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Who is the best current F1 driver......


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#1 ff1600

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 02:25

Who do you think is the current best F1 driver but do not take in account what car he drives. My vote is Kimi with Jenson next.

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#2 George Costanza

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 02:27

Fernando Alonso.

#3 Starlight

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 02:29

Without a doubt, Fernando Alonso.

#4 drag

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 02:29

Alonso

#5 Brother Fox

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 02:31

Only good can come of this thread :p

#6 OO7

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 02:41

Only good can come of this thread :p

Brother Fox, a wager as to how long until this thread is locked?

#7 Sakae

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 02:44

We need Hamilton and Massa to have their first handshake of 2012, and nobody will have time for this.

#8 flowerdew

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 02:44

Brother Fox, a wager as to how long until this thread is locked?


I'll add another Alonso vote before it is.

#9 ashnathan

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 02:44

Jenson Button, he is the most complete driver for me.

#10 Nobody

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 02:50

You're only as good as your last race - check the results, you'll find your rankings

#11 Kubiccia

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 03:14

I think the most efficient is Ferdinando. Button is good but lacks a couple of tenths in qualifying

#12 SirRacer

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 03:20

Vettel has a lot to prove yet without a competitive car, how consistent will he be without starting from pole every race?
Button is only very good with the pirelli's so far, also lacks raw speed in qualy
Hamilton was very good with the bridgestones so far, also lacks consistency

So, so far, it has to be Alonso. He's been supreme with whatever hes had in his hands.

Edited by SirRacer, 21 March 2012 - 03:23.


#13 FordFan

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 03:24

I really don't like Ferrari, and there's something about him that pisses me off, but . . .

Alonso has shown again and again that he can put mediocre cars in great point scoring position.

#14 ghost

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 03:28

Alonso

#15 NotSoSilentBob

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 03:31

For speed: Vettel
For consistency: Button
For sheer i'm-going-to-get-the-most-out-of-this-bastard: Alonso

Best combination of all three, but not the best in any of them: Hamilton

#16 aramir11

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 03:41

Fernando Alonso no doubt...

#17 lbennie

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 03:47

alonso

by some margin aswell.


#18 J2NH

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 03:48

Schumacher. :blush:

Obvious attempt to close this thread ASAP. This brings out the worst in some.

#19 LH08WDC

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 03:52

Alonso.

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#20 jondon

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 03:55

Alonso gets my vote too.

#21 EarnardBeccelstone

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 03:59

Me

I just haven't got a superlicence yet :p

#22 gerry nassar

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 04:00

Alonso/Button/Hamilton/Raikkonen/Vettel - in alphabetical order - all these drivers are champions, all are guns, all have different strong points and weaknesses.

I'm just happy that all are currently in F1 with competitive cars at the moment.

#23 aray

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 04:01

Alonso..
he is not the quickest,but he is the best optimizer out there...again and again he has been proving that.....considering the controversies that dogged him(2007 Mclaren fiasco,2008 Singapore Gp,then his move to Ferrari at kimi's 'cost'),his relentless performing throughout the period is quite exceptional even in F1 standard...

Edited by aray, 21 March 2012 - 04:03.


#24 Raelene

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 04:04

Fernando Alonso (from an MSC fan)

reminds me so much okf MSC during his heyday... focus, determined, gets the most out of the car - may not always be the fastest - but is the most complete - easily

Edited by Raelene, 21 March 2012 - 04:06.


#25 Sardukar

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 04:26

Alonso

#26 advan031

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 04:27

You're only as good as the car you're driving so...the best driver is whoever is in the best car...lol #truth

#27 cheapracer

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 04:27

I am not convinced in the slightest of Alonso's development abilities and that's quite a chunk of "best" assessment IMO.

Not sure exactly what Vettle has to do to get a rating .... oh it's the car that's right, I forgot :rolleyes:

Fernando Alonso (from an MSC fan)

reminds me so much okf MSC during his heyday...


Consider my post Raelene (because you're one of the intelligent people here who is capable of doing so...), why is the Benz better this year and the Ferrari crap ... don't expect Ferrari to march forward anytime soon either, Alonso (and apparently Massa) is not capable of offering the technical feedback required.


I've also emailed some of the grid girls to get a definite answer on "best".

Edited by cheapracer, 21 March 2012 - 04:35.


#28 pingu666

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 04:38

kobashi :D


#29 cheapracer

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 04:43

My vote is Kimi


Guessing you're ridiculously serious, how does one come to that conclusion after a non-conclusive first time back outing ...?


