48 replies to this topic

[daallo1]

I think this is the cse of Andreas Zuber, who was born and started racing in Austria but now represents UAE in GP2

Did the country "buy" him? It wouldn´t be strange, since Arab countris have "bought" lots of athletes, manly from ahletics

I know he now lives there (in UAE) but has an Austrian family

[ensign14]

His real name is Adrassah El-Zubai. Born in a camel tent somewhere in the Rub Al Khali. Was traded to an Austrian tourist in 1991 for a disposable Kodak. He's merely returning to his roots.

[daallo1]

Wow, I didn't know that story, in fac, in his personal website he says he was born in Judenburg, Austria.


Talking about drivers changing nations, there is the case of Bernard and Michel Jourdain, who were born in Belgium but moved to México and represented méxico all their careers.

There is also Graham Rahal, from Lebanese ancestry but after always representing USA in the diverse series, he representd lebanon in A1 Grand Prix.

And also of A1 GP is Adam Lnghley-Khan, who after always representing Great Britain and being born there) representd Pakistan in A1GP after his Paistani ancestry too ans since has wore the Pakistani flag

Also in A1 there is Ralph Firman who ater always representing GB in F1, he changed to the Irish A1GP team

[Jacquesback]

Personally I don't understand why anyone gives a **** where a driver is from. If he's talented and fast that is all that should matter. Nationalism as displayed by Super Aguri and BMW is outdated and xenophobic.

[ensign14]

Best one was Hans Stuck. German when he drove for Auto Union, then post-WW2 when German drivers were banned in international events he suddenly declared he was Austrian.

(He was also Hans von Stuck when a touch of aristocracy was needed...but he didn't have it all that easy given that he was married to a Jewish woman...)

[ensign14]

Originally posted by daallo1
Wow, I didn't know that story, in fac, in his personal website he says he was born in Judenburg, Austria.

An obviously made-up name.

[Limits]

Originally posted by ensign14

An obviously made-up name.

Austria? I thought so too, but now they have put some mountains there.

[stevewf1]

Is Bertrand Gachot Belgian or French?

[bira]

Originally posted by Limits

Austria? I thought so too, but now they have put some mountains there.

[jb_128]

Originally posted by ensign14
His real name is Adrassah El-Zubai. Born in a camel tent somewhere in the Rub Al Khali. Was traded to an Austrian tourist in 1991 for a disposable Kodak. He's merely returning to his roots.

[ensign14]

Originally posted by stevewf1
Is Bertrand Gachot Belgian or French?

Yes.

[RDM]

Originally posted by Jacquesback
Personally I don't understand why anyone gives a **** where a driver is from. If he's talented and fast that is all that should matter. Nationalism as displayed by Super Aguri and BMW is outdated and xenophobic.

Absolutely 100% agree.

Let's take nationalism out of F1, and let's stop ITV commentators being so biased in favour of British drivers.

[Dudley]

Originally posted by Jacquesback
Personally I don't understand why anyone gives a **** where a driver is from. If he's talented and fast that is all that should matter. Nationalism as displayed by Super Aguri and BMW is outdated and xenophobic.

Except imo, in A1GP where it's the whole point.

And nationalism is not in itself xenophobic any more than shirts vs skins basketball at school was shirtophobic.

[djned]

Originally posted by ensign14
Yes.

rofl you have pwnd this thread

[Oho]

Originally posted by Dudley


Except imo, in A1GP where it's the whole point.

And nationalism is not in itself xenophobic any more than shirts vs skins basketball at school was shirtophobic.

Well, nationalism and nationalistic propaganda are the driving forces behind Olympics despite all the crap about Olympics bringing worlds youth together in fair unadulterated athletic contest. Then again I guess it must have hurt to see Villeneuve replaced by a Pole but how was that nationalistic or xenophobic (fear of alien) beats me.

[SirSaltire]

Originally posted by RDM

Absolutely 100% agree.

Let's take nationalism out of F1, and let's stop ITV commentators being so biased in favour of British drivers.

Give us peace! Why not show bias towards British drivers (although I dont believe they show too much anyway), their principle audience is the UK

[Henri Greuter]

Other examples:

Mario Andretti (born Italian but becoming American)
Roberto Guerrerro (born Colombian but als becoming American)

henri

[jokuvaan]

Nico Rosberg, changed licence from FIN to GER. Wild rumour says daddy hired firm to calculate how much more Nico earns this way.

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by stevewf1
Is Bertrand Gachot Belgian or French?

He's as Belgian as Jonny Hallyday ;)

Andretti was born Italian, but his birthplace is now in Croatia. Work that one out ....

Rikki von Opel adopted Liechtenstein. Or vice versa

Several well-known American non-F1 drivers of earlier years were born elsewhere. The Robson brothers and Henry Banks spring to mind ....

Dario Resta was also born in Italy but became a British citizen.

[ensign14]

Originally posted by RDM
Let's take nationalism out of F1...

Impossible. Why do you think Bernie wanted MS at a top team? To crack the German market. Spanish viewing figures went from about six to about everyone when Alonso first got into title contention. How many in Italy would watch if Ferrari weren't there?

[VWadict]

Originally posted by jokuvaan
Nico Rosberg, changed licence from FIN to GER. Wild rumour says daddy hired firm to calculate how much more Nico earns this way.

As far as I know, Nico Rosberg actually was born in Germany, from a German mother and he doesn't speak any Finnish.

[ensign14]

Neither does Kimi, but that never stopped him.

[Dragonfly]

Originally posted by ensign14
His real name is Adrassah El-Zubai. Born in a camel tent somewhere in the Rub Al Khali. Was traded to an Austrian tourist in 1991 for a disposable Kodak. He's merely returning to his roots.

