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drivers you always liked but they never really got a chance


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#1 Madras

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 09:54

Nicola Larini
Bertrand Gachot
JJ Lehto

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#2 Chubby_Deuce

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 09:56

In this order:

Ross Stonefeld
Madras
Tom Coronel

#3 Madras

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 09:58

Thanks Chubby. :)

#4 Chubby_Deuce

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 09:59

Good old Tom almost got his chance with Minardi too. :

#5 santori

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 10:08

Gonzalo Rodriguez.

Yannick Dalmas was in F1 before I was watching, but him too, retrospectively.

#6 D.M.N.

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 10:19

Originally posted by Madras
Bertrand Gachot


Problem there is that he destroyed his own chance... spraying CS gas in London wasn't it? Of course, he was dropped and replaced by a certain someone, and the rest is history....

#7 jcbc3

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 10:30

Me

#8 Slyder

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 10:58

Townsend Bell

I think he unfortunately rushed things a bit. Should've done another yeard of F3000 and demolish the opposition.

I personally thought he was more talented than Scott Speed.

#9 jarmokap

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 11:18

Taru Rinne. Driver better than Mika Häkkinen.

http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Taru_Rinne

#10 Madras

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 11:19

Originally posted by jarmokap
Taru Rinne. Driver better than Mika Häkkinen.

http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Taru_Rinne


Mika Salo beat her...

#11 wingwalker

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 11:34

Ant Davidson. Let's say he was given half a chance.

#12 Atreiu

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 12:41

Gil de Ferran never got a proper F1 test, did he?

#13 KWSN - DSM

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 12:50

Tom Kristensen
Jorg Mueller
Vincenzo Sospiri (Lola does not count as a chance)
John Nielsen
Ricard Rydell

:cool:

#14 wj_gibson

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 13:07

Originally posted by santori
Gonzalo Rodriguez.


:cry:

A terrible waste.

I always thought Pierluigi Martini and David Brabham could both have gone places in decent cars.

#15 Bruce

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 13:14

Jacques Villeneuve (the brother of Gilles, not the son) - though it must be said, he had a hand in ensuring he never got a fair shake in F1...

#16 potmotr

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 13:32

Scott Dixon. A criminal waste of his talent.

#17 rolf123

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 13:38

Frentzen. What a dog of a Williams car, such an unlucky move at the wrong time.

#18 potmotr

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 13:49

Originally posted by rolf123
Frentzen. What a dog of a Williams car, such an unlucky move at the wrong time.


Hang on, Frentzen was team mates with Jacques Villeneuve in 1997, when Villeneuve won the title.

Hardly a dog of a car!

#19 Wouter

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 13:56

Originally posted by wj_gibson


:cry:

A terrible waste.

I always thought Pierluigi Martini and David Brabham could both have gone places in decent cars.

Martini arguably did go places in the minardi, at times. I remember front row at least at one race in 1989-1990. And a number of 4th place finishes, Minardi had quite decent cars at times.

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#20 stevewf1

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 13:56

Montoya

#21 ensign14

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 13:57

Geoff Lees
Andy Wallace
Martin O'Connell
Marc Surer
Piercarlo Ghinzani
Jorg Muller
Jamie Green
Erik Comas

#22 potmotr

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 13:59

Originally posted by stevewf1
Montoya


I'm sorry, but Montoya had an excellent chance.

He raced for two topline teams, Williams and McLaren.

I loved Juan-Pablo's combative nature and style on track but he was master of his own destruction.

#23 stevewf1

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 14:07

Originally posted by potmotr
I'm sorry, but Montoya had an excellent chance.

He raced for two topline teams, Williams and McLaren.

I loved Juan-Pablo's combative nature and style on track but he was master of his own destruction.


He raced for two "stuffed shirt" teams (especially McLaren - BTW how did Kimi do there?)... Montoya's personality, style, and raw speed were never going to sit well with those two teams.

Wonder what he could do with a red Bull this year?

#24 potmotr

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 14:28

Originally posted by stevewf1


He raced for two "stuffed shirt" teams (especially McLaren - BTW how did Kimi do there?)... Montoya's personality, style, and raw speed were never going to sit well with those two teams.


Following that logic it would have been impossible for Montoya to ever have succeeded in Formula One.

When he entered the sport the only other team near the front was Ferrari which was all locked up with Schumacher at the helm.

Montoya needed to adapt to his surroundings better, he had two great shots at F1, far better opportunities than many got. Pains me to say.

#25 Mark Bennett

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 14:51

Mike Thackwell

#26 potmotr

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 14:55

Originally posted by Mark Bennett
Mike Thackwell


Agreed!

#27 Zarathustra

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 15:00

Alex Wurz

#28 stevewf1

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 15:04

Originally posted by potmotr
Following that logic it would have been impossible for Montoya to ever have succeeded in Formula One.


Sadly true, given the state of F1. Montoya had an audacious personality (and talent) that just didn't fit in to today's F1's corporate style...

#29 WillG

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 15:29

I say Gary Brabham. Shame that he got stuck in the horrible horrible Life deal, but Bruno Giacomelli didn't do any better in that car either.

#30 qwazy

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 16:43

I agree about Scott Dixon, completely.

