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Webber: Quality of the Formula 1 grid is dropping [merged topic]


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#151 bonjon1979a

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Posted 15 August 2013 - 10:53

I don't agree,Pirelli stuffed Mark but kudos to Seb. for adapting better than any driver on the grid.


Good drivers adapt to the tyres, all the other drivers are in the same boat. Different tyres each year and the best drivers are the ones who are able to master them. If Webber isn't able to adapt and master the new tyres then by definition it would point to him being an inferior driver to the rest of the field who have been able to.

The fact is that Webber has finished 3rd twice and 5th and 6th in the championship driving a car that has widely been regarded as the best of the field by a considerable margin. This isn't just about seb beating him, it's about others too. While he may've had some techincal difficulties it can't be said that he's made much of an impression over the last three years. If anything, it points to a stronger field at the moment as there are more drivers challenging for wins and placing above him in cars that aren't as good as the one he's driving. I like Mark Webber, he's a breath of fresh air in the paddock but I can't help feeling he's coming across as quite bitter in these comments. I would agree though that there are some pay drivers who shouldn't be in F1, i'm looking at you Max Chiltern and Guiterrez but overall with the number of world champions we have at the moment I would say that at the top end of the grid the quality is higher than five years ago. Maybe I can agree with his sentiment when talking about some of the younger, newer drivers though...

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#152 Jimisgod

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Posted 16 August 2013 - 03:37

I think what happened is that it's become very dense at the top of the grid. Alonso, Hamilton, Kimi, Vettel. 4 champion drivers who are basically interchangeable now.

Hence not so much room for good young drivers to get 'a shot' in a top drive and no one in the mid-grid has the money to wait around like they did on Fisi or Trulli before they got a good car. How long was Fisi in F1 before 2005? 7 years? Trulli never even got a great car. Now you get 2 or maximum 3 seasons to perform and give crazy results in a midfield ride (Perez) or you're gone.

#153 bonjon1979a

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Posted 16 August 2013 - 10:17

I think what happened is that it's become very dense at the top of the grid. Alonso, Hamilton, Kimi, Vettel. 4 champion drivers who are basically interchangeable now.

Hence not so much room for good young drivers to get 'a shot' in a top drive and no one in the mid-grid has the money to wait around like they did on Fisi or Trulli before they got a good car. How long was Fisi in F1 before 2005? 7 years? Trulli never even got a great car. Now you get 2 or maximum 3 seasons to perform and give crazy results in a midfield ride (Perez) or you're gone.


Grosjean was given a shot, Perez was given a shot (admittedly mclaren didn't deliver a quick car but when he signed it was the fastest on the grid). I've a feeling we might see Hulkenberg in a ferrari next year or maybe even Bianchi. Red Bull are considering Ricciardo next year, although he's not young, there's a possibility he'll get a good car.

I agree that drivers aren't getting as long a run in the sport, but could that be because there's such a wealth of talent coming through with young drivers programmes etc? Totally prepared for people to hurl things at me with this comment but maybe hamilton's rookie season set the bar far too high for those coming into F1. Say what you like about him now but in that first season he finished on the podium in the first 9 races with incredibly consistent results. Compare that with what Grosjean, piquet etc did and you can see why they fall could be falling short of teams expectations. Drivers don't seem to be given the time to bed in as teams want results immediately or a bucket load of cash...