Panis to sign with BAR

[EERO]

He's proven that he is still fast and consistent as a tester for McLaren. But is the second seat at BAR really the best move for him?
Honda is almost certain to improve, and perhaps JV's domination of the team's attentions and set up will diminish in the face of Panis' great experience and testing ability. It is certainly in Honda's interest to promote Panis as well as well as Villeneuve.
However, I fear that Panis' newly rising star may plummet if the "Luckey's" don't improve their game signifigantly.

But I for one think it will be great to see Olivier at the sharp end of the grid next year.

Does anyone have any thoughts on how well JV and Olivier will get along. I would suspect that Jacques would perceive Panis to be a greater threat than Zonta has been til now.

[Valve Bounce]

Olivier was extremely disappointed at Prost, so much that he stood down from F1 last year (or was he stood down??) Anyway, I always liked Olivier, and wished that he could get a ride on a top team. I sincerely hope that BAR continues to improve, because they will have two top pilotes next year, and a top engine. Only the chassis needs to be worked on consistantly until the bugs are Morteined. I am happy Olivier is with BAR next year, and he could help sort out the chassis. It would be nice to see him on the podium again.

[angst]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. BAR will be the surprise package next season. Honda development on the chassis to go with the undoubtedly good Honda engine and two very, very fast drivers, one of whom (Panis) is obviously an extremely good developer of a car. I think the drivers will get on fine, though I think Jacques may be surprised at just how good Olivier is.
Before the season is out they will have at least one win to their name.

[Valve Bounce]

I agree with you angst. I think there will be more than one win next year, and quite a few podiums. I predict a late flourish with this team next year. Apart from McLaren, this will probably be the strongest team in drivers next year. Olivier will have learnt a lot of technical info as tester with Mclaren this year, and I think this will prove to be invaluable information for BAR next year.

[Liz]

The minute Olivier looks as if he might be faster than Jacques, he will be fired. As long as Jacques controls the boss, Panis will never win a race and probably will never get a podium finish unless Jacques is unconscious in the hospital (which God forbid).

And if Panis has any other delusions he will be over them by the finish of the second race.

[Ace]

Liz, do they pay you for saying such stupid things? JV and Mika are the best drivers in F1 today and they don't need team orders to beat their teammates. Get a life.

[EERO]

Ace, please refrain from attacking other posters-it is possible to disagree with some one's opinions without being insulting.

[bella]

if ricardo can't do it, then olivier can't. only a magical turn around in form would do it.
out of interest, is olivier's driving style and set up similar to jacques? if not, then he won't do well. it's a 1 car team, and the seond driver is not treated equally. olivier is a bit quiet to make his view heard. bar have signed anyone but ricardo.

[Liz]

Ace, how well do you know Zonta? I mean, personally. Since you have such decided opinions on the subject, you must be a better friend to him than I am. Is that true?

[Bononi]

No doubt about JV skills, but he owns the team and it is quite clear who must lead on the track. Anyone who are used to watch F1, and so knows the history of BAR can feel that.
I like JV as a racer, and think that this year he is greater than ever, in a poor car. But as many others (i.e. Senna), one thing is race and other completely different is his attitudes and character. Many times I think that some drivers should never get their helmet off in front of the cameras.

[Dannyboy]

