31 replies to this topic

[noikeee]

In Melbourne 4 drivers will be doing their first Formula 1 race, all eyes are on Max Verstappen who'll become by a long way the youngest F1 driver ever and he should be the popular favourite as to who'll have the brightest future; but whilst the other 3 come with no hype they're all pretty handy drivers themselves.

 

Nasr lost a bit of reputation after taking long to win his first GP2 race and not being able to fight for the GP2 title in 3 years, but used to be the hottest driver at F3 level after dominating one of the last few competitive years of British F3, and Formula BMW Europe previously.

 

Sainz Jr appears not too highly rated by Red Bull who seemed willing to let him go to accomodate Verstappen in F1, but as an opening unexpectedly appeared with Vettel's move, he still got the seat after becoming the first Red Bull junior to win the World Series by Renault. People who watched him together with Kvyat at lower level rated him as equal or even quicker.

 

Merhi has fallen a bit under the radar after a detour to DTM for 2 seasons but whilst he ended up behind Sainz Jr in the WSR last year, there wasn't much between them, and he's a former F3 Euro champion as well.

 

My opinion is that this is a deceptively mildly strong bunch of drivers, Max is the obvious potential star that I will vote for in the poll, but the others could still get decent careers (well, assuming Merhi's career lasts beyond this 1-race deal), I think Nasr and Merhi will be flattered by having 2 fairly poor team-mates that I expect them to beat. Sainz is in a much more uncomfortable position, as even just beating Max won't be seen as enough given Max's youth, so whilst I don't think Sainz is a bad driver I think he might have to work even harder than the others to impress and make it in F1.

Edited by noikeee, 10 March 2015 - 10:25.

[noikeee]

And here's a comprehensive comparison between the 2 Spanish drivers: https://www.driverdb...arlos-sainz-jr/ - the way I see it, there's very little to separate them...

[JeePee]

Really looking forward to Max vs. Sainz.

 

Crazy to think that on this day a year ago, Max never drove an official open wheel race (the F3 season started in april). Will be rooting for him 

[thegamer23]

Nasr looked fast and solid during testing. His junior career records are impressive too.
Voted him.

Edited by thegamer23, 10 March 2015 - 10:27.

[turssi]

Toro Rosso should be an interesting watch this season.

[RosannaG]

Difficult poll for me, I'm between Nasr and Verstappen.

[Paincake]

voted for Nasr. I guess Max has potential, but I'm skeptical considering he lacks experience at that age.

[MrWorldwideJr]

 

Sainz Jr appears not too highly rated by Red Bull who seemed willing to let him go to accomodate Verstappen in F1, but as an opening unexpectedly appeared with Vettel's move, he still got the seat after becoming the first Red Bull junior to win the World Series by Renault. People who watched him together with Kvyat at lower level rated him as equal or even quicker.

 

In Formula Renault they may have been pretty equal but Kvyat comprehensively beat Sainz in GP3.  I highly doubt anyone could have come away from the 2013 season rating Sainz as equal to Kvyat.

To me Sainz has always looked like a 'nearly good enough but not quite' type of driver until last year.  I was always slightly disappointed by him in F3 and GP3 but Red Bull stuck with him so they obviously see something.  I think the real question regarding Sainz is whether or not last year was a flash in the pan caused by being in the best seat in a relatively weak year for the series or whether he really has started to come good.  I'd like to see it but to be honest I'm unconvinced and I'd expect Verstappen to outshine him even if Sainz is a little more consistent.

As for the other two, I'd expect them both to get the better of their teammates but beyond that I doubt either will have a competitive enough car to really show how good or otherwise they are.  Merhi is an interesting one and I was impressed with him last year after two years out of single seaters but I imagine making any real impact in the Manor when he has no testing and no guarantee of a seat beyond this race will be too much to ask.

So I guess that means Sainz to probably score most points but Verstappen to be rookie of the year in terms of impressing and making an impact. 

[Imateria]

I'll jump on the bandwagon and say Max as well, really looking forward to seeing what he can do.

 

And shouldn't Will Stevens be on this list as well, he may have raced in Abu Dhabi last year but I can't see how you could consider him anything other than a rookie (Kobayashi was considered a rookie in 2010 despite having done the last couple of races in 09).

[TheRacingElf]

It has to be Max Verstappen, I personally think everybody who isn't convinced yet will be after a few races. I just hope the Toro Rosso will be a car in where he and Sainz can show their potential.

