Existing Users: Because of an update to the forum software you will need to reset your password. Please use the "Forgot?" link on the sign in form to do so. If that doesn't work, send me an email at feedback@forzaminardi.com and I'll sort you out!

Comments

  • my word :rolleyes:
  • Press Release: Netherlands, Tuesday April 5th 2005.

    Jos Verstappen: "I am a shit driver"

    Jos Verstappen today announced that that he is a shit driver. The former Benetton, Simtek, Tyrrell, Arrows and Minardi driver stated the obvious after again being beaten by a 'team-mate', in this case being Sweden’s young Bjorn Wirdheim.

    "It doesn't mean too much (beating Verstappen)" stated the young Swede. "Champcar should suit me as a driver, while a lounge chair will be more suited to Jos"

    Verstappen replied, "I am a shit driver, it's only taken me 11 years to realise it." It is also rumored that Jos actually doesn't have any fans, and frequently visits forums himself in order to generate interest and perhaps rekindle his career.


    [Edited on 5/4/2005 by Brooksey]
  • I suppose HVH is a sort of Minardi, where cash is extremely necessary ???
  • Steve - any response?
  • OK, I'll be the victim... :spank:

    Jos wasn't beaten by Wirdheim but, even worser, by Ronnie Bremer. Both drivers signed a contract with HVM which only will guarantee them 1 race. In the mean time HVM hopes to find a major sponsor. If that happens I wouldn't be surprised Bremer will be replaced by Jos the next race otherwise it could be the last race of HVM. This is the reason why Jos refused to sign yet.

    The good news is that 6 year old Max Verstappen last weekend won his maiden kartrace for the Dutch Championship.

    image

    [Edited on 5/4/2005 by Rime]
  • I suppose HVH is a sort of Minardi, where cash is extremely necessary ???
    I'm sorry to disappoint you but HVM is a good team. Whether the team needs money or not I don't know. But what I do know is that Wirdheim isn't bringing much money.

    I'm really sorry to all Verstappen fans but Wirdheim got this drive because he's a better driver :hehe:
  • I read the same news as Rime did (and that was also what I meant). I share Rime's hope, but fear that it will be just another maybe-story that ends with a 'no' for Verstappen. I really don't think he has been left out of the drive because he is such a bad driver.
  • This is the reason why Jos refused to sign yet.
    I don't think Jos is in a position where he can refuse offers.... :rolleyes:
  • As much as I love Jos I agree with Homer here, I really don't know why he doesn't take his chances, race a couple of races and see how things end up. Just look at Wilson, he started with a contract for 4 races or something like that last year and now he's at a top team. I'm sure he could crush that Swedish boy easily.
  • Jos blew it at HVM. He's entirely capable of doing what Servia did last year for DC and should in fact do what he needs to to get into that 2nd Coyne car. Servia/Verstappen would be a potentially top 3 driver combo, giving Dale the chance to really bust through. Is Trust still with JV, are there any other backers?
  • The point is Jos only wants to come to Champ Car if he has a ride that is capable of getting podiums. Coyne can have the spirit and good will, but still they are 'just' the Minardi of the series.
    As for the sponsorship. Trust is not backing Jos anymore, only Muermans is... and that wasn't enough sadly.
  • Servia was knocking at the door last year with Coyne, with that data as a base to work from, a lot of good could be done. Remember that this is effectively a 'spec series' with frozen regs so a lot of the dollar advantage is gone.

    Very much unlike Minardi where everyone else hasn't done the courtesey of staying with a 2002 car. You give any team 3-4 years to close the dev gap and they will, Forsythe & NewmanHaas are probably at the effective end of the rope as far as sqeezing more time out of the Lola. If it's there he should sign with Dale.
  • Well I haven't been following the series as close as F1, but from what I heard Coyne really don't have a budget to compete by any standards this year.
    I remember when Wirdheim tested for them he was horrified - they were using whatever scraps from the old car they could find to actually have a car that sort of works, wearing years old uniforms that were threadbare etc. It's said they aren't even able to retain their team members all year.
    Jos should have taken that HVM seat if the deal was on the table :mad:
  • As far as I know, your claim is incorrect.

    Ronnie Bremer beat Jos Verstappen in the race for a champcar seat. Wirdheim already signed way earlier.

    [Edited on 5/4/2005 by Stan]
  • As far as I know, your claim is incorrect.

    Ronnie Bremer beat Jos Verstappen in the race for a champcar seat. Wirdheim already signed way earlier.
    Correction: Jos refused to sign a 1-race contract, after that Bremer did.
  • I find it really distasteful how society discards people aside once they are old and fat. Very sad Jos.

    So he refused to sign? Didn't he also refuse to sign at Jordan. Bit of a habit, Jos....
  • he did'nt want to sign for one race without any security about the rest of the season, HVM is in financial trouble so they went for drivers with lots of money, Jos clearly was faster than Wirdheim and Bremmer in the test at Sebring:

    1. Paul Tracy - 51.47
    2. Timo Glock – 51.64
    3. Jos Verstappen – 51.82
    4. Andrew Ranger – 51.97
    5. Ryan Hunter Ray – 52.06
    6. Nelson Phelipe – 52.13
    7. Jimmy Vasser – 52.39
    8. Alex Tagliani – 52.57
    9. Marcus Marshall – 52.60
    10. Oriol Servia – 52.60
    11. Ronnie Bremer – 52.62
    12. Bjorn Wirdheim – 52.92