You know Liz I agree with many of your comments. JV is obviously a hard nosed character and has proved to be a difficult teammate to deal with. Damon and JV seemed to get along fine but under the surface there was a very apparent friction but Damon despite what his detractors may say was one tough nut and he handled JV's manuverings with ease. Frentzen, well it was apparent he was mentally and emotionally shattered by Villeneuve. Zonta has unfortunately faired little better. Without doubt JV is one the quickest drivers out there and his dominance of the team allied to his turn of speed must have been frustrating for Zonta. I have no doubts that Jacques was given better eqipment than Zonta and why not ... we are talking about a World Champion here in a team that was founded on the assumption that he would drive for them. Added to the fact that the team has untill recently struggled to get in the points it is not hard to imagine why the team focused its attentions on getting Villeneuve into the top six. Call it unfair treatment or whatever its the way things operate at BAR, just as they do at Ferrari and to a lesser extent McLaren. However, I don't think Jacques was scared of Zonta for a second, no make that a nanosecond. Its clear that Zonta has been overdriving the car all year(which is to be expected of a young driver to an extent)and JV pointed this out and admitted that he had refused to talk about his teamate all year until that fateful day at Hockenhiem. I can't blame Zonta for having a run at his teammate but it was a pretty lame move added to the fact that they were running together headed for the points in treacherous conditions makes the move even dumber. As we know Jacques lost it which was perhaps a tad uncalled for but thats Jacques had he had time to cool down and think about it he probably wouldn't have said those things.
Ricardo as Jacques pointed out is really nice guy but perhaps he would be better off in another team where the atmosphere isn't so intense. Anyway BAR shouldn't have hired a rookie in there first year when they needed technical feedback and experience. I feel bad for Ricardo and feel that sometimes Jacques has to lose some of his self centredness but that's Jacques, he's not going to change and he always going to be quick. Hopefully Ricardo will too.

[Liz]

Zonta was hired by BAR at the express instruction of British American Tobacco, whose market share in Brazil is apparently about 85%. They required the team to have a Brazilian as one of their pilots because they wanted not only to send him on promotional tours in Brazil, but also to South and Central Asian countries where their 555 Brand is the brand of choice. (Oddly enough in some of these countries it is not sold legally - but it is the brand of choice!) As we all know, Jacques refuses to do promotional work. Zonta does not. For a boy who spoke no English when he signed with the team, he has been above and beyond the call of duty in doing what he was asked to do in whatever country his sponsors asked him to do it in.

I hope some day we will see a return to sportsmanship in racing and an end to the use of pilots as commodities. But when this will happen, I do not know.

Maybe never.

[Ace]

I makes good sense that BAT wanted Zonta as a vehicule for his products in Brazil or any other place. Now, having the backing from the major sponsor of the team, does it make sense the claims of getting unfair treatment? Lets put it this way. What is the point in giving special treatment to Jaques if the car was struggling to finish races? Did Salo complain about the same thing?

Jacques was wrong in saying what he said about Zonta. He should have been hypocritical and say something more diplomatic. But, for good or bad, Jacques is a racer; he does not have a career as diplomat.

I’m sure Panis will bring to BAR more than Zonta did. He is a talented driver and eventually will outqualify and outrace Jacques, but Jacques will have the edge over the entire season.

[Liz]

Whether or not it makes sense, it happens to be true.

In fact, my point exactly is THAT IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. And it never did.

But you will find out for yourself.

[Jay]

While I would rate JV as the second or third best driver in F1, Zonta has not been treated well at BAR.

However, he has never shown any signs of being better than JV. He has NEVER been faster for more than a session every 5 races or so when JV had a problem. And this is from the first race on. Even in winter testing he rarely ever had a faster time than JV.

Zonta may not have gotten everything out of the BAR, but even his best would still be a few places behind Jacques.

I wouldn't expect Olivier to do any better.

[Bononi]

Maybe this the reason BAR doesn't want Zonta anymore : All media ads for smoking were banned in Brazil ! Altough there is nothing about sponsoring the sports, tobacco companies cannot advertise in any kind of media anymore. In fact I never saw Zonta in a tobacco ad, only in a glasses ad... Rayban I think.

[Liz]

That's an interesting development! I wonder if this ban will affect CART pilots as well?

I have seen some major advertising blitzes containing Zonta in Laos and Vietnam, and I think there have been others but am not exactly sure.

[Minardi fan]

Panis is a quicker driver than Zonta, JV is quicker than both of them.

Although Panis is undoubtedly an excellent driver and will certainly put a bit of pressure on Jacques, the team are still 100% behind the ex-World Champ and nowhere near that behind driver no.2.

BAR IS Villeneuve and Pollock.

Unfortunately.