#30 aray

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 04:50

the thread is for who do you think best...not to bickering about who you don't....that's trolling... :rolleyes:

#31 AdHoc

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 04:50

Fernando Alonso is a weird mix of Schumacher, Senna, Prost, Villeneuve and Hunt, with a fresh and modest Spanish touch.

He is not only the most complete driver, he's also probably the fastest of them all with Kimi and Lew. We'll never know for sure though, as long as we don't put them all on the same kart, on the same track, on the same day.

#32 Oho

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 04:51

Guessing you're ridiculously serious, how does one come to that conclusion after a non-conclusive first time back outing ...?


Well quite frankly it is no more ridiculous than any opinion in this thread with undoubtedly used for qualifier. Oh and my uneducated guess at this time is Sebastian Vettel.

#33 cheapracer

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 04:58

Oh and my uneducated guess at this time is Sebastian Vettel.


Speak for yourself, my educated guess belongs to a young current dual WDC who started from 5th, grabbed second with some stunning driving inbetween also leaving his rated team mate in his wake.

Best would imply less faults than others and I can't fault Vettle other than I would break his bloody finger given the chance.


#34 Afterburner

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 05:14

There are so many ways to go about this... some drivers are good at some things while others are better, so I suppose the best way to do it is to find the best all-around package. I'll keep my considerations down to the champions on the grid right now.

Michael Schumacher? Not as good as he used to be, but the question is if he's still better than everyone else on the current grid. Considering his opposition, it's unlikely, but judging by his recent pace a competitive car could prompt a turnaround in performance. Better than everyone else currently racing, though? A longshot.

Kimi Raikkonen? Probably the most naturally-talented driver on the grid. My impression of Kimi has always been something along the lines of 'give him a car that's close to the front and he'll do the rest'. The problem is that he lacks the team-building skills and work ethic of someone like Schumacher. So it's not Kimi.

Lewis Hamilton? Speed TV's Australian GP broadcast compared him to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. After the race, it was an arguably appropriate comparison. Like Raikkonen, Hamilton has a natural affinity for racing--the problem is that his all-out approach has been hit-and-miss in recent times, and when it misses, he doesn't tend to cope with it very well. His inconsistency prevents me from choosing him, and I can't see him in a stable leadership role at any of the top teams right now.

Jenson Button? He's quick, he's consistent, and his personality appears to be a powerful motivational force within McLaren. He's not the fastest driver, but he possesses the dogged consistency neaded for a championship campaign: he's been on the podium in eight of the last nine races--of these, he's won three, and was fourth in the one race he wasn't on the podium. Considering this, it's not a surprise Red Bull and Vettel have singled him out as their biggest threat this season. At the moment, it's not hard to imagine JB as best in the field. A force to be reckoned with.

Fernando Alonso? How in the world shall I call this one? It seems that many here agree he is the best, and even I've been impressed by his driving over the last few races. He seems to have matured since his defeat in 2010, and despite the shortfalls of Ferrari's lacklustre design department, he always seems to be a force at or near the front--remarkable considering the pace of his car relative to the front-runners. I can't help but wonder, though, if the Ferraris he's been driving are just a little better than the media is making them out to be. Some confrontations in his past will ultimately prevent me from picking him as my personal choice for all-around best right now, but I won't disagree with anyone who does.

My personal pick?

Sebastian Vettel. To be honest, I put him just a notch above Button and Alonso, if only because of personal favouritism. All three are fundamentally similar drivers--they're quick, they're reliable, and they have the mentality necessary for a strong championship campaign. I personally prefer either Vettel or Button to Alonso, but I won't argue with anyone who picks any of these three. To me, however, Vettel is the quintessential grand prix driver: he's fast, he's consistent, he's dedicated to his team, and (in my opinion) likeable to boot--and all at the ripe old age of 24. Of all the 'top' drivers, he's the one with the most left in him.

In short, I'd objectively say it's a three-way split between Alonso, Button, and Vettel right now, but I'd subjectively go with Vettel.

#35 DankBank

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 05:15

Without any doubt Alonso.

I feel like Hamilton and Vettel might be a tad more talented but Alonso is the polished professional and all around better driver and to be honest, a lot of it is probably just his experience. He's just seen it all at this point. I think most would agree that if you put Vettel, Alonso, Button and Hamilton in HRTs that Alonso would squeeze the most out purely based on his experience with driving not-the-best car.

Edited by DankBank, 21 March 2012 - 05:23.


#36 BigCHrome

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 05:28

To be honest, it's Vettel. He's quicker than Alonso, he's really cleared up the dumb mistakes and he has an amazing will to win. Even when he has a rough practice he comes back and puts in an amazing lap in Qual.

