The F1 premier website pitpass.com ran a
straw poll to gage readers’ attitude towards the granting of
a full-time drive in the Minardi team for young Hungarian
driver Zsolt Baumgartner. 2 percent thought it was a good
choice, 8 percent felt he wouldn’t last one season, 10
percent felt that he should have been offered a position as a
tester, but not as a racer, 18 percent said it was a joke and
59 percent said to give the guy a chance.
After spending an hour with the
23-year-old, while he was on his (10th) annual holidays with
his parents at the prestigious Royal Cliff Beach Resort in
Thailand, I feel I am better equipped to evaluate and vote in
the pitpass poll.
Zsolt
(pronounced Djolt, by the way) comes from a well-off family in
Hungary. His father has been the dealer principal for Renault
in Budapest for many years and now controls six Renault
dealerships, perhaps giving a little inkling as to why Zsolt
chose Formula Renault as one of his stepping stones towards
F1.
My personal belief is that to be a real
racer you have to be passionate about cars and Zsolt’s first
mechanical memories revolve around a small motorbike he got
when he was four years old. “The fumes from the petrol were
touching me from that time,” said Zsolt. “Now I like
anything with a motor, I even spend much time on the jet
ski’s in the sea off Pattaya (on his holidays).”
It is an accepted part of the motor racing
apprenticeship process these days that the tyro begins in
go-karts, and Zsolt has been no exception, starting off aged
10. “It was just a hobby then. I have tried many sports,
football, judo and tennis.”
The hobby gave way to something akin to
passion and he concentrated on karting, doing well in Hungary
(though detractors might say that he had little opposition in
the small country) but then in competing in greater Europe
itself, graduating to his first real race car - a Formula
Renault in 1997.
However, Zsolt does not come across as a
spoiled rich kid given expensive toys to fill in his days and
keep him from getting under his father’s feet. He attends
university, studying technical management and design
draughting, but considers that his main profession is race car
driving, competing at an international level for six years. In
that time he has raced in F Renault, F Renault 2000, F3 and
F3000, competing against others who have raced in F1 as
Pizzonia and another newcomer, Bruni (his team-mate at Minardi
for 2004). During last year he was also a test driver for
Jordan and raced in Hungary and Monza, standing in for the
injured Firman.
To make your race debut, it would be
preferable to have everything set up beforehand, and prepare
yourself mentally for the event. Zsolt did not get that
luxury. Ralph Firman had crashed and was not fit to race. With
two hours notice, Zsolt was strapped in a car that was set up
for Firman. “It was difficult to get into any rhythm because
the car was not set up for me,” explained Zsolt, “But I
think I handled it quite well.” History records that he did
indeed keep his nose clean, both in Hungary and at Monza.
In the minds of many F1 enthusiasts there
are the fairly recent memories of other drivers who have
appeared without a significant, dominant, winning history in
the lower formulae. Minardi ‘pay drivers’ being amongst
them. I broached the subject with Zsolt Baumgartner and he was
quite frank with his replies. “Pay drivers? It’s not
really just about money, but the guy with the budget will get
the drive. It has been this way for many years and you have to
have a sponsor behind you in F3, F Renault 2000 and F3000 all
the way.”
Drivers with cash behind them become good
catches for the cash-strapped teams, and Zsolt with a reputed
USD 4 mill behind him this year (Hungarian government and
Tourism Authority, oil companies, banks and others) says that
he was approached by Eddie Jordan. “Eddie made an offer -
but was asking too much money, then he had problems with other
sponsors - Benson and Hedges wanted an English driver - but I
think it will go to Verstappen as he has 15 million.” Money
talks, talent walks?
We also explored the lack of ultimate
results he has had in, say, F3000. “In F3000 you have to
fight the car. F1 is more precise and suits my style which is
smoother and more flowing. Braking in F1 is massive. Doing 300
kays and braking at 50 metres at Monza, for example. There are
drivers who can do this, and some who can’t. F3000 drivers
are not necessarily quick enough in F1.” He continued, “F1
is about a lot of luck and a good car. You (also) need very
good mental preparation. It is just as important as all the
other things. I select where I take the risks, and it’s not
on the first lap. In 72 laps, much can happen.”
He looks upon this coming year with Minardi
as part of the progression he wants for himself. “I have to
work up through the smaller teams, like any other driver,”
and “want to catch Jordan and score a couple of points,”
as the immediate aim.
After an hour with Zsolt Baumgartner I came
away with a different opinion than I had before meeting him
personally. I was impressed by his attitude and intellect,
both important factors in making it to the top (in any sport).
