A faraonic, stupid and naive proposal

[Popi_Larrauri]

Ok, I've been thinking in neutral gear in my holidays and after a dozens of block walking under the gray sky of Ushuaia I've come to this (easy, no money involved):

1) I've already belong to this community for a year or so, and I've been reading this site maybe (the truth can make corrections on me) for at least 10 years or so.

2) I'm some kind of a Thread Freezer, meaning that my answers and comments, apart from a couple of really charming guys who continually answer them, tend to have the effect of giving no conviction at all, or be rather boring, or stating the obvious (from time to time, there's also nonsense ranting for the same price), so I don't expect to have much success with this, specially if I'm starting the thread. Another reason is that, while others can download local interesting info, from here there's not much more than rumors from this corner of the world and, being Lopez dumped, I think there won't be nothing interesting to say from here for the next ten years. But, all things considered, I'll try it anyway.

3) The site is amazing in it's conception, and have the effect of congregating equals with a very interesting degree of loyalty. If only for it's cultural aspect (compilation of sport history afar from mainstream known facts), and could be a matter of serious interest with the proper inquirers.

4) The site has as an asset: at least 10 years running continually (even if the production have halts from time to time), and has a forum with constant contributors which, despite the fact of being no experts (abuse of honesty, I'm talking humble for all, but there are some of you that actually know quiet a lot about F1 & motorsport), have glued somehow a point of view and a main focus, and they could work (even if they do not understand it this way) they have worked out some rumbling, debate. Maybe some mystic.

5) The site is not open source, in almost the most strict sense.

6)... but we expect that two guys, who actually live from doing another thing, must tell us another new story about the old glories of the wrong end of the grid every month.

7) We could contribute, but, most of the time, we can only shuffle what it is on the net already, aside from genuine and amazing data translated from old newspapers.

8) Besides, somebody is doing it, paid or for free, I think W8 and Forix are something of the like (and the whole glory to those guys).

9) No one is running us in any sense, we can set the due date we want.



Idea: What if we set a date as, an example, 2015 (don't get scared, the site have ben running at least the double) to everyone of us get and insightful, site-focus oriented, interview with a driver of his own nationality (or living in his country).

I think that, it's not precisely impossible these days, 10 years before, to get an interview with an F1 driver, not counting how obscure his past was, was impossible out from the set. But things have changed somehow, besides, I've heard some ideas to the question: Whaaaaat? Me? I'm no journalist! How on earth I'll get in touch with an ex-F1 driver?
Some of them relies on having a journalist friend and giving him the forum insight but him doing the interview, minor newspapers interested on it (i don't know, sometimes a 65-years old exF1 driver with a single entry to his name, wont be precisely a diva).

I think that, maybe, the site should have to adapt itself to be a bit more respectful about drivers and teams (irony, I must confess, generated on me a huge interest on the matter, but should be incompatible to get the proper environment). Don't get me wrong, It's not a critic, I love the site the way it is, but I'm betting on the fact that the site owners have been correcting their way to express themselves in this matter (being Zanardi's profile the most obvious case, but there are others minors touches I've seen that were done silently, including Andrea Moda's profile... am I right?).

It's, previously to everything, up to the overloaded guys who own the site, but then to the commitment of all of us (the ones who want to involve in it).

I've typed it, It's not mine any more. Will fly if it get wings.

[CarlosFerreira]

Yours is not, of course, a "faraonic, stupid and naive proposal". I agree with the drive to pull it through; indeed, the F1Rejects wiki is itself a project to achieve some of those objectives. Sadly, I haven't been putting as much effort into it as I thought I could, and it shows. But it's a way to contribute, and something is bound to come of it.

Another possible way is the "user submitted articles", of which there's a good number of on the website itself.

As for the interview with a driver, I'm up for it. I'd like to contact either Tiago Monteiro, or perhaps Pedro Lamy. Let's not tell ourselves 2015; that just means we'll fall asleep at the wheel. How about 2010?

