Q: Now that Monaco doesn’t interfere with Indy 500, will we see any F1 drivers running the Indy 500? Who do you think would do well in the 500?
David Tucker
CM: I’d love to say yes, but Indy takes up much of the month of May and the F1 schedule still wouldn’t make it simple at all. The month looks like being an epic one for North American fans, with the Miami GP at the start of the month, followed by the Canadian GP and then the 500 itself. But it could well be that Montreal clashes with 500 qualifying and even if it didn’t, it would be really tough to avoid missing out on any track running at IMS while also not missing an F1 session somewhere.
We know Fernando Alonso would do well, and I don’t think it would be a surprise to see Max Verstappen be really adaptable, too. But then there are some other drivers who seem to have really analytical approaches who also might cross over well, such as Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri. I’d probably add Kevin Magnussen to the list due to his bit of IndyCar experience and love of U.S. racing.
Q: While checking out other racing websites, I came across an article about a film regarding the F1 race at Imola in 1982 and the rivalry between Gilles Villeneuve and his teammate Didier Pironi. The documentary was released in 2022 and is directed by Torquil Jones. I was able to view it last night on YouTube. Wow!
It covers the events leading up to the grand prix, and the tragic betrayal (according to Gilles) of Pironi stealing the win from Gilles at Imola, and how it contributed to his death at Zolder two weeks later. Gilles’ wife, JoAnne, is interviewed as well as Pironi’s girlfriend, Catherine Goux, who was pregnant at the time of his death in 1987 in a power boat accident. Also interviewed are Gilles’ two kids, Jacques (who comes across as a bit of a jerk) and his daughter Melanie, as well as Alain Prost and Jackie Stewart. This documentary, along with Senna, are by far the two best F1 documentaries I’ve ever seen.
Jerry, Houston
CM: Do you know what, Jerry, to my shame I still haven’t watched this! My wife went to a screening but I couldn’t make it, and since then I’ve just never remembered to go looking for it. But I heard good things at the time and your review has certainly put it front of mind again.
As an aside, I love that more and more motorsport stories are getting told in this way, and giving more depth to the sport. F1 in particular has really grown its fan base over the past six years and these are really valuable productions for both existing fans and newer ones to be able to engage with its history.
Q: Will we see any Mexican-born drivers besides Daniel Suarez in the NASCAR Cup Series race in Mexico City?
Chris Fiegler, Latham, NY
KELLY CRANDALL: I imagine there will be interest, but nothing has been confirmed. Logistically, it would probably be easier to find a ride in the Xfinity Series race than in the Cup Series race, but we’ll see who has open seats when the race gets closer.
Q: With NASCAR’s current playoff system, we often see champions who may not have been consistent front-runners in the regular season. This structure seems to reward drivers who peak during the playoffs, particularly in the final race at Phoenix Raceway, rather than those who perform well all season. Do you think this approach accurately reflects a true season champion, or does it prioritize entertainment over showcasing the best driver across the full season?
Handsome Jo
KC: All of the drivers and teams know the format and what it takes to win a championship, but the format does lean toward trying to make it as entertaining as possible. Personally, I’m fine with the format because I don’t believe there have been any fluke champions. Joey Logano didn’t have the best regular season but it wasn’t like he wasn’t showing up and trying. However, if NASCAR were to tweak the format, then I’d be interested to see what they come up with. I’m fine either way.
Q: Does the latest ruling mean that FRM and 23XI have to qualify on speed for Daytona and other races?
Shawn, MD
KC: Yes. If 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports choose to run as open teams, they would have to qualify for each race. They would no longer have a guaranteed starting spot.
Q: Why don’t you cover more off-road racing on your pages?
Rodolfo Sapien
MARK GLENDENNING: Your letter was well-timed, because we are indeed planning to scale up our off-road coverage in the coming months. We’re still mapping out the coverage plan, but Marty Fiolka’s reporting from the Baja 1000 last weekend was a first step.
THE FINAL WORD
From Robin Miller’s Mailbag, Nov. 20, 2013
Q: I had many opportunities to speak with Dario Franchitti, probably like many fans. Dario and I talked about what it was like to drive Jim Clark’s Indy 500 Lotus and most recently the great racing at Baltimore. Every time we talked, he treated me as if I were his neighbor in Scotland. But more than that, I loved how he took time with the kids who wanted a photo or autograph. Dario will retire as one of the all-time best IndyCar drivers, and winning the Indy 500 three times makes him immortal. So I know first hand how engaging he is and I had the good fortune to see all his 500 victories, but I’m aware that you are closer to him and know much more about what went into his success as a driver. What will you remember about Dario?
Gerry Courtney, San Francisco, CA
ROBIN MILLER: How quickly he adapted to 900 horsepower and the CART tracks, but mostly how instantly competitive he was against a great field of drivers. He wasn’t intimidated or awed by his new surroundings — he walked in like he belonged because he did. And I loved to argue with him about cars, tracks, TGBB and all things racing. But his personality, sense of humor, intelligence and sense of history made him as good off the track as he was on it.