[Jimisgod]

I think Sainz will beat Max with experience.

[sopa]

Sainz Jr will be the new Vergne. A decent driver, and even if he beats his team-mate, there always be comparisons that "his team-mate is actually more talented". It seems like a dead-end opportunity for Carlos jr, but at least he got a chance! Because half a year ago it looked like he would be thrown out like da Costa.

[sopa]

Felipe Nasr, I expect him to beat Ericsson overall, but I also expect him to belong to the "inconsistent drivers" category. Sometimes impresses, but not consistently and blows hot and cold.

[FullThrottleF1]

Despite the bad situation F1 has been in the past ~ 10 years. The quality of drivers on the grid is better than we have ever seen. 

[noikeee]

I'll jump on the bandwagon and say Max as well, really looking forward to seeing what he can do.

 

And shouldn't Will Stevens be on this list as well, he may have raced in Abu Dhabi last year but I can't see how you could consider him anything other than a rookie (Kobayashi was considered a rookie in 2010 despite having done the last couple of races in 09).

 

I suppose under most people's definitions he would get categorized as a "rookie" yes, his single GP he has done certainly isn't a considerable headstart to anyone else here. Personally I always attributed the word "rookie" to "people doing their very first ever race/match/whatever" so it didn't even cross my mind to include Stevens in the "class of 2015". 

 

I don't rate Stevens, don't think he's necessarily terrible but wouldn't rank him level with any of these other 4 guys.

[ninetyzero]

Voted Max, because it would be a tragedy if his career went the same way of his dad's.

[A3]

I think Sainz will beat Max with experience.

Max won his 6th F3 race and went on to win the most number of races that season in a strong F3 field. I don't think Sainz will have a benefit over Max in open wheel racing experience.

[smr]

whoops i read it as rookiest of the season, so voted merhi. reading it correctly and its verstappen.

[dau]

Another one on the Verstappen hype train. Sainz is a good driver but he just doesn't have this child prodigy vibe that Max has. Merhi seems decent as well but it will be hard for him to impress in that car. Especially as he probably won't drive the whole season. Nasr can be pretty fast, but at least in GP2 he often lacked aggressiveness, got stuck behind some backmarker and wasn't seen again for the rest of the race. So it's gotta be Max for me at the moment. 

[SirT]

Should be Verstappen and it will be interesting to watch how he deals with the pressure on this stage. I hope he does well but wonder if it would have been better for him to go up against JEV instead of Sainz. He could get away with losing to JEV over a season aslong as he showed good performances. Sainz has a huge motivation to beat Verstappen who is being called the next F1 superstar and they both start from the same point. I should add that I'm impressed that Max is very down to earth but the hype is there from other people so he already has a lot to lose if Sainz beats him.

[lars75]

And here's a comprehensive comparison between the 2 Spanish drivers: https://www.driverdb...arlos-sainz-jr/ - the way I see it, there's very little to separate them...

 

Funny to see that Merhi did just a bit better then Verstappen in F3, but with double the ammount of races. Verstappen is twice that good ;-)

[lars75]

I'll jump on the bandwagon and say Max as well, really looking forward to seeing what he can do.

 

And shouldn't Will Stevens be on this list as well, he may have raced in Abu Dhabi last year but I can't see how you could consider him anything other than a rookie (Kobayashi was considered a rookie in 2010 despite having done the last couple of races in 09).

 

Yes Stevens is a rookie too, but maybe they are not expecting the same from him compared to the others :-)

[Rob]

I have no idea. It's going to be fun watching Toro Rosso this year.

[lars75]

I think the remarks of to little experience should stop, they are ridiculous.

 

He raced 46 races with a extraordinary track record! 

 

The people who worked with him, raced him and watched him are all verry impressed with everything he does on and off track. But still mention his lack of experience!

 

Kimi did little over 20 races before jumping to F1 from FR2.0, Alonso did little over 20 races before jumping in F1, Button did little under 40 races before jumping to F1, Massa himself did just 47 races to jump in to F1, Max his father did just over 50 races before jumping into F1 and so on and so on!!!

 

With those names mentioned I think that everyone that says he has to little experience, I for a fact can say it doesn't matter. Three of them became world champion, no 4 was champion for 30 seconds and no5 knows where he went wrong and now is helping his son to do better. None of them had a easy path to victory, but that made them to what they became. So Max will have a hard time ahead, but if he keeps his head clear he could become a race winner, champion or even multiple champion. Everything is possible, but experience is not the issue.

