Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
I like Hamilton and Vettel, Kimi a lot more after his come back, but not so much Alonso although he is immensely talented and gives all of his. I respect that in Alonso a lot but I still do not find him a sympathetic character. I cannot forget 2007. Young Hülkenberg and Nico Rosberg are also high on my list probably because I understand and read a lot about their ideas and their life. It is more difficult to cheer for drivers if they come from a far away land such as Massa and Maldonado. Of the two I like Massa more although it does not mean he is a better driver. His adventures in Ferrariland could fill books I assume. Another driver who I have lots of respect for is Button. He is a bit the opposite of Alonso. Probably not so talented but an immensely sympathetic character, at least for me. Top vote would still go to Hamilton or Vettel depending of form of the day. Over the last four years Vettel often got my vote because he was more consistently driving at the top of his game. Hamilton slacked off a little bit when his private problems took his mind off the racing. Seb never lets that happen.
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best ..............................organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)
Kimi Raikkonen. I have been watching him racing since 2001.
He has a strange personality but he is one of the best.I don´t put him at the same level as Vettel , Hamilton and Alonso because in my perspective those are the best driver in f1 actually ( althought Alonso isn´t having a very good time at Ferrari)
Kimi is somethimes alitle bit arrogant but his status allow him to be like that.
Grosjean, Di Resta, Bottas and some others
also Webber, Kobayashi and Kubica of course, that would be among retired drivers,
Driving counts. Not being awful human being based on nothing, a little. Underrated, underdogs (go Massa!), possible future stars, not marketing products, not boring drivers, those that didn't get everything on a silver plate, relatively, and have something extra in talent department:
- Di Resta - despite slightly worse last season I still think he's better than Hulkenberg. Maybe it's Monza 2010 but Hulk always seemed a bit stiff racing, not a hard evidence. Should be more in front of Sutil than he is now, great season anyway, grumpy Scotsman,
- Grosjean - one and a half season and a highlight reel of overtakes: Button Silverstone, Hamilton Valencia, Schumacher/Raikkonen USA, Hulkenberg Malaysia, immediately quick (same with Di Resta and Bottas), no weak points except for the team. Had his perfect race - Valencia (restart can be blamed on tyres) - qualifying, start, impossible overtake when he had to, pace. Plus it's more fun to watch F1 and follow someone after Kubica's accident, same team even. Not only a Swiss but also a banker - ugh... doesn't get any worse,
- Bottas - mostly because of my prediction that he's a real deal, I don't want to be wrong, same with R.G. a bit, Williams invested a lot in him, doing OK, but with current car it's hard to say more, didn't 'look' good in Canada, if he fails I'm jumping off the bandwagon, looks like a classic/aggressive driver, and a big, goofy baby,
- Webber - robbed of deserved WC shot and in general battered at Red Bull, always pretended it's going to be OK, not for free, for money, wins and a car, thought that Armstrong was a great athlete (everyone with a brain KNEW it), still thinks Mateschitz and Newey are his buddies. Around the time of crash gate says that he would sign a contract Briatore gave him without reading and you can't say that about many people in F1. How can you not like it? (watch and learn Lewis)
- Koba - more as a proof that you can escape labels and develop, that not everything is set in stone in measured and divided marketing world of F1, probably just about fast enough but not consistent enough,
If this was posted last season I would have posted Kobayashi, with Perez second, and my girlfriend would be the reverse (It made for fun cheering).
Currently I want to say Hulkenberg, but he just hasn't been making the splash this year that made me love him at Williams and FI, probably due to the car and the financial climate of the team. So I'm going to have to say Kimi. He's a blast to watch, he provides some comic relief and he's a great underdog (something I always cheer for)
Guys now we are going south again, as soon as someone starts quoting other people´s thought on their favorite driver it´s going to end bad.
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I have already made a contribution to the thread but i´d like to include Alonso, i think that he´s simply incredible.
Monza 2012 is a brilliant example. Starts 10 or something, next lap he´s third and you are like "what the hell just happened here, how did he...."
Hungary was great as well, did not work out fully but trying to overtake not one but two guys around the outside of T2 just shows the hunger he´s got.
Spain 2011 was another gem, it´s his home country, all of Spain is eagerly hoping for Alonso to do a good start which he does and the whole place just goes crazy when he´s first into T1.
I´m not Spanish but i get goosebumps every time i think about that day.
"If the only thing keeping a person decent is the expectation of divine reward, then brother that person is a piece of sh*t"
