For those who were puzzled by Dario Franchitti's defection to the IRL from CART, an explanation of sorts may finally be emerging. Far from simply being an attempt to cement his popularity in the US and to get a serious crack at the Indy 500, Franchitti's move could prove to be a tactical masterstroke.
It is now emerging that the Scot is closing in on a deal to test for Honda's F1 team, British American Racing, in 2003 with an option for 2004. The move will give the Andretti-Green driver another shot at an F1 seat when many (MOTORSPORTFORUM included) considered his chances to be zero.
When Franchitti was negotiating his deal with Honda to switch to the IRL, it seems that the chance of a BAR test was perhaps the real motivating factor. After his farcical Jaguar test, which was nothing more than a set-up designed to once again discredit CART drivers, Franchitti has a point to prove to the F1 world. By testing with a Honda backed squad Franchitti is doing as much as he can to minimise the chances of another Jaguar debacle by dealing with the inevitable corporate politics. Indeed it could be the case that his public image in North America will be valuable to Honda as it struggles to fend off arch rival Toyota in key North American markets. Ultimately, a link up between the two parties could be beneficial all round, but lets not get too far ahead of ourselves.
With hindsight the chance would never have come about if Franchitti had not maintained what is a very good relationship with Honda. By moving to the IRL the Scot has cemented that relationship and potentially given himself one last shot at F1. With Ford supplying the entire CART grid next season, staying on for 2003 would have destroyed any opportunity Franchitti had of testing an F1 car again, especially with Ford's main support in F1 going to Jaguar.
The Scot will of course have to do something special in these tests, of this there is little doubt. Coming from CART/IRL the Scotsman is already at a disadvantage and his reputation was undoubtedly damaged by the Jaguar test. Nonetheless, for someone who has mixed it with, and beat, Juan-Pablo Montoya there should really be no doubts over his ability to do well in F1. The question is whether the corporate/team politics of F1 will allow him his chance, and on that front the Scotsman has done exceptionally well so far. MOTORSPORTFORUM hopes that Franchitti will get the chance he deserves and converts it into a full time drive.
What odds on Franchitti to BAR and Villeneuve to CART in 2004?
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