I do not like this.

[cameraman]

"Oriol is a possibility for the rest of the year, but we've been in contact with a number of young promising drivers in Europe," Newman/Haas general manager Brian Lisles said after the race. "Most of them are contracted and can't get out of their contracts, such as (Formula One test driver) Anthony Davidson of England. But there are one or two who we are still talking to." Lisles declined to identify other candidates but said he hopes to have a decision by midweek and an announcement by Thursday.So they are looking at a couple of F1 refugees. I would much rather see Oriol in that car than some out of work test driver.

And what the hell is this BS coming out of Coyne that he might run someone else even if Oriol does not get the NH ride...

[Chief]

SO? It's Wet T-Shirt nite.....TONIGHT

[pchall]

And besides that, did you enjoy the race as much as I did? One of the nicest Mile shows since '99.

[DPM]

So instead of Champcar gaining a driver like Ricardo Zonta will continue to see Oriol Seriva(a very good driver but he'll never be a star!) and that means another driver will have to replace him at Dale Coyne racing. No disrepect, but the drivers that Coyne gets are not so hot. So instead of "upgrading" the series, it will be "downgraded" in my opinion.

DPM

[trish]

Ricardo Zonta will bring as many new fans to the series as any Sperafico will.

[RusH]

You know what?, there is plenty of talent. They would put me in the car if I would put up the cash. :saywhat:

[cameraman]

So instead of Champcar gaining a driver like Ricardo Zonta will continue to see Oriol Seriva(a very good driver but he'll never be a star!) and that means another driver will have to replace him at Dale Coyne racing. No disrepect, but the drivers that Coyne gets are not so hot. So instead of "upgrading" the series, it will be "downgraded" in my opinion.

DPM

What I don't like is the possibility of Oriol being out of the series. Haas gets somebody from Europe and Coyne gets a rich wanker and Servia gets screwed.

[Sean O'Gorman]

What I don't like is the possibility of Oriol being out of the series. Haas gets somebody from Europe and Coyne gets a rich wanker and Servia gets screwed.

He did it to himself.

It is a risk he had to take, and one that I probably would've done too, if I was him.

[RaceGrrl]

Servia did the same thing any other non-contracted driver would do. He took a risk. I'm with Ziggy. Coyne was stupid for not having a signed contract. It will stink if he craps on Oriol and won't take him back. Servia has done more for his team than any Coyne driver in recent memory.

[formulaben]

Servia did the same thing any other non-contracted driver would do. He took a risk. I'm with Ziggy. Coyne was stupid for not having a signed contract. It will stink if he craps on Oriol and won't take him back. Servia has done more for his team than any Coyne driver in recent memory.

Bingo. I've been wondering why nobody's asking why Coyne didn't have a contract with Servia. If you want to blame anyone, blame Coyne.

[racer2c]

F1 test drivers? Calling Mr. Speed...

[DPM]

This occured in Carl Haas's office:

"Orreo, how bout driving the Pacific Care car for us"--Carl Haas

"OK, sounds good to me"-- Oriol Servia

"Great, we'll see you at Portland and here's Bruno's firesuit, have it tailored"--Carl Haas

"What about a contract, shouldn't I sign one"--Oriol Servia

"Naw, we don't do 'dat in Champcar, a hand shake is all we need"--Carl Haas

"OK, boss"--Oriol Servia

DPM

[Dr. Corkski]

Coyne could have also easily dropped Servia if Rodrigo found a check as big as his brother brought for Dale.

[Lizzerd]

Okay, if Oriol was driving for Coyne without a contract, that would say to me that he didn't bring any money, either. That's not Coyne's MO. So let's assume that Oriol WAS bringing money to DC, but as we all know was offered the ride at N/H at Milwaukee and took it.

Maybe it was a race by race deal. Seems to me that there had to be something on paper to assure DC of Cookie's money for every race he drove in or be compensated in kind otherwise if he were to jump ship as he did. Therefore, DC would have had the bucks to put somebody in the car for the race. Or, N/H would have had to pay DC for his services. Which again begs the question, why didn't DC put someone else in the car for the weekend?

