Just a query on Martin Brundle. Was he forced into retirement? Or was he unable to find a race seat for 1997?
regards,
doohanOK.
Was Martin Brundle forced into retirement?
Started by
doohanOK
, Dec 09 2000 01:49
10 replies to this topic
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#2
Nathan
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Posted 09 December 2000 - 02:00
I beleive he was offered seats, if Im not mistaken Sauber or something along that nature had an interest, Arrows too I believe. But cant quite remember. At anyrate nothing that he felt was a good package or "competitive" so he left.
#3
Nathan
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Posted 09 December 2000 - 02:03
Here yeah go Doohan.
Sunday July 6, 1997
Martin Brundle may return to Formula One with the Sauber team. Team boss Peter Sauber was not too pleased about the results of the new driver Norberto Fontana. He may be replaced by Martin Brundle, who already said when the Prost seat got vacant that he would like to drive Formula One again.
The name of Gerhard Berger is also mentioned. Sauber would love to sign him for next season but it would be even better if he could make the switch now.
Sunday July 6, 1997
Martin Brundle may return to Formula One with the Sauber team. Team boss Peter Sauber was not too pleased about the results of the new driver Norberto Fontana. He may be replaced by Martin Brundle, who already said when the Prost seat got vacant that he would like to drive Formula One again.
The name of Gerhard Berger is also mentioned. Sauber would love to sign him for next season but it would be even better if he could make the switch now.
#4
Richard Jenkins
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Posted 09 December 2000 - 12:26
It was a bit of both really.
On one hand, he was increasingly frustrated by either a unreliable competitive car or a reliable uncompetitive one. After some 150 races, plodding around in a Sauber, Tyrell or Arrows, for example, was not great motivation. Also, one by one, all his comtemparies left, which is always significant to someone of a certain age.
Add to this his expanding garage business & the extra work needed from him after the death of his father John, the year previously, plus the crucial stage in fatherhood when his children reached important school ages, therefore made a career out of the cockpit more likely.
On the other hand, despite not being at his best in 1996, he probably felt his performances deserved something better & I know he was extremly disappointed not to be offered something better than the above named cars. Competitiveness meant a lot to him & if it was going to come via sportscars, than so be it.
I think he went into commentating slightly begrudginly, but his success since has probably confirmed he made the right decision, although, I know, as I know him, that he would've liked to have done the 1997 season & maybe even 1998.
On one hand, he was increasingly frustrated by either a unreliable competitive car or a reliable uncompetitive one. After some 150 races, plodding around in a Sauber, Tyrell or Arrows, for example, was not great motivation. Also, one by one, all his comtemparies left, which is always significant to someone of a certain age.
Add to this his expanding garage business & the extra work needed from him after the death of his father John, the year previously, plus the crucial stage in fatherhood when his children reached important school ages, therefore made a career out of the cockpit more likely.
On the other hand, despite not being at his best in 1996, he probably felt his performances deserved something better & I know he was extremly disappointed not to be offered something better than the above named cars. Competitiveness meant a lot to him & if it was going to come via sportscars, than so be it.
I think he went into commentating slightly begrudginly, but his success since has probably confirmed he made the right decision, although, I know, as I know him, that he would've liked to have done the 1997 season & maybe even 1998.
#5
Dudley
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Posted 09 December 2000 - 12:32
until this day he has a stipualtion in his ITV contract saying he can leave without notice for an F1 drive.
#6
DangerMouse
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Posted 10 December 2000 - 00:13
Brundle decided that unless he can get a competative drive he weasn't bothered anymore.
#7
Ali_G
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Posted 10 December 2000 - 00:16
Brundle seems to be laying off the driving lately all the same. Last year he drove for Toyota at LeMans but didn't get any drive last year. I was sort of hoping that he would be included in Toyota's plans for F1. Sadly they didn't have that in mind.
Niall
Niall
#8
BuzzingHornet
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Posted 10 December 2000 - 04:09
No, it wasn't like that at all I heard. He had no offers on the table... the rumour was that it was because Bernie loved the idea of MB being a commentator, he even spoke out on how he 'hoped' this would come to be...
#9
andy_bee
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Posted 11 December 2000 - 12:50
MB is back driving the two-seater McLaren after almost a years layoff (see ITVF1)
#10
pRy
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Posted 11 December 2000 - 13:23
Brundle did the smart thing and realised he wasnt going to make it. Its also a brave thing to do.
#11
hyper!! james
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Posted 11 December 2000 - 23:11
He was offered the Prost drive to replace the injured Panis mid-season 1997.
But he decided that he wasn't ready to go back to the cockpit at such short notice, and knowing that the post wasn't permanant, he stayed in the commentary box.
He's good at his current job, and he knows that he'll never get an offer from a top team. Why waste more time with crap teams, that'll never turn around?
But he decided that he wasn't ready to go back to the cockpit at such short notice, and knowing that the post wasn't permanant, he stayed in the commentary box.
He's good at his current job, and he knows that he'll never get an offer from a top team. Why waste more time with crap teams, that'll never turn around?
