Most Forgettable Drivers

rffp · Post by **rffp** » 01 Jun 2009, 14:16

Pizzonia was a huge disappointment, but since we Brazilians like to focus on criticizing Barrichello, the Jungle-Boy was left out of the jokes.
Plenty of forgettable drivers in the 80s and 90s. Just take a look at the Osella line-ups!

In this decade, I was oblivious to Nicolas Kiesa, Robert Doornbos, Ralph Firman, Gianmaria Bruni, Tomas Enge and some other that I will have forgotten!

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 01 Jun 2009, 15:54

WeirdKerr wrote:until this year..... i would of said Jenson Button....

Not a chance. He was so hyped when he came to the sport originally, then he was safe in the midfield for a couple of years, came third in the championship in '04 and was generally high profile.

dragonsteincole · Post by **dragonsteincole** » 01 Jun 2009, 16:49

Marc Surer. Swiss driver. Drove for Arrows a lot in the 1980s, and quite possibly a totally unremarkable career. Scored points, but nothing makes him stand out otherwise.

Barbazza · Post by **Barbazza** » 01 Jun 2009, 19:36

I used to quite like Marc and always looked out for him when he was in the Arrows, though when he had a half-decent car when he was given a shot in the Brabham, he didn't do much with it. He did have a couple of big injuries fairly early in his career though which can't have helped.

jackanderton · Post by **jackanderton** » 02 Jun 2009, 13:32

Tomas Enge

Absolutely and utterly forgot about that guy.

midgrid · Post by **midgrid** » 02 Jun 2009, 15:27

jackanderton wrote:
Tomas Enge

Absolutely and utterly forgot about that guy.

This is quite memorable.

watka · Post by **watka** » 02 Jun 2009, 16:55

midgrid wrote:
jackanderton wrote:
Tomas Enge

Absolutely and utterly forgot about that guy.

This is quite memorable.

Don't even remember that crash!

Bleu · Post by **Bleu** » 02 Jun 2009, 18:59

Enge had that crash in practice so it's much easier to forget.

BB01 · Post by **BB01** » 03 Jun 2009, 03:23

midgrid wrote:
jackanderton wrote:
Tomas Enge

Absolutely and utterly forgot about that guy.

This is quite memorable.

I don't remember that crash but I'll always remember him for being the guy who was thrown out of the F3000 (i think it was at the time) championship for testing positive to marijuana. :lol:

Pot-head.

Irisado · Post by **Irisado** » 03 Jun 2009, 22:24

dragonsteincole wrote:Marc Surer. Swiss driver. Drove for Arrows a lot in the 1980s, and quite possibly a totally unremarkable career. Scored points, but nothing makes him stand out otherwise.

I would argue that scoring points for Ensign makes him memorable, as there were not too many drivers who managed to score points driving for Mo Nunn's team.

I agree with the suggestion that Pizzonia is eminently forgettable though. I can't remember a single exciting thing that he did out on the track in any of his drives for Williams or Jaguar.

Alianora La Canta · Post by **Alianora La Canta** » 05 Jun 2009, 14:58

The only thing that occurs to me was when Antonio collided with Juan Pablo Montoya in Spa 2005 when the latter was trying to lap Pizzonia. This resulted in a rather unamused Juan Pablo launching into a tirade against backmarkers (note to Piquet Jr. - at least Montoya checked he wasn't a backmarker himself first!)...

Yannick · Post by **Yannick** » 05 Jun 2009, 18:49

Antonio Pizzonia is actually still the record holder for "Highest Top Speed in a Formula 1 Grand Prix" with his score of 369.9 km/h set at the 2004 Italian GP at Monza in a Williams. I guess that is memorable and goes to show that he can drive low downforce cars. He might have become a good oval racer.

Shadaza · Post by **Shadaza** » 06 Jun 2009, 00:19

Frank Montagny

All I can remember him for is replacing that legend that was IDE, I don;'t remember him doing anything except slogging it around at the back

Irisado · Post by **Irisado** » 06 Jun 2009, 12:49

Shadaza wrote:Frank Montagny

All I can remember him for is replacing that legend that was IDE, I don;'t remember him doing anything except slogging it around at the back

That's a good choice, I can agree with that, as the only thing I remember his getting involved in was the spectacular first corner pile up at the 2006 US Grand Prix, and there were plenty of other more memorable drivers caught up in that incident, so I don't think that his part in that was very notable.

