F1 drivers - Who is WDC material?

[TheArchitect]

Out of all the drivers on the grid, who is multi WDC material?

I don't care about cars or people maturing into possible stars just who is good enough at the moment in F1 to win multi WDCs?

[acf8181]

Prob half the grid.....its all so close now, that smallest things are making a huge difference to how easy it is to achieve a good quali/result.

[BMR]

To me only Alonso and Vettel.

I don't think the rest of them have the ultimate commitment these two guys do. Alonso has put that Renault higher than it should be IMO.

Edited by BMR on Saturday 12th September 21:32

[Sir Bagalot]

Did Lewis leave the grid?

For me Lewis, Alonso and Vettel

[Andy M]

Definitely Alonso and Hamilton. Slightly less so, Kimi and possibly Kubica and Vettel too.

[baz1985]

Hamilton, definately.

Alonso was already a 2*WDC @25...could have been 3*WDC at 26.

Raikkonen, he would be 2*WDC if Mercedes hadn't overlooked engine integrity in 2005. 2003 was fairly close too.

[anonymous-user]

Fred is already a multi champion, if he had kept his head he would be a 3 timer now. If he was truly hungry for more titles he would have got over his issues at McLaren and stayed there, that was his best opportunity for some time, so i don't think his commitment is as high as some suggest.

Hamilton has the natural ability to be multi champ, but his head is still a mess at times of great pressure, he should grow out of that hopefully.

If Massa comes back fully fit, i think he has the ability to win a couple, i think we have under estimated how good he had become in the last few years.

[Jungles]

Alonso definitely.

Hamilton and Kimi: probably.

Kubica, Massa, and Vettel: potentially.

[deadslow]

Fred will win at least another two at Fezza. Maybe more.

Hamilton's chances will depend on the ability of Macca to kick their under-achiever corporate style.

[mc_blue]

Interesting how nobody has mentioned Button? For me the it would have to be Hamilton, Alonso, Vettel, Kubica.

[BMR]

I am a fan of Button, was speaking to an F1 journalist last year and he said that was an interesting choice of driver, he never said why, but I liked to believe it was because he thought he was a good driver.

I thought I was proved right after the start of this season with Button, but then the middle of the season has made me re-consider. It's not all just down to the car, look what Barrichello has also done on several occasions.

[llewop]

BMR said:

To me only Alonso and Vettel.

I don't think the rest of them have the ultimate commitment these two guys do. Alonso has put that Renault higher than it should be IMO.

Edited by BMR on Saturday 12th September 21:32

I'd agree with you about Alonso for most of the time: but even he 'goes awol' occasionally - so lapses do not exclude a driver from being WDC material.

Vettel? I think he's beginning to believe the hype about himself and assuming the world will roll over and beg: I've never been a great Webber fan, but he has made Vettel look very ordinary too many times this year. I am also convinced (Despite Red Bull saying otherwise) that Vettel IS responsible, at least in part, for so many of his engines going pop! For instance - at an earlier race (I don't remember which) he was told to cruise to the finish as 'Mark was quicker' - red rag to a bull(!) and he proceeded to set fastest lap after fastest lap, but to no effect as he was too far behind and all he did was buzz his engine for no good reason, when he should have just turned it down to fight another day.

[hot metal]

Vettel`s talent is enormous but he is maturing far too slowly.

[peterh2]

BMR said:

I am a fan of Button, was speaking to an F1 journalist last year and he said that was an interesting choice of driver, he never said why, but I liked to believe it was because he thought he was a good driver.

I thought I was proved right after the start of this season with Button, but then the middle of the season has made me re-consider. It's not all just down to the car, look what Barrichello has also done on several occasions.

Without wanting this to turn into a Button slanging match IMO if you had a Schumacher, Alonso or Hamilton in Buttons car Barrichello would have been well and truly put in his place by now. Barrichello's a decent driver but a driver with multiple WDC potential would be out qualifying him at least 75% of the time.

[Ian Davidson]

I'd say most of them.

Most if not all, have won difficult championships and F1 isn't this magical place where suddenly a driver isn't capible.

Just my opinion.

There are plenty of drivers out there who are also F1 WDC material, that'll probably never even get to have a seat fiting in an F1. Just the way it goes.

[gassolinebonce]

Got to agree with those that have said Alonso, he seems to always put in a quiet but very solid performance and he's got what it takes in pretty much every field.