[LucaPacchiarini]

I really like the idea of each member trying to interview a local reject and I might contact some Minardi drivers in the future

[Phoenix]

Ffffff...I do want to be a journalist, but I think that, at least for 2010, it'll be downright impossible for me to get an interview with an ex-F1 driver

[LucaPacchiarini]

Ffffff...I do want to be a journalist, but I think that, at least for 2010, it'll be downright impossible for me to get an interview with an ex-F1 driver

Why?

You just need a facebook account and an aging driver who is happy to be interviewed because he thought noone cared about him anymore

[shinji]

David Kennedy was already interviewed, and Derek Daly and Tommy Byrne both live in the States. Bah.

[muttley]

I travel regularly to Geneva. One day or another I will have the courage to ask for an interview with Deletraz (maybe).

[Nessafox]

ha i've got to do nothing, you guys allready interviewed van de poele

well i see if i know someone who could get me in touch with adams, de dryver, t. pilette or nève.
perhaps some drivers from the fifties if they're still alive.
Leinders would probably be the most realistic bet but i don't know if being a 'friday driver' is good enough for you guys.
Or perhaps asking non-reject Gachot about his times with rejects onyx, rial, coloni and pacific, well i can even interview Gachot about Délétraz

I'll see what i can do.

[watka]

David Kennedy was already interviewed, and Derek Daly and Tommy Byrne both live in the States. Bah.

Try Ralph Firman!

I would love to have a go at interviewing Allan McNish, because unlike some of the other recent Brits, he's gone on to do a lot outside of F1 (and obviously before F1 as well).

[DemocalypseNow]

David Kennedy was already interviewed, and Derek Daly and Tommy Byrne both live in the States. Bah.

Try Ralph Firman!

I would love to have a go at interviewing Allan McNish, because unlike some of the other recent Brits, he's gone on to do a lot outside of F1 (and obviously before F1 as well).

As a Scot I call dibs on McNish

[thehemogoblin]

This would be a bunch of fun and would serve me in multiple purposes, as I am a journalism major. Hmm. I can definitely kick the tires on this, see if this will roll.

[Popi_Larrauri]

Yours is not, of course, a "faraonic, stupid and naive proposal". I agree with the drive to pull it through; indeed, the F1Rejects wiki is itself a project to achieve some of those objectives. Sadly, I haven't been putting as much effort into it as I thought I could, and it shows. But it's a way to contribute, and something is bound to come of it.

I know, I know, I took a look at it. And it could be the work's platform for this idea.

Another possible way is the "user submitted articles", of which there's a good number of on the website itself.

Right, their are great (EDIT: all of them who I enjoyed greatly), no doubt about it. But, as I say, there is some kind of lack of material outside from the web, and what's it's in the web, after all, is property of someone or it's already of public domain, making really complicated to bring something new. If it is something new, probably it's in foreing languages, and even them can be translated fairly easy today.

As for the interview with a driver, I'm up for it. I'd like to contact either Tiago Monteiro, or perhaps Pedro Lamy. Let's not tell ourselves 2015; that just means we'll fall asleep at the wheel. How about 2010?

Oh, mate! Terrific for Monteiro and Lamy, (Monteiro is actually a reject? Who cares after all). I set 2015 just because I felt that we should, set up the site (site owners should set up, or should allow us) the site for a bit more of political correction.

Lets examplify: LucaPacchiarini gets an interview with Andrea Sasseti, the interview is respectul, insightful, gives us a new shade of gray in his relationship with the FIA, drivers, and manages to unfold information about who actually was in charge of the male chorus for doing the proper Judd powerplant sounds at Barcelona; the interview ends with a handshake and a promise to some day return for more, which Andrea obviously agrees. Luca simply sweeps the floor with HWSNSNBM in a matter of nanoseconds, and becomes our pesonal incarnation of god. But then, Andrea's representative, or his daughter, or anyone else close to him, watch the site and read "The most farcical team ever"...

