Which of the younger drivers is better ?
Discussion
It’s often said that so and so Driver only gets the results because they are in a better car and that can often be very true.
Lando Norris is doing very well and he seems to be flavour of the moment for many but would George Russell be achieving more in the McLaren or the Ferrari.
There are some extremely gifted young drivers in F1 at the moment and it would be really interesting to see them all on a level stage at an event driving the same spec cars. Such as Senna did years ago in the M-B 190s or the IROC races in Porsches or put them in stock spec F2 cars. To be considered they have to be under 25 and that could include Red Bull drop outs.
Likewise Formula W, how good are these female drivers? Last race of the season the last three drivers in the standings are replaced by leading F3 drivers from British and European Championships.
Of course it’ll never happen but which of them is the better driver?
Lando Norris is doing very well and he seems to be flavour of the moment for many but would George Russell be achieving more in the McLaren or the Ferrari.
There are some extremely gifted young drivers in F1 at the moment and it would be really interesting to see them all on a level stage at an event driving the same spec cars. Such as Senna did years ago in the M-B 190s or the IROC races in Porsches or put them in stock spec F2 cars. To be considered they have to be under 25 and that could include Red Bull drop outs.
Likewise Formula W, how good are these female drivers? Last race of the season the last three drivers in the standings are replaced by leading F3 drivers from British and European Championships.
Of course it’ll never happen but which of them is the better driver?
I think all we can objectively say is:
Both Russell and Norris are comfortably out-performing their team-mates
Russell comprehensively out-performed Norris (and pretty much everyone else he came up against) in the lower formulae
I'm not even sure the question of which is "better" makes sense because I'm sure if you put them against each other in identical cars, who would win would depend on the characteristics of the car in question.
ETA: My gut feeling is that in terms of raw tallent amongst the current young F1 drivers, it's between Russell and Verstappen.
Both Russell and Norris are comfortably out-performing their team-mates
Russell comprehensively out-performed Norris (and pretty much everyone else he came up against) in the lower formulae
I'm not even sure the question of which is "better" makes sense because I'm sure if you put them against each other in identical cars, who would win would depend on the characteristics of the car in question.
ETA: My gut feeling is that in terms of raw tallent amongst the current young F1 drivers, it's between Russell and Verstappen.
Edited by kambites on Sunday 25th July 10:42
If you are keen on youth - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SEHAHWFHGA was last night and another today. Bit wet!
Leclerc, max, lando and George are the best by a country mile. Max has had the pleasure of a great team and car (albeit not MB quick last few seasons) and has performed well but on the flip has had nothing to lose and everything to gain, we’ll see how he reacts to ‘expected’ pressure
George has the best racing pedigree and I can’t wait to see him at a top team, he will be a WDC threat in first year and pretty much broke Bottas in his first outing, defiantly my fave ‘prospect’ driver
George has the best racing pedigree and I can’t wait to see him at a top team, he will be a WDC threat in first year and pretty much broke Bottas in his first outing, defiantly my fave ‘prospect’ driver
robscot said:
If you are keen on youth - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SEHAHWFHGA was last night and another today. Bit wet!
That’s was a good watch. Two dozen ambitious teenagers in F3 cars around a wet Spa, what could possibly go wrong? 
Best)Max Verstappen, George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris
Great)Pierre Gasly
Not convinced) Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll
Poor)Nikita Mazepin, Nicholas Latifi, Mick Schumacher or Antonio Giovinazzi.
The best drivers tend to dominate a formula in their first year, go up to the next level and dominate that until they get to F1. The poor drivers seem to be the ones that are in GP2 for years until the finally win it such as Jolyon Palmer.
If you asked me who I wanted in my team it would be Verstappen and Russell.
Great)Pierre Gasly
Not convinced) Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll
Poor)Nikita Mazepin, Nicholas Latifi, Mick Schumacher or Antonio Giovinazzi.
The best drivers tend to dominate a formula in their first year, go up to the next level and dominate that until they get to F1. The poor drivers seem to be the ones that are in GP2 for years until the finally win it such as Jolyon Palmer.
If you asked me who I wanted in my team it would be Verstappen and Russell.
It struck me watching that Spa F3 race how much schooling the young drivers must be getting (before F2 and finally F1 ) whether its the general feel for race days, team/driver relationships, learning to lose, learning to win, focusing on the season distance, keeping yourself in check etc
Has max missed out on all this junior formula learning? Did he do a F3 before jumping to F1?
Has max missed out on all this junior formula learning? Did he do a F3 before jumping to F1?
Joey Deacon said:
Best)Max Verstappen, George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris
Great)Pierre Gasly
Not convinced) Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll
Poor)Nikita Mazepin, Nicholas Latifi, Mick Schumacher or Antonio Giovinazzi.
The best drivers tend to dominate a formula in their first year, go up to the next level and dominate that until they get to F1. The poor drivers seem to be the ones that are in GP2 for years until the finally win it such as Jolyon Palmer.
If you asked me who I wanted in my team it would be Verstappen and Russell.
Mick will come good, usually in Season 2, not helped by being at HAAS this season at all. Great)Pierre Gasly
Not convinced) Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll
Poor)Nikita Mazepin, Nicholas Latifi, Mick Schumacher or Antonio Giovinazzi.
