Now while everybody’s awash over the continuing Lotus-by-Judd Follies... Of which I sincerely hope the ‘Luddi Boyz get their heads cocked on straight - pronto! I’ve been thinking of a different issue instead regarding the revolving door of drivers seeking rides...
As naturally I don’t like seeing any potential Open Wheel Racing drivers planned foray into the sport fall apart - ‘Whale almost nobody’s, as I suppose I’ve had some silly axes to grind over the years; BUTT!
All I can say is thank you Mr. Willie Buxom, nee Will Buxton of SPEED TV fame for pointing out the obvious to which I was beginning to think I was the only ‘Juan who’d noticed this?
As the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing press release about Michele Jourdain Jr’s return to Indy Cars was all warm, glowy ‘N fuzzy feeling - as I wundered out loud to myself, what about Luca Filippi? As Y’all recall that the Italian GP2 racer had already been announced as the team’s second driver beginning at Indianapolis
Now I have absolutely nothin’ against Jourdain - having cheered for him back in the Good ‘Ol CART Dazes when he was Top Jimmy’s (Jimmy Vasser) understudy at Team Rahal. HELL! He was even Tacoma Bureau Chief Mary Ellen’s favourite driver back then - after her main squeeze ‘Monty, nee Juan Pablo Montoya - when he was DER TERMINATOR’s arch rival in Formula 1.
And I’m sure drivers such as ‘PT, Pippa Mann, “Plowie, (Martin Plowman) Vitor Meira and a cast of others aren’t shedding any tears for Filippi’s apparent lack of IndyCar ride, eh? Yet first Giorgio Pantano and now Filippi? What’s the dealio with NO Italians in Indy Car; or for that matter, Formula 1...