F1

Ricciardo Will Be Champ

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 18 total)
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  • #128529
    nik
    Member

    We knew this guy was good from earlier this year – but seriously, 1.3 seconds faster than anybody else today and a time that was 0.3sec faster than Webber? Damn, I can’t remember the last time an upcoming driver was so quick and dominant. He ran second in Renault 3.5’s – but apparently it was an eventful season, so he doesn’t have a feeder record like Vettel, Hulk or Lewis had, but this guy is definitely the next big thing.

    He seems to fit F1 like a glove, these results are so impressive. How should Red Bull handle him? I think it is important that they get him a drive next year somehow, so that he has a season to build up race weekend experience. I would love to see him at STR in ’11 (Buemi out) and in the RB in ’12.

    The current STR drivers must be worried.

    (and Maldonado in a HRT was faster than Bianchi in a Ferrari?!? What is going on there …)

    #151449
    RIISE
    Member

    There are some definite dud drivers in there but you can’t read too much into Ricciardo. The track was really rubbered in. Naturally about 1.4 seconds faster. A new face would be nice to replace Buemi’s talentless depressing aura though.

    #151450
    Prisoner Monkeys
    Participant

    It’s a bit presumptuous to claim Ricciardo will be champion. As we’ve seen with Grosjean and Kobayashi, good results in lower categories do not guarantee good results in Formula 1.

    We knew this guy was good from earlier this year – but seriously, 1.3 seconds faster than anybody else today and a time that was 0.3sec faster than Webber?

    Dude. It’s testing. For one, Ricciardo is not driving in anger. He is not subject to any of the pressures that are normally exerted on a driver over the course of a weekend. For a second, we have no way of knowing what sort of testing program anyone in the test was on (except Dean Stoneman, who said he was doing aero testing to begin with and was allowed to do timed runs later in his session). And thirdly, none of these drivers are Formula 1 drivers. Most of them have never been in a Formula 1 car before; Ricciardo – along with Paffet – probably has the most experience of anyone who ran.

    How should Red Bull handle him?

    They’re reportedly unhappy with his ability to set a car up. Hartley, too. Given that Abu Dhabi just held a race, it’s unlikely Ricciardo did any setup work.

    #151451
    nik
    Member

    Here is something really funny, it turns out that I am related to Ricciardo through in-laws

    I posted the story about him to my Facebook wall, and my cousin comments with ‘oh ye, he is my husbands first cousin’

    hah. so awesome, can’t believe she didn’t mention it earlier.

    so apologies, I would have declared the conflict of interest had I known about it :)

    #151452
    nik
    Member

    I believe Ricciardo is the best F1 driver ever, and he should get the Red Bull seat and Vettel should be shifted to HRT or anywhere else.

    Ricciardo is *clearly* a superior driver!

    ;) </sarcasm>

    #151453
    nik
    Member

    As we’ve seen with Grosjean and Kobayashi, good results in lower categories do not guarantee good results in Formula 1.

    Did you see my thread about just that very subject?

    https://www.racefans.net/forum/topic.php?id=619

    The recent trend has actually been that the mediocre feeder drivers have become stars in F1, while the former feeder champs have been mediocre, so I completely agree.

    I agree with most of what you said, but I just can’t remember the last time I test driver has done so well and attracted so much attention. He has done it twice now. I think the HRT and Ferrari times show that these guys aren’t pushing for times during testing, but 1.3sec over the field is still impressive

    They’re reportedly unhappy with his ability to set a car up. Hartley, too. Given that Abu Dhabi just held a race, it’s unlikely Ricciardo did any setup work.

    Third time I have read this now, about his ability to set the car up not being good. I knew that about Hartley, but is there a source on this story about Ricciardo? I missed the story. That is something that needs to be considered, since being a good F1 driver is an entire package (speed, consistency, fitness, attitude, even PR/sponsors/marketability). If he only has 1 of these 5 then he may be overlooked.

    Being Australian might be a disadvantage, esp when you are competing with upcoming drivers from large emerging markets or from existing large markets for both TV and sponsor audience. Australia is tiny when compared to even Sao Paulo

    #151454
    Stretch
    Participant

    Yep, I’d like to see that; one year maturing at STR then when Webber retires (in one or two years) he’s in. And he gives us another Aussie to support, as Webber’s growing success this year has given few more of us Aussies a sniff of F1, in the land of ball sports.

    #151455
    RIISE
    Member

    I’d rather see Kimi in F1 again for Red Bull, put Vettel in his place.

    #151456
    Prisoner Monkeys
    Participant

    I’d rather see Kimi in F1 again for Red Bull, put Vettel in his place.

    Given Raikkonen’s total disinfatuation with the sport, he’d be out-stripped by the Hispanias.

    #151457
    Icthyes
    Participant

    Dude. It’s testing. For one, Ricciardo is not driving in anger. He is not subject to any of the pressures that are normally exerted on a driver over the course of a weekend.

    Then surely his times are actually slower than what they should be?

    Don’t get me wrong, there’s little basis for comparison given how much rubber that track will have. But what you are saying suggests he should be in fact a little faster, not slower.

    #151458
    Ads21
    Participant

    You should also consider that the track has a grand prix weekends worth of rubber combined with higher track temperatures than were in qualifying

    #151459
    TommyB
    Participant

    First of all, he does seem like a good drive but was topping the test in the RB6 really that much of a shock? I think Dan will get a drive when Webber goes, either at STR or straight to RBR (which I doubt.)

    Also Kimi beating Vettel? Get real, if he couldn’t beat Massa how on earth is he going to manage to be faster than Vettel. Kimi’s attitude/driving in his final year in F1 showed he couldn’t really be bothered any more.

    #151460
    Skett
    Participant

    To be fair to Kimi its because he’d basically been demoted to second driver. Forgive me if I’m wrong but wasn’t Massa the same in the second half of this year?

    #151461
    RIISE
    Member

    Oh come on, Vettel has beaten Webber…Oh because that’s hard. And you’re saying Massa was slow in 2007/2008? Yeah you need to get real, If Red Bull had been on par with Ferrari and McLaren Vettel would be down in 5th of 6th. Vettel has had it easy street as far as team-mates go. Face it, Newey won Vettel that title not Vettel himself.

    #151462
    Katy
    Participant

    When are people going to realise Kimi doesn’t want to come back to F1? Get over it, he’s gone, and he’s not a God, I wish people would stop acting like he’s the best driver/person that’s ever graced this planet.

    Ricciardo is definitely doing a great job in that RBR, even considering the rubbered in track and what not. Vergne, Maldonado and d’Ambrosio look good on paper too.

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