Dan Ticktum Can't Test - Boohoo or suck it up sunshine?

[Norfolkit]

Vaud said:

coppice said:

Perfect summary of the reason so much has been lost in motor sport. I liked things rather more when we had drivers and not bloody 'brands' . I think the only people who really think sponsorship is 'investment ' are those who have spent too much time with the Ron Dennises of the world.

I disagree. Brands invest into someone like Lewis Hamilton because they think the attachment of his image will drive sales, either directly or indirectly. It is hard to measure, but they have a LOT of sales and marketing data points to allow them to measure impact of specific campaigns.

We've had it for so long now, and the costs are so high that we can't put the genie back in the bottle.

Don't disagree but I'd add a couple of things. An anti-hero is also marketable even if it's only people paying to see them get their comeuppance.
How old was Ticktum when he had his moment of madness*, 15 or 16? He acted like a complete tt and deserved his punishment. But, he's been punished now and as long as he's learned from it, it shouldn't dictate the rest of his life. He probably knows another similar incident would be the last time he'd ever sit in a racing car so I would guess it's unlikely.

• Disclaimer - I don't know if racing drivers can have "moments of madness", that may just be MPs on Clapham Common, it may have a different name in racing circles.

[StevieBee]

Seems Red Bull have had enough and dropped DT from the junior programme.

The Tommy Byrne of the modern era?

[Teddy Lop]

His careers been a bit all mouth no trousers, but I feel red bull have some kind of cynical pluck-the-next-big-thing-from-obscurity PR agenda which really isn't helping the drivers - max for example has really stepped up and matured this year, much to my surprise, but I still think he'd have benefited from a couple years in f2 having his rougher edges knocked off before F1.

Tictum with a bit less smoke blown up his ass and a little more time out the limelight might be a driver developing nicely.

[Kraken]

Never a fan of his but it does seem to be a worrying trend in F1 that if you're not in it as a teenager you're on the scrap heap.

[Vaud]

Kraken said:

Never a fan of his but it does seem to be a worrying trend in F1 that if you're not in it as a teenager you're on the scrap heap.

I think it is more about his self-tarnished reputation from one of the most despicable actions on a race track that I have ever read about... (and yes many greats have done bad things as well and not been punished enough)

[n3il123]

Vaud said:

I think it is more about his self-tarnished reputation from one of the most despicable actions on a race track that I have ever read about... (and yes many greats have done bad things as well and not been punished enough)

This and the fact he isn't exactly setting the world alight in Japan at the moment.

Good riddance I say.

[Debaser]

StevieBee said:

Seems Red Bull have had enough and dropped DT from the junior programme.

Good

[Kraken]

Vaud said:

I think it is more about his self-tarnished reputation from one of the most despicable actions on a race track that I have ever read about... (and yes many greats have done bad things as well and not been punished enough)

I know about that and that's why I'm not a fan of his (see earlier in the thread) but Red Bull were pushing for a super license long after that so it's not the reason he's been dropped.

His results in Super Formula are less than stunning so perhaps he's reached a plateau but it seems to be the norm to drop drivers as soon as that happens rather than work with them to find their place.

It used to be that you got into F1 after a long apprenticeship in other series first compared to the "if you're not there by 18 you're rubbish" mentality that is being displayed on many forums that gets me.

[entropy]

StevieBee said:

Seems Red Bull have had enough and dropped DT from the junior programme.

The Tommy Byrne of the modern era?

I'm all for giving young drivers another chance when they're coming up but he doesn't help himself with his character and how others perceive him - hence the boring clean cut corporate robots. Always moaning, world is against him; up against drivers and teams with more money/resources.

Remind you of anyone?

Dan makes rethink whether I would have liked Mansell if I was an adult...

I'm not sure about Pato O Ward even though he was the class of the field in Indy Lights and highly rated. Methinks Helmut is getting desperate for young drivers.

Speaking of Indy and getting another chance Santino Ferrucci is making the most of it and seemingly keeping his feet on the ground.

[entropy]

Pato O Ward has taken over Dan's Super Formula ride

https://racer.com/2019/06/30/oward-to-take-over-ti...

