1163 replies to this topic

[Sterzo]

The confusion here is that Colin Bennet is an engineer and team owner, as opposed to a racing driver. So if he signed for a team, it wasn't as a driver.

[Macca]

Was Dan Gurney meant to drive the Derrington-Francis-ATS at some point? He tested it but crashed it, damaging the team's only chassis enough to prevent it from making any further appearances in 1964.

I believe it was Bob Bondurant who crashed the ATS, taking the Curva Grande flat in testing when a half-shaft broke.

Gurney may have been at Monza that day, as Ford were testing GT40s which is why BB was there; but DSG was in the middle year of his time with Brabham so it would have made no sense for him to drive the ATS.

Paul M

[aportinga]

Did Alboreto choose to go to Tyrrell in 1989, or did Frank Williams finally rather Patrese stay at Williams ?
Because I have heard that Michele should have gone to Williams in 1989, but I never known why he did not.

Thanks

 

Yeah this.

 

Who would have gone to Tyrrell instead of Williams???

[Henri Greuter]

Yeah this.

 

Who would have gone to Tyrrell instead of Williams???

 

 

Maybe the commitment to `smoke brands` was a factor in this?

[WonderWoman61]

The confusion here is that Colin Bennet is an engineer and team owner, as opposed to a racing driver. So if he signed for a team, it wasn't as a driver.

Curse my penchant for taking things literally! It's in my nature unfortunately because I am on the Autism Spectrum.
Also, curse the questionable accuracy of translating Portuguese to English online, the bit about Fabrizio Giovanardi was true though but only with regards to testing the Life because it said so in an Autosport article from 1989.

Edited by WonderWoman61, 08 March 2024 - 23:34.

[WonderWoman61]

The fact that you say "both drivers" means you don't get it.  Only one of them is actually a driver.
 
However, I have a question for you, History Fan:  Are you also WonderWoman61?

Not the case.

[ensign14]

Heinz-Harald Frentzen claims Frank Williams offered him the Senna replacement role, at Monaco 1994.

 

Also that he managed to bork his own chances of joining McLaren for 1995...

[shawnybantzy]

For some kinda-F1-related "almost moves" : after Michele Alboreto was left in the lurch following his ditching from Ferrari in 1988, he was offered a drive with Sauber's WSC programme for the following year, but he opted to turn it down and instead embarked on his short-lived return with Tyrrell...
https://www.statsf1....88/espagne.aspx

Also, Canadian sportscar regular and racing school operator Jacques Couture was intended to run a 3rd works March for the 1970 Canadian GP but a lack of motors meant the team ran just Amon and Siffert instead :
https://second-a-lap...dian-grand.html

And finally, upon Jaguar's return to top-flight racing in Formula E for 2016/17, they considered a variety of British youngsters : Mike Conway, Oliver Rowland, Alex Lynn, Harry Tincknell and Sam Bird were evaluated, as well as some ex-F1 drivers like Anthony Davidson, Nick Heidfeld, Felipe Massa and even the GOAT himself, Pastor Maldonado!
https://www.motorspo...-938236/938236/
http://www.motorspor...-virgin-793408/
http://it.motorsport...o-senna-791089/
https://www.autospor...038134/5038134/
http://www.motorspor...ntinues-798080/

Also, IMO I think this topic and similar ones like these for other championships should be compiled into one single thread covering almost-moves (for drivers, cars, and teams alike) of various series, not just F1, to make things a little simpler.......

Edited by shawnybantzy, 29 January 2024 - 13:56.

[shawnybantzy]

Some new finds :

- Apparently sportscar racing regular Stanley Dickens was approached to replace Oscar Larrauri at the budding Eurobrun team for the final 2 races of the 1988 season, but he turned down the offer and the squad eventually stuck with the Argentine for the remainder of the year. From what I could find this below is the only source for this : so if anyone could help confirm this that would be of great help!

https://projetomotor...assificacao-f1/

- Tony Stewart's even wilder compatriot Robby Gordon was scheduled to make a test with Ligier at Estoril in late 1995, in part due to connections with team manager Tony Dowe -  it was mooted that this was a ploy to get Valvoline backing for 1996 in place of Elf, with Valvoline being Robby's sponsor in Indycar. However, the test was nixed as Gordon sustained a heavy practice shunt at the Indy round in Michigan.
https://www.grandpri...guese-test.html

- Then-reigning British F3 champion Robbie Kerr was in discussions with Williams regarding a potential testing role for 2003 - he'd also been searching for an F3000 gig, but both of these never came to pass. He would later find a ride in Formula Renault, before making A1GP and sportscars his home over the next few years.
https://www.autospor...061140/5061140/

[ensign14]

Prost in this month's Motor Sport remarks he was quite close to being Schumacher's no. 2 at Ferrari in 1996...I don't recall that rumour being in the air AT ALL.

[HistoryFan]

Prost in this month's Motor Sport remarks he was quite close to being Schumacher's no. 2 at Ferrari in 1996...I don't recall that rumour being in the air AT ALL.

it's an interesting one, we already talked about that in this thread.

[spa2000overtake]

Why Ferrari wanted Prost for 1996 after been out of the sport after 1993?
Maybe there were insecurity of 2 driver for Schumacher and of course Prost was ex Ferrari driver, Ferrari might have wanted an experience driver along Schumacher.
One year later Alain would formed hes own team.

Edited by spa2000overtake, 16 February 2024 - 22:25.

[WonderWoman61]

https://f1since81.wo...aco-grand-prix/

US-based Lola-Ford team for 1993? Maybe Carl Haas looking to resurrect his 1985-86 entry?

(Not sure if this is the right thread)

[GMiranda]

Fiorentina: About the Giovanni Aloi and Fernando Platas thing, they both were named as testers on the GLAS project but Platas was the one with bigger credentials and assured of the seat, along with probably some italian guy in the second one, or maybe Aloi, who sort of was saying he was Italian (like the football players who go to Europe and suddenly they all ask for nationality on the grounds that their grandparents were Spanish or Italian or so). The thing is Aloi was a bit fed up and was already taking rejoneo (bullfighting in a horse) lessons. Aloi was sort of the second choice, but I should have named him, thanks for the correction. And to complete the point, Aloi took up rejoneo, became a good bullfighter and he still appears sometimes at festivals, but it has been a long time since he did the main season at the Plaza Mexico (the world's largest bullring).

Petefenelon: And about the Champ Car race in 2005, if you were there, I was there doing the local PA, which I usually do in international races in the track and in Monterrey too. I agree, we need to get the F1 back, but unless Pemex wants to put up a lot of money, and more track runoffs, we wont be having any of that. Actually I should start a thread just to show you how the track is compared to the old one, but I am very stupid with posting pictures and I am now a bit busy. Maybe when I finish an article on the track I will just translate it and do something. We are all crying about La Source (I was there with Pedro 917 last summer), and the famed hairpin at Mexico (where Bandini spun Graham Hill to decide the 1964 F1 championship) is gone forever. One day I'll show how our track has been changed, emasculated I would say.

I had no idea Fernando Plata was also named for a GLAS seat; I only knew about Aloi. Aloi's credentials in F3 and F3000 are almost void; at least Plata was doing better in the UK, albeit on the B-series. Weren't there more experienced Mexican drivers like Toledano or Bernard Jourdain in the frame for one of the seats?