Simona might need to move on.

**LarryC.1** · 04-29-2012 01:48 AM

I’m a big fan of Simona but I fear the situation with Lotus is heading towards hopeless. Keith Wiggins in putting on the best positive face he can but in reality I don’t believe his “Less is more” comment is realistic with respect to technical development. It probably really only means he has more access to engines and replacement parts for this season. It seams that Lotus Cars, if it survives long term, might not be in a position to support a race engine development program at the level required to compete with Chevy and Honda. With respect to the current situation I think ‘Less is less’. Losing the feedback and input from two senior drivers can’t help.

I’m afraid that Simona’s competitive nature might cause her to drive beyond the capabilities of her Lotus powered car and do things that hurt her longevity in Indy cars. It’s still early but I’m rapidly losing faith in the future of Lotus and unless KVM racing gets a real racing engine, Lotus or whatever, or Simona signs with a new team next season, I fear we could see the end of SDS in Indy cars. That would be a huge loss.

**aaron5572** · 04-29-2012 02:39 AM

I think Wiggins is like funding her career or something like that

**Oben** · 04-29-2012 03:21 AM

I doubt Wiggin's is funding her career.

It is probably true to some degree that reducing the number of teams that Lotus supports will be good for the remaining teams. For one thing Lotus can afford to increase power output (potentially increasing failure rate) and know that they can deal with an increased failure rate because they have less teams to supply.

A quote from one of the drivers (I think it was Oriol) makes me think that Lotus has been limiting high end power electronically. I don't know whether that was done to keep the failure rate low enough that they could meet demand with their limited number of engines, or because the engine itself has a serious design flaw that can't be fixed without re-homologating.

Apparently their performance coming off corners is quite good, they just don't have a high end.

So we will see: if Lotus begins to improve in the short term, then maybe limited resources (and therefore limited supply) is the problem. OTOH if things hang fire until after midseason, and Lotus re-homologates, then perhaps they have a serious design flaw.

They are the lightest engine... is that a problem? I have no idea.

**nzirl** · 04-29-2012 03:55 AM

In fairness to Keith Wiggins he has weathered far worse storms than Lotus.

**Inline** · 04-29-2012 07:28 AM

I believe she is under contract until the end of next season.

**fleshwound_NPG** · 04-29-2012 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by Inline

I believe she is under contract until the end of next season.

...with Entergy.

If another team is interested, she can move on and the sponsor goes with her. It's all tied to Simona and not HVM itself.

(Also Wiggins was funding her career somewhat...in 2010 when the Stargate Worlds money ran dry. He ran the team out of pocket towards the end of that season.)

**since 1981** · 04-29-2012 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by fleshwound_NPG

...with Entergy.

If another team is interested, she can move on and the sponsor goes with her. It's all tied to Simona and not HVM itself.

(Also Wiggins was funding her career somewhat...in 2010 when the Stargate Worlds money ran dry. He ran the team out of pocket towards the end of that season.)

@LarryC.1:

This is exactly why she wants to see seen driving at/beyond the abilities of her current car: She needs to show the rest of the paddock; "I can bring this kind of 'energy (no pun intended)' to your squad if you hire me".

A potentially dangerous gamble? - Maybe; but one that she needs to take if HVM never advances beyond it's current spot in the pecking order & she wants to stick around in IndyCar.

**Mr. Bean** · 04-29-2012 08:04 AM

I think every team out there knows what she's made of. And they know how much the lotus is lagging. I don't think she'll be judged too much by her performance this season.

It's not hurting her, but it's not doing her any good.

**Hitokiri** · 04-29-2012 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by since 1981

@LarryC.1:

This is exactly why she wants to see seen driving at/beyond the abilities of her current car: She needs to show the rest of the paddock; "I can bring this kind of 'energy (no pun intended)' to your squad if you hire me".

A potentially dangerous gamble? - Maybe; but one that she needs to take if HVM never advances beyond it's current spot in the pecking order & she wants to stick around in IndyCar.

This would make sense if you're someone like Josef Newgarden who doesn't have his own sponsors and this is probably best way to broadcast his skills. I know that when Simona first started with HVM she was also sponsorless but now she has one (and a good one at that) I guess she possibly shop herself around but I bet you her contract probably doesn't allow this. It sucks seeing a good driver with a good sponsor not getting her results but I'll guess we'll see what happens once the contract is up.

