Losing F1 interest

[Placid]

With BMW trying so hard to capture its maiden win, now Graham Rahal thinks
that he needs to be at McLaren or Ferrari to enter in F1. Now he is losing
interest.

Look at Schumi, Senna, and Alonso. They started from the bottom and worked
their way up. Every F1 driver needs to start somewhere and be noticed by
the principals.

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/080521101613.shtml

[aryan]

He's more than welcome to lose all his interest in F1, as he hasn't done anything... anywhere... Let him win a couple of Indy 500s and then we'll start talking.

[Valve Bounce]

Well, Lewis started at the top. I guess that is the exception that proves the rule.

[CNR]

put him in a1gp all Ferrari then see how good he dose.

[Bruce D]

Well yeah I kinda agree with aryan here, he's not done much. He has done A1 for Lebanon (dont ask) and while he probably did the best job that team has ever done he didnt set the place alight. Now he's with Newman Haas in Indycars and he's grabbed one lucky win when the weather played into his hands at St Petersburg but otherwise he's been nowhere so far. I cant actually see any reason why any F1 team would be interested in him right now. His teammate Wilson has been in F1 so people do know how good he is and he's been ahead of Rahal in every race so far.

[Tallgeese]

There was talk of re-designated A1GP as GP3! I don't know, I like the idea, & I like the design of the new car & the rules are fair enough, but when you think about it, it should be thought of as a derivative (I believe) as an entry route to one of the F3 series. It would be nice to have two categories of A1GP as Formula Ford had a 1600 & a 2000 series (engine specs) to increase horisons for entering F1, plus a strict budget cap based on a common group of components.

[Jag_Warrior]

Well, Lewis started at the top. I guess that is the exception that proves the rule.

Good point. But I also think it's true that Lewis is an exceptional talent, with a rather unique path to F1.

And though I believe that people are discussing Graham and Marco to F1 (primarily) because of their last names, Danica (only) because she has ovaries and Kyle Busch (only) because he is a Toyota based American NASCAR star... I have to give Graham some slack. He's not yet 20 years old. Graham is probably still on halfway decent terms with Sebastian Bourdais. He probably looks at the guy who dominated him and the rest of the CCWS field and thinks, "Man, look at you now! Maybe I'd be better off just staying here in the small pond."

I also think the article is somewhat misleading. Unlike Montoya, who won the F3000 crown and the CART title (in addition to Indy), and Villeneuve, who won the CART crown (in addition to Indy), Graham has yet to win a title of any sort (other than an SCCA runoff event). So all that to say, I think he's getting a bit ahead of himself. But unlike Danica Patrick and her People Magazine reading fans, I don't think Graham is delusional as he speaks about Formula One. At 19, he just doesn't know where he's going in life yet.

[nigelred5]

He's 19 in his second year of major-level racing. Last year, top team but everyone had new cars to learn. This year, another entirely new car and for the team in a new series on very short notice at a major competetive disadvantage against the likes of Penske, AGR and Ganassi. Give the guy a break. Besides, with unification, he's got to speak the party line now. Indy Is the ultimate destiny as far as they should care. Formula what?? ;)

[ArrowsFA1]

...now Graham Rahal thinks that he needs to be at McLaren or Ferrari to enter in F1.
When he says: "If you're not with McLaren or Ferrari, you're not going to win a race" he's right

He's currently racing for one of the best teams in US motorsport so him not liking the idea of leaving that situation to go to an uncompetitive F1 drive is understandable.

[F1boat]

Although NHL lost much of the superiority it had in CCWS. Still was able quickly to break the Big Three dominance ;)

[gloomyDAY]

Yeah, well Graham just crashed out (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/67752) of the Indy 500.

I'm not sure he should be anywhere near an F1 car!

[Garry Walker]

Mr. Graham Rahal - McLaren and Ferrari are laughing at you.

[call_me_andrew]

When he says: "If you're not with McLaren or Ferrari, you're not going to win a race" he's right

He's currently racing for one of the best teams in US motorsport so him not liking the idea of leaving that situation to go to an uncompetitive F1 drive is understandable.

I agree. He could have a more lucrative as a proverbial big fish in a small pond.

[Placid]

With BMW trying so hard to capture its maiden win, now Graham Rahal thinks
that he needs to be at McLaren or Ferrari to enter in F1. Now he is losing
interest.

Look at Schumi, Senna, and Alonso. They started from the bottom and worked
their way up. Every F1 driver needs to start somewhere and be noticed by
the principals.

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/080521101613.shtml

Then again, BMW are trying to make that impact. He was a Formula BMW USA
alum.

[Mark]

Well, Lewis started at the top. I guess that is the exception that proves the rule.

When you win a major series such as GP2 you can start at the top. Just like Villeneuve did on winning in IndyCar (back when IndyCar was more like F1)

[leopard]

Honestly, I start losing interest doing something because the environment wouldn't want to ask me anything just because being invited by someone above us. crap! :D

[Ranger]

Rahal's not too bad for someone who's just turned 19.

But he has to realise he's got to be right at the top of Indycar to simply be considered for F1. Look at how many years Bourdais spent winning to move to F1... in an STR.

[Melqui]

I believe that today's F1 to start from bottom and be on top is very hard, Alsonso might be an exception but, lets not forget the great luck conditions that Alonso had to win his first championship ( Ferrari with tire problems, and Mclaren breaking engines)