Edited by lars75, 10 March 2015 - 22:56.

[Spillage]

Really hard to say. There is just so much hype around Verstappen that there's absolutely no way I can see him matching expectations, but that doesn't mean he won't be rookie of the season. If he beats Sainz it'll be a job well done, but the respective experience of the two drivers means I'm by no means sure that he will.

[Myrvold]

Doesn't look like Nasr.

[Jimisgod]

Shrug, I've seen hype like Verstappen-mania before.

Sato for one had a stellar F3 career and then was absolute mediocrity most of his career. Sainz has won a much more difficult category in Renault F3.5 and he has years more experience.

I think Vandoorne is this generation's next potential champion.

[HoldenRT]

Voted for Max based off of the hype, don't know enough about him to say properly either way.  Not enough to go on yet, but soon there will be. 

[noikeee]

I think the remarks of to little experience should stop, they are ridiculous.

 

He raced 46 races with a extraordinary track record! 

 

The people who worked with him, raced him and watched him are all verry impressed with everything he does on and off track. But still mention his lack of experience!

 

Kimi did little over 20 races before jumping to F1 from FR2.0, Alonso did little over 20 races before jumping in F1, Button did little under 40 races before jumping to F1, Massa himself did just 47 races to jump in to F1, Max his father did just over 50 races before jumping into F1 and so on and so on!!!

 

With those names mentioned I think that everyone that says he has to little experience, I for a fact can say it doesn't matter. Three of them became world champion, no 4 was champion for 30 seconds and no5 knows where he went wrong and now is helping his son to do better. None of them had a easy path to victory, but that made them to what they became. So Max will have a hard time ahead, but if he keeps his head clear he could become a race winner, champion or even multiple champion. Everything is possible, but experience is not the issue.

 

Yes it's true Kimi, Alonso, Button, Massa did not disgrace themselves when put into F1 with few open-wheel races in their career, and didn't cause massive crashes or something. But it's also true they improved a lot after 2 or 3 years of experience within F1 (dramatically in the case of Button and Massa who were both at a real danger of dropping out of F1). People aren't doubting Max's talent and ability to be competitive from the start, but you cannot ignore neither that experience IS an asset that almost invariably makes you better, so the worry is that he might be thrown in earlier than when he'd achieve his best. It's also an unique experiment to throw a driver in F1 at his age, which could be tricky particularly in the mental/emotional part of the game (though it has to be said F1's right about the only sport teenagers have never participated in - in other sports, say football, a few of the kids thrown in early do grow amazingly well and justify the "experiment", others do flop and burn out badly).

 

I personally think he'll be fine and would tip him to just about beat Sainz already, but I also think he'll be WAY better in 5 years time. But if something goes wrong and by some reason he struggles, say with a car that doesn't fit him, or a bad patch of lack of confidence or whatever, it's dangerous to be in the limelight of F1, particularly in a team that's known to be ridiculously ruthless and which has killed a few driver careers along the years. You'd think they'll be a little extra lenient with Max given his age, but there's still a danger his career could be cut short at a age most drivers over the years hadn't even got to F1. As there is a danger he'll burn out sooner and plateau sooner that most. And I'd hate to see an obviously extremely talented driver fall apart because his career choices weren't the best.

Edited by noikeee, 11 March 2015 - 13:00.

[Jimisgod]

I'm concerned because Max is constantly touted as not just a potential top driver like you see directed at Vandoorne now, and Hulkenberg, Ricciardo and others previously. No, he's literally the guy who will be the next all time great and denying that will get vitriol on the forums.

If he loses to Sainz ala Ricciardo and JEV in 2012 then the hype train completely derails because it's been "Max is undeniably the greatest young talent of the last decade". That's the story. Not him putting in a few good performances over 2 years building experience.

I think he's the driver most at risk of ending up on the "biggest disappointment" lists just because of the hype. I mean, what will you say if he is like Kvyat and not convincingly better than Sainz or even rookie of the year?

Edited by Jimisgod, 11 March 2015 - 13:50.

[JeePee]

I have no fear he will be convincingly better than Sainz. I've been cautious with predictions for Max too many times before. I also think he'll end up in a top 3 of best overtakes at the end of the season.

[DutchQuicksilver]

Verstappen will be rookie of the year. His car is better than Sauber and Marussia, and though initially Sainz will have the upper hand on him, I think as the season progresses, Verstappen's talent will overcome Sainz' experience.