Number 2's who are beating number 1's

[Brogan]

Although the driver number in a team doesn't mean much these days (in most cases), this is a current list (after the German GP) of number 2 drivers who are beating number 1 drivers across 4 criteria.

The data has been taken from here (click on the Delta column title to sort): http://cliptheapex.com/pages/2011-head-to-head/

Make of it what you will.

Points
Nico Rosberg
Jaime Alguersuari

Race
Nico Rosberg
Jarno Trulli
Vitantonio Liuzzi

Qualifying
Nico Rosberg
Vitantonio Liuzzi
Vitaly Petrov
Paul di Resta
Pastor Maldonado
Sergio Pérez

Fastest Lap
Nico Rosberg
Vitaly Petrov
Jaime Alguersuari
Mark Webber
Jérôme d'Ambrosio
Sergio Pérez
Vitantonio Liuzzi

It will be interesting to see what the final tally is at the end of the season.

 

[teabagyokel]

There is a common theme emerging on those, isn't there?

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Fair to say that Rosberg is absolutely smashing it on all fronts.

 

[sushifiesta]

As Bro implies though driver number isn't always representative of who the number one in the team is. The only reason Rosberg is no. 8 is that Schumacher has some superstition about always driving with an odd number on his car.

Having said that I find it's interesting how few "No. 2s" are beating their team-mates in terms of what really matters - points.

 

[teabagyokel]

Having said that I find it's interesting how few "No. 2s" are beating their team-mates in terms of what really matters - points.

At most teams the #2 driver is decided on who finished higher in last year's Championship. So the better points scorer (if the team remains consistent) would naturally be the #1 driver. This, of course, wasn't the case at (surprise surprise) Mercedes.

This actually genuinely applies at Ferrari - look at 2007 when Massa was #5 and Raikkonen #6 and at 2010 when Massa was #7 and Alonso #8.

 

[RasputinLives]

At most teams the #2 driver is decided on who finished higher in last year's Championship. So the better points scorer (if the team remains consistent) would naturally be the #1 driver. This, of course, wasn't the case at (surprise surprise) Mercedes.

This actually genuinely applies at Ferrari - look at 2007 when Massa was #5 and Raikkonen #6 and at 2010 when Massa was #7 and Alonso #8.

That makes sense to me except in the case of Liuzzi - I think HRT may have assigned the numbers on order of who signed contracts.

the Trulli one is the big suprise as he gets so much stick from everyone - race wise he's Lotus top driver - isn't this exactly the opposite way round to most of his career? wasn't he known for beating his team-mates in quali and then slipping back in the race? odd

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Brawn must have been seething when Button took his No.1 to McLaren.

 

[teabagyokel]

That makes sense to me except in the case of Liuzzi - I think HRT may have assigned the numbers on order of who signed contracts.

Yes.

 

[FB]

Brawn must have been seething when Button took his No.1 to McLaren.

Many drivers have taken the No.1 to another team. Prost took it to Ferrari with him in 1990, Hill to Arrows in 1997 for example. RB could always have offered Jenson a decent contract and then he wouldn't have left for McLaren - interesting to think he probably wouldn't have won another Grand Prix either had he stayed.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Many drivers have taken the No.1 to another team. Prost took it to Ferrari with him in 1990, Hill to Arrows in 1997 for example. RB could always have offered Jenson a decent contract and then he wouldn't have left for McLaren - interesting to think he probably wouldn't have won another Grand Prix either had he stayed.

All this, I know. In fact, if it were a question it would have been rhetorical. I'll rephrase; "Brawn was seething when Button took his No.1 to McLaren."

 

[Sarinaide]

Question; Can one really call Rosberg a number 2.......Mercedes Petronas was build on him, Schumacher just happened to present a good PR source.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Question; Can one really call Rosberg a number 2.......Mercedes Petronas was build on him, Schumacher just happened to present a good PR source.

Nonsense! Did you pluck that out of the sky? I have never heard anything that remotely corroborates with your statement.

 

[Sarinaide]

So Mercedes scoured the Retiree market to build a team on?

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Hardly. Schumacher was coming back the year before to take Massa's seat but his neck wasn't up to it. I am pretty sure that Schumacher was in at Mercedes before Rosberg too. Also, Schumacher is best buddies with Brawn. Also, he is a seven times world champion. Also, Brawn and many others fully expected Schumacher to wipe the floor with Nico.

Your claim has absolutely substance whatsoever. Can you please tell me where you got your thinking from, because it sounds like something you have made up.

 

[Brogan]

This thread isn't the place for that discussion.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

In order to establish whether the number two is beating the number one, surely we have to establish which is which. Happy to move on from that, but it's perfectly relevant.

 

[Brogan]

Nico is numerically the no.2 driver.

That's the only criteria which has been used for the purpose of this thread.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Nico is numerically the no.2 driver.

That's the only criteria which has been used for the purpose of this thread.

I was unaware of that and was replying to Seranaide. Thanks for clarification. You might as well delete the last 7 posts.