Il_leone
World Champion
In this week's Autosport they had 50 drivers who never made raced in F1 despite testing and good career in junior formula. Some by ill fortune and some by career choice
Some illustrious names come to mind
Valentino Rossi
- The Doctor proved he was fast in a test for Ferrari and Luca suggesting a 3rd car allowed could be done to run him. Obviously thinking about Surtees' achievement and it prompted Alonso to respond saying he could compete on two wheels as the current world champion at the time was shunned by this fanfare
He did have a trip trying out rallying
Dario Franchitti
- Married to Hollywood actress and was only interested in F1 if he was given a competitive car. A test for Mclaren for winning young driver award and his links remained whilst driving for Mercedes in DTM. However having decided to do Indycar he shocked Ron Dennis by saying he did not want to be test driver as well as doing a full Indy season. To cash in on the fact he raced in the US and is a British driver, a test with Jaguar proved to be disastrous with claims of sabotage as he was given an older car. One call by team principal Neil Ressler ended any lingering F1 ambitions.
I was not aware he fell out with anyone at Jaguar some he might have known from junior formula as part of Stewart Racing
Tom Kristensen
- a record Le Mans winner and 2 F3 titles. Unfortunate to have been racing in the era when Schumacher emerged from German F3 along with Frentzen and Wendlinger and British F3 was considered very strongly with Barrichello, Hakkinen, Coulthard
By the time he came back into Europe they all established in F1 except Wendlinger whilst the next lot took their opportunity
Carlos Sainz
- Famous for rallying but apparently surprised many with his pace in a sportscar test where he was marginally slower than regulars like Mcnish
Dan Wheldon RIP
IRL champ and spoke to BMW Sauber but was not keen being an also ran after winning the IRL
Klaus Ludwig
They don't call him King Ludwig for no reason unfortunately came at a time when Germany did not have strong following in F1 but to sportscars where he excelled
Sebastien Loeb
- the most dominant rally driver in recent history and at one time supposedly had interested from Red Bull / Toro Rosso
The Indy Club
Paul Tracey
- fast but erratic and pushed by Marlboro when it was still associated with Mclaren
A test at Benetton in mid 90's but was not given assurances about his future by Flavio fearing a similar outcome to Andretti
Greg Moore
The new JV and signed a new contract with Penske but was wanted by Jaguar who told Franchitti they only wanted to speak to Moore at the Canadian GP paddock. Mentioned about F1 but his life ended before he drove for Penske
Scott Dixon
Supremely quick and considered by Williams with a test at Paul Ricard slight slower than Ralf but was not comfortable with the F1 car set up
Al Unser Jr
Apparently Frank was interested but Patrick had an issue with him being a smoker
Unlucky Brits
Gary Paffett
- the unluckiest British driver around - having won German F3 and rated by Mercedes with a testing role at MClaren. The vacancy left by Montoya in 2006 meant he had a chance but the emergence of Hamilton crushed his hopes for 2007, then a suggestion Prodrive would use Mclaren chassis for 2008 with Paffet as one of the drivers was again crushed by 11th hour vote that Prodrive must use its own chassis
Jamie Green
the first Euro F3 champ beating Hamilton and Kubica who could have gone with the team into GP2. Not sure about the teams GP2 competitiveness , decided he would rather go DTM and Rosberg took his seat gleefully
Adam Carroll
- how a talented driver can't get into F1 because he does not have backing. Raced against Rosberg, Heikki, Hamilton and co and has beaten then on occasions
Deserved a fair shot
Oliver Gavin
British F3 winner 1995 and Mclaren Young driver as well. Most famous for driving the safety car in F1 which is the closest he got to an F1 race
The poor Frenchmen
Nicolas Minassian
- the eternal French bridesmaid
runner up in British F3 after disqualified from one race, paired with Heidfeld who was being pushed into F1 strongly in F3000 98, runner up in F3000 2000, tried his luck in CART with Ganassi racing and was fired after a serious of poor results
Emmanuel Collard
Seemed to get a lot of testing and was a Benetton tester but did not graduate to F1 expecting things to be given to him on a plate
The forgotten German
Jorg Muller
- He won German F3 beating Ralf Schumacher and had strong links with BMW. Whilst tested for Williams, he never was considered due to the Schumacher effect ( Michael and Ralf) whilst the next German star Heidfeld was being prepped for F1
The Great Dane nearly ?
Jason Watt
- considered one to watch from Denmark during the mid 90's and apparently interested Williams and
his response was " Juan Montoya, I can take him and Jenson Button who ?"
