Pizzonia?

[Accipiter]

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/champcar/15243/

[NismoZ]

"It's not a secret"?..that N/H is looking at running a 3rd car for him? Really? I hadn't read that anywhere. There IS a rumor out there that has N/H about ready to announce a "major new sponsor" (and retaining McDonalds and PacifiCare)...could dovetail with all this. Very interesting! Haas will only run a 3rd car if it's fully sponsored. I think we can thank KK for picking up the daMatta "option" and getting him back to the series, but if Pizzonia, Wirdheim, Glock, Martinez, Ranger, Siedler etc. are coming they're going to have to bring large sums.

[Accipiter]

It wasn't a secret that they were putting together a possible third car. Of course that was for da Matta. That they are thinking of going ahead with that car for Jungle Boy... Well, that is a bit of a secret, isn't it?

P.S. A Champ Car would look great in Petrobas colors.

[NismoZ]

Can a Brazilian race then be far behind!? :D

[trauma1]

not going to happen, Frankie being an ass, will not let him out of the contract to be in champ car, from autosport

No Champ Cars for Pizzonia
Williams cannot afford for Brazilian to leave. By Jonathan Noble


Pizzonia: told no for America


Williams test driver Antonio Pizzonia has been told that he can all but forget making the switch to Champ Car racing this season, with his current team bosses having admitted that they can't afford to let him go.

The Brazilian was left hugely disappointed when Williams opted to sign Nick Heidfeld as Mark Webber's teammate this year, and has made no secret of the fact that he is considering a move to the United States as a way to carry on racing.

But team boss Frank Williams has made it clear that he will not release Pizzonia from his contractual commitments with the team – especially because, if Heidfeld fails to impress, he wants the option to bring Pizzonia back into the race team.

“We want him to stay on board. Nick may let us down, and we may then want to put Antonio in. If he was offered another race chance in Formula 1 then there's no way we would hold him back, but with Champ Cars we will not look at it favourably because we need him as a test driver.”

We want him to stay on board - Nick may let us down, and we may then want to put Antonio in
Frank Williams

Pizzonia hinted last week that he could be testing Champ Car within a matter of days, but those hopes look certain to have been dashed with Williams drafting him in to their final pre-season test, as well as having him on promotional duties at the season opening Australian Grand Prix.

And although Williams admitted that the decision to sign Heidfeld had ‘broken Pizzonia's heart', Williams was adamant that Pizzonia would likely get another chance at racing in F1.

“It could well happen,” said Williams. “He is very good.”

[pchall]

Damn. If Pizzonia doesn't drive in Champcars this year we will miss a bunch of stupid name puns. Of course, it might be a good thing: the motoring press only picked up on Sea Bass and not Zebastard Bidet. ;)

[RusH]

Are you refering to Tonys Pizza.
They are good.

[Ed_Severson]

Nick may let us down, and we may then want to put Antonio in.

Wow ... Frank sure knows how to inspire confidence in his employees. :eek:

[NismoZ]

Yeah, and he'd let the guy go to race in F-1, but NOT ChampCar.

[L1P1]

So he could race for another team and still test with Williams?

[Accipiter]

Wow ... Frank sure knows how to inspire confidence in his employees. :eek:


The man sure can manage his drivers. :rolleyes:

[Dr. Corkski]

Pizzonia should be thankful that Sir Frank just saved him from career suicide yet again.

[NismoZ]

Well, Antonio may not agree with you. GP.com says he is not exactly thrilled with Frank's statement. Either he's trying for more $$ to stay as a tester with a POSSIBLE "career saving ride" in '06, or he actually wants to be a race driver THIS year. Knowing his age, I have my suspicions as to which guess is correct. Patience may be a virtue but how many race drivers have it?

[Accipiter]

Pizzonia should be thankful that Sir Frank just saved him from career suicide yet again.


Too late. He already commited career suicide when he took a test driver job in F1.

[Dr. Corkski]

Badoer, Gene, Wurz, de la Rosa, etc have made a pretty good living as test drivers. Alonso took a year off of racing to be a full time test driver and he is not doing too badly now. In the long run Jungle Boy will be better off financially if he remains with a big team just to test instead of racing just for the sake of racing.

