Could Johnson be an F1 star?
Jimmie Johnson is chasing an unprecedented fifth straight NASCAR Sprint Cup title this year. The 34-year-old Californian is steadily emerging as one of the greatest talents in the sport’s history, and he’s emphasized the point over the past two weekends by winning back-to-back races at the Infineon Raceway road course in California and the one-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway oval.
Johnson has suffered a minor slump in recent months, failing to win a race for 10 weeks and falling to seventh in the points. But his two most recent victories – the 51st and 52nd of his career – have vaulted him back into second in the championship, 105 points behind leader Kevin Harvick. Johnson said that at this stage of the season he’s more interested in collecting points than winning races.
“A few weeks ago I was in a position where points were really important,” he explained. “You can’t take where you are for granted. Even though we’re now second in the points, three races ago we were seventh and 12th place wasn’t that far away. So a lot can still change and we need to be collecting points to make sure we’re in The Chase [for the Cup].
“I think it’s more important to win in The Chase than it is to win now. If I could pick when I would win my next race, I’d rather it be in The Chase. I think there’s a big message in that.
“For us, we’re still looking for a little more speed, so my goal now is to be smart, to try to keep finishing in the top five, learn about our cars and make sure we can be winning when The Chase comes around. If we have an opportunity to win a race we’ll certainly step up and try. But I think there’s more damage to be done if you’re driving over your means, so I’m looking for consistency.”
Johnson is NASCAR’s most complete driver today. He’s eminently quick, almost invariably a contender in the closing stages of most races, and is a cool, analytical player capable of working with crew chief Chad Knaus to get the best from his car. Before winning in New Hampshire Johnson said he would love to test or race an Indycar or a Formula 1 car.
“I really would enjoy it,” he said. “The way I grew up, Indycar racing was really the only outside exposure I had. I dreamt of racing in the Indy 500 and would go to the Long Beach Grand Prix and hope that I could be on that circuit racing at some point. So I’d love to try an Indycar or an F1 car. My path has taken me a different way and I think it would be very difficult to get an F1 test. But maybe by putting it out there it could happen.
“To experience driving an Indycar or F1 car on a road course would be really good for me. Running the Grand-Am car has helped me be a better road course driver, and it would be another step in an F1 or Indycar to see things at a faster speed in the braking zones and the capabilities of the car, how it turns in.”
There’s no doubt that Jimmie Johnson is the fastest, sharpest American driver in action today. If Bernie Ecclestone and FOTA’s team owners are serious about breaking back into the American market, they should be leaping off the marks to put together an F1 test for Johnson in a top car. When will it happen Bernie?
Filed under: Blogs, Miscellaneous, NASCAR
Tags: Bernie Ecclestone, Formula 1, Indy 500, Indycar, Infineon Raceway, Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR, New Hampshire Motor Speedway
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James:
June 28th, 2010 12:36pm
34 may be a bit old to start out in F1, but a test in a top flight car would be very interesting.
Michael S:
June 28th, 2010 12:37pm
I think Johnson could win in any form of racing. I saw him race on a dirt track with modified cars last month and he won that! I think the best drivers are the best drivers and given a little time they can catch on in other series. We are now seeing Raikkonen get faster and faster in WRC and I think by year two will be getting close to the sharp edge of that sport.
Michael S:
June 28th, 2010 2:57pm
Kyle Bush is who they need to get… He is only 24 and a beast!
David Valentine:
June 28th, 2010 8:59pm
As I could find nowhere to comment on the Penske unfair engine article, I am commenting here.
Hooray, hooray and thrice hooray for the first engine cutaway drawing I’ve seen in years. The car and engine is 98% of every win yet all Motor Sport seems concerned about these days are are drivers. To me drivers are only entertaining when they are driving identical cars for obvious reasons as the general standard is now so high. I have no idea how a modern GP car functions, what it’s engine looks like, what it’s brakes look like or how it’s aerodynamics work. This, to one who believes the car is all, is a considerable shortcoming. If secrecy is the problem then publish last years.
John Saviano:
June 28th, 2010 10:07pm
I don’t know if J Johnson or K Busch has the “right stuff” for F1, but I bet Jeff Gordon would have had he started in that direction at the right time. It’s a shame that the “best” American drivers are in NASCAR and not Indy or F1. The fact that Jeff Gordon hasn’t done the Indy 500 is ridiculous and says all that’s needed to be said about US racing and the state of Indycars.
