Have I talked Dan down? Why don't you quote me doing so.
You will find you can't. For me the bottom line is that RBR should take Kimi because he is better. Personally, I want Kimi in the top car.
With regards to getting the RBR seat you certainly have talked Dan down bourbon. For starters you've said the following about Ricciardo:
1. He's too inexperienced to get the seat even though he'll have 50 GPs under his belt by seasons end. (Vettel had only 26 races before being promoted)
2. "RBR doesn't need another wing man, who will clearly come in as a #2 driver by default"
3. "What will happen is that he will be in over his head and out of the sport in the blink of an eye. It isn't 2009 anymore; the expectations of a RBR driver are extremely high. Dan is still pretty wet behind the ears and I think it would be way too much pressure on him."
4'"RBR won't let him waste the seat - not even 1/2 a season. He'll be out and replaced if he can't produce WCC level points and Sebastian is doing so alone."
5."With the STRF guys, I fear it would be fairly dull racing - they still need more time."
6. "You have to know how to win races, you have to have the experience or the innate ability to get the most of out your car (whatever it takes) and earn the respect of your front running peers. Presently, on several fronts, Dan is far behind Mark, let alone Kimi at this stage. (Dan has won & led races, admittedly in lower classes, and he has got the most out of what is a midfield at best car. He's good wheel to wheel, is quick & races cleanly & as I said he'll soon have 50 GPs to his name. What more do you have to do to be given a chance in a better car?)
7. "I clearly stated that Dan is less experienced than Kimi - in every way - when it comes to racing. Kimi has gone through the experience of wheel to wheel at the front; he's been under maximum pressure in WDC/WCC win/lose situations; he has the respect of his peers which matters when they race against you. Dan is just the opposite of all of that, being young and yet to experience many of these things."
8. "I don't feel like dealing with Dan in RBR - actually I won't, so I'd rather see someone else get the seat - but from a performance standpoint, he'll probably do as well as any other "non-topgun rookie in a top car" in the seat, so whatever."
9. "Ricciardo isn't a young gun. His equipment may never have approached the STRF Monza 2008 special (aka, best car in the history of F1 - ever tongue.gif ), but that is beside the point. If Ricciardo was a young gun, this debate would not be taking place." (What's a young gun in F1 exactly bourbon? How can you show you're a young gun when you don't have the car to do it?)
That enough for you bourbon?
I know you don't hate Dan but you do talk him down on the topic at hand. Like you I love Kimi & would love to see him get the gig but i'm not letting my fandom affect my objectivity. If Dan the the drive he'll surprise many doubters here just like the Seb doubters did.
Edit: my comments are in blue.
Edited by DILLIGAF, 27 July 2013 - 15:02.