It's been a long week and after coming back from holiday I'm a bit bored with catching up on e-mail so here's my views on the current crop of "best drivers in the world". BTW - the order is as they appear on the F1 Wiki page so don't read anything in to this other than I couldn't be bothered to think about it.
Sebastian Vettel - Struggled a bit since leaving Red Bull and certainly not the same driver without an ultra-competitive car. Still one of the top three on the grid but he has developed a petulant side since joining Ferrari which is not very becoming.
Kimi Raikkonen - Remember when Kimi left teh sport and went home to sit on a big pile of Ferrari coloured Euro's. Then he came back and was quite exciting, although in bursts. Those bursts are becoming few and far between these days and I can't help but think he is only being kept on to keep Vettel happy.
Sergio Perez - Being much touted as someone who deserves a top drive but I'm not so sure myself. A useful mid-field runner but hardly putting his team mate in the bin despite his, as the team put it, lack of experience. He's now in his 7th year in F1 and had a chance at McLaren without setting the world alight (yes, I know the car was dog) he appears to be a driver who will keep hanging on and slowly work his way down the grid taking a big suitace full of Peso's with him. If I was looking for a driver to win races and championships Sergio would be a long way down the list
Esteban Ocon - I've been quitely impressed with the young Frenchman so far this season. Yes, he got the drive as he's a Merc prodigy but he has certainly not been embarrassed and looks to be quite a bright star for the future.
Romain Grosjean - Hmmm, what has happened? Okay, he never really took the fight to Kimi at Lotus which should have given us an indication of the limits of his capabilities but he's surely quicker than Kevin Magnussen. Maybe better off in WEC where he might win something.
Kevin Magnussen - Remind me how he got back in to F1 after his year at McLaren? I got the feeling that Renault so desperate for a driver with F1 experience that Stirling Moss could have got a drive if he'd offered his services. Then he pops up at Haas. How? That said, he's driving quite well this season but another who should probably be in WEC rather than "filling a seat" in F1.
Stoffel Vandoorne - the new Lewis Hamilton they all said. Been a bit absent so far hasn't he?
Fernando Alonso - as much as it grieves me to say this but the second of my top 3 drivers currently in F1. If only he was actually likeable as a human being.
Lewis Hamilton - The last of my top three in F1 at the moment. In the car, what a driver, brilliant. Out of the car, what a twat. You're not a rock star Lewis and if you spent less time hanging around with them you might find yourself being a little less marmite.
Valterri Bottas - I presume Totto got his 10% from the Merc contract. Okay, he can be quick but he's not a team leader and, I suspect, this season will be his moment in the sun before he moves back to be amongst the mid-field runners. I know Finnish drivers have a reputation for being "icemen" but does this have to also mean dull?
Daniel Ricciardo - For both his personality and speed he really deserves to be challenging at the front every weekend. How he maintains that huge smile with the rather average car Red Bull have given him I have no idea. There comes a point when he needs to realise that although Red Bull gave him the breaks there is a time where he should think about himself and his potential.
Max Verstappen - Blinding quick and certainly has the potential to be a multiple world champion although it remains to be seen how he will cope when this sort of pressure actually comes his way. He can be a bit moody at times and does he have to mental strength to cope when he's expected to win rather than outperforming the car a la Villeneuve.
Nico Hulkenberg - Enough speed to have justified getting in to a winning team but never seems to get the opportunity. Will Renault provide a car good enough for his talent? I hope so. If not he should move on to a series which will give hm race wins and titles.
Joylon Palmer - Next! No, seriously, he's really not cut out for a seat in F1 and I have no doubt this will be the last season we see him plying his trade in an F1 car.
Marcus Ericcson - Okay, so the people who own Sauber are family friends but how did he get in the car in the first place? Ah, money. Okay. Why do people with the sort of money to back a driver in F1 not try and support someone with some talent?
Pascal Wehrlein - Very pretty.
Daniil Kvyat - Make the most of this season Danii as you won't be in even be able to sniff the exhaust pipe of an F1 car in 2018.
Carlos Sainz - Erratic but fast. I would presume he will be moving up to Red Bull next year of either of the current 2 jump ship and it will be well deserved.
Lance Stroll - An F1 driver really shouldn't be learning on the job. Another couple of season in the lower formulae would not have gone amiss.
Felipe Massa - Should you chose to retire again at the end of this season Felipe please, do us all a favour, and stay retired. I know Bottas left Williams for Mercedes but surely there were other options for the team from Grove beyond this geriatric (he's 15 years younger than me)?
So there you have it. These are far from the best drivers in the world. If I were a team principal there are only 8 of the current bunch I would think of sticking in my car which isn't very good really is it?
