2007-10-19 09:56:11 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Auto Racing ➔ Formula One
The only reason why ex-F1 drivers, ex-mechanics and ex-engineers or Formula 1 go to other motorsports like Nascar is because there are jobs there. And they seem to pay pretty good. It is easier for teams to open up shop in Nascar because they dont have the ridiculous entry fee that F1 does. At the moment there is alot of attention in Nascar which brings in a lot of sponsors.
But in the end I dont care if F1 drivers go to Nascar. By the time they go to Nascar there skills are already in F1 has passed.
2007-10-20 19:35:27 · answer #1 · answered by carve the canyon 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Speaking as a NASCAR fan #1 and an F1 fan #2, it doesn't bother me at all. I became a race fan at a very early age. In 1960 at the age of 8, I was acutely aware a 1.5-mile high-banked oval was being built about a half mile away.
In 1961, an American (Phil Hill) won the F1 Championship.
I was hooked. Believe me, I wish the best American racers were interested in it, some probably are but I guess they are just having too much fun where they are. One thing I know for sure is racers like to be competitive, and if you aren't offered a car that is capable of running at least nearly as fast as the top car of the year, why bother?
I bounce back and forth between either UK drivers or German drivers, with a few Brazilians through the years. UK (Scotland) and Germany out of heritage and I may have a few cousins in Brazil as quite a few Southerners left as they preferred Brazil to living under the "vile Yankee race" some time around 1865.
One thing history is very clear on. If you claim an F1 Championship or get a few podium finishes chances are you can get a decent competitive NASCAR ride. However, history also shows that even F1 champs, even in their prime find it very, very, very difficult to win in NASCAR.
Villeneuve will become the 3rd man that has claimed an F1 Driver's Championship to give NASCAR a whirl.
Mario Andretti won the Daytona 500 in 1967. Eleven years later he won the F1 Title. In the interim he ran 14 NASCAR races. Results: 6 crashes, 4 engines lost, led 156 of 1,596 laps run for an average 19.9 finish. But hey, when he did finish, he did all right. The aforementioned win with 1 top 5 and 3 top tens.
Jimmy Clark ran one race in 1967, started 24th in a Holman-Moody Ford, blew an engine 144 laps in, and finished 30th at 356 laps down. Holman-Moody finished 1-2 with B. Allison and David Pearson. Pearson was a lap down as was 3rd Place, Goldsmith. A.J. Foyt was 4th, 2 laps down and Gordon Johncock finished 5th , 3 laps down.
Villeneuve ran a good smart race at Talladega. Wonder if he can capture a NASCAR Cup 11 years after winning F1.
Montoya was a decent F1 driver, but I always felt he was more of a racer than a driver, so I was pleased when he came to NASCAR.
In his first full year, he's done about what I expected from him.
He runs hard, likes to race people and his attitude is pure NASCAR.
He's had one win, as predicted on a road course, but it wasn't as easy for him as I thought it could be. I thought he might have a chance at Watkins Glen, but he had a few problems there. He has 3 top 5's and 5 top tens, lost no engines and crashed out only 4 times in 31 races. Only been on the lead lap at the end 12 times so far. He's led 7 laps out of 8,643 laps completed.
He's probably going to be able to hang on and win RoY Award.
Montoya has a warning for those considering NASCAR: It's a lot harder than it looks.
``This is not easy,'' Montoya said. ``I think the person who thinks that it is easy should look again, because I think this is pretty hard. And now, with the full fields, even getting into the race is very, very hard.''
2007-10-19 22:33:59 · answer #2 · answered by crunch 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, I see it as another series that gives them an opening when F1 doesn't work out or one they have an interest in. I'm a bit divided over this as some of the drivers who crossed over to NASCAR are actually the ones who add a bit of spice to F1. F1 did not treat them well but NASCAR welcomes them with open arms. Who gains and who loses here, you decide.
2007-10-21 03:13:06 · answer #3 · answered by purpleCat 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think they should've stayed in F1. Among those who've left are Montoya and Jacques. They both are not considered young for the sport and Montoya had some problems with McLaren.
Jacques' team wasn't impressed with his performance and the main reason that they both went to NASCAR was not really because of the passion but because they had nowhere else to go in F1.
2007-10-20 08:00:03 · answer #4 · answered by , 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They are not stupid enough to go over to Nascar. They would prefer to retire. Montoya wasnt as crazy about F1 as the other drivers.
2007-10-20 00:15:10 · answer #5 · answered by Nitin T F1 fan 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Obviously you don't know what on earth your talking about!
Villeneuve and Montoya while both at least competitive in F1 in their prime but both were on their way out of the sport!
The equivalent would be an F1 fan mocking a nascar fan because Jarret and Rudd were going to drive F1 cars! We all know those guys aren't even being considered for an F1 ride!
2007-10-19 21:26:37 · answer #6 · answered by JimBob 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They gave up on a very difficult form of racing and went to something easier,have you noticed your drivers never go from Nascar to F1.?
2007-10-19 17:44:46 · answer #7 · answered by solara 437 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Crunch...I'm with you all the way here...Its not as easy as it looks these cars are a lot heavier than the f1's, handling these monsters is not easy.. Hey the guys come to Nascar they want to race, theres 36 races a yr in Nascar..A real racer wants to race. Nascar is everywhere over here its on TV every weekend, exposure and not to mention tons of money...From what I have heard Dale Earnhardt Jr's deal is something like Schmachers was in F1, and we all know that was not chump change.. I love F1 to, I followed it heavily when I lived in Europe I went to nearly every track in Europe and I still watch it on TV....I just wish they'd bring the US Grand Prix back to Long Beach....I enjoy all racing, I grew up around Nascar, its in my blood... My favorite F1 driver was Ayron Senna he just like Dale Earnhardt Sr died way before there time, both driving different types of race cars..but they both loved racing..... I welcome open wheel drivers in Nascar, I personally feel if Jacques Villeneuve was in a Hendrick Motorsport car, he could win the Nascar championship in less than 2 yrs....Alot of Nascar people do not give any respect to these open wheel guys, put these guys in great equipment they learn fast.. Most Nascar fans do not like these open wheel guys coming over, I welcome it..Where else can you race 36 weekends a yr, to over 100,000 people every race and be on TV every weekend..yep its Nascar...
Go Lewis Hamilton in Brazil...I'll be watching
2007-10-19 23:35:52 · answer #8 · answered by Go Team Penske 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't like the trend, but I have to admit I'd like to watch a bit of Jacque Villenue race. If it was a final race and he was poised to win against Jeff Gordon for the final cup, I'd tune in. It must be good to be a nascar fan, it's always on TV. I wish F1 was like that, every weekend.
2007-10-19 20:13:59 · answer #9 · answered by Rockford 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't like it in my opinion F1 is better there just throwing their life's away by going to NASCAR
2007-10-20 07:24:47 · answer #10 · answered by Horus Heresy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