Only a Top Team for Marco... Micheal sez [Archive]

trumperZ06

12th February 2007, 02:07

;) Today's article at http://www.speedtv.com...

Marco Andretti will only make the switch to Formula 1...

if he is in the position to win races from the start,

claims his father and team boss Micheal Andretti.

Micheal's comments about his own 1993 F-1 days...

" I had a very difficult year that was destined to fail" when he only got one week to test the McLaren before the start of the season.

" And that is one thing I do not want to happen to Marco"...

IMO... Marco is Wicked Fast and is likely to be in Formula 1 in another year or two.

Micheal wants to insure that Marco has a reasonable chance to suceed.

:s mokin: Trumper

Tazio

12th February 2007, 02:36

Placid

12th February 2007, 05:13

I recommend a test role. This year, the week of the USGP is open so he may have a chance to test on that Friday. I had the idea about testing at the Canadian GP, but he has qualifying for the Learjet 550 on that week.

Hawkmoon

12th February 2007, 07:15

Perfectly reasonable comments coming from the lad's father and I'm sure Andretti Snr wants to get the best for his boy.

Andretti Jnr (or is that Andretti Jnr Jnr?) will have to earn his drive, however, as I don't think the Andretti name carries anywhere near the weight in Europe that it does in America. Unless he's got the backing to 'buy' a drive, that is.

The lad seems like he's got some potential so maybe somebody will give him a test drivers role or perhaps even a year in GP2. If he does well I'm sure Rubens Honda seat might become available.

blakebeatty

12th February 2007, 07:20

What does Marco say?

marco stated that he'd like to drive, but preferred to win the indianapolis 500 first.

"Hey Marco, may i present for you the oppertunity of a lifetime?"
"No thanks, I think i am going to take a SHlT"

Tazio

12th February 2007, 07:48

marco stated that he'd like to drive, but preferred to win the indianapolis 500 first.

"Hey Marco, may i present for you the oppertunity of a lifetime?"
"No thanks, I think i am going to take a SHlT"

Link please?

Tomi

12th February 2007, 08:13

Lol, is he any better than his dad?

MAX_THRUST

12th February 2007, 10:00

Hotlavaaaa

12th February 2007, 10:02

Why do they have to come in with the attitude that he just deserves a seat in a winning car? I like Marco and I hope he does get to F1 but his name should only take him so far. I say one more year in the IRL and then he should do GP2 along with some testing and then if Honda is his ticket to F1 he should spend at least one season with Super Aguri and then step up to the factory team when he's ready. He definitely has the talent, but the Andrettis need an attitude adjustment.

ArrowsFA1

12th February 2007, 10:14

At this stage in Marco's career it's a bit early for him, or more to the point his dad, to be talking about a seat in a top F1 team. He's had one season in the IRL, and impressive though he has been, that's not enough.

Dad obviously wants him to be prepared when (not if by the sound of his comments) he makes the move and that's understandable, but it's difficult to know what his next move should be.

I'm sure there are those in the IRL organisation who would love to see one of "their" drivers go straight into F1, but it's a big ask.

Marco does look as though he could be the real deal though...

Hotlavaaaa

12th February 2007, 10:18

There are far better drivers out there than Marco, racing is about experience surely not your Dad or Grandad's name and that they have money to pay for a good ride in F1. I can't see it happening Marco should prove his worth in GP2. GP2 is a far higher rung on the ladder than the IRL. Why would Honda choose Marco for tests unless it was promised to Michael

The reason Marco is testing for Honda is because he is a recognizable name to a market that doesn't have a lot of F1 fans. Marco Andretti, and Graham Rahal, for that matter, both have last names that a lot of American racing fans recognize. It only makes good business sense to go after drivers that would most likely expand F1's fanbase in the US.