#37 Raelene

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 05:43

I am not convinced in the slightest of Alonso's development abilities and that's quite a chunk of "best" assessment IMO.

Not sure exactly what Vettle has to do to get a rating .... oh it's the car that's right, I forgot :rolleyes:



Consider my post Raelene (because you're one of the intelligent people here who is capable of doing so...), why is the Benz better this year and the Ferrari crap ... don't expect Ferrari to march forward anytime soon either, Alonso (and apparently Massa) is not capable of offering the technical feedback required.


I've also emailed some of the grid girls to get a definite answer on "best".


question was driver - not who is the best development driver

On his day - FA can do stuff on the track that IMO, that no other driver can do

Edited by Raelene, 21 March 2012 - 05:45.


#38 Sardukar

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 05:48

I am not convinced in the slightest of Alonso's development abilities and that's quite a chunk of "best" assessment IMO.

Not sure exactly what Vettle has to do to get a rating .... oh it's the car that's right, I forgot :rolleyes:



Consider my post Raelene (because you're one of the intelligent people here who is capable of doing so...), why is the Benz better this year and the Ferrari crap ... don't expect Ferrari to march forward anytime soon either, Alonso (and apparently Massa) is not capable of offering the technical feedback required.


I've also emailed some of the grid girls to get a definite answer on "best".


I'm sorry but you seem to be somewhat misinformed about how much a drivers input has into the development of a car, its basically zero. Alonso didn't design the ferrari, he tested it a few times just like all the other drivers did during pre season testing. Teams come to a weekend with a pre determined setup which they think will suit the track. The small adjustments they make to diff, preloads, dampers and aero balance is then decided off what the driver is feeling in the car combined with telemetry. To say alonso is not good at this is a really silly statement to make. Infact he is probably the best at giving feedback to his engineers as his car control is absolutely amazing and probably the best on the grid alongside kimi.




#39 ctjet

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 05:59

In every way, Fernando. He has almost no faults as a driver

He's always fast, qualifies well, excellent overtaker, magnificent at defending, makes minimal mistakes, mature, selectively ruthless, great under pressure, masterful in the wet and most importantly has the mental toughness and self belief of a champion

Its as a person is where he starts to fall down the ranking. He can be a petulant little **** when he doesnt get his way, vindictive towards his teammates and is far eager to switch teams when he becomes unhappy

In saying all that, nobody offers what he does. Schui did 5-10 years ago, kimi did for a brief couple of years, but Fernando is the main man these days, no doubt

Edited by ctjet, 21 March 2012 - 06:01.


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#40 fastlegs

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 05:59

I'd say Vettel is the best current driver with Button a close second.

#41 SirRacer

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 06:11

He's always fast, qualifies well, excellent overtaker, magnificent at defending, makes minimal mistakes, mature, selectively ruthless, great under pressure, masterful in the wet and most importantly has the mental toughness and self belief of a champion


You summed it up pretty well, there are drivers out there which are better in some of those areas, but name one that excells at all of them like Fernando does...

#42 libano

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 06:22

Alonso with Vettel as a very close second. These two are in a class of their own. The next tier is Kimi, Button, Hamilton, MSC. Talent-wise, Hamilton should be first tier but he has to regain some form. He's young, he will.

#43 Zava

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 06:32

To be honest, it's Vettel. He's quicker than Alonso, he's really cleared up the dumb mistakes and he has an amazing will to win. Even when he has a rough practice he comes back and puts in an amazing lap in Qual.

wow, didn't expect that from you :up:

#44 gillesthegenius

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 06:33

Its got to be between Alonso and Vettel. So I shall try to seperate the two...

Speed : Vettel
Consistency : Tie
Race craft : Alonso
[/b]Overall : Tie[b]

So I will have to conclude that both Alonso and Vettel are the best at the moment. (MA)

#45 sebomaniac

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 06:35

Seb.

#46 gillesthegenius

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 06:38

wow, didn't expect that from you :up:


+1.

#47 Wheels23

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 06:42

The only two I can think of are Alonso and Vettel but Alonso is just a tad better imo.



#48 faaaz

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 06:49

Charles Pic.

#49 Ferrari2183

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 06:52

At the moment it is close between Alonso, Button and Vettel. They are almost always extracting more from the car than their teammates and the results speak for themselves. Hamilton, although very good on his day, has been a little disappointing for me. I honestly thought he would have the legs on Button.

Kimi is living on past glory and I think he will find it hard to beat Grosjean.

#50 slideways

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Posted 21 March 2012 - 06:56

Vettel. Maybe a bit less of an overall package than Alonso, but faster and makes less mistakes.