Paul di Resta

Just realised we don't have a thread on the young Scot and there's something I have to get off my chest but, first, here's some history.

A real sporting family, his cousins are the Franchitti brothers and his step father was Scottish footballer Dougie McCracken (no, I'd never heard of him either but he played for Ayr, Dunbarton and East Fife). As ever, started in karting before moving to Formula Renault with Manor Motorsport. He was Formula 3 Euroseries champion in 2006 before moving on to DTM.

With Mercedes backing he was lined up for a drive with Force India in 2009 but FI chose to continue with their '08 driver line up. As test driver in 2010 for FI di Resta finally secured a seat for the 2011 season alongside Adrian Sutil scoring points on his debut and having a highest finish to date of 7th in Hungary.

Anyway, as to my moan. At the pre-race interviews at Spa di Resta complained that he only qualified 18th as the team called him in telling him he was "safe" to get into Q2. Can someone explain why the drivers don't argue with their teams in these situations? He must have seen the track was drying and the grip improving so why doesn't he "grow a pair" and tell them he wants to carry on? It's all too easy to abdicate responsibilty, you're in the car mate, tell them what you think.

And relax...

 

[Plutus]

Its a problem that's faced Nico Rosberg - no-one's ever known if he's a great driver because his team-mates since 2006 have been long past their sell-by date (Schumacher, Wurz) [...]

The past two seasons of Rosberg haven't been very convincing on that basis.
I know the championship table tells us a different story but Schumacher was on par with Rosberg.

 

[teabagyokel]

Plutus - Yes, but what level Schumacher was at affects our opinions of Rosberg. If Schumacher was at 95% of his earlier value, Rosberg's done really well to even get close never mind beat him. However, if Schumacher had lost more than that, Rosberg doesn't come out smelling of roses.

We just don't know. Di Resta could have as good a year as {INSERT FAVOURITE DRIVER HERE} next year if his team-mate is Karthikeyan, but we won't know because we'll all expect him to beat Karthikeyan by a significant margin.

 

[Il_leone]

RasputinLives

Good point but then look at Button and Mansell against teammates in their early F1 career and see how they've ended up eventually

there is still time for Di Resta

HammydiRestarules

Mclaren did not go for Di Resta and went for Perez and it is more to do with potential sponsorship and finance that comes with it for having Sergio

Mind you Mclaren may have picked the wrong driver too soon


Ferrari - Massa probably deserves one last shot and they made it look like they wanted Vettel for 2014 so whoever was only had possibly a season

Mercedes - the need to replace Schumacher with another top driver was needed and Rosberg is on a watertight contract

 

[KekeTheKing]

Incredible catch by di Resta in FP2. I love seeing guys pull it back into line after getting it sideways. Especially in those conditions.

 

[KekeTheKing]

I recently found myself wondering why nobody even made mention that in Oz di Resta was in more or less the same position as Nico was in Malaysia. Of course it was only for 7th and 8th but contrasting this with the reaction that Mercedes has received is quite remarkable.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/21829731

Maybe if Paul was more vocal on the radio we would have heard more about this. Or maybe it was just down to the other drivers involved....

 

[Josh]

I think that's just because it's not a big team... We almost never hear team radio from the midfield/backfield teams. I guess they don't think we're interested.

 

[KekeTheKing]

I guess they don't think we're interested.

The evidence is in. Nobody really is. Paul said something about this in his post-race interview. Sutil's return from exile to take P7 was the better story though.

The point is that if some of our members were so disgusted by Mercedes use of the "hold station" tactics, then why didn't we hear a single peep from them when it happened just a week before?

 

[Josh]

I didn't see his post-race interview and I've only read it now that you've posted it but I don't like it anymore than I liked the Mercedes team orders .

 

[KekeTheKing]

Well the media certainly didn't play up this storyline much, so I can understand how some people missed it. But I do think that most people who did see it thought it was a sensible move that is part and parcel to motor racing.

 

[Brogan]

I think we all know why this is a non-story compared to the other one.

I would elaborate but I've just noticed an elephant in the room I need to get rid of.

 

[RasputinLives]

There seems to be elephants both sides of the room actually. Both sides are so busy trying to point out the other one that there missing their own.

Seems battle lines have been drawn and sides have been taken. Personally I can see F1 is about the teams and there have to be orders to favour drivers as the team has to take its best chance. I don't believe it makes the driver in front any less of a driver. Nor am I under the impression that a driver can only be deemed honourable if he has complete equality with his team mate.

FI made the right decision so sucks to be Di Resta.

 

[Fenderman]

Here. Brogan, you may borrow my

 

[Il_leone]

Yes Di Resta was closing and about to overtake Sutil whose tyres were shot and told not to overtake

He made a reference about being quicker at the end and playing the team game

Seriously though Sutil's tyres were worn and he was going slower and slower and it is just lucky the Mclaren was slower

I can see Di Resta's frustration especially he did all the hard word getting into Q3 and his teammate being out of Q3 had the tyre advantage suddenly swung in his favour

On top of the botched pit stops Di Resta must be thinking hope I don;t get screwed more this season

 

[RickD]

I didn't get to see much of Australia as was moving house that weekend and this is the first I have heard about it. I think it is as digusting as the Mercedes team orders, especially the favouritism shown, especially as I think this is Pauls last year in F1 as he really hasn't impressed..

 

[RasputinLives]

In Athletics the Kenyen distance runners run in packs of 3's. They decide between them who their lead runner will be and the other two set the pace for him pulling him along to victory. I've never heard of anyone being disgusted with that so it seems strange that it gets said in F1 which is so much more obviously a team sport.

The sport is geared up as a team sport, the teams recieve pay outs for their position in the team championship so I'm afraid situations where a driver is told to stay behind another driver are always going to happen because thats how the sport works.

Force India don't know how long they are going to have front running pace so of course its the right thing for them to play safe and not risk their drivers taking each other off to get maximim score they can. Same with Merc, same with Red Bull, same with everyone. Anyone saying their team would do different is kidding themselves.

The sport is built as a team sport and until the teams get more rewards for individual driver positions thats how they are going to play it. Seems silly to get all angry about it.

Is there anything else happening in F1 by the way?

 

[Slyboogy]

In Athletics the Kenyen distance runners run in packs of 3's. They decide between them who their lead runner will be and the other two set the pace for him pulling him along to victory.

That's just retarded.

**** the leader, I'm winning it.

 

[RasputinLives]

Said Sebastian Vettel

 

[F1Yorkshire]

That's just retarded.

**** the leader, I'm winning it.

Team Sky had the same strategy last year in the TdF, we weren't moaning again when Wiggins won the title, in a team sport tactics have to come into it and you have to do what you can for the best chance of winning.

 

[Jen]

But don't cycle teams have a turn and turnabout system, where each has a go as potential winner at different venues?

 

[RasputinLives]

and if F1 championships were decided on aggregate time like cycling then I'm sure it would happen for them too.

Lets not get all wishey washy give everyone a win just yet though. The teams number two drivers are number two drivers for a reason. I can't think of anyone getting a short end of the stick who has shown they can beat their team mate consistantly least of all Mr Di Resta.