[ribiero]

I still think Dan "Tantrum" was the best name for him :P

[n3il123]

So just signed as a Williams Junior/ test/ whatever driver.

[Smitters]

Maybe a few months in the wilderness has given him a fright and he's grown up a bit? Who knows. Williams are a pretty conservative outfit, so I don't see any silliness being tolerated. Plus, they are literally the bottom of the barrel in F1. He's gone from being the lad behind Albon in the STR queue to being locked in a dark room at Williams. That's got to smart a bit, especially in post-career hindsight.

[DanielSan]

Smitters said:

Maybe a few months in the wilderness has given him a fright and he's grown up a bit? Who knows. Williams are a pretty conservative outfit, so I don't see any silliness being tolerated. Plus, they are literally the bottom of the barrel in F1. He's gone from being the lad behind Albon in the STR queue to being locked in a dark room at Williams. That's got to smart a bit, especially in post-career hindsight.

Could well just be he's got a fee quid to buy his way onto the team for now and Williams will happily take any cash they can.

[anonymous-user]

DanielSan said:

Smitters said:

Maybe a few months in the wilderness has given him a fright and he's grown up a bit? Who knows. Williams are a pretty conservative outfit, so I don't see any silliness being tolerated. Plus, they are literally the bottom of the barrel in F1. He's gone from being the lad behind Albon in the STR queue to being locked in a dark room at Williams. That's got to smart a bit, especially in post-career hindsight.

Could well just be he's got a few quid to buy his way onto the team for now and Williams will happily take any cash they can.

Almost certainly. In fact, certainly......

[Smitters]

REALIST123 said:

DanielSan said:

Smitters said:

Maybe a few months in the wilderness has given him a fright and he's grown up a bit? Who knows. Williams are a pretty conservative outfit, so I don't see any silliness being tolerated. Plus, they are literally the bottom of the barrel in F1. He's gone from being the lad behind Albon in the STR queue to being locked in a dark room at Williams. That's got to smart a bit, especially in post-career hindsight.

Could well just be he's got a few quid to buy his way onto the team for now and Williams will happily take any cash they can.

Almost certainly. In fact, certainly......

I did think this, but wondered where it had come from.

He could almost certainly do with a season in F2 - the last few years have hardly been a stable learning environment, but maybe Williams are counting on some broad car knowledge from swapping seats so often.

[TwentyFive]

Smitters said:

He could almost certainly do with a season in F2

And he is going to get it. He signed to race for DAMS in F2 a few days ago. They are the current teams champions too so he has nowhere to hide in 2020.

[Smitters]

TwentyFive said:

Smitters said:

He could almost certainly do with a season in F2

And he is going to get it. He signed to race for DAMS in F2 a few days ago. They are the current teams champions too so he has nowhere to hide in 2020.

Good oh. It didn't seem like the smartest move to spend the whole your in the sim, even because F1. I have to be honest, I'd like to be proven wrong and he come through well, because I don't really wish anyone ill and let's face it, we've all been young and dumb on occasion.

[TheDeuce]

REALIST123 said:

DanielSan said:

Smitters said:

Maybe a few months in the wilderness has given him a fright and he's grown up a bit? Who knows. Williams are a pretty conservative outfit, so I don't see any silliness being tolerated. Plus, they are literally the bottom of the barrel in F1. He's gone from being the lad behind Albon in the STR queue to being locked in a dark room at Williams. That's got to smart a bit, especially in post-career hindsight.

Could well just be he's got a few quid to buy his way onto the team for now and Williams will happily take any cash they can.

Almost certainly. In fact, certainly......

I'd say certainly too. Williams would have to be insane to not take the dollar if offered really. Also alongside F2 how much time is he really going to have to grind away on the SIM?

Fair play if he's been able to raise the funds, his choice and all the best to him as he sticks his beak in to the world of F1.. I can't say he's the natural choice for the job from Williams point of view which will just make it awkward each time Claire talks positively about why they 'chose' him. It's not easy being a Williams fan these days! In fact I'm not sure I've even been a fan for the last few years - maybe I'm a passionate fan in principle but in reality I find I have to be increasingingly cynical simply to avoid disappointment

[Deesee]

He is blindingly quick