Just what AUS need in my opinion, a talented young driver who can stay in the car consistently and build up a relationship over time with the race engineer. Then again I thought the same thing this time last year about Ian Dyk.

As long as they give him a good run in the car rather than panic change as before.

---

Nepotism is always the demise of oz motorsport and any motorsport that Australia is involved in, it's always the son, nephew, or grandson of a once was or sponsor that gets the drive, just because someone in the family was good does'nt mean they will be. Go to any 'back-street' track in oz and you'll find juniors more capable, juniors in machinery past it's use by date winning with hard work. Drivers who have had the best of everything during their formative years, generally make terrible racers, they'll blame everything else for losing except their own inability. I could take five junior drivers in the open wheel community I,m involved with and get them on the poduim, these 'juniors' do not come from so-called 'pedigree' race families- knobs!, they win on mum and dad budgets because their hungry for it and are prepared for the hard work and listen, not pre-madonnas that think they shuold be living in Monte-Carlo and receiving formula 1 budgets. Get back to basics'.

S&J RACING:

Nepotism is always the demise of oz motorsport and any motorsport that Australia is involved in, it's always the son, nephew, or grandson of a once was or sponsor that gets the drive, just because someone in the family was good does'nt mean they will be. Go to any 'back-street' track in oz and you'll find juniors more capable, juniors in machinery past it's use by date winning with hard work. Drivers who have had the best of everything during their formative years, generally make terrible racers, they'll blame everything else for losing except their own inability. I could take five junior drivers in the open wheel community I,m involved with and get them on the poduim, these 'juniors' do not come from so-called 'pedigree' race families- knobs!, they win on mum and dad budgets because their hungry for it and are prepared for the hard work and listen, not pre-madonnas that think they shuold be living in Monte-Carlo and receiving formula 1 budgets. Get back to basics'.

Wow!

Did John Martin's dad run over your dog once or something?

We are a group of Lebanese guys huge a1 fans we used to support Team Lebanon but from NOW ON TEAM AUSTRALIA you have our support! we are backing you all the way at least you are giving australians drivers a chance to shine not like Lebanon

 

I think Oz should try and get will power back if not keep Martin all the season with new cars and engines 1 driver in it will work out well cz seems lot of teams are changing drivers thru the season

Look the reality is simple its all about "cheque book racing" he who pays the most wins the seat not the races most of the time and thats how motor racing is..............sad but simple.

Sure the "Mums and Dads" budget can make a driver hungry and the best example of that was Casey Stoner of late who dug deep and became a world champ but unfortunately it can have the opposite effect too where mum and dads budget comes so easy the son or daughter just take it and enjoy the ride and not the result. The motorsport world is full of those drivers who end up in teams why? because the team owners who are also in the money game see the cash as the carrot and not the talent.

A1GP especilly in Australia's case has just been all about "Jerry McQuire" (Show me the money) ask the previous drivers and rookies and find out the truth.

I hope they do do well honestly but I am not a total cynic of motorsport, its a cruel and ruthless business yes business not a sport as such.

They wont panic if the money comes in consitantly from the driver etc

I've got a bad feeling about this...

Yep changing the colour of the car and having scenic beach scenes will not make the car go faster if you have all the same ingrediants as last year. Sorry to say Martin's performance in F3 was ordinary to say the least so why would Australia expect anything better in one of these go faster toys.

it's a shame really and the start so far in qualifing is appauling considering people in front of Team Australia have driver's who have never sat in any type of A1GP let alone driven  the track..............look at NZ what a might effort that was.

So get ready for another mass of excuses from the PR machine this looks a like like last year.

Congratulations Team Australia and John Martin!  Looks like it was top drive in awful conditions. I hope you guys can build on this.

I think Martin did a good job to keep it on track and chase the other guys down. He was catching the Kiwi until a Safety Car to the finish came up. Good work from the team overall I say.

wheel2wheel:

Yep changing the colour of the car and having scenic beach scenes will not make the car go faster if you have all the same ingrediants as last year. Sorry to say Martin's performance in F3 was ordinary to say the least so why would Australia expect anything better in one of these go faster toys.

it's a shame really and the start so far in qualifing is appauling considering people in front of Team Australia have driver's who have never sat in any type of A1GP let alone driven  the track..............look at NZ what a might effort that was.

So get ready for another mass of excuses from the PR machine this looks a like like last year.

 

How do you figure "Sorry to say Martin's performance in F3 was ordinary to say the least "

 What do you know about it ?

His first season in F3 was with a team that was not competitive, he was often the fastest Honda and always close.

He crashed a lot but that was a result of trying to drag the thing toward the front. (Ask Casey Stoner about racing a non competitive bit of gear)

This season the car was not competitive either. Carlin had a huge advantage over the rest of the field.

In the first half of the season John didn't have a proper engineer and struggled.

In the second half of the year , with an engineer, he was consistently the "best of the rest" after the Carlin Cars.

He was also ususlly faster than Atte Mustonen who is rated VERY highly and was the favourite for the championship this year.

Again, to many crashes, but there is an element of win or bin involved that is influenced by the machine being not competitive.

When the car is good and the priority is points I'm confident Martin can do the job.

 There has been talk of "Tander" etc being a better choice, I think the F3 racing at the Gold Coast on the weekend puts the British F3 experience into perspective. Taking nothing away from Leanne or the other F3 guys, the experience and nature of the Britsh F3 scene is just that bit tougher.

Martin did his homework and came to Indy with some good go-faster bits for his F3 car which gave him the advantage so you cant necessarily say because he has British F3 experience he is that much better than some of the Australian quicker guys/girl.

Re A1 I think Martin can do the job in a car that is set-up 100% right but in terms of having the speed in a car that is less competitive he cant.

Leanne is quick but chokes at times and it would "shit me to tears" if she got to drive just because she is a woman - at any rate I cant see her being as good as Martin.

 

 

 

 

A good solid drive from Martin who salvaged a good result from a rather unpromising lead up.

Well  done guys.

 

 

 

 

Great solid drive by John Martin.. Hope he gets some confidents by it and the team start to move forward and they get rewards for staying with one driver.. On the Indy drive I do think that he would have won in any top OZ F3 car. Nothing against OZ F3, just the amount of driving done in that Championship compared to UK series.. Still one of the better F3 series.