Whether he makes it this year in F1 will
depend, not upon his sponsorship package, but whether he does
have the ability in this type of vehicle. He has the faith in
himself, and I hope it is not misdirected. Zsolt Baumgartner
is a nice chap and a wonderful ambassador for his home
country.
Melbourne on March 7 will soon show what
all the new drivers are capable of. Will Zsolt Baumgartner
make it? I actually think he might! When the flag drops, the
bullsh*it stops!
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Autotrivia Quiz
Last week I asked a Scottish related
question. Two manufacturers used tartan fabric on the exterior
of their car bodies. I asked what were they, and the clues
were that one was in 1922 and the other in 1930. They were
Voisin in 1922 and Willys-Knight on their ‘Plaidside’
roadster of 1930.
So to this week. Since we featured the Ford
Mustang, let’s have a Mustang question. What was the Mustang
model driven by Steve McQueen in Bullitt? This should be very
easy!
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be
the first correct answer to email [email protected]
Good luck!
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Here’s the ideal car for
island holidays
Called the Splash, the Swiss Rinspeed
Company is supposed to be releasing this little gem this year
and claims that the ‘device’ can be driven, swims, and
flies. The world release will be at the Geneva Motor Show,
along with Rinspeed’s usual efforts in supertuning Porsches.
 According
to Rinspeed’s media release, the Splash can actually
“drive, swim and fly across the water”. The unique aerial
feature is made possible by a “sophisticated and foldable
high-tech wing system” powered by on-board hydraulics and
electronics.
The two-seater Splash is powered by a light weight two
cylinder 750cc engine which runs on compressed natural gas and
has been turbocharged to produce around 100kW. Top speed
claimed is 200 kays on the road, 50 kays on the water and 80
kays in the skies!
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The ‘real’ Mustang returns
The archetypal ‘pony car’ has returned
to Ford’s corral, with the new Mustang which debuted at the
Detroit Motor Show. The Iaccoca design of the mid 1960’s
reached its zenith, in my book, as the Mustang used in the
film Bullitt, driven by Steve McQueen. That was a muscle car!
However, the people who can remember the good ole days at
FoMoCo have managed to triumph and the Mustang returns.
I briefly mentioned this car last week, but
since then I have managed to get some more details. The 2005
Mustang is the star of Ford’s ‘year of the car’ product
line-up and is the first all-new Mustang since 1979.
 It
certainly is ‘retro’ with the long bonnet, side scoops,
round headlights, aggressive nose and the galloping horse
insignia. Forget prancing horses, this is good old American
iron that gallops.
“We weren’t just redesigning a car, we
were adding another chapter to an epic,” said J Mays, Ford
group vice president, design. “The new Mustang’s modern
design speaks to its technical advancement - without losing
the classic Mustang bad-boy image.”
Like its predecessor, the new Mustang is
fairly ordinary as far as the chassis/powertrain design is
concerned with the front engine (V6 or V8) and rear wheel
drive via a live rear axle. Front suspension is McPherson
strut. Ford says it stuck with the solid rear axle because
“it is robust, maintains constant track, toe-in and camber
relative to the road surface, and it keeps bodyroll well under
control.” Oh yeah? It didn’t on the original, and won’t
on this one either, unless they uprate the springs and have
one inch thick sway bars, but if nothing else it will give
lots of work for the after-market suspension tuners!
The engines are a choice of the 4 litre
single overhead camshaft V6, delivers 151kW and 319Nm of
torque. But the engine that should be in this car is the 4.6
litre V8 GT with its twin overhead camshafts and a three-valve
head, producing 224kW and a staggering 427Nm of torque. Both
engines mate to different Tremec five-speed manual gearboxes,
with a five-speed auto optional. There is also electronic
throttle control and faster engine management controls to
assist in the delivery of power and torque.
The new Mustang has disc brakes all round,
a decided improvement on the original cars, with Ford claiming
the biggest rotors and stiffest callipers ever fitted to a
Mustang. Both ABS and switchable traction control are
available too.
Standard equipment includes one-touch
up/down power windows, power mirrors, keyless entry and power
locks, a heated rear window, variable intermittent wipers and
dual-stage airbags for driver and passenger. Audio systems
range from the standard CD player on base models to a
1000-watt Shaker Audiophile system.
Interior-wise, there are a variety of
choices available, including a claimed “industry-first”
colour-configurable instrument panel so drivers can mix and
match lighting at the touch of a button to create more than
125 different colour backgrounds “to suit their personality,
mood, outfit or whim” according to the blurb. I remain
positively underwhelmed!
However, since I can’t find an ‘old’ Mustang here,
perhaps someone will bring in a new one for me to sample after
their release in 2005. Don’t forget me!
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