MAX_THRUST

12th February 2007, 14:47

Does Honda care if they have a big American named driver for their US market, if so you would want a driver who can run on road coures more than ovals. RAHAL is the answer then, but why are Honda so keen to test an unknown driver, when there are so many others who are better qualified, clearly money and marketting comes before skill and abillity. I'm not trying to upset anyone with this, i don't normally come over to the F1 forums, just when i saw Marco testing again at Honda I had to laugh. Who are they trying to keep happy, Michael or Mario. I think there is more pollitics going on in American open wheel racing now than ever. GP2 drivers must surely be better equiped than any other series to rise to F1. Every driver in the IRL is Honda powered, and every driver in the IRL is probably hoping they will be the one to get the ride next year......Is Rubens leaving next year then, or has Sato or Davidson only got one more year at it? Marco with Honda will never happen, if it does please remind me what I said so I can eat my hat. If Wheeldon can't secure a drive with Honda in F1 why would Marco, it's all in the name, he is not his dad or Grandad, and F1 seats should not be inherited like Lords in the House of lords. Sorry guys I'll shut up now....

tinchote

12th February 2007, 15:16

The two successful transitions from Champ Car to F1 in (more or less) recent times have been JV and JPM. Both had previous European experience. As was mentioned, a year in GP2 and/or a year testing would be very important.

F1boat

12th February 2007, 15:30

I think that Michael does not want to see his son suffering the same fate as him. I think that Marco is right to focus on the Indy Car championship - that's the series in which he'll drive at least in 2007, that's the championship he must try to win for now - that and Indy 500. If he manages to do it or at least if he is impressive enough he should replace Rubens after Barrichello's retirement.
I don't agree with GP 2 comment, Max. So far NO champion in either Formula 2 or F3000 has won anything serious in F1.
So no need for GP 2. IRL and then F1 - year testing then racing.

janneppi

12th February 2007, 16:17

F1boat, Nice that you left out Formula 3, whose winners list includes Some guy named Schumaher, Häkkinen Villeneuve, Senna... :)
While Alonso wasn't good enough to win F3000 champioship, he did win a race there. :)
Feeder series are good for the drivers wanting to enter F1, not necessary, but helpfull.

codalunga

12th February 2007, 16:21

Big Ben

12th February 2007, 16:38

I can understand that... I don't know anything about him... but can he be worse than FISI?

Tomi

12th February 2007, 16:40

I can understand that... I don't know anything about him... but can he be worse than FISI?

in worst case he is like his dad, but better wait and see.

Yelnats

12th February 2007, 16:58

The lineage that got the Jr. Andretti an introduction to F1 will do little when it comes to winning a top drive. Evidently his family has rejected the 'Rent-A-Drive' option as demonstrated by their rejection of drives with second-rate teams.

Marco's best option would be to take a seasonal test driver position (if one were on offer). It would allow time for both Marco and the top teams to assess his worth before further commitments are made.

If at the end of the season these ‘commitments’ were not arrived at, further investments in this strategy would be unwarranted (i.e. Back to Indycars).

12th February 2007, 17:29

At this stage in Marco's career it's a bit early for him, or more to the point his dad, to be talking about a seat in a top F1 team. He's had one season in the IRL, and impressive though he has been, that's not enough.

Whilst I understand what you say, was the same true of Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button?

Fernando had one season in F3000 when he was 19, Jenson one season in F3 when he was 20 and Kimi had only done 43 car races up to Formula Renault level before F1 gave them drives. Experience was irrelevant.

If Marco's good enough then he's ready.

Don't ask me if he is good enough, I don't know.

blakebeatty

12th February 2007, 18:34

Link please?

sorry mate,

"F1 is a big dream of mine," Andretti told the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper. "In a perfect world I'd like to win the Indy 500 and then come to Europe."

see: http://www.planet-f1.com/News/Story_Page/0,15909,3210_3369_1777113,00.html

Mihai

12th February 2007, 20:10

I don't agree with GP 2 comment, Max. So far NO champion in either Formula 2 or F3000 has won anything serious in F1.
So no need for GP 2. IRL and then F1 - year testing then racing.

