What do you think about Tiago Monteiro?

jluisfer · 16 Feb 2006, 11:52 (Ref:1524225)

This is my first post in this great forum and because I'am portuguese I'd like to know what you think about the only one portuguese driver in F1....Tiago Monteiro.I think he could be a great driver but he have a great problem because being portuguese is not easy in F1 because in our country there is no much money to spend in F1.What you think about him?

PS:Sorry for my English

Suze · 16 Feb 2006, 11:55 (Ref:1524228)

erm...nowt special, imo. Seen him race before (not F1) and didn't really strike me.

x_acto · 16 Feb 2006, 12:08 (Ref:1524236)

As a countrieman, i wish him all the luck for 2006.

I hope he can collect some more points this year, but for what i saw the Midland car is not that fast. So, it will be (probably) very difficult to the team to score some points on a regular bases.

So far, he is the best Portuguese to get in F1. Lamy have a better CV but he had a lot of bad luck during is F1 years.

If he keep is seat by the end of the year he will impress me a lot!

jluisfer · 16 Feb 2006, 12:18 (Ref:1524245)

Lamy had the same problem that all the portuguese drivers have,the lack of investiment of portuguese companys that could support them in F1 world.No money no seat in F1

steve_r · 16 Feb 2006, 12:39 (Ref:1524261)

I didn't really rate Lamy, but Monteiro had a good season last year. He out-performed his team-mate and always seemed to bring the car home. In my opinion, he is deserving of his F1 seat. If I was a betting man, I would say he should get the better of his team-mate this year.

(I though his celebrations were a little over the top after his podium finish at Indianapolis, considering he had finished 3rd out of 6.)

shambles · 16 Feb 2006, 12:40 (Ref:1524262)

He's OK. Nothing overly special, his drive for Jordan last year - came as surprise to me, and it's mainly based on the cash he gets from the Portuguese Government. But, last year - he was impressive. I add the italics, because Jordan/Midland were a hard team to assess in thier own right, you just didn't know what was actually going on. Hence, the only - fair comparison you can make, is between him and team-mate Karthikeyan, who, as we know is a decent, if erratic driver. I think overall, Monteiro outperformed Narain - but Tiago is no speed-demon. A steady driver, but if Albers beats him - it'll be his last year in my eyes. Not least, because I believe the Portuguese Tourist Board (Tiago's main backers) are in a bit of economical strife.

f1_carzy · 16 Feb 2006, 12:46 (Ref:1524264)

Tiago, probaly is excellent for a backmarker team (no offence intended). He takes good care of the car, brings it home, but thats about it; generates a talking point by bringing the car home everytime (maybe that is helpful for the team sponsors

). I think he does not have that extra bit to take him even to a mid-level team. Though, hats off to his determination to bring the car home every time, but otherwise, sadly nothing special!

shambles · 16 Feb 2006, 12:55 (Ref:1524275)

Yeah, good analysis there f1_carzy, you've hit the nail on the head there.

shugruah · 16 Feb 2006, 13:54 (Ref:1524332)

good point?? in my opinion thats a very bad point!!! you dont know what you re talking about.... and this is something I`ve always wanted to post here and didnt got the chance... : that idea that tiago "just" brings the car home without a scratch is unfair!!!! he outpaced his teammate ( that many people here on this forum wouldnt hesitate to give him a seat in williams ) more than half of the gp`s last year, in the race ( best laps ) and in qual.! almost 1lap ahead kartikyen in U.S.!!!! and he also brings the car home everytime....

He is a special pilot and I`m looking forward this new for this new season. midland is catching up red bulls pace and I think tiago ( and cristian - another very good pilot ) gona surprise many!

I really think that tiago and cristian are in the top 10-12 pilots in f1 nowadays... heidfeld, massa, klien, villneuve,trully for shore worse...(IMHO), and then R shum and weber i think that they lost .... their " mojo "! they dont have the a 1/4 determination of this 2midland drivers.....

being portuguese he has a to prove a lot more than others to stay in f1.....

I dont think you get rokie of year title in f1 and CART just by bringing the car home f1_crazy.....

shambles · 16 Feb 2006, 14:10 (Ref:1524348)

I think it's safe to say, that Tiago being Portuguese has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Tiago put in some decent performances this season, most notably at Spa - but, to classify him as better than drivers such as Heidfeld, Massa, Klien - and Trulli - is bordering on the ludicrous. He's decent, but - no where near good enough for a middle ranking seat - he's only there for the Euro's he can bring in.

