DeFerran IndyCar Announcement [Archive]

Chamoo

7th August 2009, 21:51

Did he actually announce a new team

Or just his desire to have a team?

All he announced is that he is retiring at the end of the season from ALMS and racing in general. There was no mention of the ICS team in 2010, but Curt Cavin said it is looking better and better for them in ICS.

TURN3

7th August 2009, 21:52

Did he actually announce a new team

Or just his desire to have a team?

Bingo. I think he'll probably come through but he's far from committed. You know he's bring Pagenog and sound like Sato (which would be a waste of a seat). I really don't see how Dixon is going anywhere.

MDS

7th August 2009, 21:54

Nothing huge. He's retiring from ALMS at the end of the season and plans on fielding a two-car team next year in the ICS to go along with his ALMS team. No sponsors, no drivers, no time frame for a larger announcement.

What I'm hearing is that he's going to get the Formula Dream/Panasonic sponsorship from Honda and the Apex sponsorship, both of which could be in the $7 million range, with his ALMS sponsors coming along as associates. The drivers I hear linked to him have been Simone Pagenaud, Takuma Sato, Scott Dixon, Graham Rahal, and I have to wonder if he could be in line to get Will Power with his connections to Penske. Also you would think that they would want a Brazillian driver, which would probably open the doors for Bruno or Nelson Piquet Jr.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77588

ykiki

8th August 2009, 04:40

...Sato (which would be a waste of a seat)

Ouch! Actually, Sato wasn't a bad F1 driver at all. Quick but reckless early in his career, by the time he matured he was in bad machines. Still, it was fun watching him race the gawd-awful Super Aguri cars sometimes on-par with the factory Hondas.

Wade91

8th August 2009, 19:16

curtcavin (http://twitter.com/curtcavin) Signs point to De Ferran Motorsports announcing its IndyCar plans today at Mid-Ohio

rh
that really wouldn't be a smart move for Dixon, i cant imangine that he would do as good as he is with ganassi :s

disko

8th August 2009, 20:04

deFerran has a few more resources than most give him credit for. Remember, he was the F1 Honda Boss and RObert Clarke is a part of his team. I think he is going to make an immediate impact in the series.

I dont know why Dixon should move - maybe danica politics are involved with Chip?

I cant see giving up one of the top seats, if not the top seat in ICS to go develop with deferran right now. In a year, I could see it, but not now.

Hoop-98

8th August 2009, 22:39

I'll have to defer to Dixon's knowledge of the situation, he seem's like a pretty heady guy.

rh

Jimmy Magnusson

9th August 2009, 00:47

de Ferran's got the connections to pull an operation togeather, that's for sure. Dixon actually seems kind of likely if he gets replaced by Danica at Ganassi (don't know why they'd do that but hey ho). Second car, Pagenaud would probably be first choice but he doesn't have any money... Sato would be a fantastic driver to have, severely underrated and tremendeously entertaining. Don't know why Piquet would want to go to IRL - and kill his F1 ambitions - but Junqueira would be a neat choice.

MDS

9th August 2009, 01:16

Jimmy Magnusson

9th August 2009, 13:21

Common wisdom is that PKJR's career appears to be done if Senior doesn't buy into Sauber when BMW pulls out at the end of the year. His Formula 1 ambitions, like Mike Conway, Sebastien Bourdais and others will more than likely go unfulfilled.

Nelson has a budget unmatched by Conway or Bourdais, though. There's a bunch of seats he could end up in for next year except for Sauber if he's willing to pay (likely). The thing is, IndyCar doesn't really seem to be the clear second choice for F1 refugees any more, but rather an equal or behind NASCAR, DTM and sports cars.

DanicaFan

10th August 2009, 02:55

Dixon is under contract thru 2010 with Ganassi.

dataman1

10th August 2009, 20:19

Can't say for sure what this means but the ICS qualifications were just prior to the ALMS race. As I walked to pit lane and past the DeFerran timing stand I saw Tony Kanaan talking with Robert Clark while Dario talked to John Anderson and Dixon was talking with DeFerran. Could they all be looking??

