Jaime Alguersuari's debut race [Archive]

Dave B

23rd July 2009, 19:49

Come on then: a bit of fun, predict the fate of young Jaime Alguersuari in his first ever race... hell, his first ever outing in an F1 car other than a bit of straight-line testing.

Will he surprise us all and do a decent - even brilliant - job? Or will be so bad that even Piquet Jnr looks good in comparison.

And while we're at it, how long before STR replace him? There are already (daft) rumours about Sebastien Loeb driving in Abu Dhabi!

Massa has suggested (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77146) that Jaime is too young and inexperienced, but I remember people saying the same when Sauber took a chance on a young Finnish hotshot called Kimi something.

Oh, and how many times will his name (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77148) be mispronounced?

Q. Jaime, welcome to Formula One. How do you want your name pronounced, throughout the world?
Jaime ALGUERSUARI: I know it's a little bit tough. My name is 'Heimi Al-gay-shuari'.

ioan

23rd July 2009, 20:03

Raikkonen had proper F1 testing before getting on with his first race week end.

yodasarmpit

23rd July 2009, 20:19

I don't see it going well, the madness that is "no in season testing" will ensure massive FAIL.

Allyc85

23rd July 2009, 20:42

I dont think the lad should be anywhere near a race weekend with his lack of experience of driving an F1 car on a proper racing circuit. How he FIA have given him a super licence is beyond me, dont you have to have done a certain amount of miles of testing and have met other criteria before your allowed to race?

jens

23rd July 2009, 20:43

I guess the team will instruct him to simply avoid any risks and to bring the car to the finish at any cost. If he manages to qualify/finish higher than in last position, it would already be a remarkable achievement. But difficult to predict, how much would he be off the pace compared to his team-mate. Less than a second a lap considering his complete inexperience would be acceptable I suppose.

jens

23rd July 2009, 20:47

--- dont you have to have done a certain amount of miles of testing and have met other criteria before your allowed to race?

I assume winning the British F3 title could be enough to get the superlicence. Aren't the F2 champion or at least a few frontrunners going to be given F1 superlicence too, even if they have never sat in an F1 car?

BeansBeansBeans

23rd July 2009, 20:51

ioan

23rd July 2009, 21:21

I dont think the lad should be anywhere near a race weekend with his lack of experience of driving an F1 car on a proper racing circuit.

I bet you said the same about Michael Schumacher before his first race.

UltimateDanGTR

23rd July 2009, 21:40

I bet you said the same about Michael Schumacher before his first race.

He had a test at silverstone before the weekend in a jordan if i remember correctly?

Jaime Alguesuari hasnt had anything like that. All I can say is best of luck to him. the question is, will i remember how to spell his name? unfortunatly, no.

Allyc85

23rd July 2009, 22:17

I bet you said the same about Michael Schumacher before his first race.

I bet you being 6 years old I didnt ;)

Rollo

23rd July 2009, 22:25

I bet you said the same about Michael Schumacher before his first race.

Max Mosley had misgivings about Räikkönen who had only driven in 23 races before his first GP. Räikkönen had a nap half an hour before his first GP and still scored a championship point.

Crank

23rd July 2009, 22:53

ioan

23rd July 2009, 22:54

He had a test at silverstone before the weekend in a jordan if i remember correctly?

Well Alguersuari had some straight line testing in the STR or RBR too.
His driven F3 cars and he's now driving in the WSR3.5 series. It's not like they take a kid out of a KZ2 kart and put him in a F1 car.

CNR

23rd July 2009, 23:00

I think he'll burn himself, just like Massa almost did (if Nicolas Todt had a different father), but it's just a matter of the testing ban rule. If it wasn't for that, the kid probably had done a few laps on it and know for sure how the car is going to turn, brake, etc. Hopefully he won't bump into somebody else in the first corner and cause an accident.

Test Driver2008 redbull Test Driver
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaime_Alguersuari

The new upgrades that Toro Rosso will introduce at the Hungarian grand prix will return the team to points scoring form, according to Sebastien Buemi

Crank

23rd July 2009, 23:13

Test Driver2008 redbull Test Driver
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaime_Alguersuari

Err...yes...he is the test driver, he tested the car on a straight line, that is not very helpful on a twisty track as hungaroring (or any other track for that matter) does it? Because AFAIK he did not test the car before the Melbourne, when the circuit testing ban came into effect, did he?

ioan

23rd July 2009, 23:35

Err...yes...he is the test driver, he tested the car on a straight line, that is not very helpful on a twisty track as hungaroring (or any other track for that matter) does it? Because AFAIK he did not test the car before the Melbourne, when the circuit testing ban came into effect, did he?

