Daniel Riccardo: Driver of his generation?
Discussion
kiseca said:
Personally, I think its the cars. Dan was quiet last season with revvy engines and joke tyres. Hamilton too, in the seasons where he couldn't push the tyres without destroying them, he lost his edge. Now, with turbos making the cars twitchy and tyres that can handle some abuse, he looks quick again. Still struggling to dominate his teammate though. Perhaps Dan is the same and the current cars let him work to his strengths more. I suspect Schumy would have had a more impressive comeback if the cars had been to this spec too, dominant Merc notwithstanding, but who knows.
Seb on the other hand dominated when it was all about preserving the tyres and hitting a lap time precisely. Perhaps his strength is a particularly precise or sensitive manner and he needs a car that gives him immediate, detailed and accurate feedback. He's not getting on with the imprecise rear brakes, perhaps he's having similar trouble reading the assumedly softer, non linear turbo response, and so he's juat struggling to find that limit all the time. Different rules suit different drivers.
Seb's been moaning about rear end stability under braking and for once Marko has told Seb to STFU http://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/27830986Seb on the other hand dominated when it was all about preserving the tyres and hitting a lap time precisely. Perhaps his strength is a particularly precise or sensitive manner and he needs a car that gives him immediate, detailed and accurate feedback. He's not getting on with the imprecise rear brakes, perhaps he's having similar trouble reading the assumedly softer, non linear turbo response, and so he's juat struggling to find that limit all the time. Different rules suit different drivers.
These moves to pass individuals/having slightly different strategies to those in from of him that are currently fighting for a championship are all fine and good at this point of his career, where he has absolute no pressure/expectations on his shoulders, but let wait until he is, which looks inevitable, a position where he has something to loose, fighting for a championship for example, we will then see what his made of. That'll be the true test for Daniel, like it has been for most of the current crop of champions in the past.
Driver of his generation? I'm not sure yet. There's plenty of driver in their mid 20s (including Vettel!) who could stake acclaim to that.
I'm hugely impressed, but rather than debating if he is better, I just hope the performances in the last 12 months of Danny Ric, Grosjean, Bottas and Bianchi, as well as the stellar races of true rookies such as Kyvat and Magnussen, teach the teams to be a little less conservative in their driver choices.
I honestly think Webber stayed a year or two too long in a top car, and I have the feeling that Button, Massa and Kimi are in the same boat. Yes, experience brings a lot of value and the last three still have GP wins left in them, but I'd really like to see a greater influx of new talent.
We now know that Bottas is a bit quicker than Massa, who was a bit slower than Alonso.
Worryingly, if you look at 2013 Williams drivers, we can conclude that Maldonado (using Bottas as a benchmark) is about as quick as Massa, but actually crashes less......
I'm hugely impressed, but rather than debating if he is better, I just hope the performances in the last 12 months of Danny Ric, Grosjean, Bottas and Bianchi, as well as the stellar races of true rookies such as Kyvat and Magnussen, teach the teams to be a little less conservative in their driver choices.
I honestly think Webber stayed a year or two too long in a top car, and I have the feeling that Button, Massa and Kimi are in the same boat. Yes, experience brings a lot of value and the last three still have GP wins left in them, but I'd really like to see a greater influx of new talent.
We now know that Bottas is a bit quicker than Massa, who was a bit slower than Alonso.
Worryingly, if you look at 2013 Williams drivers, we can conclude that Maldonado (using Bottas as a benchmark) is about as quick as Massa, but actually crashes less......
He certainly is getting a lot out his RBR but really Dan needs some great wins under his belt especially now that his in an inferior car.
I wouldn't categorise Hungary as a great win. He benefitted a lot from the SC coming out the right time and being on the better strategy. Saying that the last stint was a masterstoke in racecraft.
I wouldn't categorise Hungary as a great win. He benefitted a lot from the SC coming out the right time and being on the better strategy. Saying that the last stint was a masterstoke in racecraft.
entropy said:
He certainly is getting a lot out his RBR but really Dan needs some great wins under his belt especially now that his in an inferior car.
I wouldn't categorise Hungary as a great win. He benefitted a lot from the SC coming out the right time and being on the better strategy. Saying that the last stint was a masterstoke in racecraft.
Nailed it right there.I wouldn't categorise Hungary as a great win. He benefitted a lot from the SC coming out the right time and being on the better strategy. Saying that the last stint was a masterstoke in racecraft.
entropy said:
He certainly is getting a lot out his RBR but really Dan needs some great wins under his belt especially now that his in an inferior car.
I wouldn't categorise Hungary as a great win. He benefitted a lot from the SC coming out the right time and being on the better strategy. Saying that the last stint was a masterstoke in racecraft.
Yeah I kinda agree, but I think this season that will be the only way the mercs are beaten so the fact he takes his chances is a good sign. I keep saying it but give me Hamilton - Alonso - Ricciardo - Bottas all in fairly equal machines and I'll be happy! I wouldn't categorise Hungary as a great win. He benefitted a lot from the SC coming out the right time and being on the better strategy. Saying that the last stint was a masterstoke in racecraft.
Sorry I thought it kinda went without saying that he needs to be in the middle to twilight of his career and have a few WDC's under his belt before such an accolade can be unquestioningly attributed to him, therefore a bit of speculation about who he's shaping up to be is an inevitability.
Few of you seem to be taking this as an attack on vettel which it really isn't. It's about Ricciardo. And if you stop and think about it for a moment, bigging up ricciardo actually exonerates vettels recent form, so calm down.
Not evan a big fanboi of his- with my fan hat on I'd like to see hamilton do well- win a couple more WDCs at least, but with my team manager hat on I'd be going after ricci first of all.
Few of you seem to be taking this as an attack on vettel which it really isn't. It's about Ricciardo. And if you stop and think about it for a moment, bigging up ricciardo actually exonerates vettels recent form, so calm down.
Not evan a big fanboi of his- with my fan hat on I'd like to see hamilton do well- win a couple more WDCs at least, but with my team manager hat on I'd be going after ricci first of all.
Vettel has proven himself as a FRONT runner. Now he is acclimitising to being in the upper midfield.
Riccardo is - as yet - unproven as a front runner (ie regular winner, WDC challenger etc). Vettel did it from 2009-2013. DR has had 11 races and is hailed as the next Senna. 9 races to go, let's see what happens. Vettel traditionally comes on mighty strong in the second half. DR could become complacent, make mistakes, let his ego control him etc.
You don't write off a 4 x WDC over half a season.
Riccardo is - as yet - unproven as a front runner (ie regular winner, WDC challenger etc). Vettel did it from 2009-2013. DR has had 11 races and is hailed as the next Senna. 9 races to go, let's see what happens. Vettel traditionally comes on mighty strong in the second half. DR could become complacent, make mistakes, let his ego control him etc.
You don't write off a 4 x WDC over half a season.
Schermerhorn said:
Vettel has proven himself as a FRONT runner. Now he is acclimitising to being in the upper midfield.
...
You don't write off a 4 x WDC over half a season.
Who's writing off Vettel? I didn't get that at all from the OP. ...
You don't write off a 4 x WDC over half a season.
Praising Ricciardo, who is frankly doing a spectacular job, and wondering if he's going to turn out to be a truly great driver (something which I am also inclined to believe) is in no way writing off Vettel, at least not in my books. I think Vettel is having a rough time adjusting to the new cars, I think he'll come back stronger. Whether he'll leave Ricciardo in the dust is another thing entirely, and something I wouldn't bet on.
Anyway, back to the original poster's point, here's an article from NBC MotorSports Talk which I found quite interesting, raised some relevant points: http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2014/08/02/is...
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