As for rookie of the year, there was hardly much competition there was there.

You are right Red Bull and Midland are evenly matched in testing, and Tiago appears to be doing a good job - so on that, if he can further his position this season - then he stands a slight chance. Come the end of the year though, I wouldn't expect Midland and Red Bull to be as close.

Tiago did his best last year, and for me - didn't look like he's got anything else in reserve. He beat Karthi, through a combination of steady driving, flashes of speed - and intelligence, but I feel your ranking Monteiro a little too highly. He deserves his 2006 seat for sure however.

pforrester · 16 Feb 2006, 14:11 (Ref:1524349)

The point Monteiro scored at Spa last year provided enough evidence for me that he at least deserved to be given a chance again this year. And I can't balme him in the least bit for his celebrations at Indy. He beat the only competition he had that day (a more fancied team mate), and he drove consistently all season. Off the top of my head, I would even dare suggest that - relatively speaking - he had a better debut season than Klien, and look what he did when Red Bull gave him a second season. I fully expect Monteiro to have the better of Albers this season.

BootsOntheSide · 16 Feb 2006, 14:38 (Ref:1524360)

Are you suggesting that Montiero was rookie of the year in CART? Strange assessment, considering that Bourdais, Haberfeld, Manning and Hunter-Reay all outscored him. And considering that none of last year's rookies were in competitive cars, adn you drivers often show raggedness which they can later iron out, driving steadily and solidly was the best way to come in ahead of those drivers (which he undoubtedly did, even ignoring Indy).

Kolles fell out with Kathikeyan mid-season, at which point the previously-impressive Narain seemed to lose speed relative to Tiago, so the whole thing may have been false. Almost every driver who has gone on to be truly successful had several accidents in tehir rookie years, even Michael. Tiago was probabnly udner more pressure to bring the car home than most rookies, but I haven't seen any real flashes of speed form him, and his CV in other championships is mediocre at best.

enemy-ace · 16 Feb 2006, 14:40 (Ref:1524364)

Quote:

Originally Posted by shugruah

I dont think you get rokie of year title in f1 and CART just by bringing the car home f1_crazy.....

There were 4 other drivers that finished ahead of him in Champ Car in 2003. One of them being Sebastien Bourdais.
Monteiro showed flashes of speed in Champ Car but was mostly inconsistent IMO. He looked a lot better in F1 IMO but still not brilliantly quick. He does deserve another go but I can't see him progressing above mid-field unless it's as a tester.

shugruah · 16 Feb 2006, 15:16 (Ref:1524378)

I really thought he was best rokie in CART..... but the thing that i like to point out is not to look at tiago as someone that "JUST" takes the car to the finish line with a very mediocre pace.... thats not true... last year he was faster than kartikyen again and again ( and dont say that kartykiean crashes a lot because he "is too fast" - thats not true ) faster than minardis ( that were really close to jordans at the end of last season ) and many times get near the saubers ( fought with JV 2or 3races).....

tiago brings money?? I dont know if you understand how huge this task is in Portugal. The market is to small ( and not at all rich ) and if he brings money is just because someone trully believes in him. its not fair to compare tiago with indian, or japonese drivers that find lost briefcases with 10million dollars in every corner..........

I know he has limits but determination ( as i said before ) is very important... pilots like RS or JV Are f1 pilots- thats their job! if they drive better or worse it doesnt matter. they seem to always have a place guaranted. for tiago and maybe cristian this is an adventure and dont wana fail... the way they talk , like kids: "today was great, everything is great, we are 20sec. behind but improving a lot"!!!

f1_carzy · 16 Feb 2006, 15:40 (Ref:1524391)

shugruah, let me make this clear...I am not trying to diminish Tiago's capabilities; well, certainly he has not blazed the tracks (come on dont tell me that it is down to the car - Alonso, Webber, etc were able to impress in a Minardi).

If you want to compare him with Narain, then Tiago was nowhere in the first few races, and he really started to over-shadow NK after the public spat between NK and Collin Kolles (NK fans can make a fuss about it) Ooops...Just realised that Boots has already covered this

Wahtever you say, I do not see the "spurt" of a racer in Tiago. I would not be surprised if Tiago is beaten fair and square by Albers.

shambles · 16 Feb 2006, 16:50 (Ref:1524436)

Quote:

Originally Posted by shugruah

tiago brings money?? I dont know if you understand how huge this task is in Portugal. The market is to small ( and not at all rich ) and if he brings money is just because someone trully believes in him. its not fair to compare tiago with indian, or japonese drivers that find lost briefcases with 10million dollars in every corner..........

