He truly was a number two.
No question or argument about that ... he was a #2 ... when pitched against young Seb who will end up being rated (and hated) as good or better than Schumacher when he hangs up his helmet ...
MW finally got the quality drive that every driver yearns for and then his team mate ends up being Seb ... who turns out to be a rocket ... why it didn't turn out to be anyone but Alonso, Lewis (and probably Kimi V2) was just how it was meant to be ...
For most of the experienced F1 following glitterati on CTA, you knew that MW's only shot at glory was 2010 when Seb was still working out the wrinkles (and steering ... Turkey ... Belgium anyone) ... and some youthful exuberance and petulance ... he was within touching distance of the WDC and then he blew it in Korea ... couldn't challenge Seb in Japan for the win and had a dog of a race in Abu Dhabi ... in which poor old Alonso became the fleas trying to cover MW.... and the rest is history ...
Seb blew his and everyones doors off in 2011 ... I also think Seb was a easily a 10% better driver ... better racecraft and the only driver who bothered to visit Pirelli in the off season to find out about the rubber ...
2012 you could see the edge that kept MW "almost close" to Seb fading a tad ... qually times stretching a little ... I think it was more than likely Seb getting incrementally better and MW at his peak on his favourite tracks and regressing on the others ...
And now we arrive to today and his sayonara year ... I would like to see him win one more before he goes out ... but if he doesn't, so be it ... who knows ... the WCC could be clinched with a hatful of races to run ... he might even unleash the Kraken on Seb one last time in a non life threatening way ... "Mark ... we are in Multi 20-10 ... Seb has turned down his engine ... Seb is faster than you ... if you don't change to engine setting G2 it might let go" ... "Relax fella's, Renault can afford another one"...
On a general note, I always find it a little amusing when drivers get bagged and the following statements are made "he is sooo slow ... you could put in <insert mid field driver name> and he would be doing such a better job" ... you need to look no further than Lewis at Mercedes this year to see how that plays out ... has NR improved from last season ... probably ... has NR risen up to the challenge of having LH as his team mate ... probably ... would anyone consider NR a better driver than LH ... probably only Keke, Nico, their agents and managers would ... all 6 of them ...
I personally won't miss Webber, I never took to him and rolled my eyes many times at his overly-aggressive defending. RB have an interesting situation, they need someone to bring in the points while being prepared to play second fiddle, IMO that's not Kimi's style:
