Current Daniel Ricciardo

I noticed young Daniel didn't have his own thread so thought I'd give him on as sure he'll be around for a good few years.

Born in 1989 (that makes him 22 before you do the maths) this aussie started karting at the age of 9 and in 2005 entered the Western Australian Formula Ford Championship as a privateer driving a car that was 15 years old at the time and managed to finish 8th. He won a scholarship to compete in Formula BMW Asia the following year. As we all know he eventually became involved in the Red Bull young driver programme after winning the British Formula 3 championship in 2009.

Became Red Bull's test driver and has now stepped up to drive for HRT. Has been really hyped as the next big thing by the Red Bull team and the press. Eddie Jordan described him as a future world champion before he'd even done his first Grand Prix. The truth is though he has not set the world alight at HRT. How can one set the world alight at HRT I hear you ask to which I say - good point! Although he has beaten Liuzzi twice already in the races I believe he needs to get on top of him in quali too. Also he's being beaten by quite a way in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series by both Robert Wickens and Jean-Eric Vergne.

So Ricciardo - future number 1 or going going gone?

 

[RasputinLives]

I thought we were having a discussion which arises through different opinions. I mean could leave this forum, if discussions and differing opinions aren’t wanted here

Now now there is no need for that. I said only the other day that I enjoy reading you on here. I just find it odd because, whilst not always agreeing with you, I find all your arguments rational and can understand why you think it. I'm just slightly bemused as to your unwillingness to give Ricciardo any credit that's all as it seems irrational which is unusual.

I Don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable though so I'll say no more about it.

 

[Rutherford]

It's not about giving him no credit; he overtook Bottas, but I'm being told I'm beating down on him or playing down his results and that is simply OT.
I admit, I have beaten down on drivers, last week on Barrichello and I was told I'm very harsh, fine, no problem. I have beaten down on Palmer despite him being one of my favourite drivers this season, but I'm definitely not beating down on Ricciardo here.

I don't care who rates who either. Button beat Hamilton in 2011 and I was listening to an old Motor Sport Magazine podcast whilst running the other day, guess who didn't even mention Button to be in his top six drivers, Martin Brundle, he should know who drivers compare to each other.
Every driver can have an off year, even Alonso was beaten by Trulli (technically, he was released after half year) and Hamilton (a rookie).
It simply doesn't make or break a driver, if he was / is beaten by his teammate. Schumacher was beaten by Rosberg in three consecutive seasons although he was much stronger in his last season and had it not been for a large number of failures the result may have looked different.
If Ricciardo is beaten by Verstappen next season and then goes on to win two championships will it matter that he was beaten by Verstappen who, let us assume, will never win a championship in his career? No.

The fact is that Raikkonen and Bottas for whatever reason were slower in that moment of time; the argument that they were faster than Ricciardo in previous sessions doesn't change this state, because it's a different moment in time.
There are many factors which come to play in this situation, fresh or old tyres, track temperatures, fuel loads altering which can impact drivability more for one car than the other, driver capabilities etc. whatever happened both couldn't make the tyres work.

 

[RasputinLives]

Fair enough. It was a good overtake on the restart though wasn't it?

 

[FB]

This might not be a popular comment but has Ricciardo ever won a race? He's finished first when others have lost the win, the only one where this could be argued differently is his win in Hungary in 2014.

 

[RasputinLives]

But it all evens itself out because there are races he has clearly had won but has lost through team errors. Monaco springs to mind.

 

[Rutherford]

FB Ricciardo is a driver similar to Alonso and Max Chilton, consistent, but lacks the ultimate pace. Alonso was a title contender in 2010 and 2012, because his cars were reliable and he was consistent. He could have won the WDC in 2012, but he lost he nerves, Japan, Austin etc..

It's up to you to decide whether he's more of a Alonso or Max Chilton or somewhere inbetween.

 

[FB]

As much as I'm no fan of Alonso (bet that's come as surprise to you all) I think it's a little unfair to suggest he lacks pace and has only won due to consistency. He was (is?) one of the fastest drivers on the grid it's his personality I have a problem with.

Back to Ricciardo, there's no denying the boy has the talent and the pace, in the right car, to win races and even a championship. I would have loved to have seen him in a Red Bull in the blown diffuser era to see how he would have compared to Vettel in a competitive car.

 

[Titch]

I Don't think either Ricciardo or Verstappen will win a world championship.

That's a brave statement.

 

[RasputinLives]

It is. I'm usually wrong about this sort of thing but I feel it in my gut. Verstappen is reminding me too much of Jean Alesi right now and Danny Ric of Johnny Herbert. An insult to neither by the way as I rate both drivers extremely highly with neither getting what their talent deserved due to circumstance. It feels like its going that way for this pair.

 

[teabagyokel]

Verstappen reminds me of young Vettel; Ricciardo reminds me of Button. He's a top bloke.

 

[Rutherford]

Verstappen reminds me of young Vettel; Ricciardo reminds me of Button. They are top blokes.

FTFY.

 

[teabagyokel]

Verstappen is not a 'top bloke.' No-one outside of Australia, New Zealand, Britain or Ireland could achieve that status, nor would they aspire to.

Since he's not from a country that might win the Rugby World Cup or Scotland, he is instead a 'great kid,' becoming a 'super guy' when he turns 21.

 

[Rutherford]

teabagyokel Did you go to school in the US or are you a US citizen?
The position of your punctuation marks is awkward.

 

[Titch]

Ohhhh fighting talk.

 

[gethinceri]

Here's the #1 Super Guy:

 

[The Pits]

Could be!!

 

[vintly]

I Don't think either Ricciardo or Verstappen will win a world championship.

Wanna bet?

 

[RasputinLives]

vintly aren't you losing enough money to me with the Hamilton bet?

20 quid donation to charity of winners choice?

 

[vintly]

Heh RasputinLives What you don't understand is how my current form, seemingly poor, is the perfect foil to launch a new attack, a blindside! You'll never realise! Such brilliance is destined to succeed. It's a deal. Make take a while to mature.

 

[teabagyokel]

Rutherford - I did not go to school in the US. I'm working on the 'rule' that punctuation should go within inverted commas. I'm not sure about it personally.