UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:51 am

OR, HOW CLOSE HAVE YOU BEEN TO AN F1 DRIVER:
I'm a inquisitive sort of fella. I was just wondering how close people might have been to an F1 driver.
When there are two correspondents who name themselves with close proximity to one particular driver, one does wonder

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 11:15 am

Have met and shook hands with Mark Webber, but that was just before he was in F1. He was gorgeous and very friendly. We were chatting about his chances of getting an F1 seat and he was very positlve that he would have a ride in the near future.
Have been about four feet away from Giancarlo Fisichella and Alexander Wurz. We queued up for just over two hours to get some autographs at the Melbourne GP and different drivers came and went... then GF and AW came out and we just got to the front of the queue when they said "No more" and off they went... they smiled and left

RE30B#16 · Post by **RE30B#16** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:32 pm

This is my kinda thread...

I met Danny Sullivan and Michele Alboreto with Ken Tyrell back in 1983. I met Alboreto again while he was driving for Ferrari. He was gracious, shy, and damn good. He could do wonders with an underpowered car. Danny was cool too, back then. I met him again just before he won the CART Long Beach GP in the Molson car.

I was at a party with Nigel Mansell when he was driving for Lotus in 1982. Not much to report. Around the same time, I met Roberto Guerrero who was driving for Ensign or Theodore or something. He was a very sweet guy.

I met Mario Andretti at a Michigan 500 one year. I was on an airplane with him about a year ago, and nobody recognized him. "It's hard times befalling the soul survivors." I called him "champ" and he gave me a broad smile.

I came face to face with Ayrton Senna right after he had won pole position for the USGP in like 1986 or something. His aura was something else even back then. The only other time I've sensed that was around Tiger Woods. I said "good luck" to him. He said "thank you" and he was off!! What a special talent he was.

I've saved the best for last... a friend of mine was friends with Stefan Johannson. I met him at a CART race while he was driving for Ferrari [mid 80s]. He was very cool. A had a Swedish friend that he knew and regarded like a baby sister. When he started driving ChampCars, he would invite us down to hang with his team at the Long Beach GP. Stefan is very cool. He is a bit of a renegeade. I like that. Did you know that he quit Ferrari? He did not get fired. Many people don't know that.

rah · Post by **rah** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 3:23 pm

Got about 50m from MS. I waved, but I don't think he noticed me as he was doing about 150km/h and had a helmet on. Seemed very focused on driving around the corner and didn't give his fans as much as a wave. No wonder people say he is not good to his fans.

Kapel · Post by **Kapel** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 3:23 pm

I guess i've met practically all the F1 drivers on the grid since 1993

To my suprise Juan Pablo was the most polite & attitude free driver i've ever met.

gkaytaz · Post by **gkaytaz** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:08 pm

Kapel wrote:I guess i've met practically all the F1 drivers on the grid since 1993

To my suprise Juan Pablo was the most polite & attitude free driver i've ever met.

Can't say I met every pilot but among the ones I did David Coulthard wasn't bad either.

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:35 pm

rah wrote:Got about 50m from MS. I waved, but I don't think he noticed me as he was doing about 150km/h and had a helmet on. Seemed very focused on driving around the corner and didn't give his fans as much as a wave. No wonder people say he is not good to his fans.

Bloody typical !
Some of them just don't care

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:36 pm

Kapel wrote:I guess i've met practically all the F1 drivers on the grid since 1993

To my suprise Juan Pablo was the most polite & attitude free driver i've ever met.

But what is the closest you have got to one Kappy

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:37 pm

gkaytaz wrote:
Kapel wrote:I guess i've met practically all the F1 drivers on the grid since 1993

To my suprise Juan Pablo was the most polite & attitude free driver i've ever met.
Can't say I met every pilot but among the ones I did David Coulthard wasn't bad either.

So did you shake hands with him?

gkaytaz · Post by **gkaytaz** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:56 pm

Julian Mayo wrote:
So did you shake hands with him?

Sure. When I say "met" I don't mean waving at him while passing by. I consider having met someone if I got a chance to shake hands, exchanged a few words or did hang out with the fella.

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:04 pm

gkaytaz wrote:
Julian Mayo wrote:
So did you shake hands with him?
Sure. When I say "met" I don't mean waving at him while passing by. I consider having met someone if I got a chance to shake hands, exchanged a few words or did hang out with the fella.

Thankyou.

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:07 pm

If it was just watching them pass by while on the racetrack in either their cars or on the parade lap.. then I would have met them all, including the great Ayrton Senna. Sigh.... I wish

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:15 pm

jacfan wrote:If it was just watching them pass by while on the racetrack in either their cars or on the parade lap.. then I would have met them all, including the great Ayrton Senna. Sigh.... I wish

The title of the thread is ????

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:17 pm

Julian Mayo wrote:
jacfan wrote:If it was just watching them pass by while on the racetrack in either their cars or on the parade lap.. then I would have met them all, including the great Ayrton Senna. Sigh.... I wish
The title of the thread is ????

Yes sweetheart I know what the title of the thread is. I did post appropriately the first time....

Don't take the sweetheart the wrong way...

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:28 pm

jacfan wrote:
Julian Mayo wrote:
jacfan wrote:If it was just watching them pass by while on the racetrack in either their cars or on the parade lap.. then I would have met them all, including the great Ayrton Senna. Sigh.... I wish
The title of the thread is ????
Yes sweetheart I know what the title of the thread is. I did post appropriately the first time.... Don't take the sweetheart the wrong way...

Sorry, I am so sorry.

(Must stick to taking the sweetheart the right way, must stick to......)