Davidson IN - Yoong OUT bij KL Minardi

[JPMontoya]

09:56:50 - Anthony Davidson is set to replace Alex Yoong in team Minardi starting next week at the Hungarian Grand Prix

eurosport.com

[HHugo]

dat is nog niet zeker, Minardi moet vandaag nog aankondigen wat er zal gebeuren

[yvdp]

wie is die Davidson. Een talent?

[Maarten]

misschien is die Davidson wel een pseudoniem voor David(Saelen)son
esperons-le!

[JPMontoya]

http://www.anthonydavidson.info/index_html.htm

[HHugo]

davidson is testrijder voor BAR, en nu is het dus wel officieel

BAR test driver Anthony Davidson will replace Alex Yoong at Minardi for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

The young Brit, who has acted as the main test driver for BAR this year, has been continually linked with the drive following Yoong’s poor performances in recent races.

Despite previous denials from Davidson, Minardi have today confirmed in a statement that the 23-year-old will make his F1 debut with the team at the weekend.

The plan is for the former karting ace to drive in the Hungarian and Belgian Grand Prix while Yoong works on improving his qualifying performances in testing. If the Asian driver can find extra pace over a lap he will return to Minardi for the Italian GP on September 15th.

Anthony is understandably delighted at the news: “This is a fantastic opportunity, as Formula 1 is something I’ve been dreaming about since I was a child,” said the Brit. “I want to do a professional job for Paul Stoddart and the KL Minardi Asiatech team in Hungary, and my primary target is to qualify for the race.

"If I can do that in my first Grand Prix, I will be more than happy. I’ve not been to the Hungaroring before, so this will be a new experience for me. I love learning new circuits, though, as it’s all part of the challenge of motor racing.”

Davidson’s fellow Brit, reigning International F3000 champion Justin Wilson, was set to get the drive. However, the Yorkshire driver proved too tall to fit into the cockpit of the Minardi PS02 during a recent seat fitting.

Minardi boss Paul Stoddart is delighted to have Davidson on board but maintains that the primary purpose of the driver swap is to re-establish Yoong's confidence.

He said: "It has obviously been a difficult decision to ‘rest’ Alex for two races, but it’s clear he is struggling with his qualifying pace at the moment. Ours is not a team that abandons its drivers, though, and it therefore seemed like the most constructive course of action was to let Alex have a short break from the pressure-laden environment of Formula 1 weekends.

"During the intervening time between now and the Italian Grand Prix, he will take part in a testing programme tailored specifically to addressing any loss of confidence he may have suffered and to assisting him improve his qualifying performances, so that he can rejoin the team for the final three races of the season. "

Davidson is a karting contemporary of Jenson Button and Kimi Raikkonen’s and knows both drivers well. He is a former McLaren/Autosport Young driver of the Year and impressed hugely in his season in Formula 3 last year where he finished runner-up in the British championship to current Jordan F1 driver Takuma Sato.

He will become the fifth British driver on the F1 grid, joining David Coulthard, Allan McNish, Eddie Irvine and Jenson Button. Davidson nearly made his F1 debut for Jordan at the German Grand Prix as replacement for Giancarlo Fisichella but the Italian recovered in time to drive following his huge accident in practice at Magny-Cours.

Davidson is expected to resume testing for BAR following the Belgian Grand Prix on September 1st.

bron: www.itv-f1.com

[Finish]

En hoeveel sponsorinkomsten brengt meneer Davidson mee ? ....

[TiBo]

Meer dan Saelens!

We zien hier duidelijk dat Yoong veel steun geniet van zijn maleisische sponsors. Had Yoong een 'gewone' piloot geweest dan had Stodart hem toch gewoon buitengesmeten. Nu krijgt hij twee races om "zijn skills te oefenen". Wat wil dat zeggen?!
Nu ja, ik weet niet echt wie die Davidson is, ... maar het is op deze wijze dat jongens als een Davidson (cf. Schumacher) ook hun kans krijgen.

Had Saelens nog F3000 geredenen had hij iets meer euros gehad dan hadden we nu een Belg in de F1 gehad, ... maar ja, da's twee keer 'had' in dezelfde zin hé ...

[HHugo]

ik zal dit maar hieronder zetten zeker?

Saelens to run for Minardi

Paul Stoddart has confirmed his enthusiasm for the talents of David Saelens by giving the 27-year-old a test at Monza on the Tuesday following the Belgian Grand Prix.

Belgian Saelens has served as a development and substitute driver for Faenza-based Minardi in the past, but in an interview with Belgian newspaper “La Dernière Heure” he dismissed the significance of the run amid a claim he was to take over from Alex Yoong replacement Anthony Davidson at the Italian Grand Prix.

‘Your thoughts go faster than mine!’ laughed Saelens. ‘Paul needs me and I shall be there. I do not see further than that. Anyway, Paul Stoddart knows that I have no budget while Davidson does.

‘Sincerely, I ignore who will be in the car during the Grand Prix of Italy: Yoong, Davidson, (Bryan) Herta or anyone else. I am not even sure that Stoddart knows it himself.’

Saelens said he was looking forward to his drive, which will be part of a significant test for Alex Yoong, the Malaysian trying to regain his confidence after three non-qualifications this season.

bron: www.dailyf1.com

[Finish]

Geld.....altijd maar het geld. Wordt er dan nooit nog eens naar puur talent gekeken ? (met Raikkonen, Massa en Button als uitzondering )