Many Interested But Too Few Seats
Why in the world are all these drivers interested in IndyCar? Jean-Éric Vergne, Charles Pic, Alexander Rossi, Dean Stoneman, Daniel Abt, Davide Valsecchi, Conor Daly, Simona de Silvestro, need I go on?
This is a good problem to have but it also shows one of IndyCar's current weaknesses. There aren't enough available seats and it doesn't appear possible for seats to emerge for these drivers. I'd love for them all to get on the grid as additions to all those who already have rides and IndyCar to have close to 30 full-time drivers with 40-42 entered for the Indianapolis 500. I know that isn't going to happen but if so many talented drivers are interested you need to get them on the grid as it has become clear Formula One is not an option. It's not that they aren't good enough for Formula One, it's they don't have enough money to break in.
None of these drivers are going to be a messiah that cause IndyCar television ratings to go up to an average of 2.5 for every race with average attendance being 100,000 people but IndyCar needs to make sure they are putting the best product out there. Growing the series is a step-by-step process and the first goal should be to make sure the driver line is the best it can be.
There are some worrying that IndyCar could become a series for all those drivers who couldn't make it in Europe and will take rides away from potential American talent. I understand where they are coming from but we can't look at every driver who fails to make it to Formula One as a washed up, has-been with no talent. There are 18-22 drivers who get to be in Formula One. Of those, drivers, at least four, maybe as many as five are their solely on the paycheck they are bringing. Then another four or five drivers who's career depend on what sponsors they have. Finally there are the drivers at Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull, Scuderia Toro Rosso and McLaren who are the fortunate few who don't have to rely on bringing a paycheck.
Look at FIA WEC. Anthony Davidson, Sébastien Buemi, Neel Jani, Brendon Hartley and Lucas di Grassi are all talented enough to be in Formula One but lack the paycheck to get their. Instead they run sports cars where they are paid to drive, not paying a team to let them drive. And if anyone still thinks those who fail to make it to Formula One are washed up, has-beens with no talent need to say that to the face of nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen because he never got a shot in Formula One and his career turned out just fine.
IndyCar can be a destination series for both North American drivers developed in the North American ladder system as well as drivers from Europe who are interested in what the series has to offer. The series has to expand to be able to accommodate those who are interested. Of course, that is much easier said than done.
Champions From the Weekend
The #91 Team AAI BMW Z4 GT3 of Jun San Chen and Tatsuya Tanigawa won the GT championship in Asian Le Mans Series with a second place finish at Sepang
Winners From the Weekend
The #1 OAK Racing Morgan-Judd of David Cheng, Ho-Pin Tung and Yuan Bo won the final round of the 2014 Asian Le Mans Series season from Sepang. The #1 OAK Racing Morgan won all four races. The #33 Clearwater Racing Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 of Matt Griffin, Richard Wee and Mok Weng Sun won in GT with the #77 Craft-Bamboo Racing Ligier of Kevin Tse, Samson Chen and Jonathan Venter won in CN class. Like OAK Racing, Craft-Bamboo Racing also won all four races in the CN class.
Coming Up This Weekend
Formula E is in Punta del Este, Uruguay.
The Gulf 12 Hours takes place from Abu Dhabi.
The Race of Champions is run from Barbados.