He'll get 3 practice session before qualifying and race, if he will not feel at ease or behave dangerously the team will put someone else in the seat. It's that simple.

I think this topic is blown out of proportions. People are talking how bad a driver is before he even had a chance to prove himself.

Would you like to be treated like this when you search for a job?! :rolleyes:

BeansBeansBeans

23rd July 2009, 23:47

maximilian

23rd July 2009, 23:48

I've stated it before, I expect P20 for the youngster all the way, EXCEPT the unknown of the ToroRosso update goodie bag, which may actually be enough to lift him from the bottom - but even then I expect him to be far behind Buemi.

ClarkFan

24th July 2009, 00:06

I don't see it going well, the madness that is "no in season testing" will ensure massive FAIL.

Only a problem if a team manager throws a hissy fit and fires a driver mid-season..... :rolleyes:

ClarkFan

wedge

24th July 2009, 00:11

He had a test at silverstone before the weekend in a jordan if i remember correctly?

Had a shakedown on shorter track configuration

AJP

24th July 2009, 02:14

All I can say is, TR is utterly crazy getting rid of Bourdais before bringin in the update..stupid, stupid!!!

Good luck to Jaime..

leopard

24th July 2009, 09:44

I am sorry for Burdais, perhaps team couldn't stand any longer for being tolerate against up and down of his performance. As a good Joe Budais will have to accept team has policed on appointment of Heimi...

The rest of this season would certainly be worthwhile learning season for him. We cannot expect too much from him at this moment. Of course if he got the talent up to be a world class driver he will show it up just like Alonso drove shining bright on Minardi, regardless that they drive for a mediocre team.

Speaking of his misspelled name, we may sometimes name someone from what we hear, some people might call it for its similarity with those name commonly used such as Jaime Cardriche or Jaime Camara...
Or avoid name when it comes identically to names belonging to term they don't like...

There will be only three initials of drivers' surname on the screen, so his name will appear as ALG or ELG, ALP or AJG are unlikely...

ioan

24th July 2009, 10:01

Alguersuari just did his first real F1 lap! :)

PS: He alse speeks proper English hrough the radio, which is a plus compared to many drivers who sound like a broken plastic bottle falling down the stairs.

leopard

24th July 2009, 10:15

I believe possessing amazing stats at his very young age he didn't have enough time to spend at school to learn proper English. :)

ioan

24th July 2009, 10:16

Well well, Buemi isn't that much faster than him out of the box either.

ioan

24th July 2009, 10:16

I believe possessing amazing stats at his very young age he didn't have enough time to spend at school to learn proper English. :)

I think I just said that he's much better than many others! ;)

leopard

24th July 2009, 10:19

Yeah this far Buemi is averagely better than Bourdais. Team had to make sure to replace Burdais only with better driver. Hence Heimi will be likely to come pretty close to the pace of Buemi. :)

ioan

24th July 2009, 10:28

Yeah this far Buemi is averagely better than Bourdais. Team had to make sure to replace Burdais only with better driver. Hence Heimi will be likely to come pretty close to the pace of Buemi. :)

I wouldn't say that Alguersuari will do better than Bourdais in this first race, but he might be better as he continues building up his confidence in the car and finding more speed.

leopard

24th July 2009, 10:56

I wouldn't say that Alguersuari will do better than Bourdais in this first race, but he might be better as he continues building up his confidence in the car and finding more speed.
Either one of Buemi or Burdais is significantly better to another. But considering this is debut year of Buemi, performance of Burdais collecting less point than Buemi is hardly excusable. Then they decided Heimi to be in, Burdais out. Team might expect more on Heimi performance for long run. In the event of Heimi can match the pace of Buemi next year, it wouldn't be impossible in the following year that team will promote any of them whichever better to their main team of Red Bull accompanying Vettel.

leopard

24th July 2009, 11:23

In the event of Heimi can match the pace of Buemi next year, it wouldn't be impossible in the following year that team will promote any of them whichever better to their main team of Red Bull accompanying Vettel.
Mark sacked ... ;)

Valve Bounce

24th July 2009, 11:33

BeansBeansBeans

24th July 2009, 11:47

I agree with Ioan.

