Chicks dig the Indycars

[cozmoose]

It's undeniable fact that women racers seem to be finding a home in Indycars.
We are all familiar with Danica Patrick, Milka Duno, and Sarah Fisher.
But let us not forget the women Euro racers.
For some reason, they also seem to gravitate towards Indycars and Indy Lights

Few years ago, we had Cyndie Allemann from Switzerland in Indy Lights


For the past 2 years, we've had Pippa Mann from England in Indy Lights


This year, another Swiss, Simona De Silvestro will probably make IRL grid


And now, this beauty from Spain, Carmen Jordá, will be lining up in Indy Lights
Maybe our European forum members can shed some info about her?

[InterRaptor]

(02-09-2010 04:55 AM)cozmoose Wrote:  And now, this beauty from Spain, Carmen Jordá, will be lining up in Indy Lights
Maybe our European forum members can shed some info about her?

Not too much to say. She will turn 22 in May, has driven in the Spanish F3 in 2007 to 2009, with little success (in 2008, she had the same car as Natacha Gachnang and ended the season with 1 point to Gachnang's 76). In 2009 she also drove in the Le Mans Series, sharing a car with former motocycle racer Fonsi Nieto, with who she allegedly had an affair (she is married to a former spanish driver who is even more unknown than she is).

[LappedTraffic]

I think I just became a huge Carmen fan. Perhaps Nasir could get an interview?

[chemics]

(02-09-2010 05:25 AM)InterRaptor Wrote:  

(02-09-2010 04:55 AM)cozmoose Wrote:  And now, this beauty from Spain, Carmen Jordá, will be lining up in Indy Lights
Maybe our European forum members can shed some info about her?

Not too much to say. She will turn 22 in May, has driven in the Spanish F3 in 2007 to 2009, with little success (in 2008, she had the same car as Natacha Gachnang and ended the season with 1 point to Gachnang's 76). In 2009 she also drove in the Le Mans Series, sharing a car with former motocycle racer Fonsi Nieto, with who she allegedly had an affair (she is married to a former spanish driver who is even more unknown than she is).

She looks more like she is about 12.

Isn't it time we had a woman driver that was build like a Williams sister and won races. I guess the sponsors don't really go for that though.

[Yaaay]

Are you kidding? No Williams Sisters please. I'll stick with that.

http://www.gridcrasher.com/index.php/200...rmen-jorda

[chemics]

I don't mean they have to look like a Williams sister, just it would be nice to have a Woman driver that can win as well as look good.

[frankdouglason]

would the williams sisters fit in an f1 car? i think they might be too tall.

i agree, i'm sick of hearing about all these female drivers that would do a better job as a grid girl. but the sponsors love them, and we all know that the sponsors get what the sponsors want.

there are a four ways to get into motor racing: 1) have the right last name, 2) be of the right nationality, 3) look good, 4) be a good driver. the last one takes the longest, and has the most hurdles to overcome, but also has the highest success rate once you get there.

[InterRaptor]

(02-09-2010 02:16 PM)frankdouglason Wrote:  there are a four ways to get into motor racing: 1) have the right last name, 2) be of the right nationality, 3) look good, 4) be a good driver. the last one takes the longest, and has the most hurdles to overcome, but also has the highest success rate once you get there.

1) Schumacher => not a good name
2) German => not really a F1 country back then
3) no comment
4) ok, I'll give you that one

As to the name, apart from Bruno Senna (who might also be a good driver) and that guy who crashes into walls, who is there who got into F1 just thanks to the name? I guess Damon Hill didn't have an impressive track record when he go there. JV certainly had shown in US racing that he had talent. Even Ralf had won Macau (and Formula Nippon).

I think you forgot the most important way: have connections, making it easier to get the sponsors aboard.

[frankdouglason]

(02-09-2010 02:34 PM)InterRaptor Wrote:  As to the name, apart from Bruno Senna (who might also be a good driver) and that guy who crashes into walls, who is there who got into F1 just thanks to the name? I guess Damon Hill didn't have an impressive track record when he go there. JV certainly had shown in US racing that he had talent. Even Ralf had won Macau (and Formula Nippon).

nico would be on that list also. jv and ralf had solid records, but not enough in my estimation to stand out among their peers and make the leap to f1. the name made the difference.

(02-09-2010 02:34 PM)InterRaptor Wrote:  I think you forgot the most important way: have connections, making it easier to get the sponsors aboard.

that's intriguing. should that be a 5th path, or is that already rolled into the others? i kinda think that the other 4 get you sponsors in the same way they get you a seat at the f1 table. or maybe it's a two step transaction; pick one of the four, then get sponsors, then get to f1. it's a hard knot to unravel. one way would be to point out a driver that didn't have any of the 4, but did have significant sponsor backing. ideas?

[InterRaptor]

(02-09-2010 02:55 PM)frankdouglason Wrote:  nico would be on that list also. jv and ralf had solid records, but not enough in my estimation to stand out among their peers and make the leap to f1. the name made the difference.