Pedro_Diniz · Post by **Pedro_Diniz** » 06 Jun 2009, 12:51

Irisado wrote:
Shadaza wrote:Frank Montagny

All I can remember him for is replacing that legend that was IDE, I don;'t remember him doing anything except slogging it around at the back

That's a good choice, I can agree with that, as the only thing I remember his getting involved in was the spectacular first corner pile up at the 2006 US Grand Prix, and there were plenty of other more memorable drivers caught up in that incident, so I don't think that his part in that was very notable.

Ok, I completely forgot all about him... REJECT.

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 06 Jun 2009, 13:09

Who was that Sauber driver that partnered Salo for the 2000 season again?

Pedro_Diniz · Post by **Pedro_Diniz** » 06 Jun 2009, 13:13

Wizzie wrote:Who was that Sauber driver that partnered Salo for the 2000 season again?

Ok, so 2000 wasn't exactly his best season in Formula 1... :oops:

deCrasheris · Post by **deCrasheris** » 06 Jun 2009, 13:58

It was Pedro Diniz who drove with Salo for Sauber in 2000.

Popi_Larrauri · Post by **Popi_Larrauri** » 06 Jun 2009, 16:17

Irisado wrote:
Shadaza wrote:Frank Montagny

All I can remember him for is replacing that legend that was IDE, I don;'t remember him doing anything except slogging it around at the back

That's a good choice, I can agree with that, as the only thing I remember his getting involved in was the spectacular first corner pile up at the 2006 US Grand Prix, and there were plenty of other more memorable drivers caught up in that incident, so I don't think that his part in that was very notable.

I'm in. If there's a driver that acomplish fully the title of the thread is Frank. A "bottoms up" for him!

Popi_Larrauri · Post by **Popi_Larrauri** » 06 Jun 2009, 16:20

deCrasheris wrote:It was Pedro Diniz who drove with Salo for Sauber in 2000.

I remember reading an article written by the F1 insider of www.atlasF1.com (oh! those sweet day on internet when everything was free), that said that that year Peter Sauber was about to pay U$s 5 million to Diniz instead of Diniz paying u$s 5 million to the team...

The article endeed this way:

"Well, in the end is nonsense. What would do Diniz with money after all?...

Someone has Pedro's phone number?"

Irisado · Post by **Irisado** » 06 Jun 2009, 19:00

Popi_Larrauri wrote:"Well, in the end is nonsense. What would do Diniz with money after all?...

He could have given some of it to Prost when he was involved in the ownership of the team at the beginning of the 2001 season before the relationship turned sour

.

SennaStraight · Post by **SennaStraight** » 14 Jun 2009, 10:21

Surely the most forgettable drivers won't get mentioned in this thread because everyone has forgotten about them?

Shadaza · Post by **Shadaza** » 14 Jun 2009, 20:41

On the subject of forgetable drivers I think the leading driver this year is Bourdais, I think so far all we have seen of him directly is him asking for Malaysia to be red flagged and his duel with Fisco at Monaco, he is the first driver I can remember scoring a point (Melbourne) yet not appearing on our TV screens

Captain Hammer · Post by **Captain Hammer** » 15 Jun 2009, 12:52

Christiano da Matta. I can't remember a single thing about him other than the fact that he drove in F1.

rffp · Post by **rffp** » 15 Jun 2009, 13:48

Captain Hammer wrote:Christiano da Matta. I can't remember a single thing about him other than the fact that he drove in F1.

The deer that he killed, well, won't be remembering him too.

Yannick · Post by **Yannick** » 15 Jun 2009, 16:04

Adrian Campos is much more prominent for his team than for his driving in F1.

Python · Post by **Python** » 15 Jun 2009, 18:20

Derek Daly is more known for his commentating than his F1 or CART career.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 15 Jun 2009, 18:43

Jonathan Palmer is, in my opinion, better known for having a doctorate, commentating in a dull fashion, owning several British race tracks and now running Formula Palmer Audi and F2 rather than his driving career (including an F2 title...).

rffp · Post by **rffp** » 15 Jun 2009, 19:13

dr-baker wrote:Jonathan Palmer is, in my opinion, better known for having a doctorate, commentating in a dull fashion, owning several British race tracks and now running Formula Palmer Audi and F2 rather than his driving career (including an F2 title...).

He was a F1 champion in 1987!

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 15 Jun 2009, 19:31

rffp wrote:
dr-baker wrote:Jonathan Palmer is, in my opinion, better known for having a doctorate, commentating in a dull fashion, owning several British race tracks and now running Formula Palmer Audi and F2 rather than his driving career (including an F2 title...).