The suggestion that Jaime Alguersuari is a liability who may cause accidents is well wide of the mark. The lack of testing means he may find himself a couple of tenths off his team-mate, but he won't be a danger to anyone.

19. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:23.998 + 1.720 37
20. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:24.228 + 1.950 42

Mystic Beans :p

christophulus

24th July 2009, 11:50

Fairly respectable for his first attempt. As long as he isn't mentioned in the race he'll probably consider that a good showing :)

UltimateDanGTR

24th July 2009, 12:08

Well Alguersuari had some straight line testing in the STR or RBR too.
His driven F3 cars and he's now driving in the WSR3.5 series. It's not like they take a kid out of a KZ2 kart and put him in a F1 car.

well yes fairdoes, although at least schumi had a go at going round a corner in an F1 car, even if it was a shakedown on the short circuit like Wedge said.

still, Formula 1 cars are a big step up from World series by Renault cars and F3 cars.

but looking at first practice results, yes alguesuari is slowest, just over .13 secs from his team mate and just under 2 secs of the fastest time, but thats not too bad really.

ArrowsFA1

24th July 2009, 14:18

Nice touch by Jaime this weekend:

New boy Jaime Alguersuari has the message 'Ciao Henry' on the side of his helmet, a tribute to Henry Surtees, who died during a Formula 2 race last weekend (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/8158445.stm) The pair drove together in Formula 3 last year. "This weekend was going to be perhaps the best of my life," said the 19-year-old before arriving in Hungary. "But now there is a shadow. My prayers go out to his family and for everyone involved in motorsport it is very sad news. I will try to do my best in the future and for the Surtees family this weekend."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8163488.stm

Tazio

24th July 2009, 16:08

My sig say he doesn't finnish the race or cause's at least one other car not to! :p :

Crank

24th July 2009, 18:09

Would you like to be treated like this when you search for a job?! :rolleyes:

Of course not, but then again my life nor the lives of other people depend on my ability to do my job properly, so they can not be measured with the same tape. Furthermore is not the same when someone is riding with the pack than alone in a F1 car.

But then again if he does times .8 secs slower than his team-mate I don't think he'll pose a safety concern for anyone. I don't have anything against the guy, just against the rules that prevent new drivers to get into F1...maybe have a rule that will allow for testing during the season only if the driver is under a certain age or applying for a superlicense?

ioan

24th July 2009, 19:52

I don't have anything against the guy, just against the rules that prevent new drivers to get into F1...

Than let's blame the teams, they had this idea with no testing during the season.

ClarkFan

24th July 2009, 21:30

He'll get 3 practice session before qualifying and race, if he will not feel at ease or behave dangerously the team will put someone else in the seat. It's that simple.

I think this topic is blown out of proportions. People are talking how bad a driver is before he even had a chance to prove himself.

Would you like to be treated like this when you search for a job?! :rolleyes:

And now before he even has a chance to settle in, his (highly erratic) boss is threatening that job:

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=337923&FS=F1

Take a driver with no F1 racing experience, plant him in his first drive, and then tell him to go faster. Wonderful combination. Can the FIA expell a team principal for inciting unsafe behavior?

ClarkFan

ClarkFan

24th July 2009, 21:34

Than let's blame the teams, they had this idea with no testing during the season.

Banning testing in remote locales seems like a reasonable measure to contain costs. The FIA should have compensated by opening Thursdays of race weekends for free testing, except for the back-to-back races.

That ought to be better for the teams, as they get to test new ideas on the track where they will actually be racing. And promoters could get a little extra money with another day's admission.

ClarkFan

ioan

24th July 2009, 22:34

Crank

24th July 2009, 23:26

Banning testing in remote locales seems like a reasonable measure to contain costs. The FIA should have compensated by opening Thursdays of race weekends for free testing, except for the back-to-back races.

That ought to be better for the teams, as they get to test new ideas on the track where they will actually be racing. And promoters could get a little extra money with another day's admission.

ClarkFan

The issue with this is mainly to reduce the costs by reducing the amount of engines used during the season. They have already stretched the life of the engines up to three races and according to Mario Thiessen they can not stretch it far longer without having to do major changes to the design (and therefore increasing the costs).I know it's a stretch by itself but, I guess that in the war between safety and costs, money won again..or simply don't let newcomers race again.