ClarkFan

10th August 2009, 20:58

Ouch! Actually, Sato wasn't a bad F1 driver at all. Quick but reckless early in his career, by the time he matured he was in bad machines. Still, it was fun watching him race the gawd-awful Super Aguri cars sometimes on-par with the factory Hondas.
Sort of a smaller, Japanese version of Paul Tracy, but with more reckless abandon. His last year at Honda was hair-raising - once he knew the seat was in play, he just flogged the car trying to get some kind of results. Early in his career, he nearly outstripped Eddie Jordan's ability to write bad checks with the cars he tore up.

He did well at Super Aguri in 2007, but at that point he probably had a better car than the factory team. SA was running the Honda RA106, a regular podium car and race-winner at the end of 2006. Honda F1 had the Green Whale, the runinous design that started the chain that led to Honda pulling out of F1 at the end of 2008.

ClarkFan

speeddurango

11th August 2009, 08:46

announced. And mentions of Sato and DIxon. Could a DIxon move make way for Danica at Ganassi?

Can't say that's good, Ganassi should have 2 top lines drivers to keep the team competitive to prevent it from going down the same toilet as AGR. I mean, AGR was rather competitive until they decided to go with DP, Honda money and their own prince with only 1 competitive driver left on the team, and look how far they slipped since then.

Lennat

11th August 2009, 10:24

I can't see Ganassi dropping the championship leader for Danica.

I always assumed that she was going into a third car if she was going there.

Toymaker

11th August 2009, 14:29

After deFerran/Pagenaud won the ALMS race, both Castro-Neves and Matos were in the pits to congratulate him.

wedge

12th August 2009, 14:10

Sort of a smaller, Japanese version of Paul Tracy, but with more reckless abandon. His last year at Honda was hair-raising - once he knew the seat was in play, he just flogged the car trying to get some kind of results. Early in his career, he nearly outstripped Eddie Jordan's ability to write bad checks with the cars he tore up.

He did well at Super Aguri in 2007, but at that point he probably had a better car than the factory team. SA was running the Honda RA106, a regular podium car and race-winner at the end of 2006. Honda F1 had the Green Whale, the runinous design that started the chain that led to Honda pulling out of F1 at the end of 2008.

ClarkFan

The problem with PT was his red mist which cannot be said of Sato. Sato made a howler of 2005 because he was being beat by Button and tried to address the problem by over driving the car with silly banzai moves.

And even with a B-spec/C-spec RA106 Sato pulled some fantastic starts, held up a train of cars, some superb overtaking moves - most memorably against Alonso on the outside into the final chicane at Montreal 2007.

bravefish

12th August 2009, 15:05

Couldnt see Scott going to De Ferrans team - why would you give up a top ride to take a punt on a fledgling team. Unless he wants to become the next Dan Wheldon.. How about Castroneves making the move across to help his old buddy out ? Will Power in the no. 3 Penske.

garyshell

12th August 2009, 15:11

The problem with PT was his red mist which cannot be said of Sato. Sato made a howler of 2005 because he was being beat by Button and tried to address the problem by over driving the car with silly banzai moves.

Please explain the difference between the red mist and " because he was being beat by Button and tried to address the problem by over driving the car with silly banzai moves". Your description of Sato sounds like a textbook case of the red mist.

Gary

Jimmy Magnusson

12th August 2009, 22:28

Please explain the difference between the red mist and " because he was being beat by Button and tried to address the problem by over driving the car with silly banzai moves". Your description of Sato sounds like a textbook case of the red mist.

Gary

I think Sato matured and became a better driver at Super Aguri. That last year in F1 was in many ways his best.

wedge

13th August 2009, 00:10

Please explain the difference between the red mist and " because he was being beat by Button and tried to address the problem by over driving the car with silly banzai moves". Your description of Sato sounds like a textbook case of the red mist.

Gary

Personally I think was a talented driver who managed to waste some of it by pressing the self destruct button because of his emotions. He's a hard racer who unquestionably overstepped the mark IMHO to the point that Barry Green has called him a F-ing idiot.

The difference with Sato wasn't hot-headed and neither renowed as a hard racer in F1 level (which cannot be said at F3 level, I must digress because he was awesome at F3 level because I saw it with my own eyes). He was the stereotypical Japanese driver in F1 who looked out of his depth at times and lairy manouvres.

Sato needed to find consistancy with his driving - which he eventually did at Super Aguri. With PT I just can't help that more than anything if he had kept his emotions in check he would've been a great driver in CART.

penske15

3rd September 2009, 20:57

After deFerran/Pagenaud won the ALMS race, both Castro-Neves and Matos were in the pits to congratulate him.

it wouldn't surprise me one bit if castroneves moved to the deferran team.

