View Full Version : Legge "...She Absolutely Deserves An F-1...
...or a Champcar drive."-Paul Stoddart. I guess Paul called KK in California and woke him up in the early AM with the news. "You have the real deal there. She turned 11 consecutive laps all within 1/10 of a sec. of each other." Second quick overall (by 0.1) after being caught out yesterday by cold tires and traction control. Stoddart said she'd have been quickest by .5 if she'd run at a better time of day) KK says he'll wait for the Champcar test before making any decisions. He says the CC is harder to drive.
Put your money on Legge. :thumbup:
Reuters story: (http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=motorSportsNews&storyID=URI:urn:newsml:reuters.com:20051123:MTFH55 049_2005-11-23_18-22-06_L23762442:1)
LONDON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Former Minardi owner Paul Stoddart complimented Briton Katherine Legge on Wednesday after she became the first woman in more than a decade to test a Formula One car.
"She's definitely got what it takes to be a Formula One driver," said the Australian after the 25-year-old, who races in America, completed 27 laps at the Vallelunga circuit near Rome.
Minardi said the Guildford-born racer had set a series of quick and consistent times after crashing into a concrete wall on Tuesday after just one lap.
It appears she has a bright future ahead of her. I do hope she runs another year in Atlantics before moving up to Champ Car.
It appears she has a bright future ahead of her. I do hope she runs another year in Atlantics before moving up to Champ Car.
Last I heard, it all depends on her Champ Car test. If she does well and is comfortable with the car, she's in Champ Cars next year. If not, she does another year in Atlantics. I imagine, with Jeemy's input, she'll get comfortable real quick.
Methanolandbrats
11-23-05, 03:45 PM
She has proven she has the racecraft, so strap her in the Champcar.
Sean O'Gorman
11-23-05, 05:38 PM
:thumbup: :thumbup:
I hope she makes it, and wads up a few more cars in the process. To me, a truely fast driver is one who goes over the edge, and then tones it back a notch.
I'm with KLang... maybe see where she is about 3/4 of the way through the schedule and decide whether or not to "bring her up to the Bigs!" Might lend a little excitement or publicity to the end of the season. :)
Lizzerd
11-24-05, 12:48 AM
With Jeemy as a mentor, the sky is the limit. I'm okay with another year in Atlantics for her though. SHE has her head on straight.
You know, like she doesn't want to rush into a major series because her boss(es) tell her she is good and will bring TV ratings and publicity to the series and endorsement money to herself all the while being a mid-pack RACER.
FailureByDesign
11-24-05, 01:25 AM
Go Kat! :D I love that there is a woman out there who can actually race and win,and isent a hood ornament. :cool: :thumbup: Can't wait for the Media to get a wake up call and see what a real racer looks like.
Go Kat! :D I love that there is a woman out there who can actually race and win,and isent a hood ornament. :cool: :thumbup: Can't wait for the Media to get a wake up call and see what a real racer looks like.
I was all for giving Patrick a break when she went the hood ornament route in FMH (I said that someplace on OC forums), but that was before all the unwarranted hype in the IRL. I really appreciate the way Legge is approaching her career and if she thinks she can go the Champ Cars after her PKV testing I'll trust her judgement. Meanwhile, I'm just amazed that she adjusted to an extra 600+ HP so quickly and put in really solid comparative lap times in that test session.
Not trying to stir the pot, but can you imagine how many really good drivers are out there who just never get the chance to show it? It was YEARS ago, but I think I remember reading a quote by Dan Gurney where he said in the early days in California he KNOWS there were better drivers out there than him. He's the guy who found (or was found by) the "benefactor" though and ended up on the Ferrari factory team! Still a lot to be said for timing and good fortune.
PS- Yeah, your timing and another guy's fortune? :)
PS- Yeah, your timing and another guy's fortune? :)
These days it is up to drivers to go out and find their benefactors. Legge found one. Maybe some guys ought to try harder?
oddlycalm
11-24-05, 02:58 PM
It appears she has a bright future ahead of her. I do hope she runs another year in Atlantics before moving up to Champ Car. It appears that Legge agreed with you when asked directly (so do I).
"Not at all, I still need to get lots of experience," said Legge. "After all, the past season has been my first real year of competitions. One thing for certain, even if she stays in Atlantics for another year she will benefit hugely by the experience in the Mindardi and the Champ Car.