Shugruah, Monteiro is supported by his (your) nation. Just like, Narain is supported by TATA, just like Albers is supported by JVC. Someone believes in them - but only because thier presense in Formula One will get them promotion. It just so happens, that apart from Alvaro Parente, Tiago is the only Portuguese driver of age worth investing in. And at the time, Tiago's money was the best offer. I like Tiago, he's a good pay-driver - and he proved he can at least handle an F1 car competantly. Your kidding yourself if you think he'll amount to anything beyond that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shugruah

I know he has limits but determination ( as i said before ) is very important... pilots like RS or JV Are f1 pilots- thats their job! if they drive better or worse it doesnt matter. they seem to always have a place guaranted. for tiago and maybe cristian this is an adventure and dont wana fail... the way they talk , like kids: "today was great, everything is great, we are 20sec. behind but improving a lot"!!!

Yeah that's great, but you have to ask yourself - is determination enough?

Taki Inoue was determined, Gaston Mazzacane was determined. Tiago is a better driver than these two examples by a stretch, but that's cool - and I wish Tiago all the luck in the world, and as you say - just have fun.

safc_fan89 · 16 Feb 2006, 21:38 (Ref:1524603)

I think Monteiro looked a decent driver last year, once he had found his feet. He was far more impressive than Karthikeyan, and scored a deserved point at Spa. I'm not sure whether he will get any further up the grid than Midland, but it's good he has been retained.

I am also not sure whether he will do better than Christijan Albers. it will be interesting to find out.

coldtyre · 16 Feb 2006, 21:55 (Ref:1524616)

I watched Tiago in CART. Despite some "youth mistakes" (A crazy no-brained kamikaze braking in Montreal for those who watched the race

), he showed good capacities to better himself and improve his driving and set up skills.

Good potential here, but waiting to see him in a real competitive car, or at least vs a good teammate... This year maybe?

Dutton · 17 Feb 2006, 02:27 (Ref:1524754)

I was impressed by Monteiro last year. I like him a lot.

I don't think he is a brilliant or anything, but I think he is solid driver that absolutely earned his place in F1 this year.

I look forward to following his progress, and will have my fingers crossed for him (unless he is leading Ferraris).

jj2728 · 18 Feb 2006, 12:43 (Ref:1525598)

average at best. i'd give him another year in f1 before he's replaced and regulated either back to CART, IRL, or sportscars.

marcel82 · 18 Feb 2006, 14:52 (Ref:1525681)

people seem to have forgotten that he had the least DNF's fo the entire field, last year, with a record of 1, down to mechanical failure
he also had the best of Karthikety for most of the races, last year

I think he's a decent driver, something like a Wurz or a PDLR. he'll last, but he won't get to a top 3-team, unless as a test-driver

go-jordan · 18 Feb 2006, 15:06 (Ref:1525690)

I was very suprised how well tiago performed last year. At the begining of the year he was near two seconds slower than narain but developed much better than anybody expected.

But i fear for him in 2006. with all the backing albers has and the fact that kolles never stops licking his arse, tiago will be classed as second best. If he out performs albers, he will have done a great job.

BootsOntheSide · 18 Feb 2006, 15:23 (Ref:1525695)

He is good at getting the car to the finish in one piece, no doubt about that, but have we really seen anything which marks him out as a great driver? I'd maintain that the dispute between Karthikeyan and Kolles was a bigger factor in Tiago overtaking Narian than anything else. To be honest I think Doornbos was the most impressive of last year's rookies given the circumstances, it's a shame he will not be out there.

mooneyda · 18 Feb 2006, 15:49 (Ref:1525707)

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve_r

(I though his celebrations were a little over the top after his podium finish at Indianapolis, considering he had finished 3rd out of 6.)

A podium is a podium and especially in you rookie year!! Gotta take your opportunity, he may never get the chance again.

mooneyda · 18 Feb 2006, 15:51 (Ref:1525710)

He will do well to keep up with Albers this season IMO. I think he will be smoked by Albers. Prove me wrong Tiago!!

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