25 replies to this topic

[THE "driverider"]

http://www.racer.com...article/160540/

With this rumour flying about, I wondered what the opinions was on James Rossiter.

[potmotr]

What's he been doing recently?

What's his highest achievment?

When did he last actually race regularly?

And where is his money coming from?

[Clatter]

Nothing in his career really makes him stand out as an F1 must have.

[potmotr]

Hmmm, 3rd in British Formula 3 as long ago as 2004, 7th in Euro F3 the next year, 17th in World Series by Renault. So his most recent full time racing experience was back in 2005 or 2006.

Has had three sportscar starts for Acura back in 2008.

http://www.jamesross...com/career.html

Has also tested F1 for Honda and Super Aguri between 2005 and 2008.

Last drove an F1 car in January 2008, a Super Aguri at Jerez.

Has accumulated a total of 46 test days and 16,000 kms in F1 machinery so he'll know the cars well.

http://forix.autospo...&...3082500&c=0

His webpage hasn't been added to in two years by the looks of things.

Still, it tells us that handsome young James has 'media cool', 'TV friendly' and a 'sporting celebrity'.



http://www.jamesross...om/profile.html

The news section is a bare though.

And someone stopped adding to his Wikipedia page a long time ago so it's hard to see quite where he's at and where all this attention has come from.

http://en.wikipedia..../James_Rossiter

Still, good luck to him. Be good to have another Brti in F1.

Edited by potmotr, 04 January 2010 - 23:44.

[piercey]

The thing is when he raced at AGR for the ALMS, he did alright. Finished in the points in all 3 of his races and won overall at Detroit with Montagny. He got replaced by Kanaan for the last two races of the season (Indy didn't interfere schedule wise and he brought over sponsors) and hasn't been heard of since. To my knowledge, he hasn't even been in a lower series. Lopez, while an interesting choice, has at least had recent success in touring cars and brings over a major sponsor with Visa. This makes no sense at all.

[BMW_F1]

paid drivers have returned to formula 1..actually we've always had a few. Remember Albers, nakajima, ... Was monteiro a paid driver?

[Peat]

Well, i wouldn't have classed him as a pay driver. Can't think who's backing him tbh.

USF1 could do alot worse than him, he's a safe pair of hands whose speed isn't reflected in his junior results imho.

Good Luck to him. Lets just hope there actually is a car to drive come March....

[potmotr]

I'm sure Rossiter could do an acceptable job.

But the Honda junior driver programme has been quite a dead end, even before the team folded.

Davidson, van der Meuwe, Conway, Rossiter.. the list seems endless.

[billm99uk]

I'm sure Rossiter could do an acceptable job.

You could find 20-30 people who clearly deserve a drive more than Rossiter without breaking a sweat, though. I'm not gonna support a guy when he hasn't done anything to justify a seat just because he's a Brit.

[johnap]

I'm surprised we've not seen him pop up in sportscars yet

[potmotr]

I'm surprised we've not seen him pop up in sportscars yet

He did three races for Acura in 2008.

[ezequiel]

There are several similitudes between López and Rossiter: good F1 testing experience, both were "junior" driver (for Renault and Honda), both have some experience outside the F1 feeder series (tc2000, tc, trv6 and GT López; ALMS Rossiter), both of them have been out of the F1 market for a while, they are not post-teenagers but still not veterans in terms of age (I think both were born in 1983)... I see some sort of "patern" in the (possible) choice of them from USF1.

[THE "driverider"]

I still would have tried to sign Graham Rahal if I was in charge at USF1.

[jeze]

I still would have tried to sign Graham Rahal if I was in charge at USF1.

Sorry buddy, but dead men can't drive

[piercey]

Sorry buddy, but dead men can't drive

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Graham_Rahal

He is far from dead. Far from it.

[THE "driverider"]

Sorry buddy, but dead men can't drive

You've lost me there mate?

Edited by THE "driverider", 07 January 2010 - 07:52.

[robracer]

Sorry buddy, but dead men can't drive

When did Graham Rahal die? I hope this isn't true.

[jeze]

When did Graham Rahal die? I hope this isn't true.

Oh, gosh, I was tired, I thought you meant Graham Hill Besides, that would be pure USF1 logic

Edited by jeze, 07 January 2010 - 11:33.

[robracer]

Oh, gosh, I was tired, I thought you meant Graham Hill Besides, that would be pure USF1 logic

Why would you think they said Graham Hill, even if he was still alive he would be too old.

[THE "driverider"]

I would even recomend Damon Hill

Edited by THE "driverider", 07 January 2010 - 13:07.

[Ringo]

Loving the fact that on Rossiter's PR blurb, being a racing driver is only his 13th most important asset.

[TheF1PERSON]

I reckon their going for Rossiter because he races in the American Le Mans Series, which gives him the US connection.

That and the money of course.

If they do go for Rossiter, they have to give him number 22, being a brit and all.

[rmac923]

I still would have tried to sign Graham Rahal if I was in charge at USF1.

Out of all the Indycar drivers, Rahal is potentially the only American who could compete competitively in F1 (better road racer than oval racer). IIRC, he was USF1's first choice when the team was announced. He has a famous name, McDonald's Sponsorship (how stereotypical ), only 21 and wants to be an F1 driver at some point. Sadly he didn't come close to qualifying for a Super-License.

[ApexTomi]

I would love to see "Rossi" (as he's called) racing in F1! I had an opportunity to chat with him for one hour back in march 2007, what a nice guy. Having López and Rossiter as teammates the team would have a solid driver line-up for their debut season.

[noikeee]

This would be a funny line-up, if it happens. Did Rossiter found an oil fountain under his house or something?

[piercey]

Out of all the Indycar drivers, Rahal is potentially the only American who could compete competitively in F1 (better road racer than oval racer). IIRC, he was USF1's first choice when the team was announced. He has a famous name, McDonald's Sponsorship (how stereotypical ), only 21 and wants to be an F1 driver at some point. Sadly he didn't come close to qualifying for a Super-License.

Say all you want about the McDonald's bit, they are a very supportive company when it comes to sports they sponsor. That would have been huge for USF1. I think he'll race in F1 someday, the question is does he beat Rossi to F1?