F1 Fanatic

I’ve read this quite a lot on this site, and it was even quoted in the recent COTD. But I really don’t know what people are basing themselves on when coming to that assessment.
I would argue that Sutil hasn’t had his chance yet. He has deserved to move to a top team, but never made the move. Yes, I would go as far as saying that Sutil is potential WDC material, at a level of Felipe Massa’s good days (which might just be coming back).
In his last season, he was considered a Top 5 driver by the majority readers of this website. And he’s always been at least Top 10, consistent and at times impressive.
Even in his Spyker years, he was able to leave a lasting impression as the best of the rest. In 2010, he scored 47 points in a Force India, 15 more than Kobayashi (cited by some as much more worthy of the seat) in the BMW. Liuzzi scored a mere 21 points, and I’ve seen some compare Sutil’s level to that of the italian – laughable! Sutil scored as many points as Barrichello in the Williams, leaving Hülkenberg clearly behind.
In 2011, Sutil was clearly the best of the rest. Once again, Kobayashi was clearly beaten (42×30), smashed Di Resta on points and also on the long run of the season, after a relatively poor start. And in this last six F1 races, he always finished Top 11, even not sitting in the 5th best car at the time.
Put him in a McLaren this season, and I think he could gather more points than Perez will.
Force India have given him a way back into Formula 1. Sutil has given Force India their best general results, finishing 10th and 9th in the WDC.
What I’d really like is to see him driving a car capeable of victories.
If your not convinced of Sutil’s skills, he will teach you a lesson in 2013, no doubt in my mind. If it’s because of his crime, then I respect your opinion. But don’t discard Sutil based on the fact that you might think he has had his chance. He still deserves a real chance, in my view.

Magon makes a fair point about Sutil, but to me, Formula 1 isn’t about chances, it’s about results. Sutil did fine, but I’ve never heard anyone praise him like you do, to be honest. Most people I know consider him a solid points scorer, even though his results have been inconsistent.

There are many drivers who have deserved a shot with a race winning car, but Sutil was simply never asked to do so. As far as we know, he has never been on the list of a team other than Force India and now he’s returning there, which does make me question his appeal to the top teams, regardless of his crime.

People are writing off Perez in the same manner they’ve written off Massa when he joined Ferrari in 2006, stating Ferrari should have retained Rubens, or get another mid-field driver. I think Sutil has a difficult age as well, he’s too old to be considered a young potential, but hasn’t been in F1 long or successfully enough to warrant a seat at a better team or to consider retirement.

Again, there are a lot of drivers who I’d love to have gotten a 2nd, 3rd or 14th chance. They usually don’t get to, because there are a ton of drivers who don’t need a second chance to be successful.

@Nick – People are writing off Perez in the same manner they’ve written off Massa

Totally agree mate! Checo will raise a few eyebrows this year for sure!!

@catracho504 When exactly did Bianchi prove to be faster?

@brazil2007

When exactly did Bianchi prove to be faster?

The times he has driven for FI, he has been quicker… anyways… Sutil is just overrated and was better off retired.

@david-a

you can’t have 22 Alonso/Vettel/Raikkonen quality drivers on the grid, so I don’t see why so many are opposed to him being back in the sport.

Agreed but if you think about it… he had a better car in 2010 and 2011 than Perez and who was able to move up??

though Bianchi may have missed out, we do have quite a few rookies on the grid anyway.

It´s not about having rookies on the grid…. it´s missing out on a talented driver over one that is just a points scorer… Bianchi, I think, could´ve done a Perez type season…. whereas Sutil is just going to be constantly in the lower half of the top ten at best… FI needs podiums… and honestly, I don´t see Sutil delivering.

People hint that they took him for the Mercedes´ engines… everybody is ruling Ferrari out of the engine race in 2014… and it seems that they forget that Ferrari had a good turbo engine back in 1981… They are no strangers to Turbo engines and for sure, they will do their best effort in this new turbo era.

I’m just saying: Sutil will prove that he deserves this seat, and even better.

I said it. Hope it goes on. Ridiculous Pirelli’s cost him a better position. That window of performance is just much too narrow.

Despite the poor strategy, he still beat his highly-rated (by the BBC) teammate Paul di Resta, on his first race since his 2011. Not a bad way to start your comeback.