21 replies to this topic

[HistoryFan]

Razia is out of contract before his first GP. When happened that in the past?
Inoue at Minardi in 1996, but he had races before.

Eric Helary and Emmanuel Collard at Larrousse in 1995 as the team withdraw
Oliver Gavin at Pacific in 1995 (superlicence)
Jorge Bagration 1976 in Spain
Antonio Bernardo 1976 with Ensign
Ricardo Londono (superlicence)
Katsumi Yamamoto (superlicence)
Akijiko Nakaya (superlicence)
Karl Oppitzhauser (superlicence)

and Glock and Razia with existing contacts out before the first race - that's never happening before I think?

More?

[Sin]

Razia is out of contract before his first GP. When happened that in the past?
Inoue at Minardi in 1996, but he had races before.

Eric Helary and Emmanuel Collard at Larrousse in 1995 as the team withdraw
Oliver Gavin at Pacific in 1995 (superlicence)
Jorge Bagration 1976 in Spain
Antonio Bernardo 1976 with Ensign
Ricardo Londono (superlicence)
Katsumi Yamamoto (superlicence)
Akijiko Nakaya (superlicence)
Karl Oppitzhauser (superlicence)

and Glock and Razia with existing contacts out before the first race - that's never happening before I think?

More?

well in Razias case the terms of the contract weren't fulfilled it seemed, not paid...
with Glock its different... but I guess they agreed on ending it, since Glock probably knows how important money is for Marussia, money he does not have, I dont think it was an easy decision to let him go

Edited by Sin, 02 March 2013 - 11:43.

[Jackmancer]

Verstappen for Frentzen at Arrows I think, while he had a contract. He later sued Arrows succesfully.

[AJFIN]

Mika Salo/Arrows, 1999.

[ensign14]

To clarify one or two of the above, Oliver Gavin qualified for a superlicence as British F3 champion, but there was some paperwork hold-up. That gave the opportunity to Bertrand Gachot (who from most accounts seems to have been one of the more unpleasant characters to have reached Formula 1) to buy his way back in. Ecclestone basically told Gavin he was wasting his time with Pacific and would be better off using his sponsor money elsewhere. Yamamoto was another one who had bought a seat at Pacific, for the preceding GP, but didn't even come close to qualifying for a superlicence.

To complete the Ecclestone tangent, Nakaya's seat purchase was at Bernie's old Brabham, in 1992. Instead they ended up with Giovanna Amati, whose F3000 record had seen her score nearly one point. How she was more qualified than Nakaya is a mystery. I suppose one could say that there was a little world champion inside her. About eight inches' worth.

Oppitzhauser wasn't actually replaced, it was his own March that he entered at Austria 1976. Ditto with Bagration. I think Jean-Louis Lafosse had a one-off entry refused in 1975ish as well.

Ricardo Londono was signed up for Ensign in 1981, just before the Brazilian GP. His superlicence application was rejected, and Marc Surer brought back in. Surer promptly scored Ensign's best-ever result - a 4th and fastest lap.

Larrousse's drivers for 1995 were meant to be Eric Bernard and Christophe Bouchut. They missed the first two races while prepping their car, and then went bust before reaching San Marino.

And perhaps an honourable mention to Masami Kuwashima, who took part in one practice session in Japan 1976 before Hans Binder came up with more funding. You may ask why Binder had gone all the way to Fuji without a drive ready.

[g1n]

Vincenzo Sospiri and Ricardo Rosset for Lola in 1997.

[Jackmancer]

Vincenzo Sospiri and Ricardo Rosset for Lola in 1997.

Good one but actually they did practice and qualify in Australia (and where over 10seconds a lap slower)

[Ross Stonefeld]

No. They entered, practiced, and took part in qualifying for the first race.

[Tufty]

Trulli is the most recent cruel example - he had a seat, he tested the car, then suddenly Petrov flashed the cash.