Tazio

25th July 2009, 00:48

And now before he even has a chance to settle in, his (highly erratic) boss is threatening that job:

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=337923&FS=F1

Take a driver with no F1 racing experience, plant him in his first drive, and then tell him to go faster. Wonderful combination. Can the FIA expell a team principal for inciting unsafe behavior?

ClarkFanWord up my brother :up:

Fred, Kimi, Felipe,Webber, and

http://notpop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/fionaapplecriminal.jpg

fionafan :eek: :love: :uhoh:

ShiftingGears

25th July 2009, 02:15

He should be alright.

Tazio

25th July 2009, 15:46

Sucked worse than I thought he would!

http://notpop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/fionaapplecriminal.jpg

fionafan

markabilly

25th July 2009, 15:52

Sucked worse than I thought he would!

http://notpop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/fionaapplecriminal.jpg

fionafan
Hummmm.....he? I would vote for she....

anyway, the Taz strikes again..Taz: 1, certainothers: 0

Big improvement over seabass...yep

christophulus

25th July 2009, 16:05

I reckon he could've gone slightly faster had his car not packed in, but 20th was my prediction too. Better luck next time eh?

BDunnell

25th July 2009, 16:07

He's on an absolute hiding to nothing, isn't he? He's not about to suddenly excel, yet no-one will give him a chance if he doesn't.

Dave B

25th July 2009, 16:07

Thus far this weekend he's done a solid and competent job. Not spectacularly fast, but kept himself out of trouble and dealt with the pressures and demands of a Grand Prix weekend like he's been doing it all his life.

So far, so good :up:

Tazio

25th July 2009, 16:09

Hummmm.....he? I would vote for she....

anyway, the Taz strikes again..Taz: 1, certainothers: 0

Big improvement over seabass...yep
Buemi was 1.5 faster in q1
at least for a while!. These youngsters get all worked up over some punk kid
Drink the kool aid come back next week with the same old same old.
I have no respect for T.R.

http://notpop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/fionaapplecriminal.jpg

fionafan

Dave B

25th July 2009, 16:12

Are you going to post that picture in every post now? :s

woody2goody

25th July 2009, 16:51

I think he'll do ok, but I still think he'll come last. Force India and the like were too fast on Friday for them to lose out to the young lad.

However, Alguersuari himself would have had a shot at Q2 if his car didn't fail him.

ioan

25th July 2009, 17:15

http://notpop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/fionaapplecriminal.jpg

fionafan

Could you, please, stop posting this picture over and over again?

leopard

25th July 2009, 17:59

I think it'd be good if he can accomplish the whole race. He might come last, at least if he can cross the line while there are some drivers can't finish the race he will not be the last.

leopard

25th July 2009, 18:01

Could you, please, stop posting this picture over and over again?
I think pino can help to skip the rest but first picture ;)

NickFalzone

25th July 2009, 18:01

He shouldn't have been granted a driving license with little to zero experience driving these cars on these tracks, that's the reality here... I wish him the best of luck, but he shouldn't but racing this weekend, and they should open up the rules to allow testing in these circumstances.

woody2goody

25th July 2009, 18:29

He's obviously proved capable so far, I don't see how he isn't ready to race. He had a car problem in quali, and just because of all the critics, after all, he's younger than me, I'm going to back this kid all the way.

NickFalzone

25th July 2009, 18:32

Woody, I don't agree that the end result simply means that this was the right decision to let him on course in competition. Still the wrong decision, and LUCKILY he has done acceptably.

woody2goody

25th July 2009, 18:46

Woody, I don't agree that the end result simply means that this was the right decision to let him on course in competition. Still the wrong decision, and LUCKILY he has done acceptably.

Oh ok I get your point now.

You're right now I've thought about it. He could have been a complete disaster and that may not have been good come the start tomorrow.

jens

25th July 2009, 19:30

A respectable debut IMO. He may have been last like expected, but had a car failure on his last attempt, didn't make any notable mistakes and was 0,8 slower than Buemi (as I mentioned in my earlier post in this thread, losing by less than 1 sec is definetely acceptable as such). It's not like Jaime is of Yoong-calibre, who was still losing to his team-mate by 2 secs per lap even after a full year of driving.