Wow! I didn't know he came from Diskworld ;)

[Oho]

Originally posted by VWadict



As far as I know, Nico Rosberg actually was born in Germany, from a German mother and he doesn't speak any Finnish.

Well honest or not Rosberg has gone to record saying he switched from Finnish to German license for pragmatic rather than sentimental reasons, German simply is more appealing than Finnish. I have little doubt he considers himself German more than anything else but apparently wanted to race under his fathers flag to pay homage to him until nationality became a real factor.

[ensign14]

Homage to his father? Should have been Swedish then.

[BrianD]

Also in A1 there is Ralph Firman who ater always representing GB in F1, he changed to the Irish A1GP team

Actually, Firman represented Ireland in F1 - he holds an Irish racing license. It's a similar situation to Nico Rosberg, as in this case Firman's mother is Irish.

[Jacquesback]

Originally posted by Oho
Then again I guess it must have hurt to see Villeneuve replaced by a Pole but how was that nationalistic or xenophobic (fear of alien) beats me.

BMW has 3 of their 4 drivers from Germany, fact. This exchange has nothing to do with Villeneuve, if you hadn't noticed he's gone. You must assume that since I am a fan of JV's that I now hold a personal vendetta against BMW. Please don't assume something of me that is completely untrue, I drive a BMW and honestly believe they are the best road cars available. I just don't agree with a nationalistic driver policy.

Nationalism and flag waving only leads to xenophobia, or an us versus them mentality in laymans terms. As I already stated I believe such practices are outdated and should be a thing of the past.

[Oho]

Originally posted by ensign14
Homage to his father? Should have been Swedish then.

Why? Because Keke was born in Stockholm? Because he has Swedish last name? None of those mean diddly.

[ensign14]

Oh, you're no fun any more.

[Oho]

Originally posted by ensign14
Oh, you're no fun any more.

What you mean no more, never was no fun....

[djned]

yeah, and while we're on the subject, what's the deal with that dario franchitti bloke? doesn't sound very scottish to me!

except when he talks.

ooh.

[VWadict]

Another case: Jochen Rindt, the only F1 posthumous World Champion, was a German by birth, but adopted the Austrian nationality.

[ensign14]

Well, you can't blame him.

[VWadict]

Originally posted by ensign14
Well, you can't blame him.

Nobody is blaming him. Actually his parent were killed by Allied WWII bombing, like thousands of other German civilians, and his grandparents took him to the mutch more safe Austria, where he grew up.

[daallo1]

Well, I think it is good to feel proud of your drivers who are risking their lifes wearing your national flag, that's not xenofobic beacause you are not ahrming or are against others ;)


Another: Johnny Cecotto, from Germany he changed to Germany and I didn't know about Guerrero changing to American

José Guillermo (Memo) Gidley was born in México but frm an American family so he represents USA.

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by djned
yeah, and while we're on the subject, what's the deal with that dario franchitti bloke? doesn't sound very scottish to me!

Lots of Italians in Glasgow. Many of them came over to run ice cream businesses (try googling "Glasgow ice cream wars" )

[djned]

oh my goodness.

http://en.wikipedia...._Ice_Cream_Wars

thanks for bringing this to my attention! i'm planning a trip to glasgow in 2007, i keep hearing nothing but good things like the above.

[ehagar]

Originally posted by djned
yeah, and while we're on the subject, what's the deal with that dario franchitti bloke? doesn't sound very scottish to me!

except when he talks.

ooh.

When Bobby Unser did colour commentary for CBC (Vancouver and Toronto Indy) he once remarked, 'A guy with a name like that shouldn't be saying them Scottish words'

[Dudley]

Originally posted by RDM

Absolutely 100% agree.

Let's take nationalism out of F1, and let's stop ITV commentators being so biased in favour of British drivers.

Yes, how dare some brits talking exclusively to other brits (despite some others evesdropping) devote additional time to the brits.

[SeanValen]

If MS made a comeback and changed nation to Italian as he is a honory citizen, we'll have to listen to the national anthem twice perhaps of Italy.. I suggest original version of the anthem, followed by a DRUM AND BASS REMIX with MS conducting.

[Flynnie]

I've never been able to truly figure out what Eddie Irvine is.

[Don Speekingleesh]

Originally posted by SeanValen
If MS made a comeback and changed nation to Italian as he is a honory citizen, we'll have to listen to the national anthem twice perhaps of Italy.

No, we'd hear it once.

Originally posted by Flynnie
I've never been able to truly figure out what Eddie Irvine is.

Irvine is from Northern Ireland - so he is from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
But he raced with a licence issued in the Republic of Ireland.

[ensign14]

Originally posted by Flynnie
I've never been able to truly figure out what Eddie Irvine is.

A ****?

[Andy Donovan]

What flag would be flown in that case? Maybe Dr O'Connell could make one for him (cross-thread alert!)

[ensign14]

Originally posted by Andy Donovan
What flag would be flown in that case?

Probably claret & light blue.

[tintin]

In Formula 3000, Antonio Pizzonia and Juan-Pablo Montoya were both British at one time.

It's because the FIA classes your nationality as whichever country issued your driving licence, and has nothing to do with your birth or parentage.

[Sergio Sultani]

For 2007 Antonio Pizzonia became italian driver...

Why?

SS.

[tintin]

Because he has an Italian driving licence.

[HP]

Rubens Barrichello is the perfect model.

Became Italian while driving for Ferrari. Driving for Honda now, when will he get his citizenship for England and Japan?






I know Rubens has Italian heritage, so just joking