F1 Fanatic

aka Robyn presented this in another topic, but I’m curious what the Fanatics think. Should Rubens be considered an IndyCar rookie with 19 years of F1 experience?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/racing/news/20120330/rubens-barrichello-indycar/

I think he’s feeling some serious pressure to perform.

Did Bourdais ever get any additional practice time when he went to F1 from Champ Car? He was an F1 rookie even though he was a multiple champion. He was dealing with very different steering, aero…

A couple of the biggest changes he has to get used to is no power steering (strengthen your upper body Ruby) and leaving the pits on cold tires, which can be diabolical. He will also have a real eye opener at the average speed at Indy, and heading into the turns at 240 mph. Quite the oval to start out at.

He can’t win rookie of the year – only Newgarden, Filippi (when he gets going), Pagenaud and Legge (the latter two of whom actually have American open-wheel experience) are entered for it. So by the letter of the law no, he’s not a rookie.

He will be eligible for rookie of the year at Indy, however, which is fair enough being as he’s never raced on an oval before.

By the way:
Who was the IndyCar rookie of the year 1993?
It was none other than Nigel Mansell, then currently reigning F1 World Champion.

Do they give any concessions to F1 rookies, such as additional track time etc? I don’t think they even have a rookie designation do they?

I think classifying Nigel as a rookie back in ’93 was kind of a stretch also, but he proved how truly great he was becoming F1 champion, then IndyCar champion the very next year on all new tracks and running ovals for the first time.

I wonder if Rubens (still easily one of the worlds best drivers) remains mired in the teens for qualifying, and is consistently out qualified by his team mates? As I’ve said before, Rubens is quickly finding out that the IndyCar grid has many world class drivers who could easily be in F1.

I’d hate to see him end his career without the proper farewell he should have had in F1, then regularly being trounced in IndyCar.

I read today that Barrichello has been granted *partial* rookie status:

IndyCar said Monday that Barrichello will receive an extra set of tires and be allowed to practice in Group 1 of the first session along with other rookie drivers at road/street courses where he hasn’t tested. He will get the extra tires and track time at all ovals.

( http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/racing/04/09/rubens-barrichello-indycar-rookie-status.ap/index.html )

I thought rookies get (R) beside their name on the ticker at the top of the screen during races. I haven’t seen it, so does this mean he’s not a rookie? There is no reason why he shouldn’t be…

Americans have to make thing’s far too complicated, ey? ;)

From what Pagenaud has shown thus far I reckon Rubens would have a job winning rookie of the year if he was eligible.