:53 (Ref:5649)

That was what I heard - and it is dead easy for somebody that age to have his head turned by the PR Machine and start thinking he is Senna Reborn before he has time to prove it.

I agree about JPM being better off where he is than in a midpack F1 car, but maybe he would rather have the experience?

Green_man4421 · 6 May 2000, 08:37 (Ref:5650)

Give RAlph The @rse he can drive CARt and Have Jenson and JPM that would rule but suck. Also This is CART not F1 so I will talk bout The CARt seat and not Cranky Frankies team.

I say ZANARDI i don't want to see him their (He has proved himself) but Wait oh oh maybe It would be cool Gannasi goes bad this year reliablity and JPM pushin car to hard JPM goes to williams next year goes Cr@p and then ZAnardi makes that Toyyta fly and wins the championship.

Zanardi don't need to race any longer. He has proved all their is to prove. But if not how about

Gannasi hire Kurosawa a great naturally skilled driver that I would love to see kick Vassers @rse.

Kurosawa I don't know if I spelt it right or got the right name but that guy (U know who I mean) rules.

**bella** · 6 May 2000, 18:11 (Ref:5651)

jenson doesn't have any glamour. all his fans are ugly spotty teenage girls who wear union jack vests they got from a tourist shops, with 'jenson' scrawled across them.

jpm would go the same way as zanardi went, i'm afraid. wrong skills at the wrong time car wise.

Green_man4421 · 7 May 2000, 10:20 (Ref:5652)

No JPM comes from the background who know don't judge CART drivers by Zanarddi and his Bad luck in F1 if JPM is at williams maybe.

Franky and Patty to hard on driverS>

Liz · 7 May 2000, 14:22 (Ref:5653)

From what is being hinted today, the ride is BabyButton's to lose.

Bella, I personally agree with you that the Baby has no glamour, but perhaps if I were 35 years younger I would feel differently?

No. I'd still think Brazlians ruled.

bobdrummond · 7 May 2000, 14:49 (Ref:5654)

I don't think that F1 cars per se are Montoya's problem. Rather, the fact that Williams is probably the worst of the top teams for driver relations. They nearly messed up Frentzen and destroyed Zanardi. Villeneuve was lucky in that he found himself with a particularly good race engineer with whom he got on well. Zanardis race engineer was a journeyman who is now back in touring cars.
There is no doubt in my mind that Montoya is special and would prove that in F1 regardless of how poor the current generation of F1 cars are from the drivers perspective. In fact, the prospect of Montoya giving Michael Schumacher a taste of his own medicine is tantalising!
I'd not considered Toyota an option before reading the post above and now I think it'd be quite good. TTE are a crack outfit and I reckon JPM would do well there.

craigmanning · 7 May 2000, 23:25 (Ref:5655)

...R...the reason Sir Frank might consider Montoya for the race team is that he has him under contract for some point in the future.

...bella...I would have to say that if Jenson can attract teenaged girls to the sport at all that could only be a great thing regardless of their taste in clothing or skin condition. I think CART would kill for a legion of teenagers of either sex who suddenly showed massive support for a new, talented newcomer, and think of the sponsor opportunities!

...Liz... I know that you really don't care about glamourous drivers, you've stated so many times that you just want to see the best pilotes piloting. You must admit though that Jenson has poise and maturity and is driving well. He's scored points in every race he's finished I think? Glamourous driver's? Let's see, Pedro Diniz comes to mind, Christian a little bit and perhaps Helio. He's a young Brazilianaire right? I don't see many race wins amongst this group. Unglamorous race car drivers? Well, how about Michael Schumacher for starters, and let's throw in Zanardi and Mika Hakkinen. If the results speak for themselves I'd say Jenson's in good company!...

Liz · 8 May 2000, 00:28 (Ref:5656)

Craig, I never said Button Spice was a bad pilote - he is clearly a very GOOD pilote for his age and has the good fortune to be in a competitive car, which My Ricardo does not (and which may ruin his career if he stays at BAR much longer). BUT, I don't like thinking he's already got his own line of clothing and has ditched his long-time girlfriend to chase former girlfriends of Jacques', and so forth, when he's not even a third of the way through his first year of a provisional contract. It just seems a weeny bit presumptuous to me.

**bella** · 8 May 2000, 19:22 (Ref:5657)

craig, i'm afraid i'm going to have to hold a gun to your head again. cart does not want a shedload of girlie fans. it has ruined the english football game for the real fans out there. it's difficult enough trying to follow a very gifted driver who just happens to be easy on the eye, without a whole bunch of hormone raging teeny boppers getting in the way.

say no to the teenagers! ban all young girls from races!

more brazilians!

Rachel · 8 May 2000, 23:21 (Ref:5658)

What?! NO! Believe it or not, not all of us are in it just for the cute drivers (although they certainly don't hurt)

Having more teenage girl fans could be a good thing. It would only help the TV ratings, and perhaps the parents too would become interested in the sport.

Green_man4421 · 8 May 2000, 23:28 (Ref:5661)

How would Jenson GEt on with CHip GAnnasi And all the CART GuyZ?

Liz · 8 May 2000, 23:37 (Ref:5659)

Go after the mothers, then. Tell the mothers that these pilotes are young and single and RICH. They will FORCE their daughters to go to the races!

But the question was about JPM or Button Spice in that car, yes? I doubt Sir Frank would get along well with JPM - can you imagine Jean Alesi driving for Williams? - but OTOH he does know him from having worked with him as a test driver, so perhaps he already knows what his temperment is like and thinks he can work with that.

Ralfie may explode this week - he is rather upset with Big Brother at present - and then both could get the drives they want.

craigmanning · 9 May 2000, 03:47 (Ref:5660)

...I seem to recall not too long ago a young lady writing an article in Seventh-Gear encouraging CART to promote their young, single and rich drivers to promote the sport to women. If I remember correctly, our esteemed clerk of the course jumped all over her for her alleged sexist views. Glad to see your change of heart Liz!...

Liz · 9 May 2000, 23:00 (Ref:5663)

I haven't changed my viewpoint, Craig. That was sarcasm.

Nuvolari · 10 May 2000, 09:20 (Ref:5662)

How about this?

Juan Pablo gets the Williams seat . . . Jensen gets DC's ride . . .
DC to Jaguar . . .
Johnny Herbert takes Alex Tagliani's seat . . .
Tagliani accepts generous offer from Ganassi.

**bella** · 10 May 2000, 14:56 (Ref:5664)

that's the problem with typing. you just can't convey sarcasm.
i'm serious abot the teenage girl thing. i'm a teenage girl, it's just i'm now a grown up (i'm 18), and i see just how horrific the whole thing is (boybands, etc). if you're in britain, and have teletext, go to backchat on p.506 on bbc. there are so many sad little girls. never mind. it's nature.

rachel, i appreciate you might be like me, and in it for the racing. it's the screamy ones who give it away.....