Difference between revisions of "Paul Tracy"

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Paul Anthony Tracy  (born December 17, 1968) is a Canadian-American former professional auto racing driver who competed in Formula 1, International F3000 and the CART IndyCar World Series. He is known by the nicknames "PT" and "the Thrill from West Hill". Since 2014, he has been a color commentator on NBC's IndyCar coverage. 

Early Years

Fascinated by cars since boyhood, Tracy raced go-karts at Goodwood Kartways near his hometown until he was 16. At age 16, in 1985, he became the youngest ever Canadian Formula Ford Champion. He was also the winner of the final Can-Am race in series history at the age of 17; in that same race he achieved the record of the youngest winner in Can-Am history. He also appeared in the 1988 Watkins Glen 250km in the World Touring Car Masters, driving a Ford Escort 1600i for Horst Kroll Racing.

Tracy worked his way up through the North American open-wheel feeder series' culminating with winning the 1990 Indy Lights Championship, and in the process set a record for single season wins with nine.

F3000 Stint

1990: Two promising cameos

In the middle of the 1990 Indy Lights season, Tracy received an offer from International F3000 team FIRST Racing, after team founder and boss Lamberto Leoni saw him race in the Meadowlands round while he was on a scouting trip to find a replacement for recently-released Josephine Aarseth. Impressed with the young Canadian's talent, Leoni saw hige potential in PT, and the latter accepted to drive for the Brands Hatch and Hockenheim rounds only, so as to not disturb his Indy Lights title bid.

Despite the big differences between American and European open wheelers, Tracy did well in Hockenheim, Qualifying and finishing in 5th, finding the high-speed track suited to his style of driving. At Brands Hatch, starting 8th, a rocket start prpulsed him up to 5th, buthe unfortunately suffered a puncture a while later, forcing him to retire from the race.

1991: Moving to Europe

After Wrapping up the 1990 Indy Lights title, many teams in the PPG CART Indy Car World Series showed interest in the incredibly quick young Canadian. However, they were in for a nasty surprise, as Lamberto Leoni, satisfied with Tracy's performances in his cameos, called him again to offer him a full time seat with FIRST. Feeling adventurous, and sensing this as an opportunity to go to Formula 1, Tracy accepted and moved to europe and the F3000 series full time.

Alas, Tracy found it hard to adapt to life on the old continent and in Italy. Completely out of his element, his first 2 races as a full time F3000 driver saw him struggle at Imola and Silverstone, doing no better than 12th at the former, but scoring a top 10 finish at the latter. At the Pau grand prix, however, Tracy showed a glimpse of his potential, driving a solid, if unspectacular race and running as high as 5th when, at the tail end of the race, a costly mistake ended his race in heartbreaking fashion.

Formula 1

1992: Brabham

Tracy spent early 1992 in F3000 when the Brabham team offered him an unexpected call to replace outgoing Roberto Moreno, after the team failed to pay the Brazilian veteran. Maming his debut at his home Grand Prix in Montreal, Tracy became the first Canadian driver in Formula 1 since Gilles Villeneuve.

Alas, the Brabham team in 1992 was a fading shadow of the once great team it used to be. Driving a slow, unreliable car, Tracy tried everything he could, but he suffered mechanical failures at both the Canadian and French GP.

Tracy's valiant, but ill-fated efforts would all be eclipsed, however, by an event that would cement his future reputation as a hot-headed driver. During qualifying for the British GP, Tracy was stuck behind Benetton Arrows's Michael Schumacher for two laps. Wanting a clear road to set up the best lap he could register, Tracy became impatient and dive bombed into Copse, ramming into Schumacher's Arrows and sending both young drivers off track. Shortly after the incident, tempers flared and Tracy, who struck a friendship with the future world champion back in 1990 in Hockenheim, punched Schumacher, earning him a 2-race ban by the FIA, before getting sacked by Brabham shortly afterwards, with family member Geoff Brabham replacing him.

The Silverstone incident was a huge black eye on Paul Tracy's reputation, and many experts and motorsports publications wondered if he will ever make it back to top level racing following that debacle.