Michael S:
June 29th, 2010 12:23am
great point John… the only reason I skipped Jeff was because he will be 39 next month…. Jeff would have been great… I still say Kyle Bush would be amazing… both Kyle and Jeff are thin guys too which helps a ton in F1
James:
June 29th, 2010 3:19am
Didn’t Jeff Gordon test a Williams once? Maybe I’m confusing him with someone else.
A good All-American team might be Kyle (the young gun) and Robbie Gordon (the grizzled veteran who can drive anything). Driving blue and white Fords.
G. Gearhead:
June 29th, 2010 11:20pm
No NASCAR Cup level regular is going to move to Formula 1. Who would make a big career change for much less money??? Cup, F-1 and Indycar have all become television oriented to the detriment of sport. Cup pays the best with the least travel and it has the most appeal to the mass market viewers.
Jeff Gordon tried a F-1 car on the Indy road circuit while Montoya tried a Cup car the same day. Sarah Fisher was the mark in a 3-lap stunt in a McLaren to benefit a mutual sponsors…. One way an American could get a F-1 ride would be IF A 3rd. CAR WAS FOR RENT like often happened in the 60s and 70s… ARE YOU LISTENING, BERNIE???
Dale:
June 30th, 2010 7:09am
If Jimmy Johnson is Nascar’s best bet for an open whell road course race seat where does that leave Marcos Ambrose who is quicker than anyone in Nascar in an inferior car?
david:
June 30th, 2010 7:41pm
I read or saw a Jeff Gordon interview (Charlie Rose?) where he said he was offered an opportunity for F1 by Craig Pollock (BAR) but they wanted him to spend a year or in in a feeder open wheel series and since he was already the king of the hill in NASCAR he declined.
Jon Woodmore:
July 1st, 2010 1:10am
Dale, I believe that the comments were referring to American drivers and their ability to draw an American crowd. Marcos Ambrose is of course Australian.
Steve Wyant:
July 1st, 2010 4:26am
James: As far as I can recall, I don’t think Gordon ever had an “official” F1 test, but he and Montoya did “try” each other’s cars on the Indy F1 road course in 2003 when Montoya was driving for Williams.
Al Unser Jr did test a Williams sometime in the early 90s, maybe that’s who you’re thinking of?
James:
July 1st, 2010 12:39pm
Steve- that’s it, thanks. How could I confuse Jeff Gordon with Little Al?
MIKE LEA:
July 3rd, 2010 2:05pm
I think drivers like Johnson and Gordon, had they gone over to Europe years ago, would have done well in F1. But a whole career in NASCAR is not good preparation for F1…two very different beasts. The formula 1 drivers are the best in the world and a high-profile rookie would get a pasting in the press if he didn’t win right away.
Bob Berman:
July 4th, 2010 11:30am
Rick Mears once tested very well in a Brabham but then realized he’d have to pay Bernie to race the following year for the privilege. hehe.
Still not sure at all about Jimmy and Jeff in F1.
Without Chad Knaus and Ray Evernham as the masterminds in setup and strategy for them in NASCAR I suspect their driving performances would have been far less then what we all have observed.
Tiger Al:
July 5th, 2010 9:21pm
F1 drivers may be the best F1 drivers in the world, but that’s about all, Mike…
R Tanveer:
July 6th, 2010 7:25pm
It’s tough enough for Single-Seater racers to make the transition from America to F1 let alone stock cars to F1!
For every JV and Juan Pablo, you have a Michael Andretti and the unfortunate Alex Zanardi.
Also, it would help if the driver was at least a dozen years younger than 34…but then, of course, that driver in question wouldn’t have made his “name” yet.
It’s one thing to want a ‘popular established star’ American…and quite another to have a fantastically talented young American who has his entire future ahead.
Scott Speed had the proper path but didn’t have what it took to get on top of the likes of Tonio Liuzzi let alone a Vettel or a Sutil.
Steve:
July 6th, 2010 11:36pm
Come on Bernie get the test lined up already so that Jimmie can get the hell out of NASCAR, and while your at it line take Kyle Bush too!
Dale:
July 12th, 2010 5:04am
I stand corrected John
thanks
david:
July 13th, 2010 1:38pm
First of all, I doubt if Jimmy Johnson could qualify a F1 car for a race. I think his four NASCAR Championships are questionable. Had
the Chevrolet boys, Gordon and Earnhart kept out of personal conflicts, they would be in the drivers seat with Chevy instead of Johnson. I believe when the final cut is made in the great chase, Johnson probably has a car with a EDGE! We need to know who pours the most money into NASCAR and that will tell us alot.
Tiger Al:
July 15th, 2010 6:00pm
What the hell are you on about, david?