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Some things never change (countries: 2000 ; 2013)


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#1 sopa

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 21:17

Let's take the WDC final standings and take last year, 2013. And, say, 2000.

One aspect is very similar in both of these. How countries are represented. Of course in different seasons there are some fluctuations, but some general trends are pretty similar. And across the seasons the top nations and the way they represent drivers has been pretty similar for the last 20 odd years it seems.

 

Then 80s had a different flow to it with lots of Italian and French drivers. And before that in 70s we got top drivers from relative "outsiders" or "minnows" like Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, South Africa, Sweden, also Argentina and even USA, who after that hasn't been strongly represented in F1 circles.

 

But since the 90s there have been some clear trends in terms of how countries are represented and from where we have got top drivers.

 

Anyway, let's compare 2000 and 2013 then.

                     2000            2013
#1 German  driver    P1 Schumacher   P1 Vettel
#1 British driver    P3 Coulthard    P4 Hamilton
#1 Finnish driver    P2 Hakkinen     P5 Raikkonen
#1 Brazilian dr.     P4 Barrichello  P8 Massa
#1 Romanic dr.(I/E)  P6 Fisichella   P2 Alonso
#1 Commonw.(nonUK)   P7 Villeneuve   P3 Webber
#2 German driver     P5 R.Schumacher P6 Rosberg
#2 British driver    P8 Button       P9 Button
#2 Finnish driver    P11 Salo        P17 Bottas
#2 Romanic dr. (I/F) P10 Trulli      P7 Grosjean
#3 German driver     P9 Frentzen     P10 Hulkenberg
#3 British driver    P13 Irvine      P12 di Resta

You may also consider Spain as the odd exception out and unite the trends of France and Italy and you'd get to compare Fisichella's P6 to Grosjean's P7, and a pretty consistent flow of results across the last two decades.

 

You can also take, say, 1994 and see the best German in P1, the best Brit in P2, then best Finn in P4, the top Romanic driver in P5, the Brazilian in P6, then #2 Brit also in the top 10. With Berger from Austria the odd one out in P3. Although you can add him as the #2 German speaking driver to make it two of them in the top 10.

 

So... do we expect not much to change in the future either? So in 2026 we will have a top driver from UK, Germany, Finland and some pretty strong competitors from Brazil, some Mediterranean country (Spain, France, Italy) as well?


Edited by sopa, 22 May 2014 - 21:23.


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#2 fisssssi

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 21:45

Sorry but putting a Canadian and Australian driver in the same bucket is just clutching at straws :p

 

Although I do agree that the Germans, Brits and Finns are consistently at the top.



#3 scheivlak

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Posted 22 May 2014 - 21:59

Nice idea, but let's say Robert Kubica frowns a brow at this moment about your choice of years (either that or he just doesn't care  :D )

 

I hereby raise my concern about France not only losing its Grand Prix but even its existence in this comparison (pardonne-nous, messieurs Panis et Grosjean   ;) )

That said, members of both the Habsburg and the Bourbon dynasties might have a benevolent look at your choice of joining Italy and Spain as the Romanic nations - though neither of them ruled these countries in their entirity. And maybe the Portuguese feel a bit left out (though they might also be happy about that).

 

Stoffel Vandoorne might get some consolidation from the fact that - if you take some other parameters - he might just fall into place as the next Ickx or Boutsen.

 

And I have to adapt my self a bit to the idea that a monegasque Quebecois defends the colours of the British Commonwealth but that's just me  :D

 

 

To answer the question: will have something like F1 in 2026 at all? If so, I would be surprised if participation from both Russia (OK, maybe post-Putin) and Asia would not be more substantial. And - if (big if) F1 will be really succesful once more - we'll see some more guys (or girls) even from the US of A.


Edited by scheivlak, 22 May 2014 - 22:05.


#4 sopa

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Posted 23 May 2014 - 07:46

Nice idea, but let's say Robert Kubica frowns a brow at this moment about your choice of years (either that or he just doesn't care  :D )

 

I hereby raise my concern about France not only losing its Grand Prix but even its existence in this comparison (pardonne-nous, messieurs Panis et Grosjean   ;) )

That said, members of both the Habsburg and the Bourbon dynasties might have a benevolent look at your choice of joining Italy and Spain as the Romanic nations - though neither of them ruled these countries in their entirity. And maybe the Portuguese feel a bit left out (though they might also be happy about that).

 

Stoffel Vandoorne might get some consolidation from the fact that - if you take some other parameters - he might just fall into place as the next Ickx or Boutsen.

 

And I have to adapt my self a bit to the idea that a monegasque Quebecois defends the colours of the British Commonwealth but that's just me  :D

 

 

To answer the question: will have something like F1 in 2026 at all? If so, I would be surprised if participation from both Russia (OK, maybe post-Putin) and Asia would not be more substantial. And - if (big if) F1 will be really succesful once more - we'll see some more guys (or girls) even from the US of A.

 

:D Good.

 

Regarding future - Russia is an interesting case, because it looks like on average they have become more relevant in motorsport circles, but are yet to make a strong mark in F1 even if they have regularly started fielding drivers. But it is a possible change we can be open about regarding the future decades.:) But they are still fundamentally behind the likes of UK and Germany in offering motorsport opportunities to develop top talent and it will be a long journey to catch up.

 

I am not sure about Asia in general, because from what I remember, due to developing economy Asian drivers have been expected to become a serious force for some time already, but it really hasn't happened with the exception of an odd paydriver here and there and in Japan's case, getting an odd driver in also on merit.

 

Asia is also lagging behind Europe in creating motorsport opportunities and it seems like a pretty hard task to catch up. Asia can perhaps catch or surpass Europe in several areas, but motorsport could be one of the last ones, where it may happen...