Ok here's one to debate. Which do you go on to judge a driver's skill and how good they are doing in the season.
I noticed lots of debates, Heidfeld vs Petrov as one, where people have argued that one driver is better than the other despite them being behind on championship points because they out qualify their team-mate. Just the other day it was argued that Button and Hamilton aren't pretty much even this season because Lewis is much better in qualifying.
Now it could be because I come from the days when qualifying wasn't shown on TV and we just had the races but to me qualifying is qualifying - proofs in the name. To me it doesn't matter if a driver is out qualified by his team-mate in all 20 races as long as he beats him in the race because the race is what F1 is about. I understand its useful to gauge how quick a driver is over one lap when judging his skill but being quick over one lap is a very different thing to being quick over a full race distance. For instance Kimi got 10 fastest laps in the 2008 season but it would be very difficult to argue that he was the best driver of the season. If I wanted to watch a time trial I'd watch Rally or Drag Racing.
I guess that it also refelcts on which drivers you like too. I'm a Nico Rosberg sceptic because I see him as a driver who qualifys high up and then just falls back down the field. Its not impressive to me, F1 is about the race. I much prefer a driver like Button who qualifies low down and then comes through the field to finish higher up. Thats motor racing to me. But I understand people hold different views.
I know its argued that qualifying is the best way to tell because so many different things can go wrong and distort the result - but thats F1, that to me is what the sport is about. When it comes down to it for me there is no better way of judging how well a driver is doing/has done than the championship table. It really never does lie.
But what do you guys think? Do you think I see it far to plain and simple and that I should really be looking at the qualifying stats? Maybe you love to see a driver qualify higher up in a slower car as you think it shows true skill at being able to push a car to its limits? Also another point: now that qualifying has become televised is it viewed as more important than it used to be? Or maybe you think its a farce as no one actually qualifies for anything because you don't even have to put a lap in and you'd still be in the race.
I noticed lots of debates, Heidfeld vs Petrov as one, where people have argued that one driver is better than the other despite them being behind on championship points because they out qualify their team-mate. Just the other day it was argued that Button and Hamilton aren't pretty much even this season because Lewis is much better in qualifying.
Now it could be because I come from the days when qualifying wasn't shown on TV and we just had the races but to me qualifying is qualifying - proofs in the name. To me it doesn't matter if a driver is out qualified by his team-mate in all 20 races as long as he beats him in the race because the race is what F1 is about. I understand its useful to gauge how quick a driver is over one lap when judging his skill but being quick over one lap is a very different thing to being quick over a full race distance. For instance Kimi got 10 fastest laps in the 2008 season but it would be very difficult to argue that he was the best driver of the season. If I wanted to watch a time trial I'd watch Rally or Drag Racing.
I guess that it also refelcts on which drivers you like too. I'm a Nico Rosberg sceptic because I see him as a driver who qualifys high up and then just falls back down the field. Its not impressive to me, F1 is about the race. I much prefer a driver like Button who qualifies low down and then comes through the field to finish higher up. Thats motor racing to me. But I understand people hold different views.
I know its argued that qualifying is the best way to tell because so many different things can go wrong and distort the result - but thats F1, that to me is what the sport is about. When it comes down to it for me there is no better way of judging how well a driver is doing/has done than the championship table. It really never does lie.
But what do you guys think? Do you think I see it far to plain and simple and that I should really be looking at the qualifying stats? Maybe you love to see a driver qualify higher up in a slower car as you think it shows true skill at being able to push a car to its limits? Also another point: now that qualifying has become televised is it viewed as more important than it used to be? Or maybe you think its a farce as no one actually qualifies for anything because you don't even have to put a lap in and you'd still be in the race.