ClarkFan

25th July 2009, 19:49

The issue with this is mainly to reduce the costs by reducing the amount of engines used during the season. They have already stretched the life of the engines up to three races and according to Mario Thiessen they can not stretch it far longer without having to do major changes to the design (and therefore increasing the costs).I know it's a stretch by itself but, I guess that in the war between safety and costs, money won again..or simply don't let newcomers race again.
The multi-race engine is a different beef I have with the Emperor Maximlian. I would bet that if the numbers were analyzed, teams spent far more developing engines to last that long than were ever spent in tearing down and rebuilding one-race engines. However expensive the bits in a current Grand Prix engine, a rebuild is simply making use of something already designed and developed. Pushing engines to 3x their prior life expectancy requires new (read: expensive) R&D work if a team wants to keep up in the horsepower war.

On that same theme, I also suspect that teams spend far more transporting, feeding and housing their casts of thousands for testing than for parts actually consumed in the tests. Testing at a race site at least cuts that budget to an extra day's accomodations. A cost yes, but teams save the competitive cost of having new development be a complete miss at an actual race venue.

ClarkFan

Tazio

25th July 2009, 21:25

Are you going to post that picture in every post now? :s
No!
That would be lame! :rolleyes:

http://www.morethings.com/music/fiona_apple/fiona_apple883.jpg

fionafan :uhoh: :laugh:

yodasarmpit

26th July 2009, 15:11

Well so far I'm glad to be wrong, he's doing alright for his first race, currently in front of his team mate.

Dave B

26th July 2009, 15:42

Finished in front of Buemi, and did a solid job all weekend. Well done to the chap :up:

BDunnell

26th July 2009, 15:48

Yet again, those who moaned about a driver being too young and inexperienced to race in F1 have been proved entirely wrong.

yodasarmpit

26th July 2009, 15:51

Yet again, those who moaned about a driver being too young and inexperienced to race in F1 have been proved entirely wrong.
Which some of us are pleased to admit.

BDunnell

26th July 2009, 15:54

Which some of us are pleased to admit.

Sorry, I wasn't referring to you! I meant those within the sport.

Rollo

26th July 2009, 15:58

Are you going to post that picture in every post now? :s

He's Officer Barbrady of South Park?

Well, you aint Fiona Apple. And If you aint Fiona Apple, I don't give a rat's ass

woody2goody

26th July 2009, 15:59

He did well.

Kept out of trouble, set some fast and consistent laps, and beat his team-mate.

Good stuff :)

christophulus

26th July 2009, 17:32

Did exactly what was expected of him, brought the slowest car home ahead of his team mate and without incident. Good job for your first race!

jens

26th July 2009, 18:51

Did exactly what was expected of him, brought the slowest car home ahead of his team mate and without incident. Good job for your first race!

Sorry, but STR - especially the new one with updates - isn't the slowest car. Buemi's P11 in quali showed that the car has serious pace. It's simply the case that STR has had by far the worst driver line-up all season, which is partly why the team has been underperforming so notably.

However, the statement above isn't any disrespect to Jaime, because considering his (lack of) experience, he definetely did a solid job.

woody2goody

26th July 2009, 18:55

Sorry, but STR - especially the new one with updates - isn't the slowest car. Buemi's P11 in quali showed that the car has serious pace. It's simply the case that STR has had by far the worst driver line-up all season, which is partly why the team has been underperforming so notably.

However, the statement above isn't any disrespect to Jaime, because considering his (lack of) experience, he definetely did a solid job.

His lap times were good. At one bit he was doing the same laps as the leaders. The updated STR is quick, but now they have two rookies. And Buemi is now team leader less than half way through his first season!

ClarkFan

26th July 2009, 23:50

He did well.

Kept out of trouble, set some fast and consistent laps, and beat his team-mate.

Good stuff :)

So now, Tost will be threatening Buemi's seat. Does Red Bull have an 18-year old in their program who can be the new youngest driver?

Alguersuari did what he needed to do in the circumstances. Kept out of trouble, took care of his car and finished the race. Well done for him!

ClarkFan

Storm

27th July 2009, 08:38

For all the doom-and-gloom predicted by some other drivers I thought it was a very mature display of driving on debut. Well done Jaime.

stevie_gerrard

27th July 2009, 12:09

He did an ok job really, bravo to him, he will soon get used to the car and its surroundings then we will be able to see what he can really do.

Robinho

27th July 2009, 21:00

well he now has a full F1 race distance plus the 100+ pratcie laps he did prior to qually. he didn't bin it, he didn't trash the car, he didn't hit anyone. He beat his teammate, he lapped pretty consistenly and with decent pace - i'd say a pretty impressive debut - i hope he gets the chance to learn and he learns quickly enought to get out of Torro Rosso before they bin him for a younger model!