Comments on: Could Johnson be an F1 star?

By: Tiger Al

Tiger Al — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:00:34 +0000

What the hell are you on about, david?

By: david

david — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:38:31 +0000

First of all, I doubt if Jimmy Johnson could qualify a F1 car for a race. I think his four NASCAR Championships are questionable. Had
the Chevrolet boys, Gordon and Earnhart kept out of personal conflicts, they would be in the drivers seat with Chevy instead of Johnson. I believe when the final cut is made in the great chase, Johnson probably has a car with a EDGE! We need to know who pours the most money into NASCAR and that will tell us alot.

By: Dale

Dale — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 05:04:19 +0000

I stand corrected John

thanks

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 23:36:58 +0000

Come on Bernie get the test lined up already so that Jimmie can get the hell out of NASCAR, and while your at it line take Kyle Bush too!

By: R Tanveer

R Tanveer — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 19:25:20 +0000

It’s tough enough for Single-Seater racers to make the transition from America to F1 let alone stock cars to F1!

For every JV and Juan Pablo, you have a Michael Andretti and the unfortunate Alex Zanardi.

Also, it would help if the driver was at least a dozen years younger than 34…but then, of course, that driver in question wouldn’t have made his “name” yet.

It’s one thing to want a ‘popular established star’ American…and quite another to have a fantastically talented young American who has his entire future ahead.

Scott Speed had the proper path but didn’t have what it took to get on top of the likes of Tonio Liuzzi let alone a Vettel or a Sutil.

By: Tiger Al

Tiger Al — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 21:21:42 +0000

F1 drivers may be the best F1 drivers in the world, but that’s about all, Mike…

By: Bob Berman

Bob Berman — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 11:30:38 +0000

Rick Mears once tested very well in a Brabham but then realized he’d have to pay Bernie to race the following year for the privilege. hehe.

Still not sure at all about Jimmy and Jeff in F1.

Without Chad Knaus and Ray Evernham as the masterminds in setup and strategy for them in NASCAR I suspect their driving performances would have been far less then what we all have observed.

By: MIKE LEA

MIKE LEA — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 14:05:32 +0000

I think drivers like Johnson and Gordon, had they gone over to Europe years ago, would have done well in F1. But a whole career in NASCAR is not good preparation for F1…two very different beasts. The formula 1 drivers are the best in the world and a high-profile rookie would get a pasting in the press if he didn’t win right away.

By: James

James — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:39:58 +0000

Steve- that’s it, thanks. How could I confuse Jeff Gordon with Little Al?

By: Steve Wyant

Steve Wyant — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 04:26:33 +0000

James: As far as I can recall, I don’t think Gordon ever had an “official” F1 test, but he and Montoya did “try” each other’s cars on the Indy F1 road course in 2003 when Montoya was driving for Williams.

Al Unser Jr did test a Williams sometime in the early 90s, maybe that’s who you’re thinking of?

By: Jon Woodmore

Jon Woodmore — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 01:10:01 +0000

Dale, I believe that the comments were referring to American drivers and their ability to draw an American crowd. Marcos Ambrose is of course Australian.

By: david

david — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:41:24 +0000

I read or saw a Jeff Gordon interview (Charlie Rose?) where he said he was offered an opportunity for F1 by Craig Pollock (BAR) but they wanted him to spend a year or in in a feeder open wheel series and since he was already the king of the hill in NASCAR he declined.

By: Dale

Dale — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 07:09:50 +0000

If Jimmy Johnson is Nascar’s best bet for an open whell road course race seat where does that leave Marcos Ambrose who is quicker than anyone in Nascar in an inferior car?

By: G. Gearhead

G. Gearhead — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 23:20:53 +0000

No NASCAR Cup level regular is going to move to Formula 1. Who would make a big career change for much less money??? Cup, F-1 and Indycar have all become television oriented to the detriment of sport. Cup pays the best with the least travel and it has the most appeal to the mass market viewers.
Jeff Gordon tried a F-1 car on the Indy road circuit while Montoya tried a Cup car the same day. Sarah Fisher was the mark in a 3-lap stunt in a McLaren to benefit a mutual sponsors…. One way an American could get a F-1 ride would be IF A 3rd. CAR WAS FOR RENT like often happened in the 60s and 70s… ARE YOU LISTENING, BERNIE???

By: James

James — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:19:53 +0000

Didn’t Jeff Gordon test a Williams once? Maybe I’m confusing him with someone else.

A good All-American team might be Kyle (the young gun) and Robbie Gordon (the grizzled veteran who can drive anything). Driving blue and white Fords.

By: Michael S

Michael S — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:23:12 +0000

great point John… the only reason I skipped Jeff was because he will be 39 next month…. Jeff would have been great… I still say Kyle Bush would be amazing… both Kyle and Jeff are thin guys too which helps a ton in F1

By: John Saviano

John Saviano — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:07:22 +0000

I don’t know if J Johnson or K Busch has the “right stuff” for F1, but I bet Jeff Gordon would have had he started in that direction at the right time. It’s a shame that the “best” American drivers are in NASCAR and not Indy or F1. The fact that Jeff Gordon hasn’t done the Indy 500 is ridiculous and says all that’s needed to be said about US racing and the state of Indycars.

By: David Valentine

David Valentine — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:59:13 +0000

As I could find nowhere to comment on the Penske unfair engine article, I am commenting here.

Hooray, hooray and thrice hooray for the first engine cutaway drawing I’ve seen in years. The car and engine is 98% of every win yet all Motor Sport seems concerned about these days are are drivers. To me drivers are only entertaining when they are driving identical cars for obvious reasons as the general standard is now so high. I have no idea how a modern GP car functions, what it’s engine looks like, what it’s brakes look like or how it’s aerodynamics work. This, to one who believes the car is all, is a considerable shortcoming. If secrecy is the problem then publish last years.

By: Michael S

Michael S — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:57:05 +0000

Kyle Bush is who they need to get… He is only 24 and a beast!

By: Michael S

Michael S — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:37:04 +0000

I think Johnson could win in any form of racing. I saw him race on a dirt track with modified cars last month and he won that! I think the best drivers are the best drivers and given a little time they can catch on in other series. We are now seeing Raikkonen get faster and faster in WRC and I think by year two will be getting close to the sharp edge of that sport.

By: James

James — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:36:04 +0000

34 may be a bit old to start out in F1, but a test in a top flight car would be very interesting.