DBell

4th September 2009, 04:47

it wouldn't surprise me one bit if castroneves moved to the deferran team.

Hmm, that's interesting. I hadn't thought of that scenario.

NickFalzone

4th September 2009, 04:55

I feel like Helio has taken a little bit of a back seat to Ryan at Penske, but maybe that wouldn't be the case if he was also up in the championship race. It would take a lot to convince Helio to change teams, he's at arguably the best one right now and anything would be a step down. Perhaps due to his legal issues he may be looking for a big paycheck that DF might be able to provide, but even so, I don't see him leaving Penske any time soon. I believe he renewed last June for 2 more seasons, and at least until that time is up I don't see him going anywhere.

penske15

5th September 2009, 07:17

Hmm, that's interesting. I hadn't thought of that scenario.
seriously. i mean how often do two top drivers stay on the same team? not even roger penske can rectify that quandry. even though helio has the three 500 wins i'd bet a plug nickle that he'd give one up for a championship. if briscoe goes on to win the title i'll have serious doubts about helio staying at penske. power fills his seat there and helio goes to deferran with pagenaud and sato.

Chamoo

8th September 2009, 05:35

underpowered

8th September 2009, 10:59

Well for those of you who think Scott will be at De Ferran Motorsports in 2010, Scott will be running Petit Le Mans with de Ferran and Pagenaud.

Just adds a little bit of fuel to the fire if you think he is going there, if not, you probably don't care all that much.

I think Mike Hull and Scott really enjoy working together and I think they would love to keep working together.

I dont think Scott and Chip are best buddies though.

My guess is that if Chip tries to be too cheap...Scott will leave.

Chamoo

8th September 2009, 15:58

I think Mike Hull and Scott really enjoy working together and I think they would love to keep working together.

I dont think Scott and Chip are best buddies though.

My guess is that if Chip tries to be too cheap...Scott will leave.

Problem is, either Dixon or Chip has an option on the other for 2010, the media just doesn't know who has it yet. If Chip has the option, Dixon doesn't have much choice. If Dixon has it, he is free to play the free agent market if he'd like.

bravefish

9th September 2009, 13:35

I think Mike Hull and Scott really enjoy working together and I think they would love to keep working together.

I dont think Scott and Chip are best buddies though.

My guess is that if Chip tries to be too cheap...Scott will leave.

Im not that sure about that. Scott makes no bones that he wants to win as many races and championships as he can - theres only 3 teams realistically he could do that with - TCGR, Penske and NHL once they get their act together. The relationship he has with Mike Hull is a big factor for sure. Unless a McLaren seat comes along, (and wouldnt that be great for the Kiwi connection) I think he´ll see his best racing days out at Ganassi. He´s survived the Chip axe for this long after all..

Chamoo

9th September 2009, 14:37

Im not that sure about that. Scott makes no bones that he wants to win as many races and championships as he can - theres only 3 teams realistically he could do that with - TCGR, Penske and NHL once they get their act together. The relationship he has with Mike Hull is a big factor for sure. Unless a McLaren seat comes along, (and wouldnt that be great for the Kiwi connection) I think he´ll see his best racing days out at Ganassi. He´s survived the Chip axe for this long after all..

At only 29, I believe he could afford a transition year with De Ferran Motorsports, a team that will still be competitive in 2010.

bravefish

10th September 2009, 22:46

At only 29, I believe he could afford a transition year with De Ferran Motorsports, a team that will still be competitive in 2010.

It depends what you call competitive. Handful of Top 10 finishes ? If Newman Haas are struggling to get results I just can't see DeFerran, let alone any new team waltz on in and start ripping off podium finishes.

Chamoo

11th September 2009, 04:40

It depends what you call competitive. Handful of Top 10 finishes ? If Newman Haas are struggling to get results I just can't see DeFerran, let alone any new team waltz on in and start ripping off podium finishes.

NHL doesn't have Honda support, they don't have Apex-Brazil money, and they don't have Roger Penske to help them out. Gil de Ferran does. Honda will make sure he gets the top Dallara's available and Apex-Brazil will make sure he has top dollars to get done what needs to be done.