Motorsport Driver/Team Rumors From Years Past

[Shawn19]

So I'm fairly new to this game : recently I've seen out to create a database containing driver/team rumors/almost-moves throughout the years from various racing series, from IndyCar to F1, NASCAR, FE, MotoGP etc, and I figured this should be the correct spot for it in the forum.

I intend for this to be more of a collab project, so if there's any rumors you have (if with sources, even better), feel free to add to the list!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZhRaGmVwIslmLKPk95cXxpifA0w9NuFOriqKMT6oo7g/edit?usp=drivesdk

[DaveL]

Not everything you listed was a rumor, many are fact.

Imagine how history would have been different had Rutherford signed with Forythe instead of Patrick. I think Bettenhausen made a mistake by passing on McNish.

[senorsoupe]

Cool!

Here are a few I remember from old Indycar broadcasts

1. Al Unser Jr. was rumoured to be the driver for the ill-fated Lotus factory team led by Roy Winklemann for 1985
2. On the subject of Roy WInklemann, on the 1990 Laguna Seca broadcast it was announced that he was going to enter a team for 1991 with John Paul Jr. as a driver
3. On the Nazareth broadcast in 1990 it was mentioned that Paul Tracy had signed for Truesports, no mention of whether or not it would be a race or testing contract
4. During the 1994 season preview show, David Tennyson was listed as a second Foyt driver
5. Rocky Moran was on the 1994 Indy 500 entry list in a Burns racing GalmerG92
6. Olivier Grouillard was rumoured to be in a second Indy Regency car for 1994
7. During one of the late 1994 broadcasts (I think Laguna Seca) it was said that Arie Luyendyk had re-signed with Indy Regency to run the full 1995 season
8. On one of the late 1995 broadcasts, Teo Fabi was said to have re-signed for Forsysthe in 1996, probably as a teammate to Greg Moore

[senorsoupe]

Also, for F1 stuff you should follow @F1_almostmoves on twitter

[DaveL]

B.J. Swanson was supposed to drive the second Gurney car at the '76 Indy 500, but Mid=Ohio happened.

[Privateer]

Start of the 1987 season at Long Beach, Jackie Stewart mentions at the start of the broadcast Ferrari might be coming to Indycar. Knowing Ferrari, was probably just them negotiating with the FIA.

Not looked at the spreadsheet, but a Bernie Ecclestone-designed offer was put in place to have Jeff Gordon drive in CART for a couple years before coming to Formula One as Bernie's plan to get the U.S. to care about F1. I doubt it was ever realistic to expect Gordon to jump and he made the right decision.

[Shawn19]

Cool!

Here are a few I remember from old Indycar broadcasts

1. Al Unser Jr. was rumoured to be the driver for the ill-fated Lotus factory team led by Roy Winklemann for 1985
2. On the subject of Roy WInklemann, on the 1990 Laguna Seca broadcast it was announced that he was going to enter a team for 1991 with John Paul Jr. as a driver
3. On the Nazareth broadcast in 1990 it was mentioned that Paul Tracy had signed for Truesports, no mention of whether or not it would be a race or testing contract
4. During the 1994 season preview show, David Tennyson was listed as a second Foyt driver
5. Rocky Moran was on the 1994 Indy 500 entry list in a Burns racing GalmerG92
6. Olivier Grouillard was rumoured to be in a second Indy Regency car for 1994
7. During one of the late 1994 broadcasts (I think Laguna Seca) it was said that Arie Luyendyk had re-signed with Indy Regency to run the full 1995 season
8. On one of the late 1995 broadcasts, Teo Fabi was said to have re-signed for Forsysthe in 1996, probably as a teammate to Greg Moore

Thanks!! I had included the Unser Lotus and Tennyson almost-moves on the sheet beforehand, but the Tracy and JPJ rumors are new to me.

Today I had also found an early 1994 Indy 500 entry list that had Freddy Ekblom in a num.68 Burns Motorsport car as well.

[Shawn19]

Also, for F1 stuff you should follow @F1_almostmoves on twitter

Oh I have followed them for quite a bit, a lot of juicy stuff in there!

@YeOldeMMFF also used to post a series of Autosport magazine clippings containing a lot of driver rumors (which are still there if you search for them): including Jacques Lafitte in a Token to Allen Berg and Perry McCarthy searching for Indycar rides.

[Shawn19]

Thanks!! I had included the Unser Lotus and Tennyson almost-moves on the sheet beforehand, but the Tracy and JPJ rumors are new to me.

Today I had also found that Jimmy Vasser was close to signing with Galles for 1994, and that Johnny Herbert was lined up to deputise for Alex Zanardi for Rockingham 2001. Also an early 1994 Indy 500 entry list had Freddy Ekblom in a num.68 Burns Motorsport car as well.