No offense, but this is the most illogical and ridiculous claim I ever read on this forum. Do you really think the fact that one driver or another won the F2 or F3000 title prevented them from winning the title in F1? It's more like a paradox of modern motor racing than a logical conclusion. GP2 is designed to suit young F1 hopefuls and it's the best support series.

ArrowsFA1

12th February 2007, 20:29

Whilst I understand what you say, was the same true of Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button?
Yes :cool: Until a driver gets to F1 you can never tell how they'll perform. Hindsight is wonderful at saying "of course I always knew he'd do well..." :p

Tazio

12th February 2007, 21:53

sorry mate,

"F1 is a big dream of mine," Andretti told the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper. "In a perfect world I'd like to win the Indy 500 and then come to Europe."

see: http://www.planet-f1.com/News/Story_Page/0,15909,3210_3369_1777113,00.html

Thanks for the link!
Only being 2 seconds off the pace is nothing to be ashamed about!
As the article reports the test was given to him as a reward!

These are the kind of credentials that put you into a position to step into a
competitive F-1 seat!
Not that I think this guy is the sh!t.
It does however get more crowded near the top.

http://world.honda.com/F1/2006/1115/

12th February 2007, 22:10

Yes :cool: Until a driver gets to F1 you can never tell how they'll perform. Hindsight is wonderful at saying "of course I always knew he'd do well..." :p

My point was that if everybody had the opinion that one season wasn't enough, Kimi, Fernando & Jenson wouldn't have been 'discovered' so young.

Playing it safe with driver tests will mean you will never catch a star early.

F1boat

12th February 2007, 22:25

No offense, but this is the most illogical and ridiculous claim I ever read on this forum. Do you really think the fact that one driver or another won the F2 or F3000 title prevented them from winning the title in F1? It's more like a paradox of modern motor racing than a logical conclusion. GP2 is designed to suit young F1 hopefuls and it's the best support series.

It might be so, but I think that it is better for the driver to go in F1 more quickly. Too mcuh year in these series and for what. Panis, I think is the most successful F3000 champion in F1.
I think that there is no need for GP 2 for Marco, if he is an IRL champion and Indy 500 winner.
janeepi, I think that F3, unlike the main feeder series can produce great champions. They must be cathed while they are still yopung and hungry for success IMO and not spent in the GP 2.

Hawkmoon

13th February 2007, 03:02

I think being competitive in GP2 will carry more weight with the F1 team bosses than winning IRL titles and the Indy 500. The skills required in GP2 are the same as those required in F1. They just need to be enhanced and honed a bit for F1.

The skills required to win on the ovals, aside form the basic skills of car control, are different to those required to win at, say, Spa or Suzuka. Let's face it, you won't know that a guy is capable of out-breaking a competitor into the chicane at Suzuka from watching him race at the Brickyard.

Personally, I think a competitve season in GP2 combined with a bit of testing will see Andretti Jnr Jnr in F1 much sooner than staying in the US going around in circles.

F1boat

13th February 2007, 09:27

I don't know. IRL had added road courses to its shedule, which makes it more interesting. Also, I think that Marco really wants to win the 500.
Also, I think that neither IRL or GP2 can show how good you are in F1 car. F1 is F1.

janneppi

13th February 2007, 09:56

janneppi, I think that F3, unlike the main feeder series can produce great champions. They must be catched while they are still young and hungry for success IMO and not spent in the GP 2.
Unless a driver thoroughly impresses someone in F3, it's good that there is a chance to develope in a faster car, hell, even Schumacher almost won a F3000 race before he had a seat in F1. Only a handfull of F3 champions moved straight to F1, Senna, Häkkinen and Sato from british series are the best know.
There's no point in in driving F3 for five years if you can get into a faster car.

F1boat

13th February 2007, 13:29

Of course. But if you are impressive enough in a F3 car and they invite you in F1, while losing time in GP 2?

janneppi

13th February 2007, 14:07

Then you obviously move straight to F1. :)
If young Andretti impresses the right people, hell get a seat, but then again, how much does having driven on the wrong side of the pond impress team bosses when they get a much closer look at drivers racing in GP2 for example.

