13215 replies to this topic

[JimmyClark]

Today marks 4000 days since Alonso's last F1 win. 

[HistoryFan]

with Formula 1 discussing a new points structure I did some research:

 

In 2024 the top 5 collecting almost 98% of points

In 2010 it was 90%

In 1991 we had only points for 6 drivers and the top 3 teams collected 79% of the points. 12 teams scored points, 6 did not.

In 2002 the top 3 collected 85% of the points as did the top 4 teams in 2003 with now 8 places got points.

 

Now we have really less withdrawings. Verstappen finished 43 races consecutively (and in the points), only Hamilton had more (48). The longest span before the 21st century was Niki Lauda with 17 races in the 70s! No driver finished more than 13 races in a row in the 90s (record held by Irvine in 1999).

 

Today we have 3 teams without a point. 2012 was also a year with 3 teams without points, but we had 12 teams compared to 10 today.

Today only 7 teams collected points, that's a record of less teams in points.

The most teams in points were 16 in 1989, the most teams without points were 9 in 1990 (but with 19 teams competing).

 

In the last 40 years, 88 times a team was without a point in a year, with 36 different teams. Minardi had 0 points the most often (10 times), followed by Osella (6 times).

[Dan333SP]

With the rumors around Newey departing RBR and possibly going to Aston Martin, this got me thinking... who is the "worst" driver (however you want to quantify that) to have driven a Newey-designed car? My instinct is that it's clearly the Leyton House drivers Gugelmin and Capelli, with the nod going to Gugelmin, but setting aside that team it becomes more difficult when looking at his Williams/Mclaren/RBR careers... 

 

Anyway, the clear implication from my question is that Lance would be the "worst" driver to sit in one of Adrian's cars if that does happen, at least since the 90s. 

Edited by Dan333SP, 25 April 2024 - 18:21.

[F1Frog]

I think that, despite all his titles, the current era with Max Verstappen might be the first time that the best driver on the grid has driven the Adrian Newey car, apart from three races at the start of 1994.

[Dan333SP]

I think that, despite all his titles, the current era with Max Verstappen might be the first time that the best driver on the grid has driven the Adrian Newey car, apart from three races at the start of 1994.

 

That's a hot take but you're probably right as I think about it. Arguably the WDC winner was never lower than 2nd or 3rd best driver on the grid at the time of their title, and one could argue peak Hakkinen was Schumacher's equal, but otherwise yea very interesting. 

[KWSN - DSM]

With the rumors around Newey departing RBR and possibly going to Aston Martin, this got me thinking... who is the "worst" driver (however you want to quantify that) to have driven a Newey-designed car? My instinct is that it's clearly the Leyton House drivers Gugelmin and Capelli, with the nod going to Gugelmin, but setting aside that team it becomes more difficult when looking at his Williams/Mclaren/RBR careers... 

 

Anyway, the clear implication from my question is that Lance would be the "worst" driver to sit in one of Adrian's cars if that does happen, at least since the 90s. 

 

Gugelmin sound right, but I am not sure I know all of which drivers raced Newey cars in F1.

[Beri]

Isn't the March 82G also designed by Newey? In conjunction with Herd I would assume?
This car has bound to have had some sketchy driver in it I'd say.

[Dan333SP]

Gugelmin sound right, but I am not sure I know all of which drivers raced Newey cars in F1.

 

This is entirely off the top of my head but basically everyone at RBR since 2006. You could also argue the early STRs were Newey designs when they were identical to the RBR, but he didn't have day to day technical control so probably exclude them. 

 

RBR drivers: 

 

Coulthard

Klein 

Doornbos 

Webber

Vettel

Ricciardo

Kvyat

Verstappen

Gasly

Albon

Perez

 

Mclaren drivers: 

Coulthard

Hakkinen

Raikkonen

Montoya

de la Rosa

Wurz

 

Williams:

Patrese 

Mansell

Prost

Hill

Senna

Coulthard 

Villeneuve 

Frentzen

 

Leyton House/March:

Gugelmin

Cappelli 

 

 

Now that I look at this list, I'm not so sure Lance is any worse than a few of those RBR b-listers like Klein and Doornbos. 

 

Also kinda cool that DC has the distinction of driving cars designed by the same guy for 3 different teams. Wonder if that's a record. I can think of Schumacher working with Ross Brawn at Benetton/Ferrari/Mercedes, but Brawn was in different roles with all 3 teams and was never the designer. 

Edited by Dan333SP, 25 April 2024 - 19:22.

[DW46]

Jacques clearly the strongest. Open fight for second 🤣

Edited by DW46, 25 April 2024 - 19:43.

[Dan333SP]

Found Glenn Freeman's Autosport forums username! 

[PlatenGlass]

With the rumors around Newey departing RBR and possibly going to Aston Martin, this got me thinking... who is the "worst" driver (however you want to quantify that) to have driven a Newey-designed car? My instinct is that it's clearly the Leyton House drivers Gugelmin and Capelli, with the nod going to Gugelmin, but setting aside that team it becomes more difficult when looking at his Williams/Mclaren/RBR careers...

Anyway, the clear implication from my question is that Lance would be the "worst" driver to sit in one of Adrian's cars if that does happen, at least since the 90s.

Worst is obviously subjective but Capelli looked pretty decent at the time.

Edit - But with your later list including Klien and Doornbos, then along with Gugelmin I don't think Capelli is that near the bottom any more.

Edited by PlatenGlass, 25 April 2024 - 21:29.

[KWSN - DSM]

For no particular reason I can formulate I would change to Doornbos.

[PayasYouRace]

I don’t think Klien and Doornbos raced Newey’s cars though. His first for Red Bull was the 2007 car.

[Dan333SP]

I don’t think Klien and Doornbos raced Newey’s cars though. His first for Red Bull was the 2007 car.

True, I know he joined in 06 but I guess that wasn’t “his” car, so scratch those two.

[Dan333SP]

Maybe Kvyat was the “worst”? I guess shout for PdlR as well. Great guy, but clearly outclassed by 2005.

Edited by Dan333SP, 25 April 2024 - 23:59.

[noikeee]

Still would hire any of them over Lance. Unless it's a weird wet race and Lance is on "totally on it" mode.