He was a F1 champion in 1987!

Oh yeah, I forgot that!

(That's the point of this thread though, isn't it?) He won the Jim Clark Trophy for best normally-aspirated driver. Could F1 have the second winner of this trophy under a two-tier system next year?

Barbazza · Post by **Barbazza** » 15 Jun 2009, 19:46

I suddenly remembered Paolo Barilla the other day. Can't remember him doing anything remotely interesting, just that he turned up in a Minardi for a year. His pasta's very good though apparently.

Goa · Post by **Goa** » 18 Jun 2009, 07:03

Barbazza wrote:I suddenly remembered Paolo Barilla the other day. Can't remember him doing anything remotely interesting, just that he turned up in a Minardi for a year. His pasta's very good though apparently.

On that note... Olivier Beretta. Did a decent enough job for a pay driver and went on to become one of the most successful (if not the most successful) driver in ALMS history, but does anyone remember his stint in F1?

...And I'm almost tempted to nominate Mike Beuttler on the basis that seemingly no one remembers him for anything that happened on-track.

Python · Post by **Python** » 18 Jun 2009, 12:27

Kevin Cogan is pretty forgettable in F1. Though he's more remember for his accidents at the Indy 500.

Popi_Larrauri · Post by **Popi_Larrauri** » 18 Jun 2009, 21:55

Goa wrote:
Barbazza wrote:I suddenly remembered Paolo Barilla the other day. Can't remember him doing anything remotely interesting, just that he turned up in a Minardi for a year. His pasta's very good though apparently.

On that note... Olivier Beretta. Did a decent enough job for a pay driver and went on to become one of the most successful (if not the most successful) driver in ALMS history, but does anyone remember his stint in F1?

...And I'm almost tempted to nominate Mike Beuttler on the basis that seemingly no one remembers him for anything that happened on-track.

Michael Barthels, never qualifying his 1991 Lotus, alternating musical chairs whith Herbet and tottaly busted by Hakkinen. Even if a reject, I can hardly remember him. I think he was happoier on DTM, but you know me.

Pedro_Diniz · Post by **Pedro_Diniz** » 19 Jun 2009, 00:10

Julian Bailey - had two stabs at F1 and still I can't recall him.

thehemogoblin · Post by **thehemogoblin** » 19 Jun 2009, 04:07

Pedro_Diniz wrote:Julian Bailey - had two stabs at F1 and still I can't recall him.

How can you forget the Stig?

Pedro_Diniz · Post by **Pedro_Diniz** » 19 Jun 2009, 11:10

thehemogoblin wrote:
Pedro_Diniz wrote:Julian Bailey - had two stabs at F1 and still I can't recall him.

How can you forget the Stig?

Putting aside my fervent dislike of Top Gear, has this been clarified yet? I'm still on the Perry McCarthy team!

Irisado · Post by **Irisado** » 19 Jun 2009, 22:44

Yannick wrote:Adrian Campos is much more prominent for his team than for his driving in F1.

Oh, I don't know. Forgetting to put your ear plugs in before starting the race, and then getting disqualified in relation to this offence is quite memorable in my view, although I must confess I can't exactly remember how Adrián managed to get disqualified for this.

Olivier Beretta didn't do much at Larrousse, but the fact he wasn't noticed meant he was okay for a paying driver, and he didn't look too shabby in comparison to his team mate Comas, especially when you consider the drivers that followed him (Dalmas, who was very unimpressive in his 1994 come back, and Noda). He was forgettable though I agree.

Speaking of Noda, has he been mentioned yet? his three race stint at Larrousse was very forgettable.

Kevin Cogan is also a good choice, as I had totally forgotten that he had even raced in F1!

Pedro_Diniz · Post by **Pedro_Diniz** » 19 Jun 2009, 23:29

Irisado wrote:
Speaking of Noda, has he been mentioned yet? his three race stint at Larrousse was very forgettable.

I just remember him for aquaplaning, and almost hitting the stranded Inoue, at the Japanese Grand Prix (it may have been the other way around, actually

)

Python · Post by **Python** » 20 Jun 2009, 17:56

Irisado wrote:Kevin Cogan is also a good choice, as I had totally forgotten that he had even raced in F1!

2 DNQ's is all he had to his name in F1. I don't think my dad even knew that he raced in F1. Me and my dad both remember him for his days in CART, mostly with his Indy 500 crashes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ylon356B7w His crash in 89.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k33sBpPsAu0&feature=PlayList&p=517952EE6AC81CB0&index=10His 82 crash.