A test with Williams was prepared for him but never happened as a motorbike accident meant he missed the test
Some illustrious names come to mind
Valentino Rossi
- The Doctor proved he was fast in a test for Ferrari and Luca suggesting a 3rd car allowed could be done to run him. Obviously thinking about Surtees' achievement and it prompted Alonso to respond saying he could compete on two wheels as the current world champion at the time was shunned by this fanfare
He did have a trip trying out rallying
Dario Franchitti
- Married to Hollywood actress and was only interested in F1 if he was given a competitive car. A test for Mclaren for winning young driver award and his links remained whilst driving for Mercedes in DTM. However having decided to do Indycar he shocked Ron Dennis by saying he did not want to be test driver as well as doing a full Indy season. To cash in on the fact he raced in the US and is a British driver, a test with Jaguar proved to be disastrous with claims of sabotage as he was given an older car. One call by team principal Neil Ressler ended any lingering F1 ambitions.
I was not aware he fell out with anyone at Jaguar some he might have known from junior formula as part of Stewart Racing
Tom Kristensen
- a record Le Mans winner and 2 F3 titles. Unfortunate to have been racing in the era when Schumacher emerged from German F3 along with Frentzen and Wendlinger and British F3 was considered very strongly with Barrichello, Hakkinen, Coulthard
By the time he came back into Europe they all established in F1 except Wendlinger whilst the next lot took their opportunity
Carlos Sainz
- Famous for rallying but apparently surprised many with his pace in a sportscar test where he was marginally slower than regulars like Mcnish
Dan Wheldon RIP
IRL champ and spoke to BMW Sauber but was not keen being an also ran after winning the IRL
Klaus Ludwig
They don't call him King Ludwig for no reason unfortunately came at a time when Germany did not have strong following in F1 but to sportscars where he excelled
Sebastien Loeb
- the most dominant rally driver in recent history and at one time supposedly had interested from Red Bull / Toro Rosso
The Indy Club
Paul Tracey
- fast but erratic and pushed by Marlboro when it was still associated with Mclaren
A test at Benetton in mid 90's but was not given assurances about his future by Flavio fearing a similar outcome to Andretti
Greg Moore
The new JV and signed a new contract with Penske but was wanted by Jaguar who told Franchitti they only wanted to speak to Moore at the Canadian GP paddock. Mentioned about F1 but his life ended before he drove for Penske
Scott Dixon
Supremely quick and considered by Williams with a test at Paul Ricard slight slower than Ralf but was not comfortable with the F1 car set up
Al Unser Jr
Apparently Frank was interested but Patrick had an issue with him being a smoker
Unlucky Brits
Gary Paffett
- the unluckiest British driver around - having won German F3 and rated by Mercedes with a testing role at MClaren. The vacancy left by Montoya in 2006 meant he had a chance but the emergence of Hamilton crushed his hopes for 2007, then a suggestion Prodrive would use Mclaren chassis for 2008 with Paffet as one of the drivers was again crushed by 11th hour vote that Prodrive must use its own chassis
Jamie Green
the first Euro F3 champ beating Hamilton and Kubica who could have gone with the team into GP2. Not sure about the teams GP2 competitiveness , decided he would rather go DTM and Rosberg took his seat gleefully
Adam Carroll
- how a talented driver can't get into F1 because he does not have backing. Raced against Rosberg, Heikki, Hamilton and co and has beaten then on occasions
Deserved a fair shot
Oliver Gavin
British F3 winner 1995 and Mclaren Young driver as well. Most famous for driving the safety car in F1 which is the closest he got to an F1 race
The poor Frenchmen
Nicolas Minassian
- the eternal French bridesmaid
runner up in British F3 after disqualified from one race, paired with Heidfeld who was being pushed into F1 strongly in F3000 98, runner up in F3000 2000, tried his luck in CART with Ganassi racing and was fired after a serious of poor results
Emmanuel Collard
Seemed to get a lot of testing and was a Benetton tester but did not graduate to F1 expecting things to be given to him on a plate
The forgotten German
Jorg Muller
- He won German F3 beating Ralf Schumacher and had strong links with BMW. Whilst tested for Williams, he never was considered due to the Schumacher effect ( Michael and Ralf) whilst the next German star Heidfeld was being prepped for F1
The Great Dane nearly ?
Jason Watt
- considered one to watch from Denmark during the mid 90's and apparently interested Williams and
his response was " Juan Montoya, I can take him and Jenson Button who ?"
A test with Williams was prepared for him but never happened as a motorbike accident meant he missed the test
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