1st ever Pinoy F1 driver?

[mz_danni]

Enzo Pastor
wow sana  

[Brent]

Enzo Pastor
wow sana  

It is an invitation indeed but they still have to pay $500,000 just for the test session. With the present economic situation in the country, I do not think it is wise to bring out that much money from the country's already depleting dollar reserves.

The money should instead be used to develop local motorsports rather than bringing it out. There is still much talent to be developed locally.

[stradale]

Enzo Pastor
wow sana  

Hope he makes it.  No matter how lowly Minardi is in the F1 pecking order, the team was the launching pad for the F1 careers of Mark Webber & Fernando Alonso. All Mark & Fernando had to do to get noticed was beat their Minardi teamate comprehensively. Minardi wasn't and won't be expected to beat any other car.

Of course to get in a cash-strapped team like Minardi, a driver has to bring loads of sponsoship money.  I wonder which Filipino company would back Enzo? What an evocative name BTW.

[stradale]

It is an invitation indeed but they still have to pay $500,000 just for the test session. With the present economic situation in the country, I do not think it is wise to bring out that much money from the country's already depleting dollar reserves.

The money should instead be used to develop local motorsports rather than bringing it out. There is still much talent to be developed locally.

USD 500 big ones just for a test session is shocking and even scandalous.  Seems too much even by F1 standards. But then, if some big time private corporation decides to foot the bill, why not?

Nothing could spur the development of local motorsports faster than having a Filipino racing in F1 every couple of weeks.

[ForeHeads]

let's not forget that several bigname drivers now were actually brought into F1 by minardi..

[KAR_WRX]

Having a Filipino driving is a major leap towards advancing local motorsport. Just take Bata Reyes for example. For a very long time billiards was looked down as a "sport" for the neighborhood slacker but now everyone's view on billiard has changed. They now look at billiards at the same level as boxing. Also unlike in basketball (were we suck, honestly) we have a better chance at winning in Formula 1, after Schumi retires ofcourse.

Who knows if Enzo gets in he may start a snowball effect with the end result of having a Philippine Grand Prix circuit. No more flying to Melbourne, Shangai or Sepang to watch the races. Hell local car clubs could have a place to meetup and have a go at a world-class circuit to drive on. Having a GP circuit would have a very positive effect in tourism and tourism-related industries as well as half of the crowd are foreigners who just fly in for the weekend races and have money to spend.

More news articles for those who want to read more.

http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=63901
http://www.homeoff1.com/news/item.aspx?id=8308
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?section=Sports&OID=60088
http://www.mb.com.ph/SPRT2004092218940.html

[R-A-Y]

Who knows if Enzo gets in he may start a snowball effect with the end result of having a Philippine Grand Prix circuit. No more flying to Melbourne, Shangai or Sepang to watch the races. Hell local car clubs could have a place to meetup and have a go at a world-class circuit to drive on. Having a GP circuit would have a very positive effect in tourism and tourism-related industries as well as half of the crowd are foreigners who just fly in for the weekend races and have money to spend.

Hmmm.... it's a bit worrysome with regards to the local tourism. If you think about the capacity that we will have to accomodate for these kinds of top of the line events, we are very very much short in facilities. Yes it will be a boost, but then the logistical nightmare that we will have to see through is just mind boggling. Honestly speaking, our country is not yet ready to host a Formula 1 grand prix.

But I bet we are ready to get a Filipino driver into it though Just that little problem of funding...

I wonder if PLDT is willing to replace their current endorder for MyDSL...?

[KAR_WRX]

Hmmm.... it's a bit worrysome with regards to the local tourism. If you think about the capacity that we will have to accomodate for these kinds of top of the line events, we are very very much short in facilities. Yes it will be a boost, but then the logistical nightmare that we will have to see through is just mind boggling. Honestly speaking, our country is not yet ready to host a Formula 1 grand prix.

But I bet we are ready to get a Filipino driver into it though Just that little problem of funding...

I wonder if PLDT is willing to replace their current endorder for MyDSL...?

That's a problem I think Filipinos would love to have... Too much tourists and much need facilities and infrastructure. We can jack up prices of accomodations and facilities to match developed nation prices. Magbaon na lang tayong mga matatalino.

I seriously see this as a short-term problem. Facilities will be built to accomodate the mass of humanity who'll be watching the races. It'll take a lot of money to build a GP track to Formula 1 standards but we have the people that are skilled at this mammoth task.

[DTNS]

anyone want to start a foundation so that Enzo Pastor can get into F1?    the Hungarian people did something like this so that Zsolt Baumgartner could get a full race seat in Minardi.    I think we should do something similar.  

[mz_danni]

It is an invitation indeed but they still have to pay $500,000 just for the test session. With the present economic situation in the country, I do not think it is wise to bring out that much money from the country's already depleting dollar reserves.

stoopid here, why do a invited driver need to pay $500K just to test drive it?

I wonder if PLDT is willing to replace their current endorder for MyDSL...?

hihihi, why naman ?

[Agent J]

it's all about money really..  
if i were to choose, i'd pick tyson sy.. train him good while he's still a teen (which is what he's doin now) and by the time he's 19 or 20, he'll be more than ready to drive an f1 car.  he's got the natural skill and the body type of an f1 driver.  he's like a takuma sato to me.. small but terrible..  

enzo's a good driver, no doubt.. but i do hope he does good in that test drive.. for the country's sake, i hope every cent of the US$500k fee will be worth it..

look at ho-pin tung.. he practically dominated the asian formula bmw last year.  he was supposed to test drive for williams-bmw.. so where is he now?    sayang yung skill nya..  

enzo's really taking a big risk.. let's hope and pray it pays off..

[Rej]

anyone want to start a foundation so that Enzo Pastor can get into F1?    the Hungarian people did something like this so that Zsolt Baumgartner could get a full race seat in Minardi.    I think we should do something similar.  

Hehehe... with money involve, parang mahirap yan!

[stradale]

stoopid here, why do a invited driver need to pay $500K just to test drive it?

I'm afraid thats how it is in F1 - it's not just about talent, its about money too. Especially with poor teams.

You guys remember Pedro Diniz, F1 driver for 5 years (96-2000) with Ligier, Arrows, and Sauber? Pedro never had a racing pedigree to land an F1 seat but he had his father, a supermarket-chain magnate and one of the wealthiest men in Brazil to take care of that.

I think Pantano is in the same situation and so was Alex Yung with all that Petronas sponsorship money.

[Brent]

it's all about money really..  
if i were to choose, i'd pick tyson sy.. train him good while he's still a teen (which is what he's doin now) and by the time he's 19 or 20, he'll be more than ready to drive an f1 car.  he's got the natural skill and the body type of an f1 driver.  he's like a takuma sato to me.. small but terrible..  

enzo's a good driver, no doubt.. but i do hope he does good in that test drive.. for the country's sake, i hope every cent of the US$500k fee will be worth it..

look at ho-pin tung.. he practically dominated the asian formula bmw last year.  he was supposed to test drive for williams-bmw.. so where is he now?    sayang yung skill nya..  

enzo's really taking a big risk.. let's hope and pray it pays off..

Ho Pin Tung did test the Williams BMW F1 car for FREE, that was part of his prize for winning the series last year.

[Agent J]

Ho Pin Tung did test the Williams BMW F1 car for FREE, that was part of his prize for winning the series last year.

yup free nga, pero hanggang testing lang.. tagal pa siguro bago sya ma-consider.. mahaba ang pila siguro.