You may disagree.
Sebastian Vettel - Struggled a bit since leaving Red Bull and certainly not the same driver without an ultra-competitive car. Still one of the top three on the grid but he has developed a petulant side since joining Ferrari which is not very becoming.
Kimi Raikkonen - Remember when Kimi left teh sport and went home to sit on a big pile of Ferrari coloured Euro's. Then he came back and was quite exciting, although in bursts. Those bursts are becoming few and far between these days and I can't help but think he is only being kept on to keep Vettel happy.
Sergio Perez - Being much touted as someone who deserves a top drive but I'm not so sure myself. A useful mid-field runner but hardly putting his team mate in the bin despite his, as the team put it, lack of experience. He's now in his 7th year in F1 and had a chance at McLaren without setting the world alight (yes, I know the car was dog) he appears to be a driver who will keep hanging on and slowly work his way down the grid taking a big suitace full of Peso's with him. If I was looking for a driver to win races and championships Sergio would be a long way down the list
Esteban Ocon - I've been quitely impressed with the young Frenchman so far this season. Yes, he got the drive as he's a Merc prodigy but he has certainly not been embarrassed and looks to be quite a bright star for the future.
Romain Grosjean - Hmmm, what has happened? Okay, he never really took the fight to Kimi at Lotus which should have given us an indication of the limits of his capabilities but he's surely quicker than Kevin Magnussen. Maybe better off in WEC where he might win something.
Kevin Magnussen - Remind me how he got back in to F1 after his year at McLaren? I got the feeling that Renault so desperate for a driver with F1 experience that Stirling Moss could have got a drive if he'd offered his services. Then he pops up at Haas. How? That said, he's driving quite well this season but another who should probably be in WEC rather than "filling a seat" in F1.
Stoffel Vandoorne - the new Lewis Hamilton they all said. Been a bit absent so far hasn't he?
Fernando Alonso - as much as it grieves me to say this but the second of my top 3 drivers currently in F1. If only he was actually likeable as a human being.
Lewis Hamilton - The last of my top three in F1 at the moment. In the car, what a driver, brilliant. Out of the car, what a twat. You're not a rock star Lewis and if you spent less time hanging around with them you might find yourself being a little less marmite.
Valterri Bottas - I presume Totto got his 10% from the Merc contract. Okay, he can be quick but he's not a team leader and, I suspect, this season will be his moment in the sun before he moves back to be amongst the mid-field runners. I know Finnish drivers have a reputation for being "icemen" but does this have to also mean dull?
Daniel Ricciardo - For both his personality and speed he really deserves to be challenging at the front every weekend. How he maintains that huge smile with the rather average car Red Bull have given him I have no idea. There comes a point when he needs to realise that although Red Bull gave him the breaks there is a time where he should think about himself and his potential.
Max Verstappen - Blinding quick and certainly has the potential to be a multiple world champion although it remains to be seen how he will cope when this sort of pressure actually comes his way. He can be a bit moody at times and does he have to mental strength to cope when he's expected to win rather than outperforming the car a la Villeneuve.
Nico Hulkenberg - Enough speed to have justified getting in to a winning team but never seems to get the opportunity. Will Renault provide a car good enough for his talent? I hope so. If not he should move on to a series which will give hm race wins and titles.
Joylon Palmer - Next! No, seriously, he's really not cut out for a seat in F1 and I have no doubt this will be the last season we see him plying his trade in an F1 car.
Marcus Ericcson - Okay, so the people who own Sauber are family friends but how did he get in the car in the first place? Ah, money. Okay. Why do people with the sort of money to back a driver in F1 not try and support someone with some talent?
Pascal Wehrlein - Very pretty.
Daniil Kvyat - Make the most of this season Danii as you won't be in even be able to sniff the exhaust pipe of an F1 car in 2018.
Carlos Sainz - Erratic but fast. I would presume he will be moving up to Red Bull next year of either of the current 2 jump ship and it will be well deserved.
Lance Stroll - An F1 driver really shouldn't be learning on the job. Another couple of season in the lower formulae would not have gone amiss.
Felipe Massa - Should you chose to retire again at the end of this season Felipe please, do us all a favour, and stay retired. I know Bottas left Williams for Mercedes but surely there were other options for the team from Grove beyond this geriatric (he's 15 years younger than me)?
So there you have it. These are far from the best drivers in the world. If I were a team principal there are only 8 of the current bunch I would think of sticking in my car which isn't very good really is it?
You may disagree.
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), e.g. Turkey 2010, Multi 21 incident in Malaysia 2013 etc.. There's enough of that side if you take a closer look.