**BizzyV** · 04-29-2012 09:25 AM

For years the excuse for Simona has been "equipment." This year was supposed to be the year we saw what she was made of. Well, again we get

"equipment." If I were here I'd be looking for a way to somewhere where I could show where I was made of.

**Indyknut** · 04-29-2012 09:41 AM

I remember the early years when Toyota was in CART. Doggishly slow and they seemed to go up in flames at very inopportune times. They finally turned the program around and became a winning engine.

OK, I realize you can't really compare Lotus to the deep pockets of Toyota but the big difference between then and now is Lotus is working in a series that is far cheaper overall to compete in than Toyota was in those days of CART.

Hopefully they'll turn their situation around, it's a great manufacturer with a wonderful race lineage in OW racing.

**Vassago** · 04-29-2012 10:03 AM

I hope it rains today and Simona puts on a spirited drive to perhaps convince one or two naysayers. Last year she had the FL here after all.

Fact is, the Lotus deal has put her even further back in the pecking order than all the issues she had with those big shunts at Texas and IMS.

**LarryC.1** · 04-29-2012 10:51 AM

I can understand the philosophy that driving the car at or beyond its limits helps showcase her talents but on the flip side the current state of Lotus power makes her an automatic back marker, at least at the start of the race. I know she is a pro but it has to be really frustrating for her. Consider her performance in the Brazil race last year and this year being out qualified by Ed Carpenter. No slam on Ed but on a street/road circuit there is no comparison in talent. I fear frustration and aggressiveness could hurt. There may be more engines available now but I think she has one chassis and if she bends this one up the season will only get worse. Like I said I'm a big fan but her track record with banged up cars over the last two years has been less than impressive.

**Mikemat5150** · 04-29-2012 12:31 PM

Honestly, she had that one good run at St. Pete last year but there hasn't been in another drive were she really punched above her weight. You've got Newgarden punching way above his weight, Hinch doing it last year, JR doing it. Granted those are with better teams but she's had 5 top 10's in two years. Not exactly lighting the world on fire like many in this forum would have you believe.

**Z28** · 04-29-2012 02:08 PM

I think as much as her many and big fans love her, it may be a case of their talent evaluation isn't what they think it is. So many Danica haters want a female driver to be a racer and not a media star and Simona is around to be placed on that pedestal. She may not be what those people envision she should be.

**Darth Airbox** · 04-29-2012 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by fleshwound_NPG

...with Entergy.

If another team is interested, she can move on and the sponsor goes with her. It's all tied to Simona and not HVM itself.

(Also Wiggins was funding her career somewhat...in 2010 when the Stargate Worlds money ran dry. He ran the team out of pocket towards the end of that season.)

I think it might be the opposite, I believe Entergy is with HVM and not specifically with Simona.

**goldie19** · 04-29-2012 02:11 PM

Danica was nails at the only track the world notices when it comes to IndyCar....Simona needs to get with a better team. She would be great with a Target type company sponsoring her...she needs to pick up Walmart or something and take $$$ to a big team. She isn't going to win Indy, it's not her thing, but she can compete everywhere IndyCar runs....if she has good gear. She doesn't, and she won't, until Lotus steps up or she steps off

**dcpduke** · 04-29-2012 03:09 PM

I would love to see her at Andretti Auto Sport..... She will never go anywhere with HVM.

**Mikemat5150** · 04-29-2012 03:52 PM

Now granted I'm not a big fan of Simona but look at all the other "lesser teams" there are and how they've been competing this year. DRR has shown some good races with Servia. SFHR has been nowhere near a top team and have really stepped it up this year with Josef in the car. Dragon (granted it is Bourdias) but have had some great runs in the car. Coyne has been having some good runs with Jakes and Wilson.

Either HVM really need a re-do with their whole engineering department or Simona seems to be the weak link in that chain. I would love to see them have a second car so we can actually get a good gauge on her talent level. Otherwise you can just pass off everything as the equipment. The other one car teams this year have not been hindered as much as she has this year.

**ndcrs** · 04-30-2012 07:31 AM

Originally Posted by Mr. Bean

I think every team out there knows what she's made of. And they know how much the lotus is lagging. I don't think she'll be judged too much by her performance this season.

It's not hurting her, but it's not doing her any good.

i'm not sure that many teams would be high on her confidence. i personally wouldn't get in a car again, but racing isn't my career. marco, dario, tk, briscoe, power, justin, conway and rhr have all had accidents that could scare any normal person to retire and they jumped right back in. simona had hers and really questioned publicly whether she would keep racing. i would think an owner would not want that just for the fact i may happen again, even if tied to a handsome budget.