In other words, I can't imagine Oriol having to take money to N/H for that ride, and DC should have had a compensation of some sort (meaning $$$) to let him escape for a weekend or more.

[FCYTravis]

From what I understand, Oriol is one of the "Champ Car-assisted" drivers. So he doesn't have to bring cash to DC.

[Sean O'Gorman]

F1 test drivers? Calling Mr. Speed...

Mr. Speed has bigger things on his plate right now. :gomer:

[NismoZ]

It's KK's money.

[pferrf1]

Coyne has said he'll test Valiante this week, perhaps run him the rest of hte year.

I'd take a Valiante + Zonta trade for Oriol.

[chop456]

In the non-difficult question department, what does Zonta have in common with these drivers that Servia doesn't?


Montoya
Heidfeld
Junquiera
Justin Wilson
Sebastien Bourdais*
Bjorn Wirdheim
Vitantonia Liuzzi

*I still feel the asterisk is necessary - that's just me.

As long as Oreo lands on his feet, I'd like to see what Zonta could do. He had enough to keep a former WDC teammate honest. ;)

[NismoZ]

Yes, but Servia get's "assisted" to the next open seat? ;)

[cameraman]

Somebody please tell me why driving for Newman Haas would be better for Zonta's F1 career than being the Friday test driver for Toyota? :saywhat:

This ain't a Minardi or Jordan ride...

[racer2c]

I think it depends on where the driver is coming from and which F1 team he'd be testing for. A European trained driver with the opportunity to be the Friday tester for Toyota...hmm, I would stick there if I were him. I'd go to Champ Car if the F1 team was anyone outside of the top four teams. Coming to the US, learning the Champ car, the new tracks with the season already under way. I'd like to see the seat go to a deserving Atlantics driver first and foremost.

[Bob_S.]

Somebody please tell me why driving for Newman Haas would be better for Zonta's F1 career than being the Friday test driver for Toyota? :saywhat:

This ain't a Minardi or Jordan ride...

Because Test Drivers don't get on the podium. ;)
Quals are one thing, but they don't prove how a driver can handle being in the heat of battle.

[mueber]

Frankly, I don’t understand why the owners will not give domestically developed talent a try. I assume it’s logical, but even if it isn’t, it’s the owners’ money and team and they can do what they want. It just seems short-sighted to me.

[L1P1]

From The Indy Star:


Coyne was particularly miffed that he didn't find out about Servia's departure until Wednesday afternoon, and then only from another driver calling to inquire about taking over Servia's car.

"I want a driver who is going to be loyal to the team now and in the future," said Coyne, who had a handshake agreement but no contract with Servia since they hooked up last year. "If it had been for the rest of the season, that's one thing, but to do it for one race doesn't make a lot of sense to me."

And Oriol:


"If for whatever reason this turns out to be my last race in Champ Car," he said, "it (was) in a Newman/Haas car."

Well, that pretty much stuck a fork in it.

[RaceGrrl]

"I want a driver who is going to be loyal to the team now and in the future," said Coyne

You want loyalty... buy a dog. ('bird still lives...)

[NismoZ]

This is CARL HAAS we're talking about,,,There ARE no deserving Atlantic drivers. And I don't mean that as a criticism, either. He wants the best out there, not the best in a little 4cyl. feeder series that's seen (WAY) better days!

[formulaben]

"I want a driver who is going to be loyal to the team now and in the future," said Coyne

You want loyalty... buy a dog. ('bird still lives...)


Indeed. As for Dale, it's the pot calling the kettle noir.

[cameraman]

"I want a driver who is going to be loyal to the team now and in the future," said Coyne

He says this to the only good driver to run at wanker central in how many years?

And according to another forum
Servia had asked Coyne for a contract twice this year, and Coyne would not sign him. When the N/H opportunity came up, Servia jumped at the chance.

