matched pair of drivers

[lebesset]

christian horner , in an interview at interlagos , alluded to the fact that having a pair of drivers with very similar styles has been a big help in the development of the car this season ; in my estimation lack of this has hindered brawn this season

so who would best match the incumbent driver at the various teams ?

kimi to big mac , like lewis prefers the go for it approach

heidfeld to brawn , right nationality to suit mercedes , smooth style very similar to jens [ presuming jens stays! ]

any ideas anyone , is christian right ? or is it just the best driver you can get irrespective of his style ?

[Richard]

christian horner , in an interview at interlagos , alluded to the fact that having a pair of drivers with very similar styles has been a big help in the development of the car this season ; in my estimation lack of this has hindered brawn this season

so who would best match the incumbent driver at the various teams ?

kimi to big mac , like lewis prefers the go for it approach

heidfeld to brawn , right nationality to suit mercedes , smooth style very similar to jens [ presuming jens stays! ]

any ideas anyone , is christian right ? or is it just the best driver you can get irrespective of his style ?

I guess Horner's comment has some substance, but I also imagine they want some differences so they have a balanced pair, not cloned. Then if one driver doesn't do so well on a circuit then the other with a different style might have a chance.

However I believe personal dynamics and ablity to fit into the team probably have a bigger part to play. Just look at Lewis, Alonso, Senna, Prost, Mansell. All supposedly dream team combinations based on being the "best drivers".

Coulthard made the point that the perfect team mate pushes you, lays down the gauntlet to make you go faster, finds out data and set ups that you never thought of, AND never threatens your role in the team. Remember fast drivers requires happy drivers

[Saribro]

I recall a McLaren comment from when they had Raikkonen and Montoya. They mentioned how they were essentially developing 2 cars because of the different driving styles, and how it hurt their championship fight.
I suppose you'll want some difference to keep your horizon wide enough to run into new solutions, but when the difference is soo large that a solution helps 1 driver but hurts the other, you're basicly limiting your options and you'll come out for the worse.

[sknguy]

I think that both driving style and setup go hand in hand. Because what if one driver prefered a little oversteer and the other a different balance? Or maybe they have differing preferences for feedback?

However, what I think similar driving styles gives you is a narrower search for that good setup and continued development. It helps you to understand the car better, and respond better to setup preferences. And you should better understand what direction to take your developments too. Is the rear excessively loose or is it simply a setup issue? How do the drivers attack the curbes differently? Is there consensus on what area of the chassis should be priority for development?

These kinds of things are harder to do if the drivers handle their cars differently. Because, I think you need to understand the car before you can satisfy the drivers. Why complicate things by trying to have your chassis cover all the bases?