[HistoryFan]

To clarify one or two of the above, Oliver Gavin qualified for a superlicence as British F3 champion, but there was some paperwork hold-up. That gave the opportunity to Bertrand Gachot (who from most accounts seems to have been one of the more unpleasant characters to have reached Formula 1) to buy his way back in. Ecclestone basically told Gavin he was wasting his time with Pacific and would be better off using his sponsor money elsewhere. Yamamoto was another one who had bought a seat at Pacific, for the preceding GP, but didn't even come close to qualifying for a superlicence.

To complete the Ecclestone tangent, Nakaya's seat purchase was at Bernie's old Brabham, in 1992. Instead they ended up with Giovanna Amati, whose F3000 record had seen her score nearly one point. How she was more qualified than Nakaya is a mystery. I suppose one could say that there was a little world champion inside her. About eight inches' worth.

Oppitzhauser wasn't actually replaced, it was his own March that he entered at Austria 1976. Ditto with Bagration. I think Jean-Louis Lafosse had a one-off entry refused in 1975ish as well.

Ricardo Londono was signed up for Ensign in 1981, just before the Brazilian GP. His superlicence application was rejected, and Marc Surer brought back in. Surer promptly scored Ensign's best-ever result - a 4th and fastest lap.

Larrousse's drivers for 1995 were meant to be Eric Bernard and Christophe Bouchut. They missed the first two races while prepping their car, and then went bust before reaching San Marino.

And perhaps an honourable mention to Masami Kuwashima, who took part in one practice session in Japan 1976 before Hans Binder came up with more funding. You may ask why Binder had gone all the way to Fuji without a drive ready.

Thank you very much! Very interesting. Would like to collect more such examples.

[Rob G]

I believe Mauro Baldi had a contract with Brabham in 1987, but he was replaced by de Cesaris before the first race.

[Baddoer]

I think two blokes at Andrea Moda back in '92 got ditched even before they had car ready to race.

[Shadaza]

Jose Maria Lopez was signed by USF1 before the collapse of the team.

[Jackmancer]

Contrary, Albers drove for three teams, which where all sold in the year he drove for them
2005, Minardi, 2006 Midland, 2007, Spyker.

[ensign14]

I think two blokes at Andrea Moda back in '92 got ditched even before they had car ready to race.

Caffi and Bertaggia. They both drove for other teams, and DNQ'd for the first couple of races in a re-badged Coloni. Bertaggia never qualified for a Grand Prix. He nearly got a one-off for Arrows in 1990 that may have seen him make the grid. Bertaggia wanted to buy his way back into Andrea Moda after McCarthy replaced him but Bernie nixed it. Which was why Sassetti never bothered doing anything like run McCarthy in the car.

On similar lines, Mike Thackwell was the named driver for the Black Swan RAM team in 1986, and John Watson was the nominated second Toleman driver for 1985.

Another one: Kris Nissen was signed up for Zakspeed for 1989 but was badly burnt in a sportscar crash. Indeed he nearly had a one-off for them the previous year when Rothengatter's payment was late.

For more on similar near-misses, see this thread.

[SpaceHorseParty]

Jose Maria Lopez was signed by USF1 before the collapse of the team.

James Rossiter too, only it was announced after the team withdrew.

[jcbc3]

... little world champion inside her. About eight inches' worth.
...

what WC would that be?

[ensign14]

Lauda. And, incidentally, Flavio.

By one of those odd coincidences she tested a Benetton to qualify for the superlicence she patently did not deserve.

[jee]

Robert Kubica 2011

[Myrvold]

Lauda. And, incidentally, Flavio.

By one of those odd coincidences she tested a Benetton to qualify for the superlicence she patently did not deserve.

8 Inches though...-

[jcbc3]

Lauda. And, incidentally, Flavio.

By one of those odd coincidences she tested a Benetton to qualify for the superlicence she patently did not deserve.

ahh, yes. heard that one before now you say.

[Ross Stonefeld]

To complete the Ecclestone tangent, Nakaya's seat purchase was at Bernie's old Brabham, in 1992. Instead they ended up with Giovanna Amati, whose F3000 record had seen her score nearly one point. How she was more qualified than Nakaya is a mystery. I suppose one could say that there was a little world champion inside her. About eight inches' worth.

I think you're slightly confused. When someone is described as being a big dick...