True, forgot about Nico. But JV was the reigning IndyCar champion and Indy 500 winner when he made the step to F1. Sure the name didn't hurt, but those achievements might have been enough.

(02-09-2010 02:55 PM)frankdouglason Wrote:  one way would be to point out a driver that didn't have any of the 4, but did have significant sponsor backing. ideas?

Jean-Denis Deletraz?

[chemics]

You forgot 6) Be sponsored by Red Bull. It might not leave you in F1 for long, but it will get you there quickly.

[RBoulanger]

(02-09-2010 03:07 PM)InterRaptor Wrote:  

(02-09-2010 02:55 PM)frankdouglason Wrote:  nico would be on that list also. jv and ralf had solid records, but not enough in my estimation to stand out among their peers and make the leap to f1. the name made the difference.

True, forgot about Nico. But JV was the reigning IndyCar champion and Indy 500 winner when he made the step to F1. Sure the name didn't hurt, but those achievements might have been enough.

I think Frank's point is that JV wouldn't have gotten to Indycar (or Nico Rosberg to GP2 where he won the title in the best team despite 2 ho-hum seasons driving for some outfit named Team Rosberg) without their names.
JV finished third behind the highly touted David Empringham and Claude Bourbonnais in the 1993 Toyota Atlantic series, but scored a CART ride for 1994. David, the series champ, never made it out of Indy Lights and Claude started 5 CART races and an Indy 500 before hanging up his helment.

(02-09-2010 03:07 PM)InterRaptor Wrote:  

(02-09-2010 02:55 PM)frankdouglason Wrote:  one way would be to point out a driver that didn't have any of the 4, but did have significant sponsor backing. ideas?

Jean-Denis Deletraz?

Yes!
I think this does point out that there needs to be a 5th category in Frank's race driver axiom: lots and lots of cash.

Otherwise the F1 appearances of Deletraz, Pedro Diniz, Giovanni Lavaggi and even Jaime Alguesuari can't be properly accounted for.

[frankdouglason]

we definitely need at least a 5th category.

5) be independently wealthy and pay your way.

i'm still not sure about this sponsorship thing. sponsors don't just come out of nowhere, do they? how did this deletraz guy get sponsored?

[OldGuyAl]

Don't forget Katherine Legge! She drove some low-budget cars and definitely impressed at times. Glad she landed a solid DTM ride but, I'd love to see her come back.

[cozmoose]

Kat was a pioneer of sort. But she was in Champcars, not Indycars.

Of course, she'll forever be known for this: Road America crash
I was at this race...could not believe that she survived after I saw the safety truck carrying little bits of whatever that was left of her car.

[LappedTraffic]

I was a Kat fan when she was in ChampCars. I haven't kept up with her in DTM. I remember watching the Road America crash live on TV. I also was amazed she walked away from that one. I remember the interviewer asking afterwards what she saw and her reply was "I don't know my eyes were closed"

[TeamPenske]

I was excited to see Ana Beatriz last year, and still think she has potential. We will see....

[OldGuyAl]

Ana Beatriz - YES!

That's who USF1 should sign!

[Jackson]

(02-11-2010 07:12 AM)cozmoose Wrote:  Kat was a pioneer of sort. But she was in Champcars, not Indycars.

Of course, she'll forever be known for this: Road America crash
I was at this race...could not believe that she survived after I saw the safety truck carrying little bits of whatever that was left of her car.

The Kink is a great turn complex though, so if there is ever a spot for a crash at RA, it would be there. As for looks, Kat is always hard to describe. Sometimes she looks hot, other times just sort of bland.

[cozmoose]

Here is Ana Beatriz, along with Mario Moraes, Rafael Matos, Tony Kanaan, and Helio Castroneves.
Bloke with the helmet on is the president of Brazil

[LappedTraffic]

Must be a rough job if he has to wear a crash helmet all the time!

[drmarkf]

(02-12-2010 06:16 PM)LappedTraffic Wrote:  Must be a rough job if he has to wear a crash helmet all the time!

Let's hear it for the Stoddartettes - she must be worth a run in Indycars:

[InterRaptor]

Nah, Susie is coming to F1. Why else would her boyfriend have bought into Williams?

[Yaaay]

One of the benefits of being Nasir's chauffeur, I met Susie and she doesn't disappoint.

[drmarkf]

I met* both her and Vanina Ickx at Brands Hatch on the same day in 2006.

I needed to have my pacemaker** battery changed after that one, I can tell you
I do feel the presence of Mr Hameed with us on this thread...

[*Unfortunately that consisted only of getting both their autographs, and having a short conversation with Susie about where she hoped to move to after the DTM. I forget what she said, but she does also have nice eyes.
On the considerably more positive side, it also involved being right at the front of the crush around Vanina, and I can personally vouch for her use of Chanel no. 5]

[**And, no, I don't actually have a pacemaker, but I could have done with one on that day]