First, sorry to keep you all waiting for comment. I hope you understand there are different time-zones.
Since there are so many questions from so many people, I’ll try to answer them all one by one. If still someone is not satisfied, well, then there are also people who believe that the earth is flat. Your belief’s are your own.
Lantern: Do you have any real quotes on this? What were you sources? Or is this just one big opinion? If not then I would really like to see some of these things for myself because I am not about to stand for something like racism.
It would change my opinion on quite a few people. Greg L: @vi, before you accuse people like Alesi, Bira, and Pascal of racism, you better have some damn good proof or you are WAY WAY off base. I despise racism, but I despise unfounded claims of racism even more. The questions seem similar. First, I didn’t say that Bira, Pascal etc are involved in motorsports racism. Yes, I DID say that I would be surprised if this article was not removed, I DID egg them on, but that was because I read a taliban type

statement by Bira. You know, that stuff people forget to read before posting “first”. And the happenings concerning “Our Logs”™ I don’t think there are many forums out there who would tolerate any such discussion. Certainly no author would like to touch the subject. Admins etc. of Atlasf1, thank you for your tolerance. The intention was to egg you on, true, and if anyone is offended, I register my sincere apologies.
Secondly, I stand by my comments. Also the Alesi statement. I am not sure I can name names just yet, but trust me, Jean Alesi DID make that comment after reading that article. Does he have to stoop so low to settle scores? Pascal, why not ask Alesi to do an encore? I am sure he’ll oblige.
Ross Eh? Narain was at PSR on the backing of Ford India. The second PSR driver is traditionally screwed, at all levels, including F1. Narain wasnt 'special' Moraes:
Holla!
Isn't Alesi married to a japanese model named Kumiko? I'm sure her skin is not exactly white. I'm sorry but I find ……….Always the second stewart/PSR driver is treated, let's say, unfairly. I won't discount a racial cause for picking Thomas as their first driver though. But maybe other things came into play when the team decided who their "favorite" was going to be, like Thomas being the son of a former world champion with a well known surname……etc. etc.ChessNH @Vi,
Insert foot in mouth, what you say is not anything against a race, color or creed but life in general. I don't even want to get on this subject, but is it race that keeps me out of the NBA, no it's talent.
Narain is a good driver, but only 22 people in the world make it into F1 every year. Narain should be happy he's working his way there and getting a test drive. I hate it when people of a different color don't get what they want and pull out the race card. I'm not saying it dose not exist, but it exists on all levels in racing and corporate business.
Deal with it, because you don't have a choice Schummy:
I think Narain was(is?) a very good F3 driver in UK but I don't think he was particularly stunning. Surely he was still in development and great things are yet to come for him. I remember….I am a white skin(sic) myself. I don’t like the idea of taking up hypothetical causes to try score some points to satisfy my ego. Lastly, I am not a great desperate fan who wants Narain in F1 or on moon. I have never been Narain’s fan, probably never will be. I put this post forward because, as I have said, I have had access to information most people out there don’t have. I also strongly take objection to ChessNH’s comment that Narain is playing “cards”. He didn’t. He hinted, yes, and I know Narain is the last person to say such thing. He’d rather suffer in silence, as he has all through his career. If he actually commented, his career would be doomed. Which team owner would want a driver who’d level such politically sensational charges?
There are also quite a few talent spotters in the forum. I am surprised by Ross’s statement, for whom I have greater respect for his experience in racing. How much, what shall I say, “adjustments” to the car does it take to make a “fast” driver a “slow” one. Ross you should know. If Narain has not been as explosive as I know he his, then the reason lies with team bosses who always found an ego to massage by keeping Narain slow. Carlin is a glorious exception. But that is only because Narain raced for the team when they weren’t the best, and clearly impressed Mugen & Carlin with his talent.
Schummy, I dare say I have fair understanding of what happened back doors a few years ago. It’s not conspiracy theory, and frankly I am glad that the tobacco czars have lost the interest in promoting “motorsports”. It’s a long story.