[TheArchitect]

hot metal said:

Vettel`s talent is enormous but he is maturing far too slowly.

i get this feeling about him too, he does seem to be very good but makes some silly mistakes and Im sorry but he must eb doing something to toast those engines, MW is the better of the two at the moment imo.

I would list as current people who are quick enough.

Alonso
Raikonnen
Hamilton
Massa
Vettel

[Muzzer]

Alonso
Hamilton
Vettel

They're the most likely IMO

Then, given an extra amount of car quality, right team-ness and luck

Kubica
Raikkonen

[Wanta996Gotta]

Hamilton
Kimi
Alonso

These 3 actually want to race and overtake. They look on the limit and aggresive when racing.

Buttons problem is when things were not going for him this year, he started blaming everything else bar himself untill Rubens won a race in the same car he was moaning about. Rubens started blaming the team and favouritism when it was not going his way, everyone remember the Blah,blah,blah.

Vettel? No chance, had the car this year to challenge but on similar points to Webber who is not in the same class as above. If he does'nt have it now then he may never have it. No excuses with age as Lewis came out of the box racing & challenging the Ferraris and the then WDC Alonso.

Kubica? Same as Vettel though has an excuse as the BMW was poor. Problem he has is that Renault are unlikely to be challenging for the crown next year(If there atall) and BMW are dissapearing.

Rosberg?, consistent and never seems to make mistakes but no racer.

Edited by Wanta996Gotta on Monday 14th September 14:35

[FNG]

Wanta996Gotta said:

Hamilton
Kimi
Alonso

These 3 actually want to race and overtake. They look on the limit and aggresive when racing.

Buttons problem is when things were not going for him this year, he started blaming everything else bar himself untill Rubens won a race in the same car he was moaning about. Rubens started blaming the team and favouritism when it was not going his way, everyone remember the Blah,blah,blah.

Vettel? No chance, had the car this year to challenge but on similar points to Webber who is not in the same class as above. If he does'nt have it now then he may never have it. No excuses with age as Lewis came out of the box racing & challenging the Ferraris and the then WDC Alonso.

Kubica? Same as Vettel though has an excuse as the BMW was poor. Problem he has is that Renault are unlikely to be challenging for the crown next year(If there atall) and BMW are dissapearing.

Rosberg?, consistent and never seems to make mistakes but no racer.

Edited by Wanta996Gotta on Monday 14th September 14:35

Button wasn't moaning about the car in Valencia, he held his hands up to a mistake in qualifying.

Earlier races, you can call it moaning or you can call it the car not working, and look to his team-mate's performances to corroborate. Either way, the first 7 races of this season appear to count little in this thread. I think he's still amongst the very fastest, can overtake on cold tyres against the best of them, but does it with little fuss in a Prost-like manner and therefore people don't rate him as fast as those who spend 15% of their lap on opposite lock.

Vettel - simply massive hype has overshadowed his talent. Had a good win last season but with little competition and a car well suited to the conditions, and until recently looked miles better than Webber, but it's gone away from him recently and I don't think he has the maturity, experience or racecraft to make a WDC yet. Continues to surprise me that so many people think he's the complete article and ready to take a world title already.

Kubica - losing his reputation for very strong pace now he's in a st car, getting outqualified and outraced by Heidfeld at times makes him the next Jenson Button in terms of people under-estimating him. Think he still has it but needs a car that works halfway competently to showcase what he's capable of.

Hamilton and Alonso are so obviously WDC material that little more needs to be added.

Kimi - used to look like prime WDC fodder, unlucky in 2005 but lucked in at the end of 2007, I don't think he's got it in him to repeat even in the best car. I'd put Massa as man most likely in Ferrari until recent events. Maybe if he had a scent of victory and the championship Kimi would come alive again and make his presence felt at every race. At the moment he seems to make up the numbers half of the time, and be "on it" the rest.

Rosberg - jury's still out for me. He's fast against his team-mates but his team-mates have mainly been not very good. He gets attention by topping the practice timesheets but can't repeat in qually, which I imagine isn't his fault. Generally makes progress up the field but never looks like he's hanging it all out and singling himself out as being one of the very best. Fast and consistent and reliable and can race but has he got an edge that others lack? we need to see him against a rated team-mate to find out.