Marco Andretti Futility Thread
Rather dissapointed with Marco-mania this year. As of the I500, Marco's inability to finish a race rests at 80% of the season. Two crashes, two "handling" issues do rest well for his future! 4 out of 5 he hasn't seen the checkered flag - well, he did, from the pitlane or paddock.....that doesn't count. I now put forth the idea that he from this day on be known as "Parco Andretti" the best of the family at parking cars at the track.
I seriously doubt his talent, commitment, and ability at this point. At Indy, TK had to set up his and Danica's cars - if you're a prospective team owner - would you hire someone who doesn't have the technical knowledge to set a car up, or communicate what it is or isn't doing - certainly anyone who thinks he will get anything more than a Honda "luv-fest" test spin in F1 must be kidding themselves. The Indy crash has so many questions that can be asked, what was his team doing, the spotters? Were they telling him that Wheldon was there - yes or no? If yes, why didn't Marco listen to them - did he "know" better? He kept pulling right, right, right - was it not enough tire stagger for him to stay left?
AGR would be best served by putting Marco in any race cars during the off weekends so he can get experience. He needs it! Buy him rides in Star Mazda so he can learn the race-craft he so desperately needs - try FF2000 as well...sports cars, anything.....if no IRL race this week he should be running somewhere! I am hard on Danica but she is at least proving to be better qualified than Marco - she finishes and usually does a decent job at set-up (barring Indy & thanks TK). I think AGR really needs to review themselves with some tough scrutiny, perhaps they are best to cut him loose, but, with Mikey Warbucks running the show (thanks dad!) I doubt we'll ever see Marco out of the car, or a ride!
And now, with Milwaukee coming up, a drivers oval, no banking and requirements for balance and braking all needed will we see anything better this weekend? Will TK be summoned to do the set-up once again - if we do I should hope the rose-colored glasses come off about this kid. Does he hit the wall - outside or in or does he "Parco" it again saying he was scared of the car.
Just goes to show that 19 or 20 or 21 here has nothing compared to 19 or 20 or 21 overseas - the experience level in Europe, or South America just dumps on this today!
Its worse than I thought but they are working it out
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wilf
I wonder, what series do you want him to get more experience in that will help him. He has shown himself well on the road/street courses as well as on the flat ovals. Where he needs to improve are on the banked ovals; where do you get that experience in an open wheel car? Look for a top 10 this weekend with a top 5 possible on the flat Milwaukee Mile. He looked good there last year.
He needs time to develop a feel for a car on the high banks.
On Sunday TK was asked about Marco's problems and this is some of what he said:
Quote:
Can you imagine for a 20-year-old kid that his name is Andretti, he won a race his first year, his teammates are up at the front all day. He's been going through a phase that I think is not only his fault, but it happens. It happens to anybody, especially to the young drivers.
I've been working really hard to help him out. We've been spending a lot of time together. I can name many examples to him, and I show him races that I've done bad, I made mistakes, show bad results like last weekend. A car that is dominant, you go out and you finish 12th.
The difference between a mature guy and a young guy, I would say it's not to get affect by that because once you put negative thoughts into your mind, that's tough, and I've been there. I remember, Zanardi used to tell me the same thing. I thought he was a crazy Italian guy trying to tell me things, what the hell. And it's true. I'm trying really hard to show him that it will go away. He has the talent. He just needs to think about what he needs to do to make it better.
It's not just up to him, though, I have to say. A coincidence of a lot of facts that made things happen. Yes, he's driving the car, he crashed. If we going to get into details right now, it's going to be tough because there's a lot of other things that happened a couple of times for him to crash. But, you know, one of them today I think it was totally his fault. But it happens. We make mistakes, and that's life. You cannot get affect by that because you jeopardizing the next result.
The easiest thing to do right now is to give up. The easiest thing to do right now is open the newspaper and read all of we say about him. I said, don't worry about that. Don't read that stuff. Just let's go away. He's going to Miami with me this week. Up until the Formula One weekend, we're going to be together. I'll just try to do what Zanardi did to me and just kind of show him that, look, forget about it. I mean, move on.
TK added that Marco was going to spend the week with him in Miami and talk things through. It appears to many that he has the talent, particularly on the road courses and I have been pounded bloody by those who say if a driver can win on a road course he or she can win on an oval. I still maintain, you have to have a different mindset to be good on an oval. Time will tell.
