Is Jaime Alguersuari too young?

matty55

Apparently a lot of the drivers seem to think Alguersuari is too young. I see there point but its not the first time a 19 year old has driven in F1 and they never really complained about those drivers

leeroybrown

I don't think that their problem is really his age. I think it's more of an issue with him being thrown into an F1 car in mid-season as a relatively inexperienced driver who's spent relatively little time behind the wheel of an F1 car. Most drivers his age would be stepping into a team after a complete season in one of the feeder series and a full set of pre-season tests.

He meets the requirements for a super license so he's qualified to drive. Best of luck to him.

Slutmonkey57b

Yep - age is not the issue, as Button pointed out he started at 20. The issue with him is that he's never actually done anything other than straight line aero tests in an F1 car. He's never done a lap, never done a year's testing, never mind a qualifying or a race. Talent is not the issue, it's unfamiliarity.

EvilMonkey

If in season testing is banned, and out of season testing is reduced and focused on developing the car with drivers/test drivers when do rookies get to experience F1?
I remember when Kimi Raikkonen came to Sauber people said he didn't have enough experience for F1, he signed for McLaren before the end of the season.
How much experience did Schumacher have when he drove for Jordan?

I think older drivers are worried about prematurely loosing there drive too younger drivers.

Charlie-Bravo

EvilMonkey wrote: »

I think older drivers are worried about prematurely loosing there drive too younger drivers.

I'd agreed with a certain element of that. Also that they are jealous! A chance to drive in F1 is like winning the lottery, if not a less of chance of getting such a drive. This guy took over as a test driver from Brendon Hartley, and now Bourdais was given the boot, he is lined up for it - Obviously he has the bucks to step into a drive. What was Adam Carroll saying on Tubridy Tonight - you need €4 million to step into a race seat!?

EvilMonkey

astrofluff wrote: »

What was Adam Carroll saying on Tubridy Tonight - you need €4 million to step into a race seat!?

Yeah and that was for gp2. :eek:
Basically if you can get the cash or bring some sponsors and have some ability your good enough.

amacachi

It all comes down to luck/reputation when it comes to gettin an F1 drive. Even having a famous dad, either get the TV companies enthused when the son is 16 or else the dad has to pay big time for the drive.


Good luck to the lad, all I'm hoping is that he doesn't draw attention to himself in his first few races in a bad way. Even playing online oval races I'm constantly kacking myself that I may take someone out or be taken out, I can't imagine what that is like a few years younger than me with (probably) a factor of 50 more people watching than before.

leeroybrown

I think that he's actually done an all right job so far this weekend. Practice were his first 100 laps in an F1 car, his first laps of the Hungaroring, the track conditions in the early part of Q1 were awkward and the track itself is a bit of challenge to drive. He did look a little twitchy and slightly non-committal at times but given these factors I wouldn't fault him too much for that. I think that tomorrow will just be a case of getting more laps under his belt with a view to a decent showing at Valencia where he'll be more familiar with the circuit.

thewheel2.0

I like what Alonso said... "if hes tallented enough hes old enough"

Ghost Train

He been given a super license so I don't see it as a problem, its just the way the new testing rules have changed things, it really hurts the test drivers... Gary Anderson made a good point that teams can run a different driver on friday if they want, so while it would put a lot of pressure on the race driver there is a method to give a driver experience if teams really needed to test a driver before racing him/her