F1 Half Term Report: Rate the Grid - Jolyon Palmer

[Mr Latte]

Blue moons are rare and Chirstmas comes once a year...
Some believe JP has a good race to come, it's just going to be a special day and worth experiencing it with him.

 

[Monstro]

he does not have the required level.
that is the cruel truth

 

[Bertil]

2/10 It's a shame, he did great in GP2 (after a few years, but still) but now he's just nowhere.

Doesn't help having Hulk as his team mate..

 

[M-Bimmer]

After watching these epic GP2 battles back in 2014

(GP2 is now renamed to Formula 2 in 2017 but i guess everyone knows that), you feel sad seeing these drivers like Palmer in Formula 1. Somehow i blame F1 because not all cars are on the same level but you have to fight anyways and i felt that Nasr did that with Sauber last season. Palmer so far...nope so a solid 1 for him in F1.

 

[Jan Larsen]

2. Quite simply out of his depth. Solid driver in general, but F1 is just too much for him. Would probably do well in lower categories (after a few years of learning the ropes) or in touring cars.

 

[Rob]

I have no idea how he is a professional formula 1 driver.

I don't think you can be considered a "professional" when you pay to drive. Indirectly, and directly, he has, so that's an immediate disqualification in my book, unless you prove otherwise, and he has not. According to sources, he makes $1M, but I find that hard to believe.

"Customer" Driver. There. That's better. Comparing drivers in F1 is like comparing sneakers in the NBA. Fun...but useless. They are mostly tools.

Haas F1 driver Romain Grosjean says 'pay drivers' are bad for the sport
F1 veteran believes drivers more deserving being kept off the grid

 

[Coffer]

Completely and utterly failed to adapt to the current car. He's good in the right circumstances since he did go even with Magnussen in races where they both finished last year, but like Vettel in 2014, the car doesn't suit him in the absolute slightest and he's shown no signs of adapting.

Blue moons are rare and Chirstmas comes once a year...
Some believe JP has a good race to come, it's just going to be a special day and worth experiencing it with him.

He already had one when he obliterated Hulk in Austria.

I don't think you can be considered a "professional" when you pay to drive.

Tell that to Lauda.

 

[Mr Latte]

@Coffer

In ref to Austria,
Sure it's possible, Hulk can have bad races too, but that does not make JP's performance in gaining 2 grid places during the whole race and still outside of the points hardly a sign of a great achievement. A drive to remember?

 

[yusupov]

Remember when "pay driver" was basically another term for a Hired Gun?

Pepperidge Farm remembers...

no...in all seriousness, when was this? was there any time outside of the '60s (& i'm just assuming there) F1 didn't have drivers who had no business being in their seat?

even lauda had to buy his way into F1 in the early '70s; hunt got a drive because he did coke with a peer of the realm. senna's partner in the 98T was "John Crichton-Stuart, 7th Marquess of Bute"...

 

[TheStig1458]

Definitely hasn't had a good year, but he has also been unlucky too. I wouldn't expect him to be racing next year.

 

[theiceman7]

Jolyon earns a 2. Not a 1, because he's a more justified F1 driver than Marcus Ericsson. I mean, Marcus was in GP2 for four seasons like Jolyon, and he could not even contend for the title.
Now, to find more positives about this guy's season would be quite a stretch. I will give him this much - he might score a point before the year is over with. Will that secure his place on the grid, much less justify it? Do not hold your breath.

 

[Michel Forest]

3. Sadly lacks that special something to make it in F1. I'm sure he could do well in the WEC, GT, BTCC, etc. But F1 is just too much for him, obviously.

 

[TobiasR]

Despite being underwhelming in terms of speed, he's still a pretty consistent finisher. Perhaps IMSA or WEC could be his new home.