I know Alex Premat didn't impress much, but was essentially the benchmark for Nico Rosberg and Lewis at ART. He's just one of those names you saw a lot but it never materialized. Heck, I don't even know what he's doing these days.

I think Tonio Liuzzi has been wasted, along with Adam Carroll and Mike Conway.

I don't know much about Greg Moore or his experiences (if any) with F1. If someone could shed some light there, that'd be greatly appreciated.

Richard Antinucci, Phil Giebler are two names that come to mind as well.

#31 Darth Sidious

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 17:20

Dario Franchitti - If any of his crew read this, great first corner at the last race. Good luck for this season
Jan Magnussen - So much potential, could've been a giant. wtf happened at StewartGP?
Greg Moore - Gone but not forgotten.
Jamie Green - Is there still time?

#32 Direct Drive

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 17:36

Gordon Smiley

The last American to win an FIA sanctioned F1 event, the Aurora AFX series finale in 1979, wet/dry Silverstone. Spectacularly smart and brave race, also the final win for Surtees. He always said he was at his best in 1972 racing US FB in a factory Merlyn. At one time in 1974 he led all 3 British FF championships in the factory Merlyn Mk 25: STP/Wella/BOC.



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#33 ensign14

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 19:30

Magnussen didn't have the brains for F1. Antinucci...only wins when anyone who's any good in a formula moves to the next one.

#34 Coral

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 19:42

Allan McNish. 20 years ago he was tipped to be the next British World Champion, but it never really happened for him. :

#35 jeze

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 19:53

In terms of F1, Ryan Briscoe!

#36 PNSD

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 20:21

Originally posted by jeze
In terms of F1, Ryan Briscoe!


His crash ended it for him! Sadly he seemed pretty quick and at the time deffo one to watch!

Mcnish got his chance too late for F1, then again in sportscars he is the benchmark and imo could go down as the greatest endurance/sportscar racer there is and was!

#37 Scotracer

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 20:33

Originally posted by Coral
Allan McNish. 20 years ago he was tipped to be the next British World Champion, but it never really happened for him. :


He's proved himself to be (along with Kristenson) the king of LMP.

#38 GerardF1

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 20:57

Originally posted by stevewf1


Wonder what he could do with a red Bull this year?


Drink it

#39 BullHead

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 21:01

Justin Wilson. Really nice bloke :)

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#40 BullHead

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 21:02

And Ralph Firman

#41 GerardF1

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 21:03

Bobby Rahal
Alex Zanardi
CastroNeves
The Stig !

#42 Paolo

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 21:10

Giorgio Pantano (THAT Jordan doesn't count)
Pierluigi Martini
Mike Thackwell
Tom Kristensen


And Karters

Danilo Rossi
Mike Wilson
Terry Fullerton

#43 travbrad

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 21:20

Originally posted by stevewf1


He raced for two "stuffed shirt" teams (especially McLaren - BTW how did Kimi do there?)... Montoya's personality, style, and raw speed were never going to sit well with those two teams.

Wonder what he could do with a red Bull this year?


Not fit in the car? and get thrashed by Vettel/Webber? That's my guess. I loved his aggressive style, but I really don't think he'd stand a chance, especially after being out of F1 for so long, and getting "old". Even at his peak I'm not convinced he would be match for Webber or Vettel.

Kimi almost won the title twice driving for McLaren btw, and I think a lot of people would now rank Vettel above Kimi.

#44 krapmeister

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 21:48

Anthony Davidson
Scott Dixon
Justin Wilson
James Courtney
Ryan Briscoe

#45 markpde

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 21:58

ensign14 listed Geoff Lees. I would add two of his old Japanese adversaries - Kazuyoshi Hoshino and Masahiro Hasemi - arguably the two greatest Japanese drivers never to get a proper chance if F1. Always got the impression that Hoshino in particular was the real deal - a formidable racer.

If Jean-Pierre Jarier had ever been in the right team at the right time in F1 (which he never was), I figure he could have done the business.

Also Siegfried Stohr, if only because his F1 career foundered as a result of unfortunate and upsetting circumstances.

#46 RSNS

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 22:09

Jo Siffert. As soon as he got a chance in F1 he was killed by a suspension breakage. In F1 he was no match for Stewart, but he was very fast and brave.

#47 ensign14

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 22:10

ISTR there was a rumour that Lotus came close to picking Hoshino rather than Nakajima as their token Honda-pleasing Japanese driver, but went against him because of his age. I can't help thinking that that was a mistake.

#48 wewantourdarbyback

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 22:28

Originally posted by BullHead
Justin Wilson. Really nice bloke :)

:up:

#49 Madras

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 22:46

Originally posted by markpde


Also Siegfried Stohr, if only because his F1 career foundered as a result of unfortunate and upsetting circumstances.


Just watched the incident on Youtube. Nasty :(

#50 potmotr

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Posted 11 April 2009 - 22:51

Originally posted by ensign14
Magnussen didn't have the brains for F1.


He was a total enigma.

There was a great read about his time in F1 somewhere.

Ron Dennis talking about realising Magnussen would never make it in F1 because he couldn't even pack a suitcase. Would arrive at the airport with this massive case stuffed with everything he had in his wardrobe because he couldn't decide what to take.

What's amazing is that Sir Jackie Stewart preaches the virtues of strong 'mind management' in drivers, yet went for a young guy in Magnussen who had next to none!