F1boat

13th February 2007, 20:18

Well, obviously Honda noticed him already, so why giving up his Indy dream? I'm sorry,though, for the argument, I clearly haven't said fluently what I mean. Sorry again.

Mickey T

13th February 2007, 21:18

[quote="trumperZ06"]

i like the way michael has rewritten the history of his ignoble F1 failure...

the truth is that he got smashed by senna and one of the key reasons for it was his refusal to live in europe.

instead, he commuted for every race and test session, barely knew the intimate workings of the team and, if you went up against someone like senna who turned everything he could to focus on him, this strategy was always destined to fail.

trumperZ06

13th February 2007, 22:38

i like the way michael has rewritten the history of his ignoble F1 failure...

the truth is that he got smashed by senna and one of the key reasons for it was his refusal to live in europe.

instead, he commuted for every race and test session, barely knew the intimate workings of the team and, if you went up against someone like senna who turned everything he could to focus on him, this strategy was always destined to fail.

:dozey: Micheal Andretti & Senna were there... Most of us were watching from the sidelines!

Hhmmm.... Even Senna was quoted as saying, after Micheal Andretti left Formula 1, that Andretti wasn't given a "Fair Chance" !

ClarkFan

14th February 2007, 04:51

I have been in the "Marco should go to GP2" camp, but now I'm not so sure. Winning the 500 is a worthwhile goal and having an Andretti around an American open-wheel series may be the only hope we have of keeping one of them alive. The name really is still magic, maybe the only one that can upgrade F1 popularity in the US. Races got covered in the year Mario had a shot at being champion.

But he definitely could use some more experience in road racing than he will get in the IRL. He appears to have talent (he had a solid second a lap on the IPS field at the USGP support race in 2006), but still could stand to polish it in higher powered cars. Maybe he could pull some races in one of dad's ALMS P2 cars. That would even give him experience in coping with adversity, as the Porsches will probably be faster this year.

I know that it has been a few years, but sports cars can be a reasonable prep for F1. Think about Webber, Schumacher, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, and..........Mario Andretti, who got his early road racing chops in the greatest American driver development program ever, the Ford LeMans program.

So have the kid drive Indy Cars, sports cars and get some serious test time in F1 cars. Maybe it will work out, if he really is good enough. And it may help that the US is Honda's #1 market and they appear to have no interest in NASCAR.

ClarkFan

Roamy

14th February 2007, 06:37

he needs to get out of indycar ASAP - I would love to see him win indy but I would not wait around. ChampCar would be very good for young andretti

Tazio

14th February 2007, 07:04

he needs to get out of indycar ASAP - I would love to see him win indy but I would not wait around. ChampCar would be very good for young andretti
Totally agree! Marco is still young. Too say nothing of the fact that there seems to be a glut of young talent in F1 right now. Although I sort of mocked Michael's comments earlier, what he said makes sense.
You shouldn't mortgage your stature with a loyal fan base in the States, (and all the perks it provides)
to sink into oblivion without a competitive ride! Has he earned one? No!!
But if he were to excel in Champ car, or any substantial form of road racing he may get a shot,
If he does he will really be up against it.
So! What's the rush?

F1boat

14th February 2007, 09:18

Why Champ Car? Bourdais dominated CCWS and is still there. He might go to STR, that's all.
IMO Indy Car and Indy are more worthwhile goal than either GP 2 or Champ Car. I'm with ClarkFan here.

F1boat

14th February 2007, 09:22

the truth is that he got smashed by senna.

Not very shameful, really. There aren't many drivers even close to Ayrton Senna.

ClarkFan

14th February 2007, 20:32

he needs to get out of indycar ASAP - I would love to see him win indy but I would not wait around. ChampCar would be very good for young andretti

I don't think so, Uncle. Who is in the field? Bourdais, Tracy, Wilson and a bunch of guys named "Who's He?". And Wilson certainly isn't well regarded in F1 circles. Beat them all like a rented mule and what do you get? Free admission to the Queen Mary? A one-way airline ticket to Zhuhai, China? :\

I concede there is more road racing in ChampCar and more road course time in high power cars would do Marco some real good. But the series needs to up its profile to get to a Q-factor of 0.