Apart from that there must be some planning. Don't know exactly (more of this below in this post), but I guess some logistic is needed. For example, tracking where their live right now, getting a protocolar conection with them; getting some way to get acreditations or something that proves, somehow, what and why we are doing it, negotiate some refusals, do the research about his professional/personal life so we can get an insight previously, set the proper set of questions all together, do the interview, compile it and post it here.

So, Maybe 2015 it's to much, conceded, maybe 2010 it's too early. I also share the point that we can start pulling the effort right now and let to the gods the date for results. 2015 only serves for the purpose of falling asleep.

Why?

You just need a facebook account and an aging driver who is happy to be interviewed because he thought noone cared about him anymore

Exactly! Yes! Yes! yes! I would love to do an interview to Oscar "the Popi" Larrauri, but he's an active driver (or sort of), and he's a kind of a celebrity in some circles here. But there's also Miguel Angel Guerra, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_%C3%81ngel_Guerra, who has four entries to his name, 3 DNQ and 1 DNF caused by an accident in his first lap, and most important of all, he is still alive!

I travel regularly to Geneva. One day or another I will have the courage to ask for an interview with Deletraz (maybe).

That would be.... AWESOME... (let me breath... to be honest, I wasn't prepared to deal with success. I expected this idea to sink as a piano in the sea. So just someone promising this sets up right my day).

EDIT: Ok, I saw now (after this rumbling), your thread on the Deletraz forum, and saw that your work is getting even official support. Good luck with then, I'll try to give some serious questions to colaborate a bit.

Ffffff...I do want to be a journalist, but I think that, at least for 2010, it'll be downright impossible for me to get an interview with an ex-F1 driver

Well, considering your nationality, I must say that you must beware...

You could actually become, by own merit, part of...



.... The Whole Spanish Press!!!!!

This would be a bunch of fun and would serve me in multiple purposes, as I am a journalism major. Hmm. I can definitely kick the tires on this, see if this will roll.

Well, I remember that someone here was a journalist or something in the like of, but that a moderator is it's too much for me for the same day (where did I leave my pills?).

So, I'm forced to ask you which steps (i pointed some in reply to Carlos, but there must be some of them irrelevant and some missing) do we have to follow in order to planning to do this somehow coordinated? I mean, better than to knock their doors and saying: "hi, we really don't have a full idea of who you are, but you run on F1 once, don't you?"

It's posible to build up a plan all of us together to this in a sort of a professional way?

Mates! I'm amazed that had at least crawled!!!

[Phoenix]

Ffffff...I do want to be a journalist, but I think that, at least for 2010, it'll be downright impossible for me to get an interview with an ex-F1 driver

Well, considering your nationality, I must say that you must beware...

You could actually become, by own merit, part of...



.... The Whole Spanish Press!!!!!

I was waiting for someone to make the joke. I can't wait to become a prophet...

Why?

You just need a facebook account and an aging driver who is happy to be interviewed because he thought noone cared about him anymore

Do aging reject ex-F1 drivers get on Facebook? You learn something new every day...

[thehemogoblin]

Popi,

I'd be professional about it. I would just say that I would like to interview (driver x) for Formula One Rejects, a fan website devoted to the more misfortunate careers of Formula One drivers and teams. Then, I would inevitably assuage their apprehension to being made fun of by explaining that the website actually looks favorably upon them, and maybe provide links to the material (if request is through email) or actual material (if I do it in person) to prove this.

Then I'd just ask them about their career in a relatively chronological order (after asking a couple of questions to get them settled into the interview, which is the best strategy ever). It wouldn't be that hard. You just have to ask effective follow-up questions when you're interviewing them.

However, I can't stress this enough:

DO NOT go into your interviews without doing a fair bit of research beforehand. Doing so makes it easier to ask better questions and to get to the driver's opinion on things that happened that either weren't known about or were painted in a different light.

The trick to interviews is being professional and being informed. If you do both of those, your success rate increases dramatically.