    8 tenths and 1.1 seconds, so it's clear that talent did'nt have anything to do with the choice HVM made.
  • Steve, as I allready wrote: Jos is not in a position where he can refuse offers! His career might end this year, he has to take every chance he can get!
  • he IS in a position to refuse offers, he has a lot of money in the bank and shares in a few companies, he does'nt need to race to make a living, he wants to race but only with a team that really wants him and a team that offers him a chance of podium finishes.
  • he did'nt want to sign for one race without any security about the rest of the season, HVM is in financial trouble so they went for drivers with lots of money, Jos clearly was faster than Wirdheim and Bremmer in the test at Sebring:

    1. Paul Tracy - 51.47
    2. Timo Glock – 51.64
    3. Jos Verstappen – 51.82
    4. Andrew Ranger – 51.97
    5. Ryan Hunter Ray – 52.06
    6. Nelson Phelipe – 52.13
    7. Jimmy Vasser – 52.39
    8. Alex Tagliani – 52.57
    9. Marcus Marshall – 52.60
    10. Oriol Servia – 52.60
    11. Ronnie Bremer – 52.62
    12. Bjorn Wirdheim – 52.92

    8 tenths and 1.1 seconds, so it's clear that talent did'nt have anything to do with the choice HVM made.
    As I've already said, Wirdheim doesn't bring any money!
    And in what car did Wirdheim sit in during that test you are refering to? And what was his reaction after the test?
    Accept it Wirdheim could offer more than Verstappen and it wasn't money!
  • Yeah, he has a lot of money but he's not in Formula 1. Accept it: Jos is not such a good driver. He's not bad, but he's not as good as he/you might think.

  • As I've already said, Wirdheim doesn't bring any money!
    And in what car did Wirdheim sit in during that test you are refering to? And what was his reaction after the test?
    Accept it Wirdheim could offer more than Verstappen and it wasn't money!
    You're missing the point my friend, the battle for the seat was between Bremer and Verstappen, not between Wirdheim and Verstappen. HVM could not guarantee that they will make the second race in Monterrey that is the main and only reason why Jos didn't sign. There still is a good possibility that Jos could sign after Long Beach with HVM or Forsythe (3th car) since he has the support of the CCWS and some backing of Muermans.

    For the second race there are 3 options:

    1. Replace Bremer after Long Beach
    2. Third Forsythe car after Long Beach
    3. Don't compete in CC

    I wish Björn Wirdheim and his fans all the best and really hope that HVM will survive because I would like to see Verstappen and Wirdheim in the same team in Monterrey.

    Btw. Wirdheim has the support of Eurosport and some swedish businessman who lives in Florida so he brings some money (like almost every CC driver does).
  • from what I've heard Wirdheim will bring Eurosport sponsorship to HVM.
  • [quote]
    As I've already said, Wirdheim doesn't bring any money!
    And in what car did Wirdheim sit in during that test you are refering to? And what was his reaction after the test?
    Accept it Wirdheim could offer more than Verstappen and it wasn't money!
    You're missing the point my friend, the battle for the seat was between Bremer and Verstappen, not between Wirdheim and Verstappen. HVM could not guarantee that they will make the second race in Monterrey that is the main and only reason why Jos didn't sign. There still is a good possibility that Jos could sign after Long Beach with HVM or Forsythe (3th car) since he has the support of the CCWS and some backing of Muermans.

    For the second race there are 3 options:

    1. Replace Bremer after Long Beach
    2. Third Forsythe car after Long Beach
    3. Don't compete in CC

    I wish Björn Wirdheim and his fans all the best and really hope that HVM will survive because I would like to see Verstappen and Wirdheim in the same team in Monterrey.

    Btw. Wirdheim has the support of Eurosport and some swedish businessman who lives in Florida so he brings some money (like almost every CC driver does). [/quote]
    Wirdheim doesn't have official support from Eurosport. Eurosport only wanted to have a driver from 'the cold north'.
    That Swedish buisnessman have I also heard rumors of. Not sure how much money he is supporting Wirdheim with but he does only want to have a Swedish driver i ChampCar, so he is not an official sponsor either.
    So when I was saying that Wirdheim doesn't bring any money was true in one way ;)
    But I must admit that i'ts bloody fun to mess with Verstappen's fans :hehe:
    But don't get me wrong. I have nothing against Verstappen or his fans and I'd much rather see Verstappen as Wirdheims team mate than Bremer.
    No hard feelings :)
  • But don't get me wrong. I have nothing against Verstappen or his fans and I'd much rather see Verstappen as Wirdheims team mate than Bremer.
    No hard feelings :)
    So we finally can see how Jos kicks his ass? ;)

    I agree, a line-up with Wirdheim and Verstappen would be pretty good by CCWS standards.
  • [quote]But don't get me wrong. I have nothing against Verstappen or his fans and I'd much rather see Verstappen as Wirdheims team mate than Bremer.
    No hard feelings :)
    So we finally can see how Jos kicks his ass? ;)

    I agree, a line-up with Wirdheim and Verstappen would be pretty good by CCWS standards. [/quote]
    I think it would be quite good by F1 standards also ;)
  • IMO its a bad idea to compare Jos HVM time to Bjorn in a DCR cars time... DCR is like the Minardi (you get the idea, hey I like them too!) and is usually the slowest. Slowest, but still can get podiums with the right driver as shown with Seriva at Laguna Seca last year... if Jos is really that "great" he shouldnt have a problem beating Oriol :spank:

    [Edited on 8/4/2005 by sadler21]
Sign In or Register to comment.