And the jury is still out on GP2 as a developer of champions. For all his success there Rosberg still made some serious rookie mistakes last year. We'll see how Hamilton and Kovalainen do this year, and if Rosberg gets better (or if the current Williams lets him). In retrospect, dad should have sent Marco to Europe to run F3 two years ago. That is a series with a real track record of developing talent, partly because everyone in Europe gets thrown into F3 to fight it out.

ClarkFan

F1boat

14th February 2007, 21:01

Clarkfan, do you think that Marco wil improve in the IRL this year?

Roamy

14th February 2007, 21:22

the high speed road courses without the danger of high speed ovals is what I would be looking for. I think a real serious accident at a young age could affect your long term career.

F1boat

14th February 2007, 21:48

This accidents are what makes me afraid. I enjoy oval racing, but it is dangerous. I pray that Marco will stay out of trouble, but Uncle - he wants to win the 500. A man must follow his dream.

ClarkFan

15th February 2007, 00:46

Clarkfan, do you think that Marco wil improve in the IRL this year?

Sure, he only turns 20 next month. But like you and fousto, I do worry about how ovals currently play out in the IRL. Running flat out at >215mph (350kph for those who don't use antiquated measuring systems) with some drivers in the field of questionable ability/experience is pretty hairy. Wish they didn't run on those higher banked NASCAR ovals, but both open wheel series are currently the unwanted stepchildren of US racing.

ClarkFan

Roamy

15th February 2007, 02:03

I think if they put a first class not mickey mouse road course in at Indy and ran 500 miles you would get the same draw. It is kind of like I think civilization has passed the need for open wheel oval racing.

trumperZ06

15th February 2007, 03:35

:D I agree with you, Fousto.

Ovals are tougth... but not nearly as hard on the car or the driver as a good road course.

;) Problem is with most road courses, especially the good ones, you can only see a small portion of the track.

:dozey: Some Mickey Mouse... tricked up infield road courses are inside an Oval ie. Indy & Daytona, but the best courses are ~ 3 miles around or more.

Oh... and Marco's done well on the road courses he's ran. If in doubt...Check his record.

:s mokin: Trumper

F1boat

15th February 2007, 09:32

I like ovals. They keep the racing close and it is very fast. Amazing. Also they are huge test for psychology, if not for driver skills. A driver should be very careful lap after lap not to kiss the wall.
But I fear about safety and I don't know what can be done about it.

gearhead250gto

19th February 2007, 04:10

I honestly don't see Marco being competitive in F1. His "talent" is being exaggerated by the fact that he is in a series that is barely holding on and one that doesn't have a lot of talent in it. Add in the fact that he jumped up to the big leagues WAY too early. I have watched him race in the lower rungs and I saw him race the year before he went up to the IRL....and he wasn't all that impressive. As far as Americans with a famous last name and having talent.....Graham Rahal looked far better in Star Mazda during 2005. Add in the fact that he also spent another year in a development series to hone his talent instead of jumping into the big leagues.....and the 2006 Atlantics field was a very good field. All Marco has is a last name. I can't believe he has the audacity to make a comment like that. He would be lucky to have Spyker calling on his services.

wmcot

19th February 2007, 07:37

It sounds like a marketing scheme to me. Even though some of you point out that Rahal may be the better candidate for F1, the name "Andretti" is immediately recognized in the US. Rahal isn't a well-known name except among race fans. Honda are playing their "Andretti" card to expand their name recognition to casual US race fans who are not that familiar with F1.

The only thing similar I can think of that's going on right now is Toyota's move into NASCAR. I find it interesting that American fans find that "un-patriotic" when Toyota builds their Camrys in the US while all the other "US" manufacturers build their cars in Mexico???? (Sorry for drifting off topic.)