2005 Champion Dan Wheldon Leaves IRL for F1 Friday Test Drive

StickShift · 30 Oct 2005, 17:04 (Ref:1447656)

As per Robin Miller at SpeedTV:

Quote:

Wheldon F1-Bound

SPEEDTV.com has learned that Wheldon will leave the Indy Racing League to sign a deal with a Formula One team on Tuesday that calls for him to be a test driver next year with the option of moving into a full-time seat in 2007.

It's believed to be with Frank Williams, whose London-based team would have its first British driver since 1996 world champion Damon Hill. Wheldon, who brought Honda its second straight IRL and Indy crown by winning an IRL record six races, could also be a candidate for BAR/Honda or Honda's proposed second F-1 squad.

[...]

I don't know if I would call the move surprising, as it's obvious that Wheldon's heart was with Formula 1 all along.

Who will AGR install at his seat? Or will they go back to a three car team?

Edit: Shockingly bad memory there Mr. Miller. I guess you forgot about Jenson Button?

cybersdorf · 30 Oct 2005, 17:07 (Ref:1447661)

Insane. To leave motor racing for a meaningless Friday morning test drive...

luke · 30 Oct 2005, 17:28 (Ref:1447676)

Maybe as he was champion but his sites are set on F1, interesting to see who replaces his boots or they just field three cars.

BootsOntheSide · 30 Oct 2005, 17:53 (Ref:1447701)

Interesting definition of 'London' as being 'the whole of the south of England' from Robin there as well. It'd certianly be bad news of Dan leaves the series, but he has to look long-term, and he has every cahcne of getting into F1 for 2007 this way.

Kicking-back · 30 Oct 2005, 18:02 (Ref:1447717)

Dan has won the Indy 500.

Dan has won the IndyCar title.

What is there left to prove there?

He's also British and, naturally, would prefer to be based at home - and he's grown up wanting to be a Formula One driver.

Best of luck to him.

It reflects well on IndyCar too.

StickShift · 30 Oct 2005, 18:10 (Ref:1447728)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

Dan has won the Indy 500.

Dan has won the IndyCar title.

What is there left to prove there?

He's also British and, naturally, would prefer to be based at home - and he's grown up wanting to be a Formula One driver.

Best of luck to him.

It reflects well on IndyCar too.

It will reflect well on IndyCar when he's racing for a reasonable team in F1. At this point, there's not a lot of good PR that can be drawn from 'IRL Champion becomes F1 test driver'.

Considering that the last two drivers who won the Indy 500 and an IndyCar/Champ Car title became race drivers at the number one (Williams 96) and number two (Williams 01) teams at the time; it does seem like a significant step down.

D70s · 30 Oct 2005, 20:27 (Ref:1447841)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

It reflects well on IndyCar too.

Except for the fact that it shows the best driver in the IRL doesn't want to race in the IRL --- he'd rather have a testing role with a midfield F1 team.

marcus · 30 Oct 2005, 22:40 (Ref:1447947)

I honestly thought Dan was happy with team Andretti , he certainly fitted well with the whole tam and series.

Its a shame he COULD be going but of course it would be good to see how he goes in f1.

Do you think (if it is Williams he is going to) that Sir Frank would let him come back to the USA to defend the Indy 500 ?

would be nice if that happened at least

mac · 31 Oct 2005, 00:03 (Ref:1447990)

I don't know that it's a great move from Frank either. I mean Dan hasn't exactly been the cream of the crop on road courses this season. Solid, but certainly unspectacular.

Alex K · 31 Oct 2005, 08:04 (Ref:1448125)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSulka

Seriously, if this is true, something seriously is up. Like Jim Beam is about to buy Williams.

Frank Williams wouldn't give Champ Car Champion Sebastien Bourdais a freakin' test last season, yet is about to sign Wheldon to a Friday test role with an option on 2007. Egaads!

On street and road circuits, Wheldon qualified 9th at St. Petersburg, 7th at Infineon, and 9th at Watkins Glen. His record is good, not great.

Wheldon obviously is talented, or he wouldn't have won the IRL IndyCar Championship, or the Indianapolis 500. But his knack seems to be ovals not road circuits.

Former IRL IndyCar Champion Scott Dixon, at least had an F1 test with Williams when rumors surrounded his future in Formula One. But the test seemed to scuttle that future.

Are we now being told that Frank Williams is going to sign someone to the all important role of test driver without at least a preview of what he might be dealing with ? And possibly for the extremely important role of Friday test driver ?

We are going out on the branch, and sawing like mad on this one.

No way. No how. Not gonna happen.

Again, Wheldon is a very talented driver. But we have yet to see him amaze us on road or street circuits.... and F1 has 19 of them... not three.

IHO in IRL IndyCar Series we have much more talented blocks than Daniel. We have a few kings of the roads & streets, and IMHO Wheldon is not even the best on streets & roads than his three teammates. Maybe, maybe it's about sponsorship deals, future powerplants for WilliamsF1

: I still cannot understand this move, if Wheldon WILL sign to WilliamsF1.

BTW. And I suppose the most important, Nico Rosberg hasn't been confirmed by WilliamsF1 as racing driver.

rustyfan · 31 Oct 2005, 09:02 (Ref:1448167)

Grandprix.com has a short piece on this here. They consider BMW being a more likely option than Williams tho, since Wheldon apparently himself has denied any dealings with Williams.

Snrub · 31 Oct 2005, 17:45 (Ref:1448549)

Odd. It seems likely he's going somewhere, but where may not be certain.

To leave AGR for a test role with no gaurenty of a race drive would be lunicy.

As for Weldon in general, it is odd that he's being give a chance when he didn't seem to be as good as say Kannan on non-ovals.

Considering the stakes in F1 and what happened to Junquiera this year, I doubt that an F1 team would let Weldon do Indy.

drdisque · 31 Oct 2005, 18:07 (Ref:1448578)

the last Champcar or IRL champion to go to F1 was Christiano DaMatta, he didn't exactly go to a top team.

Kicking-back · 31 Oct 2005, 18:12 (Ref:1448586)

It's WHeldon, not Weldon!!

Jordi · 31 Oct 2005, 20:06 (Ref:1448706)

K-b, if you had to go behind everyone who doesn't spell right...

Kicking-back · 31 Oct 2005, 20:17 (Ref:1448719)

I don't, I just think the champion of a series deserves the honour of his name being correctly represented

Jordi · 1 Nov 2005, 23:30 (Ref:1449943)

I think everyone deserves to be spelled right! From Wheldon to Ed Carpenter...

(Is it spelled or spelt?)

Flavinha · 2 Nov 2005, 12:07 (Ref:1450332)

No F1. This site wishtv.com says that Wheldon will stay in IndyCar, but with Ganassi.

Alex K · 2 Nov 2005, 14:48 (Ref:1450468)

Indianapolis Star says the same way.

cybersdorf · 2 Nov 2005, 16:59 (Ref:1450598)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordi

(Is it spelled or spelt?)

Depends on how you spell ist.

Tojoi · 3 Nov 2005, 00:04 (Ref:1450951)

Is true, he's been offered $5m to drive, upset quite a few people I've heard. F1 would never offer this much, especially a Williams or Sauber test role which he was considering.

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