Giancarlo Minardi who has seen as many young racers as anyone alive;
"She ran with a quick and especially consistent pace. She was absolutely not worn out physically and I think she can carry on along this route.
oc
coolhand
11-24-05, 03:30 PM
They better get her up into champ car quick, because she will get her ass handed to her in atlantics next year if they don't, and her stock will go way down.
she will get her ass handed to her in atlantics next year
On what do you base this? IIRC this was her first full season in any series. Not bad results at all.
coolhand
11-24-05, 04:14 PM
On what do you base this? IIRC this was her first full season in any series. Not bad results at all.
yes, but there were only 3 truly competitive cars with her along with some good drivers in not as good of equipment.
next season you will see Phillipe with a very well funded mi-jack effort.
Forythe with two cars.
Sierra Sierra will be back (with RuSports former Atlantic engineer, this guy is good)
Paul newman's team
Team Austrialia
gelles racing
hearn motorsports
http://www.champcaratlantic.com/Teams/2006Teams.asp
all seen above.
And most of those seats will go to deserving talent. kids who can drive. legge would have her hands full and if KK leaves her in his new atlantics one more season he could risk seeing her stock deminish.
I disagree with your crystal ball. Hopefully, IMO, she will stay in Atlantics so we can see. I'd rather see here racing with people of similar talent and experience then adding to the backmarker count in Champ Car. Next year should be especially interesting in Atlantics with a brand new car. Set-ups will be a blank sheet of paper for all the teams.
Dr. Corkski
06-12-07, 03:39 PM
Stoddart totally got this one right. :laugh:
Stoddart totally got this one right. :laugh:
After this past weekend, you dispute this assessment? :gomer:
-Kevin
opinionated ow
06-12-07, 07:44 PM
give the girl a decent car...
opinionated ow
06-12-07, 08:23 PM
it's a spec series
which means the team preparing it is even more important...
TrueBrit
06-13-07, 09:26 AM
which means the team preparing it is even more important...
..and when they don't test at the track because it might rain as was mentioned in the race broadcast this weekend, it means they're a step behind from the git-go....
opinionated ow
06-13-07, 09:34 AM
..and when they don't test at the track because it might rain as was mentioned in the race broadcast this weekend, it means they're a step behind from the git-go....
as the BFG would say, exunctly.
Dr. Corkski
06-13-07, 11:39 AM
So what are the excuses for everywhere else she has been slow at? :tony:
which means the team preparing it is even more important...
a spec series displays more of a driver's individual talents than a formula based series, yes the team is important, but all the cars out there are equal, if she can't provide the proper feedback to get her car dialed in, that's her fault.
she's started 13th, DFL, DFL, and next to DFL thus far and is sitting behind 5 rookies in points.
Dirty Sanchez
06-13-07, 12:20 PM
but all the cars out there are equaluh, no they aren't...
that said, legge still sucks :laugh:
uh, no they aren't...
does newman haas have a front wing the others don't have? does forsythe have a damper the others don't have? does Rsucks have a transaxle the others dont have?
they all have the same tires, same suspension, same chassis, same aero bits, same engine, same transmission. it's as equal as it gets in motorsports
okay, you're right, maybe they have different wheels, and helmets too :gomer:
she may never compete for wins driving w/ DCR, but a spec series is as fair as it's ever going to get for her short of being in a top ride. "it's the team" is bs when you're DFL 75% of the time.
cameraman
06-13-07, 01:13 PM
At the end of the race (before she ran out of fuel or spun or aliens attacked) she was running faster than Junky. That looks to me like the problem lay more with the car than with the driver. Neither of them was able to do much beyond running faster than PCM.
Insomniac
06-13-07, 02:36 PM
does newman haas have a front wing the others don't have? does forsythe have a damper the others don't have? does Rsucks have a transaxle the others dont have?
they all have the same tires, same suspension, same chassis, same aero bits, same engine, same transmission. it's as equal as it gets in motorsports
okay, you're right, maybe they have different wheels, and helmets too :gomer:
she may never compete for wins driving w/ DCR, but a spec series is as fair as it's ever going to get for her short of being in a top ride. "it's the team" is bs when you're DFL 75% of the time.
I think the team and testing play an important role. With that said, in my opinion, the best test is can you do better than your teammate? She isn't doing better than Bruno. She also sucks at qualifying.
Anteater
06-13-07, 08:22 PM
At the end of the race (before she ran out of fuel or spun or aliens attacked) she was running faster than Junky.
I saw Katherine make a nice pass on Junky in the Festival Curves!:thumbup:
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