Just look where Junky has gone since leaving Williams for a race seat.

[racer2c]

Badoer, Gene, Wurz, de la Rosa, etc have made a pretty good living as test drivers. Alonso took a year off of racing to be a full time test driver and he is not doing too badly now. In the long run Jungle Boy will be better off financially if he remains with a big team just to test instead of racing just for the sake of racing.

Just look where Junky has gone since leaving Williams for a race seat.

I'd rather finish second in a premier championship than be a test moneky that nevers gets a ride. But that's just me.

[NismoZ]

Jungle Boy to hot babe in hotel bar, "Yeah, I'm a Friday Driver for Sir Frank." Reply, "Oh? Where do you take him?"... C'mon over, Antonio, the water's fine and getting nicer! (PS-bring Petrobras)

[Ankf00]

I'd rather finish second in a premier championship than be a test moneky that nevers gets a ride. But that's just me.
I'd rather be a test monkey in the baddest machine on the face of the earth, but that's just me :D I'd gladly admit "ya i'm a testing bitch" in that case!

[racer2c]

I'd rather be a test monkey in the baddest machine on the face of the earth, but that's just me :D I'd gladly admit "ya i'm a testing bitch" in that case!

A 750hp Champ Car ain't good enough for ya? You should went into the Air Force.

You guys have your priorties all wrong. It's all about the checkered flags, but then neither of you are race car drivers. But Jungle boy had the right idea. :thumbup:

[Sean O'Gorman]

You should went into the Air Force.

My grammar skill are rubbing off on you?

[Dr. Corkski]

I'd rather finish second in a premier championship than be a test moneky that nevers gets a ride. But that's just me.The same premier championship in which the champion couldn't even get a test with the team Jungle Boy is "stuck" with. I am sure the ladies will be all over Jungle Boy like they are with Bruno. :gomer:


A 750hp Champ Car ain't good enough for ya? You should went into the Air Force.

You guys have your priorties all wrong. It's all about the checkered flags, but then neither of you are race car drivers. But Jungle boy had the right idea. :thumbup:Racing for the sake of racing and making a living are two different things.

[racer2c]

The same premier championship in which the champion couldn't even get a test with the team Jungle Boy is "stuck" with. I am sure the ladies will be all over Jungle Boy like they are with Bruno. :gomer:

Racing for the sake of racing and making a living are two different things.

Ladies? Bruno? WTF are you talking about it? :shakehead

F1 fan boys. :shakehead Makes me ashamed to be one myself.

I guess Da Matta saying Champ cars are harder to drive than F1 cars means nothing to you 'purists' because he's a 'washout'. Yeah, I think I'll take you guyzes wordz over hiz. :gomer:

[racer2c]

My grammar skill are rubbing off on you?

Victim of multi-tasking. I do have a life outside OC believe it or not. :)

[racer2c]

Racing for the sake of racing and making a living are two different things.

Like you would know.

[Dr. Corkski]

Like you would know.Apparantly Ryan Dalziel and Jon Fogarty don't either. I am sure they are doing Grand-Am because it's a bigger challenge than Champ Car. :gomer:

So Champ Cars are harder to drive than F1 cars (according to a F1 reject anyway). I can't prove or disprove that but you can't dispute the fact is the people that actually hire drivers are more willing to pay for Jungle Boy to test than to even give the guy who dominated Champ Car in 2004 a single test. That likely means Pizzonia would have to completely annihillate the field despite a late start. Not going to happen as long as Bourdais is still around.

[Sean O'Gorman]

Apparantly Ryan Dalziel and Jon Fogarty don't either. I am sure they are doing Grand-Am because it's a bigger challenge than Champ Car. :gomer:

Dalziel and Fogarty are in ALMS.

[NismoZ]

Racer vs. making a living? Give me the racers every time! Antonio's voiced displeasure makes him sound more like the former. Good for him.

[trauma1]

and don't forget frankie has an option on button for maybe part of this year and next year so antonio knows there is no way frankie will give him a full time seat, and he's pissed frankie is screwing him