“We had all been waiting for it for a long time, but obviously didn’t expect it 30 days before the start of a season,” he declared. “It’s not a merger, it’s the death of Champ Car and the IRL taking over—the schedules, cars, everything. It’s the cars (the IRL teams) have been running around with for five years, so what are the Champ Car teams going to be able to do? Nothing.
“They had no time to prepare over the winter, because the winter is over. It’s a disaster for Champ Car teams, obviously.”
Stop the presses, Sebastien. You mean this was not the most equitable of deals for Champ Car teams? That is like saying Scuderia Toro Rosso will not be the class of F1 this year.
-Also-
Michael Andretti manages to toss a few barbs at former-rival (and now ride less, Paul Tracy). Upon hearing the news that Tracy's Champ Car ride has hit the bricks, Andretti says he knew it all along:
"I wasn't surprised," Andretti said. "I assumed that (Forsythe not
fielding an IRL team) was going to happen. It was just a gut feel. He's a proud man. There has to be a reason he was doing the things he was doing (in Champ Car), and I just didn't see him caving in to come over here."
Andretti also quickly discarded the thought that Tracy may windup in a race seat with Andretti-Green.
"Paul is great and all, but he doesn't have any experience in these cars and he's getting a little old," Andretti said."We're looking at 19- and 20-year olds, and he's almost 40..."
Andretti twists the knife one last time by saying Tracy would be a great fit with Tony George's habitually mediocre Vision Racing. Wherever Tracy winds up, he will be in the IRL this season, and will be waiting for Andretti in the parking lot after the Homestead race. Ding...round one.
No comments:
Post a Comment