14 replies to this topic

[WonderWoman61]

A variant of this thread - https://forums.autos...team-withdraws/

Referring to instances where drivers made their debut later than intended and with a different team altogether because the team they were going to drive for withdrew.

Jean-Marc Gounon was going to debut with March in 1993 but they folded and he ended up debuting with Minardi in place of Christian Fittipaldi for the final two races.

[Collombin]

Would Jim Clark and Aston Martin fit?

[AJCee]

Emanuele Pirro?

[Rob G]

Emanuele Pirro?

 

Yes, with the proposed Middlebridge Benetton. In looking it up, I learned that Aguri Suzuki was supposed to drive a second car for the team at the last two races of the season, so he too can be added to this list.

[WonderWoman61]

I believe Sebastien Bourdais was looking increasingly likely to drive for Arrows in 2003 until they went bust.

[WonderWoman61]

The late Justin Wilson was Minardi's original choice to replace the struggling Alex Yoong in 2002 but he couldn't fit into the PS02 properly because of his height. The 2003 Minardi was designed with his height in mind.

[HistoryFan]

Allan McNish tested many cars in the mid 90s and it was not before 2002 when he first raced in Formula 1.

 

De La Rosa also was in talks with Bravo 1993, but raced first in 1999 with Arrows.

 

And wasn't Ralph Firman also in the line for a seat in the mid 90s?

[Zippel]

Nick Heidfeld replacing Damon Hill mid 1999 in the Jordan but McLaren wanted better terms. Guarantees of a seat, etc.

 

Mark Webber with Minardi in 2001 alongside Alonso but turned it down in favour of Benetton test contract. Big question marks over a car built in 6 weeks and barely had enough parts for Marques.

 

Montoya for Williams 1999 but Frank felt the line up would be too inexperienced, so swapped drivers with Chip Ganassi...

Edited by Zippel, 12 September 2023 - 02:09.

[HistoryFan]

Roland Ratzenberger was in talks with Jordan for 1991.

Nick Heidfeld 2000 at Jordan and 1999 with Minardi

[bsc]

Had Benetton not been able to extract Schumacher from Jordan in time; Alex Zanardi would have driven the second Benetton at Monza in '91.

[WonderWoman61]

Of course, there are plenty of other circumstances in which drivers made their F1 debut later than intended so feel free to branch out as long as you know any examples, super licence issues for example like Alessandro Nannini with Minardi in 1985.

[WonderWoman61]

Emanuele Pirro?

I think he was also in the frame for a Brabham seat at one point (1985 or 86 something like that)

[WonderWoman61]

Roberto Moreno, DNQ'ed in a one-off outing with Lotus in 1982, ended up not making his debut until 1987 when AGS hired him for the last two races in place of Pascal Fabre.

[HistoryFan]

very nice example.

[WonderWoman61]

Mike Parkes is an interesting case. He entered a Formula 2-specification Fry in the 1959 British Grand Prix but failed to qualify. He made non-championship appearances in 1959 and 1962 but didn't make his World Championship debut until 1966