The best drivers tend to dominate a formula in their first year, go up to the next level and dominate that until they get to F1. The poor drivers seem to be the ones that are in GP2 for years until the finally win it such as Jolyon Palmer.
If you asked me who I wanted in my team it would be Verstappen and Russell.
Max, George, Charles and Lando for me, Gasly sneaking up as well.
Nickp82 said:
Russell certainly seems to have quality and everyone is looking forward to seeing what he can do in a competitive car but Norris has a fairly competitive car and is doing the business therefore he is the best for me at the moment.
Look at what he did when he got a crack in the Merc. He overtook his teammate on track FFS and would have won the race.... Which included beating his massively experienced in the car team mate and when he was not comfy in the car as he is too tall..Jasandjules said:
When George gets a good enough car Max won't see him for dust.
I certainly don't agree with this. The standard at the very top of F1 is so high, what we see if two generational talents both happen to be in closely matched cars, is the sort of thing we saw at Silverstone last weekend. The idea that a driver, any driver, could come in and 'blow away' someone like Max is very far-fetched.paulguitar said:
Jasandjules said:
When George gets a good enough car Max won't see him for dust.
I certainly don't agree with this. The standard at the very top of F1 is so high, what we see if two generational talents both happen to be in closely matched cars, is the sort of thing we saw at Silverstone last weekend. The idea that a driver, any driver, could come in and 'blow away' someone like Max is very far-fetched.
I think there's a good chance that, given equal machinery, Russell will end up faster over the course of a season than Verstappen but F1 does not have, and has never had, a driver who Verstappen "wouldn't see for dust". I don't think anyone who knows anything about F1 can possibly doubt that Verstappen is amongst the most naturally tallented drivers the sport has ever seen; the questionmarks are more around his attitude and temperament than his innate talent.Edited by kambites on Sunday 25th July 19:58
AJB88 said:
Joey Deacon said:
Best)Max Verstappen, George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris
Great)Pierre Gasly
Not convinced) Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll
Poor)Nikita Mazepin, Nicholas Latifi, Mick Schumacher or Antonio Giovinazzi.
The best drivers tend to dominate a formula in their first year, go up to the next level and dominate that until they get to F1. The poor drivers seem to be the ones that are in GP2 for years until the finally win it such as Jolyon Palmer.
If you asked me who I wanted in my team it would be Verstappen and Russell.
Mick will come good, usually in Season 2, not helped by being at HAAS this season at all. Great)Pierre Gasly
Not convinced) Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll
Poor)Nikita Mazepin, Nicholas Latifi, Mick Schumacher or Antonio Giovinazzi.
The best drivers tend to dominate a formula in their first year, go up to the next level and dominate that until they get to F1. The poor drivers seem to be the ones that are in GP2 for years until the finally win it such as Jolyon Palmer.
If you asked me who I wanted in my team it would be Verstappen and Russell.
Max, George, Charles and Lando for me, Gasly sneaking up as well.
Four, possibly five, potential world champions there though - the sport is safe for a while yet!
Boom78 said:
It struck me watching that Spa F3 race how much schooling the young drivers must be getting (before F2 and finally F1 ) whether its the general feel for race days, team/driver relationships, learning to lose, learning to win, focusing on the season distance, keeping yourself in check etc
Has max missed out on all this junior formula learning? Did he do a F3 before jumping to F1?
Max did one year of Euro F3 (which is now the Alpine thing at Spa this weekend) after winning the world kart championship, then straight to F1. He was 3rd that year, the winner was Esteban Ocon. Has max missed out on all this junior formula learning? Did he do a F3 before jumping to F1?
He didn’t do FIA F3 or F2, turned up in F1 with Toro Rosso aged 17.
Wouldn’t be allowed now, the Super Licence has a minimum age of 18, and you need two years to get the points unless you’re winning in F2.
kambites said:
I think all we can objectively say is:
Both Russell and Norris are comfortably out-performing their team-mates
Russell comprehensively out-performed Norris (and pretty much everyone else he came up against) in the lower formulae
I'm not even sure the question of which is "better" makes sense because I'm sure if you put them against each other in identical cars, who would win would depend on the characteristics of the car in question.
ETA: My gut feeling is that in terms of raw tallent amongst the current young F1 drivers, it's between Russell and Verstappen.
I think you're right that at the top end of driver talent, the difference between them is so slight it could easily be flipped by how comfortable they are with a car/team/situation etc.Both Russell and Norris are comfortably out-performing their team-mates
Russell comprehensively out-performed Norris (and pretty much everyone else he came up against) in the lower formulae
I'm not even sure the question of which is "better" makes sense because I'm sure if you put them against each other in identical cars, who would win would depend on the characteristics of the car in question.
ETA: My gut feeling is that in terms of raw tallent amongst the current young F1 drivers, it's between Russell and Verstappen.
Edited by kambites on Sunday 25th July 10:42
I suppose if pushed I'd say that it's got to be George or lando who have the best potential on the basis they both seem to take pressure and upset in their stride - that's an important and often overlooked quality that can swing results too.
But like all things in F1, we'll never see an entirely fair and uncontentious comparison, so we'll never get an uncontentious answer
Jasandjules said:
Exige77 said:
I think when George gets a competitive car, he will be right up there with Max.
When George gets a good enough car Max won't see him for dust.Gassing Station | Formula 1 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff