32 replies to this topic

[JaredS]

http://grandprix247....arting-symonds/

Just before announcing his defection to Williams, Symonds compared Marussia’s current drivers with champions like Fernando Alonso, reckoning that the Spaniard is at least half a second quicker.

“I wouldn’t say that there’s that much left in the car,” said Chilton.

“I don’t believe there’s half a second...."

I won't agree with the article title as Chilton "hitting back". Symonds' original comments here http://grandprix247....claims-symonds/

I don't think either Symonds or Chilton are having a pop at each other. I see Symonds stating his opinion as he sees it. However with Chilton I'm surprised he disagrees with Symonds. If I expect anyone to disagree, it would be Bianchi who seems to be performing quite well.

Chilton states that there isn't that much left in the car and that he can't see the best drivers being half a second quicker. However looking at the results so far of Chilton's results against Bianchi in terms of raw pace i.e qualifying:

Australia 7.5 tenths slower
Malaysia 1.2 SECONDS slower
China 8 tenths slower
Bahrain 3 tenths slower
Spain 3 tenths slower
Monaco Bianchi DNQ
Canada 5.5 tenths slower
Silverstone 1.7 SECONDS slower
Germany 1 SECOND slower

So I don't understand Chilton's claims at all. A rookie like Bianchi is already on average almost 1 SECOND quicker than Chilton. I could understand Bianchi contesting Symonds' claim, but it's pretty clear that Chilton is there for the money. He goes onto say:

“A Formula 1 team isn’t going to accept two drivers who aren’t capable of getting the most out of the car,” he is quoted by the Russian news agency Ria Novosti.

Again that doesn't seem true. I can understand that a team won't accept a complete numpty but I can't see Chilton, averaging a second off his team mate's pace, is anywhere close to getting the most out of the car.

On a wider note, I can sympathise with Symonds comments in terms of the plight of the small teams where their hands truly are tied, they need the money but they also need the pace and it's a catch 22 for them. I think Symonds referring to Alonso is unrealistic because those guys are never going to drive for a smaller team even if say, a smaller team thought it would be better to spend 30 million on a driver rather than spending it on the car. But I do wonder how much quicker an up and coming talent that can't bring money is going to be over a pay driver like Chilton.

I think Williams have done well with Maldonado where he brings money but he's still reasonably quick and comparing well to Bottas (so far) or even Perez no doubt bringing money to McLaren but actually doing better than expected against Jenson.

Edited by JaredS, 21 July 2013 - 15:34.

[Ross Stonefeld]

There isn't a gap of half a second between Alonso and Chilton. It's going to be bigger.

[pingu666]

wouldnt he mean from jules? or whatever the best time was

[Baddoer]

Was it Chilton who was unable to catch the pack under SC in Silverstone?

Edited by Baddoer, 21 July 2013 - 15:06.

[goingthedistance]

Chilton shouldn't be in F1, it's as simple as that. He's probably not copping the heat he should because of his nationality IMO. He's not insanely slow, but he's not F1 standard.

Whilst Bianchi is good, I think Chilton is actually making him look great by comparison. But Chilton's dad owns a third of Marussia so I suspect he will keep his drive.

[JaredS]

wouldnt he mean from jules? or whatever the best time was

That's what I think too. In fact it seems rather obvious given that even Bianchi is a second quicker than Chilton. Which makes it even more strange for Chilton to give a rebuttal if he's not the subject of the original comment.

[Risil]

Chilton shouldn't be in F1, it's as simple as that. He's probably not copping the heat he should because of his nationality IMO.

More likely because he's driving for a team whose results are insignificant.

Edited by Risil, 21 July 2013 - 15:26.

[goingthedistance]

More likely because he's driving for a team whose results are insignificant.

Yes, that's also true.

[Jon83]

Yet the pundits continue to tell us what a great job Max is doing.

Listening to them, you'd think this wasn't Bianchi's first season in F1 also.

[goingthedistance]

Yet the pundits continue to tell us what a great job Max is doing.

Listening to them, you'd think this wasn't Bianchi's first season in F1 also.

What's worse is that Chilton did the whole of pre-season testing on his own, whereas Bianchi was a last minute substitution for Razia. He had a head-start.

Edited by goingthedistance, 21 July 2013 - 18:42.

[BRG]

Take whatever you want from this but I am a member at a simulator centre max uses. So far I have been quicker at every track and every car..

OMG, you mean that Max is THAT bad??

[SamH123]

Alonso isn't far from 5 tenths a lap quicker than Massa, I imagine he's definitely got 5 tenths on the inexperienced Bianchi.

Obviously Chilton is even further back

Not sure why Symonds would bother saying this really, seems obvious.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Take whatever you want from this but I am a member at a simulator centre max uses. So far I have been quicker at every track and every car..

Keep your voice down, his dad owns the joint.

[chrisj]

Symonds could probably say the same thing about a third of the field, but he's right -- Chilton shouldn't be in Formula 1, but neither should that convicted cheat Symonds.

[swerved]

Keep your voice down, his dad owns the joint.

He's perfectly safe there probably more than one member thats quicker than Max.

[noikeee]

I really don't think Alonso's half a second quicker than Bianchi, even taking his inexperience into account. Jules is pretty damn quick, we won't know until he's properly measured but his flaws shown in the junior series weren't really his pace but his ability to stay off everyone else's front wings. But I'm pretty damn sure Alonso's WAY more than half a second quicker than Max.

Maybe we're taking Symonds' comments a little too literally here.

Edited by noikeee, 21 July 2013 - 20:08.

[Risil]

Anyway, it's six tenths, surely?

[schumimercamg]

Don't get me wrong he's won gp2 races and is certainly no mug but I imagine a Hamilton or an alonso could drag more out of the car than max or jukes. No shame there tbh.

Edited by schumimercamg, 21 July 2013 - 20:28.

[noikeee]

Anyway, it's six tenths, surely?

No that was the car development part. Mighty deity Saint Fernando can get 6 tenths through designing new front wings and magic diffusers and ****. The 5 tenths are the driving part so if you sum both Saint Fernando is worth 1.1 seconds per lap. The Marussia would be qualifying in the top 10 with him.

[garoidb]

I really don't think Alonso's half a second quicker than Bianchi, even taking his inexperience into account. Jules is pretty damn quick, we won't know until he's properly measured but his flaws shown in the junior series weren't really his pace but his ability to stay off everyone else's front wings. But I'm pretty damn sure Alonso's WAY more than half a second quicker than Max.

I'm sure the "half a second" mentioned is just a rough assessment to underpin the point he is making. In the context of Pat Symonds commenting about Marussia, the relevant comparison is present day Alonso versus present day Bianchi. What Bianchi may become in a few years does not help Marussia today.

[pingu666]

we havent had a kurt busch style situation in one of the smaller teams, but .5sec of a sec is possible i guess, bit of driving, bit of setup and devlopment.

[prty]

Anyway, it's six tenths, surely?

Must really hurt to hear it also from someone like Symonds, surely?

[nosecone]

Well, i would be surprised more if Chilton had agreed to Symonds- like " yes i'm a half second off Alonso but my dady pays enough".

If he's asked by the media, what he likely was because i don't think he called the Russian news agency to tell them he's not a half second slower than Alonso, he just can't answer anything else.


What surprises me more is that Symonds did this comparison before his defection, but i think his move was already clear for all involved (Marussia and Williams).

It's a problem of the F1 that teams have to take pay drivers but that's another story.

BTW, i think Bianchi is maybe really a half or less off while Chilton is even more... (pure speculation due to personal feelings)

[mattferg]

Chilton's a boy who's been handed the keys to his daddy's car (in the case of 2014, his daddy's new Ferrari). He really shouldn't be there but if it helps Marussia to survive, so be it.

But, saying that, he has no right to argue that he's getting the full pace of the car, when his teammate is destroying him every time they go out.

[discover23]

I really don't think Alonso's half a second quicker than Bianchi, even taking his inexperience into account.

Why?

[fabr68]

No ****

If there was no gap between Chilton and Alonso, Chilton would not be driving a Marussia

[Wingcommander]

The original article part 1
The original article part 2

Symonds gave a direct answer to a direct question. But i'm sort of disappointed that this rather insignificant answer was the only thing picked up by other media. There's a lot much more intresting stuff in that interview.

[michaelmyers]

Symonds gave a direct answer to a direct question. But i'm sort of disappointed that this rather insignificant answer was the only thing picked up by other media. There's a lot much more intresting stuff in that interview.

Could you please be so kind and try share some of that interesting stuff from the interview with us that don't speak German. Didn't really have success with google translator. Thanks in advance

[Wingcommander]

Could you please be so kind and try share some of that interesting stuff from the interview with us that don't speak German. Didn't really have success with google translator. Thanks in advance

I dont speak german, so i used google aswell. It was a quite bad translation

[alframsey]

Max should not be in Formula 1, end of story. He is being truly embarrassed by his teammate who had no preseason testing while Max had every single session! I can't imagine of a more embarrassing situation to be in to be perfectly honest.

[MikeV1987]

Bianchi has more seat time in an F1 car than Chilton does, so no doubt he would be better. Gotta feel for these rookies coming into F1 though, there is so much to learn with very little testing.

[Petroltorque]

Bianchi has more seat time in an F1 car than Chilton does, so no doubt he would be better. Gotta feel for these rookies coming into F1 though, there is so much to learn with very little testing.

Chilton had 10.5 days preseason testing at Marussia as compared to Bianchi's half a day. Yes Bianchi has more seat time testing for other F1 teams, but his basic speed has never been in doubt. Amazingly Chilton's gap to his teammate has got larger as the season has progressed. There's no doubt that Marussia could no longer afford to pay Glock but you would think they could have chosen a driver with better ability than Chilton. They must be thanking the Gods that Razia was a no show since he was barely quicker than Chilton.

Edited by Petroltorque, 27 July 2013 - 07:58.

[sopa]

Let's forget Chilton. We could guesswork about the gap between Alonso and Bianchi. Could it be half a second? How much is the gap between Alonso 2013 vs Alonso 2001 in the Minardi? While I think Bianchi isn't quite as impressive as Alonso was in 2001.