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Rookie of the Year (26 posts)

Topic tags: Rookie of the Year

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Hare said 2 years, 7 months ago:

I disagree that Kobayashi wont win a championship. Give him the best car of the season, of course he can. Give any of the drivers the best car and they should be right at the top of the table. This shows up Vettel something chronic as he should be marching away with the title at the moment.

Hulk seems a more reliable, solid driver. But Kobayashi, he’s got some nous about him, he’s not just another charging racer, he’s pretty damn smart and has had to develop those skills not just coming through the lower leagues but in marketing himself, extravagantly getting sponsors on board etc in a Commercial Japan that is pulling out of F1 en masse.

Plus Kobayashi has done something not a lot of drivers can do in F1, overtake on his terms. He can force the issue. Sounds like a certain Mr Hamilton. So yes, he’s definitely future F1 champ material.

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Red Andy said 2 years, 7 months ago:

I don’t really get all the Kobayashi-love, to be honest. He’s quite exciting to watch when he is in a position to overtake someone, but usually the reason he’s in that position is because he’s been so awful in qualifying, he ends up racing behind several slower cars. Additionally, with only de la Rosa and a returning Heidfeld as a benchmark it’s difficult to know how quick he really is. Plus he has had more retirements due to driver error than anybody else all season – not really “rookie-of-the-year” behaviour.

My pick is Hulkenberg for rookie of the year, he’s done well against Rubens and as the car has improved over the year, so has he. A bit hot-headed at times but if he can nail the concentration in a race, as he does in qualifying, he’ll be very competitive very soon.

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Felipe Bomeny said 2 years, 7 months ago:

Rookie of the year, not necessarily F1 is Jean-Eric Vergne. He dominated, literally dominated the series he was in, beating experienced drivers like Buzaid, Huertas, and Nakajima, and winning his third FR 3.5 race in the same car as Hartley, who never won a FR3.5 race in his two year career. In second is Esteban Gutierrez for GP3 and third is a tie between Chris Vietoris and Antonio Felix da Costa.

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US_Peter said 2 years, 7 months ago:

It has to be Kobayashi. In a car that’s inferior to Petrov and H�lkenberg’s he’s managed to get ahead of them in the points after retiring from literally half the races so far this season. As Hare points out also, he’s able to overtake on his own terms by forcing the issue. Seated in a top car I think we could definitely see wins from Kobayashi, but until we see his qualifying performances improve I won’t go so far as to say he’s championship material. He’s definitely a true racer though through and through.

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TommyB said 2 years, 7 months ago:

Kobayashi and Alguersuari if they count.

Real Rookie’s wise… not been impressed by any of them really. Chandhok did well against Senna and deserves the drive.

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wasiF1 said 2 years, 7 months ago:

If Kobayashi who only started this season with two races to his name is allowed the it will be him.

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Icthyes said 2 years, 7 months ago:

Plus he has had more retirements due to driver error than anybody else all season – not really “rookie-of-the-year” behaviour.

Bahrain – hydraulics
Australia – front wing failure
Malaysia – engine
China – hit by a flying Liuzzi
Monaco – gearbox
Canada – bounced over kerb and into the wall
Italy – gearbox
Singapore – crashed

That’s two…now, maybe that is more than anyone one else, but that’s a heck of a low number to use for meaningful comparison.

Anyway my vote goes for Kamui too. Not a great car (at eats, no way is at as good as the Renault), lots of mechanical failures and still best of the rookies on points.

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Dizzy-A said 2 years, 7 months ago:

Icthyes – arguably one even, as I sem to remember Nico pretty much pushing Kamui into the champion’s wall.

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Todfod said 2 years, 7 months ago:

Lot of people seem to be forgetting that Senna is on the grid as a rookie.

Anyways my rating would be

1) Kobayashi

2) Hulkenberg

3) Senna

4) Alguersari

5) Chandhok

6) Petrov

7) DiGrassi

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Søren Kaae said 2 years, 7 months ago:

1st – Kobayashi
As I see it he has what it takes to become a great driver. He is kind of a more “stupid” version of Hamilton. He really proved in Singapore and Japan that he will overtake even in the most impossible place to do it. He has the kind of attitude that makes you think that he will do anything to win.

I would very much like to see him in a faster car, but I might like him better while he is an underdog

2nd – Petrov
Gotten yelled at by a lot of people for not making enough of his equipment. I think his problem is that he just made too many mistakes like at Suzuka. But we have seen that he has the speed to contend for podiums in Hungary fx.

He needs more time, but he can only buy so much with his money. He has to perform better to keep his seat. The last 3 GP’s decide if he is there next year.

3rd – Hulkenberg
Has been the underdog to Barichello and to be honest I have not really seen his potential. Although he has done good in some GP’s and scored some good points for Williams. I quite would have liked Kobayashi in this seat though.

4th – Alguersuari
Has not done too well against a somewhat mediocre team mate but put on a great show when holding up Schumacher. (Don’t remember what GP?)

5th – Di Grassi
Again, he has not shown dominance or superiority to Glock, and he usually is pretty anonymous.

6th – Chandhok
Regurlarly beaten by Senna, who got beaten by Klien. Simple as that.

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Søren Kaae said 2 years, 7 months ago:

Of course 6th should then have been Senna. Sorry.

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