And Moraes, don’t be offended, but how the hell does a marriage prove it? If I have, say, a black wife(sic), does it mean I can not make racist comments and act in improper ways. Do I become a saint? Some people have ebony fetish and some have asian. May sound gross to some. Lets not drag the sexual orientations of Alesi or any other person into this as this will be even harder to prove! This is just irrelevant to what is being discussed.
Pascal: @vi,
To say that I am surprised by the content of your post would be an understatement, to say the least. But why do you think I would have a problem with your opinion? Daring me to ban you simply shows me that you don't know much about the way this Bulletin Board works... I have answered that, hopefully
Nevertheless, I have several questions regarding some of the points you wrote about:
- When and where did Jean Alesi say that Narain Karthikeyan would "never race in Formula 1"?
- What makes you believe that the same Alesi dreams about a French National Team? Last I checked, Ferrari is not French...
- And finally, what makes you believe that the specific example you are giving (without giving all your sources) is a sure sign of racism in general in the microcosm of F1?
I'm not saying that Karthikeyan didn't get unfairly treated, but has it occured to you that in nowaday's Motorsports, talent was not enough to reach the top? And this has nothing to do with skin colour………Jean Alesi said that soon after the article got published. Where, I don’t know. I don’t have access to spy cams.
National French Team etc. Pascal, you may also ignore that for some hours a day there is a sun over head(well at least here), that the name of this planet is Earth and it wouldn’t make any difference. Are you sure you are being truthful to yourself. Or is it just ignorance? I find it hard to believe. Spend some time on itv-f1 and planet-f1 searching for Alesi comments and you’ll know. Sweet innocence. Or just ugly feigned ignorance.
Oxymoron. Read your post again. I
KNOW talent is not the only thing to reach the top, else quite a few people from this forum too would be racing. Yes, there are only 22 seats(24 soon), and as I said, it doesn’t bother me one bit whether Narain makes it or not. What cannot be disputed, is that his skin color and race did work against him throughout his career. The Stewart experience of last year and the Alesi comment, as I have said before and most people have conveniently ignored, is just tip of the iceberg.
mono-posto:
You make your own success.
I will repeat...
YOU MAKE YOUR OWN SUCCESS!!!
Sometimes it seams you have more obstacles in front of you then someone else, and on the surface that may seem unfair. But at the end of the day we call life, the only person repsonsible for your success or failures is YOU.
Everything else is just excuses.
As wrong as it is in our society, yes a 'man of color' has more obstacles then it seams others have. But if you think you can't succede then just as Colin Powell, Tiger Woods, Martin Luther King what………..Who can argue your comments. That, you see, was not a question. When did I say that Narain should be given it on platter just because he’s dark complexioned? But shouldn’t one be allowed an equal opportunity to at least prove one’s talent, discounting the obvious hurdles that one like Narain has had to surmount in his career.
I think I’ll check up once more after 10 hours or so and comment. But that would be it. My purpose was to open the eyes to this aspect of racing, which is neither sports nor business. I’ll repeat, Narain is just an example, and I couldn’t care less for all he makes the grade or not. Surely there have been greater drivers who never even reached this level just because of lack of finances. I don’t argue that. But as much as that I cannot argue that race and skin color have been the dominant factor in Narain’s career. Pure racial prejudice. Interpret and accept/reject to your heart’s content. Finally, some humour…
boston killer:
Ahem,
Let mass murderer say a few things here, alright?
Call me blind or call me blind but I sense some angry Atlas BB regular using second(third,fourth,fifth?) identity.
Who are you @vi?All I can say is, check “Our Logs”™. ROTFL. Seriously, if it matters, I have been following the tech forum for almost a year and enjoying Ali’s jokes, got registered about 4 months ago, didn’t post, ever, and have followed the reader’s comments for the past few days. Check “Our Logs”™. Check my unique IP. All my IP are belong to you, eh, whatever……