F1: Mid-Season Driver Rankings Part Three

Yes, I know that's what he said, but against what other driver in the other Mercedes?

His assertion is baffling because it makes no sense. Nico Rosberg alone with nobody else in a Mercedes could also drive to an easy championship.

Sorry for confusing you. I meant that, given a 50-50 shot (against Hamilton) in a Mercedes, if you put any of about 16-18 current F1 drivers in Rosberg's car, they would have the same 50% (better than Rosberg, since I'm not even sure I'd put him in the top 80%) chance to win the WDC. This year.
 
I don't see how you could call it a 50/50 shot. Hamilton is deserving of his position and isn't just there because a Merc is better than an RBR or Ferrari car. Hamilton hasn't had an easy ride this year. He's shown that beyond simply have the better car he had to be the better driver many times just to get the car to do what he wanted or not make mistakes others do.
 
Really? You seriously think Hamilton could win the WDC (in any year 2014-2016) in a Ferrari or Red Bull?
No, that's not what I said at all. I said his position as a driver for the top team is because he is worthy of being graded so highly. You seem to be implying that winning is merely a question of probability so long as you have the best car.
 
You seem to be implying that winning is merely a question of probability so long as you have the best car.

I'm not just implying this, I'm stating it as a fact. Well, let me modify...as a fact for 2014-2016. Hamilton will win all of those because he has a teammate with a room temperature IQ.

Query:
Where did Lewis finish in the five years previous to 2014? 5th, 4th, 5th 4th, 4th. The last was in a Mercedes before they nailed the rules.
Where did Rosberg finish from 2009-2013? 7th, 7th, 7th, 9th, 6th. Rosberg could not drive himself out of a paper bag if not for the rocket machinery under him.

P.S. -- All this pap about him being "the first super fast really cool black open wheel" driver is out and out bullsh1t. That title goes to Willie T. Ribbs.
 
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I sense you're a person with a penchant for unruly and deliberately unpopular opinions.

I still don't see how you could claim its all about probability. It seems to me your middling view of Hamilton necessitates you justify his success against Rosberg by saying Rosberg is utter ****, and therefore in comparison the rest of the field must be better than him making the 80% argument make sense.

I see no compelling reason to accept this argument and it all seems motivated by a preconception based on a rejection of some understood adoration for Hamilton.
 
unruly and deliberately unpopular opinions.

Oh behave. God forbid anyone disagree with your self entitled majority opinion.

your middling view of Hamilton necessitates you justify his success against Rosberg by saying Rosberg is utter ****

Ahh. No. Read up my brother. Hamilton has a legitimate claim to the top 5. Rosberg has a legitimate claim to the most unskilled driver to ever be so successful.

see no compelling reason to accept this argument

Well, then make your own.

it all seems motivated by a preconception based on a rejection of some understood adoration

No, it's based on stats and history. Otherwise, we get people who love to use big words in order to hear themselves speak.
 
The best drivers have always found their way to the best teams. Clarke, Moss, Lauda, Hunt, Prost, Senna, Schumacher, Alonso, Vettel and now Hamilton, have all had the best machinery when winning their titles.

This is nothing new as Formula One has always been like this.
 
Put Vettel in the other Merc and see how good Hamilton is.........:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:
Would be great to see what kind of selfie he takes then!!:D

Vettel is poetry in motion. There is no better road racer on earth right now. Hamilton would be pissing himself. He'd be like "what happened to that patsy I was beating?"
The best drivers have always found their way to the best teams.

Ahh. Except not. Besides, your argument there works against itself. It's a self-fulfilling prophesy. The *only* great drivers have done things outside F1 (Clark, Mansell, Hill, Fittipaldi). Most F1 drivers would sh*t their pants if they had to qualify at Indy. Because of the draconian limitations on F1 drivers (they are too precious after all) nobody can have a shot at the triple crown. Rossi is a real life exception, and I hope Manor realizes what they have.