**Grizzlor** · 04-30-2012 11:03 AM

The Lotus is terrible. Oriol Servia managed to barely stay on the lead lap yesterday, and was over 20 seconds back after the last restart, which is like 4 laps.

**eastofeastside** · 04-30-2012 11:15 AM

Can't wait to see her and Legge go (as in out of the series).

**godaddy** · 04-30-2012 12:10 PM

yes time for her to go out of indycar

**Oldfan** · 04-30-2012 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by Mikemat5150

Now granted I'm not a big fan of Simona but look at all the other "lesser teams" there are and how they've been competing this year. DRR has shown some good races with Servia. SFHR has been nowhere near a top team and have really stepped it up this year with Josef in the car. Dragon (granted it is Bourdias) but have had some great runs in the car. Coyne has been having some good runs with Jakes and Wilson.

Either HVM really need a re-do with their whole engineering department or Simona seems to be the weak link in that chain. I would love to see them have a second car so we can actually get a good gauge on her talent level. Otherwise you can just pass off everything as the equipment. The other one car teams this year have not been hindered as much as she has this year.

You can't compare HVM to Coyne because Coyne has a Honda this year.

She's had mechanical failures in 3 of 4 races and the one where she kept running they had multiple problems in the pits, including waiting too long to call her in, she ran out of fuel and had to coast in. Maybe a Penske or Ganassi car can overcome something like that for a decent finish but not an underpowered Lotus.

Take Long Beach - she got a grand total of 3 laps the entire day on Saturday because of various failures. It's hard to get a good setup going when you're not on track. Sunday it failed after a few laps in the morning warm up and then broke again in the race when she was probably headed for a top 12 the way things were playing out in the end.

Spring Training it broke 3 times in 4 sessions, the problems have been pretty much endless for her this year. Yesterday she was having gearbox problems and then the engine just turned itself off and wouldn't refire, which is a bad habit it seems to have (same thing at St. Pete).

People who think she's no good really should look back at Mid-Ohio her rookie. Ran a strong 8th and was in the top 10 all day, didn't get there by going off sequence or waiting for others to fall out. She beat a number of cars from much bigger and better teams on flat out speed alone. Maybe also take a look at the people she outqualified at Indy last year, again many from much big and better teams with better equipment. She can get it done if she ever gets competitive equipment and the team has the resources.

**Oldfan** · 04-30-2012 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by ndcrs

i'm not sure that many teams would be high on her confidence. i personally wouldn't get in a car again, but racing isn't my career. marco, dario, tk, briscoe, power, justin, conway and rhr have all had accidents that could scare any normal person to retire and they jumped right back in. simona had hers and really questioned publicly whether she would keep racing. i would think an owner would not want that just for the fact i may happen again, even if tied to a handsome budget.

She did jump back in, qualified 48 hours later, what more do you want?

If you think she's the first driver who was scared by a big crash and questioned their future then you are badly mistaken.

The difference is most other drivers put up a public face of fearlessness because they think they have to come across as brave because they're race car drivers.

She's just refreshingly honest.

**5th Wheel** · 04-30-2012 08:59 PM

Before this last crash on Sunday, I am on video record questioning why my Magic Eight Ball said it was "very doubtful" that Simona would spin out another driver at Sao Paulo. She is wreaking havoc. Seriously, how much damage has this woman caused other teams? How much money has she cost them? There are too many good drivers out there that won't junk up everyone's cars.

**fleshwound_NPG** · 04-30-2012 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by Oldfan

She did jump back in, qualified 48 hours later, what more do you want?

If you think she's the first driver who was scared by a big crash and questioned their future then you are badly mistaken.

The difference is most other drivers put up a public face of fearlessness because they think they have to come across as brave because they're race car drivers.

She's just refreshingly honest.

"I know you got a bunch of brave heroes out there say they ain't scared of nothin, all I can say is they've never run fast enough, or they've never been hurt."

**Oldfan** · 04-30-2012 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by 5th Wheel

Before this last crash on Sunday, I am on video record questioning why my Magic Eight Ball said it was "very doubtful" that Simona would spin out another driver at Sao Paulo. She is wreaking havoc. Seriously, how much damage has this woman caused other teams? How much money has she cost them? There are too many good drivers out there that won't junk up everyone's cars.

What in the world are you talking about?