europe v usa

John Brittain · Joined: 08 Aug 2001 Posts: 5 Location: silsden england

Why cant the top US drivers cut it in F1 with the best from Europe

bird · Joined: 17 Jul 2001 Posts: 147

'cos they don't race against them from when they are 13?

Russ Schaeffer · Joined: 02 Aug 2001 Posts: 40 Location: California

I don't really know. But our best drivers are in Nascar making huge money year after year. The USA is just more suited to this kind of racing than F1.
Thanx
Russ Schaeffer

Tim Blaney · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 1127

It might also have something to do with the fact the current generation of top American drivers (J. Gordon, T. Stewart. . .) would rather win the Winston Cup than the F1 title.

Stephen Buckley · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 861

I think it goes much much deeper than that. I think that it almost borders on a type of cynicism, arrogance, a little of "this is MY turf" thing, but most importantly, I think it's because of a "racing racism" (for lack of a better phrase). It seems to me that the whole scenario (an American in F1) is very similar to Major League Baseball's early policy concerning Negro ballplayers. They were just as good or better, however... There's the language thing, also. We all know that Americans, in general, know only English (and not that great an English either!). I'm not sure what I'd classify that as...stupidity or arrogance? Anyway, Europeans, and for that matter, many peoples across the word, know one or two languages in addition to their own. I'm not suggesting that they are perfect by any means.... just look at the Brits driving on the wrong side of the road!

(Sorry, Mary-Ann, couldn't resist!)
Food for thought.

Jack Burroughs · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 144

The reason that American drivers can't compete in F-1 isn't a lack of talent, evidence Mario, Dan Gurney, and others. Also the fact that in 1958 I think it was at Monza when they,(F-1), were close to Indy cars, F-1 got their collective butts kicked royally. In present times Bernie Echelstone etal., make sure American drivers don't get into good equip. or get equal test time. Just remember what they did to Michael, and Villanuve and Zanardi etal., F-1 is the biggest most expensive parade there is with the possible exception of most forms of American Inboard Power Boat Racing. At these levels there is much good talent, Senna, Schumacher but much of it will never get a chance to prove anything til they get massive funding to back them.

Stephen Buckley · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 861

Jack,
You are right. That is...MASSIVE amounts of money. That would get Bernie's attention. It would take virtually an all American enterprise to break into F1... that is, if they could get the engine supplier contracts. I think, as in any major money/power project, that there's a lot done "under the table".

Tim Blaney · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 1127

Stephen, Jack, relax. . this guy is a flame-baiter and the more worked up we all get, the happier he is.

Consider the fact the the person who started this thread cannot follow the very basic instructions (FULL NAMES) on the forum should tell you enough.

Stephen Buckley · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 861

But it such a neat topic! Oh, well.

Heading to Hawaii for 2 weeks...... Aloha!

Tim Blaney · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 1127

quote:
Originally posted by JACK BURROUGHS:
In present times Bernie Echelstone etal., make sure American drivers don't get into good equip. or get equal test time. Just remember what they did to Michael, and Villanuve and Zanardi etal

Uhhh. . Villeneuve, besides being Canadian won the World Driver's Championship in his second year and Zanardi, well he's Italian. . .

Jake Thompson · Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2001 12:07 pm Post subject: europe v usa

Heres my opinion,
First of all, im Canadian, so this isnt as much of an issue for me cuz Jacques is over there, and despite running with a bad team is recognized as one of the top drivers. Nonetheless i understand the issue. First of all i think that not every driving style is capable of succeeding in F1. Best example is Micheal Andretti, who has been recognized as one of the top American Open Wheelers for years. He was in F1, and we all know how that turned out. The driving style difference applies much more to the drivers in Nascar, they arent in F1 for obvious reasons. Another thing is that In Europe, i believe F1 is considered more prestigious than it is in North America. If you are a driver who grew up in Europe you would accept a seat with Minardi, Prost, Arrows Etc, because most likely you considered F1 the be all end all of Racing. Whereas I dont think drivers from this side of the pond would be as interested in running in the back third of the field. Lastly, there are 6 billion people in the world, and about 300 million (you guys can correct me on that, im canadian remember) in the USA, that makes up only 1/20 of the world. So really its not fair to expect any more than 1/20th of the drivers in F1 to be American... and im sure that eventually there will be an American in F1 again.
Jake Thompson www.jtracing.cjb.net

Mike Goebel · Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2001 12:18 pm Post subject: europe v usa

I would like to see a ratio of wins, Euro/US for F1 races where an American driver was present.

Mike G.

Russ Schaeffer · Joined: 02 Aug 2001 Posts: 40 Location: California

It's not who's better or anything like that, it's just that all of our feeder series are focused toward a Nascar career. With circle
tracks all over the country it draws from a larger percent of the population. Lets face facts American drivers are the best.
Thanx
Russ Schaeffer
(Just thought I would throw that last line in for laughs)

Jeff Franz · Joined: 16 Jul 2001 Posts: 524

quote:
Originally posted by JACK BURROUGHS:
In present times Bernie Echelstone etal., make sure American drivers don't get into good equip. or get equal test time. Just remember what they did to Michael, and Villanuve and Zanardi etal.

Jack,

Personally, I disagree with that statement. Bernie would love nothing more than to have a worthy American driver in F1, for the simple reason that it would be good for business.

Michael made the mistake of joining a team with the best driver of that era. Nobody looked good alongside Ayrton.

Jacques stepped into what was at the time the best seat in F1, so I'm not sure how he was denied seat time or good equipment.

I don't think his kit or seat time played much part in Alex's lack of results; his troubles over there have mystified better men than I.

Europe produces better road racers and soccer players because those two sports permeate their society, much in the way that basketball, baseball, and American football dominate ours. We stomp them in our sports, they stomp us in theirs. Our kids want to be the next Michael Jordan or Mark McGuire. Their kids want to be the next Schumacher, Owen, Baggio, or Hakkinen. Some of their kids might even want to be the next Mansell.

But the soccer gap is closing. England went and hired a Swedish coach because they're so worried about the team us colonies are putting together!

Bad Jeff- don't troll Mary-Ann, even on Fridays.

Jeff

Gary Kozuma1 · Joined: 26 Jul 2001 Posts: 386

I agree with what Russ is saying. If we had more and better tracks, we would have more series and more people involved in road racing. But the flow of money right now is going to Nascar and not Cart. In fact I read an article on Speedvision about how Cart continues to struggle finacially.

On the other hand, how can a guy like Jenson Button go from karts to F1?