Rosberg is a prime example of luck personified. And I hate to say it (shields up!) but Senna was overrated. Moss, Lauda, Hunt, and Prost were good but not great. Great in their chosen profession, but not world class drivers. You have to be a bit old to realize F1 (after Senna) is nothing more than slot cars and high-priced engineers. I'm not saying those guys were not great Road Course racers, because they were. I'm saying there is more to racing than road courses.
 
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Query:
Where did Lewis finish in the five years previous to 2014? 5th, 4th, 5th 4th, 4th. The last was in a Mercedes before they nailed the rules.

It's worth noting that the two years prior that arbitrary 5 year sample, he finished 1st and 2nd in the championship. His rookie year, he finished 2nd overall above his teammate Alonso (who was a 7 year veteran at the time and coming off two straight championships). Pretty impressive in my book.
 
Most F1 drivers would sh*t their pants if they had to qualify at Indy.

What exactly do you base this on??? We had a couple F1 drivers who couldn't get a full-time F1 rides in the Indy 500 this year... Both qualified. I don't recall hearing about either being overtaken with fear, let alone defecating in his car. In fact, they were the top two rookie qualifiers. And one of them won the friggin race.
 
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Quite interesting how none of these drivers can maintain their top form for a whole season; Rosberg for example was unbeatable for the last 3 races of 2015 - LH was comprehensively beaten by NR's speed for a number of races.
And then Vettel in 2014 was completely outclassed by Ricciardo, something which has been largely forgotten now. LH has certainly had some mediocre spells too.
Overall, the top 6 or so drivers would probably be much-of-a-muchness in the same car - where the tyre wear is currently top-priority during the race (can't stand that, but change is imminent).
In the 2017 cars, minus the quick-wear tyres and far more mechanical grip, who the best drivers are should be more apparent.
 
Vettel is poetry in motion. There is no better road racer on earth right now.
Yea, you're not a biased speaker.

not world class drivers

Watch out everyone! We got ourselves a verified badass. Nothing more incisive than someone who religiously rejects all conventional wisdom of every era of F1.

On reddit they call this being edgy.
 
What exactly do you base this on??? We had a couple F1 drivers who couldn't get a full-time F1 rides in the Indy 500 this year... Both qualified. I don't recall hearing about either being overtaken with fear, let alone defecating in his car. In fact, they were the top two rookie qualifiers. And one of them won the friggin race.

So, a bit of poetic license there. All in fun. Really though, you are right and so am I. European drivers routinely have trouble with high speed ovals (and I don't mean quitting the race, like F1 did at Indy), seemingly until this year. :O_o: I'm not saying they could not conquer the fear, but ovals take lots of practice and a certain kind of driver. That's why I think Rossi and Aleshin (who is on an oval tear this year), are pretty special. Don't forget, Aleshin beat Ricciardo on his way tot he Formula Renault 3.5 title. He is very talented, and a couple of injuries have set him back until now. But then you have Bourdais, Sato, Jean Alesi, Nelson Piquet and Tomas Enge. Even the great Nigel Mansell had a horrific crash at Phoenix. Meanwhile, drivers you may never have heard of (Tony Kannan) are incredible oval talents. Personally, I wish the two divisions would mix it up more, like they used to.
 
Not strictly true. There are guys like Grosjean who are very fast but haven't been in a top tean
I meant of the ones that had actually made it. When they do, it's typically because they're the best drivers. Yes I know there can always be a handful of exceptions, but 99% of the time, the best drivers will be in the best cars.
 
I was kind of expecting:
5. Vettel
4. Rosberg
3. Verstappen
2. Ricciardo
1. Hamilton

Vettel has just kind of been around to me. Hasn't felt like he's doing anything special - although that may be just because of the reputation he has garnered previously. It is a fair point that Ricciardo has been the most consistent driver on the grid this year and deserves the top spot, even if some of Hamilton's early problems had to do with reliability. Lewis has just been on another planet since Spain and I'm expecting it to continue on Spa which is one of his favorite tracks. The mixed conditions battle with Kimi there a few years ago is one of my favorite F1 moments, even if the stewards managed to screw it up after the fact. I just hope the unavoidable grid penalties don't mess up the championship battle.
 

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