Yeah Ganassi are indeed a strange team. Dixon really carries that team, there just isn’t a consistent enough team mate to back him up. When they had Dixon and Franchitti as their lineup a while back, was a proper strong team. As you say, Penske and Andretti as all round team efforts are stronger, but Dixon does wonders for that team.
I’ve seen people say that about Rossi, but in all honesty, when he joined Indycar in 2016, there was never any space for him in F1 and I really don’t believe he would’ve achieved much anyways in F1, so he totally did the right thing going back stateside, he’s found his calling in Indycar, and fair play to him. One guy who should’ve been in F1 is rookie, Robert Wickens, Best rookie for many a season, been super impressed by him, but I’ve always rated him quite well. Should’ve been Canada’s next big hope in F1 after Villeneuve but never found a chance.
Yeah it’s interesting seeing them go back to Laguna Seca! Though despite the legendary Corkscrew, I think the racing though will be pretty awful. How far away do you live from there?
Why do you think a guy like Wickens would be good in F1 whereas not someone like Rossi? They’ve had some crazy battles this season with Rossi coming out on top more often. Fair play to Wickens though, he’s taken like a duck to water in an IndyCar, however Rossi is still a really young guy with not a ton of experience and he’s already an Indy 500 winner and challenging a legendary driver for the title this year with some dominating performances. He’s a bit like Verstappen as a driver tbh.
Basically, when Wickens came to Europe, he raced in the Formula Renault 3.5 series, which at the time was a really good proving ground for up coming talent. It was basically on the par with rival series GP2 (Now known as F2). Drivers such as Kubica, Magnussen, Sainz won titles. Vettel was course to win it before an early promotion into F1 in 2007. And Wickens won the title in 2011, beating the highly rated Jean Eric Vergne to the title, the pair being miles ahead of the rest in the points. Vergne of course ended up driving for Toro Rosso the following season in F1. Wickens was picked up by Mercedes, however, rather than work towards F1, they put him in the DTM program and stayed there until this season when Mercedes announced their withdrawal from the series.
Rossi did two seasons in 3.5 and then three seasons in GP2. And generally the rule of thumb is, if someone spends 3 or 4 more seasons in these sorta championships, then they’re usually not going to set the world alight in Formula 1. Granted, Rossi did finish a credible 2nd in his final season of GP2, but he was one of the most experinced guys in the series, so finishing near the top was almost a given. Rossi was seen as a solid talent, but not the kinda driver that made people think he was anything particularly amazing.
Basically it’s a bit long winded to explain, but Wickens basically showed way more promise in junior categories than Rossi, not to mention spent less time, but like the American there was never a proper opening into F1 for whatever reason.
They had to leave Motorsport because their successes were based upon fraudulent technology and would probably have been beaten by Toyota at le man’s this year.
So they try and get the same kudos as other Motorsport champion constructors using more shortcuts.
Anyone could create a machine that wouldn’t conform to any ruleset and make it blinding quick.
It’s an engineering challenge but still doesn’t replace top level Motorsport.
My point is, join F1 Porsche, if you have the balls
@mysty thoughts? Ppl are ripping Massa, pretty uninformed statement tbh.
Wickens just was taken off breathing apparatus this last weekend. He underwent surgery on his lower extremities and spine. Doesn’t sound good for his career, sad for him he is a great driver.
I’d agree. Safety can always be improved of course, but Massa’s got zero experience in that series so Rahal is right, he can’t really give a fully correct view when he has never had any involvement in the series.
Halo is not an option for Indycar and they’re working hard on the windscreen device, which would be really great if that appears on the cars soon. I know they had hoped for 2019, but I think more likely in 2020.
Felipe has had a tendency to make these kinda slightly melodramatic comments during his career on certain subjects.
Having said that, Indycar is a lot rawer compared to F1. Circuit safety is definately different to F1. F1 is probably too safe and Indycar probably needs to make it a bit more safer. Not so much on the oval side as things like the SAFER barrier has been a huge step, but some of the road circuits.
Best example is Road America. I love it how it currently is. But imagine F1 going there. They would be horrified by the lack of run off around by the Kink section and would want tons of run off inserted there lol.
I know this thread doesn’t get much attention, but was watching MotoGP today from Misano, and in one of the feeder series, Moto2, there was an incident where one rider purposely grabbed the brake lever of another rider The context is, Fenati (Number 13) had been punted off by Manzi (Number 62) on the previous lap, and then had another moment where they went off again. Then two corners later, Fenati enraged, pulls alongside and grabs the brake lever at racing speed
Fenati has been handed a two race ban as a result. Your countrymen are bonkers @Luca_from_Italy
The context is, Fenati (Number 13) had been punted off by Manzi (Number 62) on the previous lap, and then had another moment where they went off again. Then two corners later, Fenati enraged, pulls alongside and grabs the brake lever at racing speed 