[tommykl]

I might have a go at a french-speaking Belgian.

[tommykl]

Here I go, I'm about to ask Teddy Pilette for an eventual interview (found him on facebook).

Edit: OK, here's a translation of the message.

Hello mr. Pilette.

My name is Thomas De Bock, I am 14 years old and I would like to know if it is possible to organize an interview on behalf of the F1 Rejects website, a website that analyses careers in F1 that didn't have much success. Here is the website, www.f1rejects.com
Drivers already inteviewed by the site include Eric van de Poele, Alex Yoong and Andrea Montermini. The interview would be about your career, in or out of F1. I could understand if you don't want to be interviewed, but please try to reply as soon as possible.

Thomas

[CarlosFerreira]

Here I go, I'm about to ask Teddy Pilette for an eventual interview (found him on facebook).

Edit: OK, here's a translation of the message.

Hello mr. Pilette.

My name is Thomas De Bock, I am 14 years old and I would like to know if it is possible to organize an interview on behalf of the F1 Rejects website, a website that analyses careers in F1 that didn't have much success. Here is the website, http://www.f1rejects.com
Drivers already inteviewed by the site include Eric van de Poele, Alex Yoong and Andrea Montermini. The interview would be about your career, in or out of F1. I could understand if you don't want to be interviewed, but please try to reply as soon as possible.

Thomas

Very, very cool!

[tommykl]

Here I go, I'm about to ask Teddy Pilette for an eventual interview (found him on facebook).

Edit: OK, here's a translation of the message.

Hello mr. Pilette.

My name is Thomas De Bock, I am 14 years old and I would like to know if it is possible to organize an interview on behalf of the F1 Rejects website, a website that analyses careers in F1 that didn't have much success. Here is the website, http://www.f1rejects.com
Drivers already inteviewed by the site include Eric van de Poele, Alex Yoong and Andrea Montermini. The interview would be about your career, in or out of F1. I could understand if you don't want to be interviewed, but please try to reply as soon as possible.

Thomas

Very, very cool!

he hasn't replied yet...

[Nessafox]

you should highlight that F1 rejects is a website that writes respectful profiles, based on the available information, to put some attention to those who didn't make it, and not a joke!

but good job to ask it, i have to admit i don't have the guts to

[Phoenix]

you should highlight that F1 rejects is a website that writes respectful profiles, based on the available information, to put some attention to those who didn't make it, and not a joke!

Yeah, we already have the forum to make jokes about it...

[Nessafox]

gosh no, i'm always serious!

[Phoenix]

gosh no, i'm always serious!

Yeah, everyone here is serious in his/her/its own way.

[thehemogoblin]

gosh no, i'm always serious!

Yeah, everyone here is serious in his/her/its own way.

I think you overestimate some people.

[DonTirri]

I'd love to do that, too bad every Finnish driver is a bloody celebrity/lives outside of Finland. So getting an interview out of any of them is close to zero.

[CarlosFerreira]

I'd love to do that, too bad every Finnish driver is a bloody celebrity/lives outside of Finland. So getting an interview out of any of them is close to zero.

I thought Makkinen and Kankkunen had moved back to their farms.

[DemocalypseNow]

I'd love to do that, too bad every Finnish driver is a bloody celebrity/lives outside of Finland. So getting an interview out of any of them is close to zero.

I thought Makkinen and Kankkunen had moved back to their farms.

Well Kankkunen at least will be back in Jyväskylä exactly a month from now during Rally Finland...

On another note TCF is interviewing both the Alguersauras and the HRT gang. I don't have a clue if I'm in on any of it though

[CarlosFerreira]

I'd love to do that, too bad every Finnish driver is a bloody celebrity/lives outside of Finland. So getting an interview out of any of them is close to zero.

I thought Makkinen and Kankkunen had moved back to their farms.

Well Kankkunen at least will be back in Jyväskylä exactly a month from now during Rally Finland...

I heard. Utter legend.