Loyalty seems to be a one way street for Coyne...

:saywhat: :shakehead :flame:

[Joelski]

Let's not be so quick to crucify Mr Coyne. He has been here all this time (albeit with a smaller budget) while so-called greater teams have bolted. He placed his trust everywhere he could to keep a team in champcar. We don't KNOW the circumstances of Oriol's lack of contract; maybe his sponsor isn't always so liquid Yoke TV, anybody?). Mr Coyne has given plenty of young drivers their chance in Champ Cars when there otherwise would be none (Paging Mr. Tracy). What Oriol did screams NO CLASS, despite the circumstance; I do believe Mr. Servia took note of that bridge burning after the fact...

[formulaben]

Let's not be so quick to crucify Mr Coyne. He has been here all this time (albeit with a smaller budget) while so-called greater teams have bolted. He placed his trust everywhere he could to keep a team in champcar. We don't KNOW the circumstances of Oriol's lack of contract; maybe his sponsor isn't always so liquid Yoke TV, anybody?). Mr Coyne has given plenty of young drivers their chance in Champ Cars when there otherwise would be none (Paging Mr. Tracy). What Oriol did screams NO CLASS, despite the circumstance; I do believe Mr. Servia took note of that bridge burning after the fact...

Point taken, but how naive can you be? The days of handshake "contracts" went away with Jackie Stewart and Ken Tyrell. A simple contract would have put him in a position to at least keep his driver, if not make some more money in the deal. But the problem I have is to whine about it, like it is Oriol's fault...a character fault, maybe, but come on... :shakehead

[Insomniac]

Point taken, but how naive can you be? The days of handshake "contracts" went away with Jackie Stewart and Ken Tyrell. A simple contract would have put him in a position to at least keep his driver, if not make some more money in the deal. But the problem I have is to whine about it, like it is Oriol's fault...a character fault, maybe, but come on... :shakehead

I think Coyne put it best, he bolted for a one-off, not the rest of the season. Seems he would've understood him leaving for the rest of the season and presumably a contract. He essentially left a race to race deal (a little more than that) for a one-off with a possibility of it being longer.

I agree Oriol showed no class. He couldn't even give Coyne the courtesy of letting him know he was going to run with N/H?

I am also surprised at the lack of professional respect/courtesy shown by N/H. ChampCar is already in bad shape, do they need to just take drivers from fellow owners? From my point of view, that is the worst part of this. I know he wasn't under contract, but that was a classless move.

[Dr. Corkski]

I think Coyne put it best, he bolted for a one-off, not the rest of the season. Seems he would've understood him leaving for the rest of the season and presumably a contract. He essentially left a race to race deal (a little more than that) for a one-off with a possibility of it being longer.

I agree Oriol showed no class. He couldn't even give Coyne the courtesy of letting him know he was going to run with N/H?

I am also surprised at the lack of professional respect/courtesy shown by N/H. ChampCar is already in bad shape, do they need to just take drivers from fellow owners? From my point of view, that is the worst part of this. I know he wasn't under contract, but that was a classless move.Bitter PT fans strike again. :gomer:

The one-off with N/H gave Servia a better chance to win than he will ever get with Coyne. You would think Coyne would sign a guy who brought him a podium finish to a contract especially when he wanted to be there. Obviously Coyne balked at it because he wanted to be able to dump Servia the minute someone showed up with a big enough check. Coyne gambled and lost. He made his own bed on this one.

[Sean O'Gorman]

Just out of curiousity, how would Coyne sign Servia to a contract if he is already being subsidized by Champ Car? I would imagine that they ultimately be the ones who decide where he can race. That being said, I still think all the talk of moving RHR to the car for a race or two, and Servia's move to be highly unprofessional of the series.

[RTKar]

Obviously Coyne balked at it because he wanted to be able to dump Servia the minute someone showed up with a big enough check. Coyne gambled and lost. He made his own bed on this one.

Bingo!...it's always about money