[senorsoupe]

I love your list! Just looking at it again and you could add Gaston Mazzacane and Tarso Marques for the Phoenix Finance team that turned up in Malaysia in 2002 with a two Prost AP04 chassis that had 4 year old Arrows engines in the back attempting to enter the race. The whole thing was a cunning plan by Tom Walkinshaw to get his hands on Prost's prize money from 2001 using his friend Charles Nickerson as a front to claim he had bought the Prost team (when he had only bought a few old chassis and some equipment)

[Shawn19]

I love your list! Just looking at it again and you could add Gaston Mazzacane and Tarso Marques for the Phoenix Finance team that turned up in Malaysia in 2002 with a two Prost AP04 chassis that had 4 year old Arrows engines in the back attempting to enter the race. The whole thing was a cunning plan by Tom Walkinshaw to get his hands on Prost's prize money from 2001 using his friend Charles Nickerson as a front to claim he had bought the Prost team (when he had only bought a few old chassis and some equipment)

okie, added to the list!!

[editor]

... 1. Al Unser Jr. was rumoured to be the driver for the ill-fated Lotus factory team led by Roy Winklemann [sic] for 1985 ...
3. On the Nazareth broadcast in 1990 it was mentioned that Paul Tracy had signed for Truesports, no mention of whether or not it would be a race or testing contract ...

Regarding No. 1: After leaving Galles Racing, Al Unser, Jr., signed a reported three-year contract to drive for the non-factory Winkelmann Lotus CART team. Winkelmann's new team fell apart due to a shortage of money. Lotus was supposed to be paid up front by Winkelmann for cars, Cosworth was supposed top be paid up front by him for engines plus for related services and the first installment of Unser's retainer was not paid by Winkelmann, causing the driver to bolt for Doug Shierson Racing days later. Shierson had signed John Paul, Jr., initially but released him following his federal indictment. Paul was set to replace Danny Sullivan. The Michigan team owner had tried to sign Al Unser, Sr. Big Al demurred.

Many drivers reportedly turned down approaches from Winkelmann afer listening to gossip about his lack of funding. Drivers such as Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi and Willy T. Ribbs said they rebuffed Winkelmann.

Winkelmann Racing was a former king of F2 with its Brabhams and Lotuses more than a decade earlier. Winkelmann had once fielded the works Lotus F2 team under contract to the marque.

Regarding No. 3: Paul Tracy was offered a reported three-year race contract with Truesports following a successful test. Sponsor Budweiser would not sign off on the pact citing Tracy's age, scuttling the deal.

[Doctorindy]

Start of the 1987 season at Long Beach, Jackie Stewart mentions at the start of the broadcast Ferrari might be coming to Indycar. Knowing Ferrari, was probably just them negotiating with the FIA.

He was probably talking about the Ferrari 637 Indy car. A lot has been written about the 637 over the years. Hard to decide if the 637 qualifies as a 'rumor' or not. They actually went so far as to design, build, test the car, and unveil it to the press.

I think most believe and agree that it was merely a bargaining tool for Ferrari in F1. We'll never really know if Ferrari actually intended to ever race in CART (and at the Indy 500) or not. But the answer is probably not.

A pretty decent synopsis is here:

http://8w.forix.com/ferrari-indianapolis-1986.html

[Shawn19]

Regarding No. 1: After leaving Galles Racing, Al Unser, Jr., signed a reported three-year contract to drive for the non-factory Winkelmann Lotus CART team. Winkelmann's new team fell apart due to a shortage of money. Lotus was supposed to be paid up front by Winkelmann for cars, Cosworth was supposed top be paid up front by him for engines plus for related services and the first installment of Unser's retainer was not paid by Winkelmann, causing the driver to bolt for Doug Shierson Racing days later. Shierson had signed John Paul, Jr., initially but released him following his federal indictment. Paul was set to replace Danny Sullivan. The Michigan team owner had tried to sign Al Unser, Sr. Big Al demurred.

Many drivers reportedly turned down approaches from Winkelmann afer listening to gossip about his lack of funding. Drivers such as Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi and Willy T. Ribbs said they rebuffed Winkelmann.

Winkelmann Racing was a former king of F2 with its Brabhams and Lotuses more than a decade earlier. Winkelmann had once fielded the works Lotus F2 team under contract to the marque.

Regarding No. 3: Paul Tracy was offered a reported three-year race contract with Truesports following a successful test. Sponsor Budweiser would not sign off on the pact citing Tracy's age, scuttling the deal.

I see, thanks for the additional clarification! List has been updated accordingly.

[RS2]

Scott Pruett to Ford F1. I am sure he tested in Protugal.