Formula 1 should be hiring drivers from Indy Racing League

[Rob01]

Half the grid in F1 are pay drivers. If someone from IRL wanted a ride they would just need to buy the seat. It's not that they lack the talent. Just the opportunity. And most would rather stay in a competative series than run in the back and be shown blue flags. Or worse yet. Be replaced every other week by someone with more money.

[BMW_F1]

Montoya was a breath of fresh air when he arrived in F1. I liked him a lot. But he never delivered on that early promise. He was a lot like JV in that regard although at least JV got himself a seat in a competitive car at just the right time. No doubt that had Montoya been in a decent car at the right time he would have challeneged for the title. But...

There was not much any other driver could have done during Ferrari/Shcumacher's dominant years. No doubt he was a top f1 driver during his short stay in the series.. To win in f1 you must have a lot things fall into place all at the same time and that is quite difficult, just look at how long it took Webber/Button to finally be able to drive a WDC winning car (10 years).. - Montoya did not have the patience for that and was not interested in not being able to challenge for wins so he quit..

[kevans]

I think that the newly hired drives are nothing short of the best but they are just competing on the best pool of drivers, who can turn in money. Drivers need not only to be good but they must bring in the funding where they are coming from.

Some would say that they are taking part of the racing component of F1 and plugging in a lot of commercial value but that is just the way it is. If they do not have funding, even though they are good, but I would be doubting why they are not getting any sponsors even with such a good nature you are claiming them to have.

[SiLo]

I would like to see a championship run with all champions from top motorsports competing in the same car. That would be a real hoot to watch.

As for snatching up IRL drivers, I think if F1 teams thought they were good enough, they would do, simple as that.

[Mandrake]

I would like to see a championship run with all champions from top motorsports competing in the same car. That would be a real hoot to watch.

As for snatching up IRL drivers, I think if F1 teams thought they were good enough, they would do, simple as that.

Race of Champions?

[Pierce89]

The irony in all this is that recently ex-f1/gp2 drivers have gone to Indy car and they been very unimpressive.

I can't think of anyone who's come over to F1 and made even a small splash, especially when those drivers that have went from the US to F1 have all failed. The only one of note was Villeneuve, but he wisely didn't spend much time in the US. He stayed, got his title and got out.

The name Andretti ring a bell?

[cossie]

The irony in all this is that recently ex-f1/gp2 drivers have gone to Indy car and they been very unimpressive.

I can't think of anyone who's come over to F1 and made even a small splash, especially when those drivers that have went from the US to F1 have all failed. The only one of note was Villeneuve, but he wisely didn't spend much time in the US. He stayed, got his title and got out.

The name Andretti ring a bell?

You are referring to Mario and not Mikey or the grandson

[xpensive]

Fact of the matter is that most CART/IRL drivers and even champions (Michael Andretti, Zanardi, Scott Speed) coming to F1 have been pathetic failures, while mediocre F1 drivers (de Ferran, Blundell, Wilson) going to CART/IRL become race winners?

F1 champions (Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi) could stay competitive in CART well into their 50s.

[cossie]

It was Mario that was a WDC, Mikey "whindrett" was a big flop. Remember; Zanardi,de Matta, and, Bourdais were not ablr to get the top drives, they got the mid feild to rear of the field drives

[Pierce89]

I believe, that in a good ride, Will Power could absolutely be competitive in F1. He dominates the road or street courses in the Indy Racing League. We could also put naked pictures of Danica on his sidepods.

[xpensive]

It.s such a shame, CART was really on a roll only ten-fifteen years ago, almost challenging F1, until Tony George decided to replace it with a pointless one-make IRL (Dallara-Honda, what the hell is that), filled with faceless drivers without character.

[wesley123]

It.s such a shame, CART was really on a roll only ten-fifteen years ago, almost challenging F1, until Tony George decided to replace it with a pointless one-make IRL (Dallara-Honda, what the hell is that), filled with faceless drivers without character.

I agree with the CART part, it was an incredible formula with an incredible development pace, a lot of the things formula 1 ran later where actually invented there.

Although I disagree about the drivers part, there still is an reasonable amount of older drivers in there, at least that was when I last checked, with drivers like Paul Tracy and Helio Castroneves.

The 'problem' with Indycars is that it is american, it will never set a foot to the ground in Europe, just like F1 does otherwise. Indycar is more of a show, where F1 is more professional, at least the latter wants to look like that

[xpensive]

...
The 'problem' with Indycars is that it is american, it will never set a foot to the ground in Europe, just like F1 does otherwise. Indycar is more of a show, where F1 is more professional, at least the latter wants to look like that

I just checked www.indycar.com, where they presented the Italian built Dallara chassis, which specifications were given in pounds, inches and gallons, so you're right wesley, it's American allright. I don't recall CART was like that, were they?

[Giblet]

It.s such a shame, CART was really on a roll only ten-fifteen years ago, almost challenging F1, until Tony George decided to replace it with a pointless one-make IRL (Dallara-Honda, what the hell is that), filled with faceless drivers without character.

I loved weekends back then. If there was no F1 race there was usually a CART race on, or a double feature some weekends. CART had young guns and old guys like Emmo doing their thing, then guys like Mansel and JV showing up and giving it a thrash. The TV coverage was also top notch, it had the NFL broadcast quality and there was always a lot of work put in to the track side sound, so the sounds were visceral. Also I enjoyed the mix of oval and road, as the oval races were frightening with the tiny front and rear wings, especially at Michegan at 230+,mph. Those were the average lap speeds as well, not top speed.

During all the years I watched CART, drivers like Zanardi could dominate, but never got traction in F1. Tragic about Greg Moore, he was a good Canadian driver who was quite possible F1 bound.

Also, I think Bourdais could still be around as a "Barichello" if it wasn't for being paired with SV. He had some good moments, but his rep as a cryer was not helpful.

[dren]

Some rally drivers I think would do well in F1. There are few drivers out there that have the ability to adapt to the cars they are driving. I think Kyle Busch might shine after a year or two in F1.