Team Mate Comparison

in OPINION by admin — March 13, 2010 at 7:16 am | 1 comment

Team mate – the great non-sequitor

Whilst there has been much evidence to counter the assertion, F1 is a team sport. When the WDC is crowned there is that suspicion that they are taking the plaudits when much of their success was due to those oily and, it has to be said, plumpish mechanics being sprayed with champagne. A drenching: not much reward for all that work even if it is quality pop.

It is different when two team mates go head to head. There can be no argument when drivers are using identical machinery and one beats the other. At least until the following season. It is, after all, the only way to judge relative ability.

The only argument is the bit about ‘identical machinery’. Mansell complained of inferior engines to Piquet in the Honda/Williams years, his evidence being that he was slower along the straits for no apparent reason. Many, and I’m irritated to say that it included me, put this down to the Mansell Whinge. When Honda eventually admitted to altering his engine management system to suit his style of driving, many, and it included me, thought that much had been lost in translation. There can be few driving styles that required lower top end power.

There have been suggestions that many lead drivers have just that, a lead over their team mate. Johnny Herbert reckons that his biggest mistake, the Brands Hatch F2 race aside, was to outqualify Michael Schumacher as from then on his access to Schumacher’s setup and data was withdrawn whilst there was no reciprocal agreement. Whether this would have made any difference to their relative results is, of course, a matter of opinion. We will never know and that’s what makes it a good pub subject.

Two of the most remarkable seasons of recent years, well fairly recent, were when Prost and Senna did battle against one another in McLarens. Arguments about who was the better still rage when beer flows but what is unarguable is that both seasons were compulsive viewing despite there being just the two drivers in it. Indeed, one season McLaren won all but one GP, Senna being taken out by a jobbing driver in a Williams at the Italian GP allowing a 1-2 Ferrari finish. Many cycnics believe – but that’s better left unsaid.

What makes those seasons, when two drivers go head to head in equal machinery, so fascinating is that could be no excuses.

Unfortunately there were excuses, and many of them.

The Alonso and Hamilton year, again in the McLaren, seemed nothing but excuses and allegation, and they are still coming. There was the suggestion of preferential treatment, the playing field not being too level, of someone at sometime not being all that nice. We will never know who said what to whom and when. Many of us can’t be that bothered to find out. So lots of excuses in fact.

This season promises to be a classic year for excuses as we have a number of potential team mate battles.

McLaren might well prove that lightning repeats itself. A WDC and an ex-WDC: lots of potential there for mischief. Ron Dennis was adamant that his drivers received identical cars with identical technical support. To be fair to Alonso, he never said that Hamilton received a better car. At the time his complaint was that he wasn’t treated as a number one driver and, to be fair to Dennis, he agreed.

Button is in a difficult position. Never one to stay where he isn’t wanted, or at least where he doesn’t want to be, he has chosen McLaren knowing that he will not receive the treatment (let’s leave money out of the argument) he might have reasonably expected in almost any other team and against almost any other team mate. He has that magic number on his car and much will be expected of him.

There have been considerable forum threads on who will come out on top at McLaren. There is little argument against it being fascinating.

Alonso and Massa is slightly different. Ferrari of the fairly recent past have not shown themselves averse to favouring one driver above another but the politics of the current pairing makes things a wee bit different.

Massa impressed me, and many others, with the way he took his defeat against Hamilton. The fact that he is coming back to the team after such a horrendous injury will, I assume, endear him to the Tiffosi. I hope he does well. Into this comes Alonso.

After his experience with McLaren one would assume that he has promises about his team status. If he is not assured of number one treatment then I would be surprised. I would also be surprised if such assurances would be honoured if Massa puts in excellent performances against him.

Alonso starts with a considerable advantage over Massa but so much will depend on the way he handles himself.

But all eyes will be on Schumacher. Those who expect equal treatment with Nico should not be allowed out with a credit card. Merc have paid a fortune for him, of that there is little doubt, and they will demand full return on investment. And they will not get that if their number two keeps beating him.

Merc will not want to appear as if they have made a mistake in their choice.

Only the very brave or very stupid would make predictions at this stage of the season as to Schumacher’s race speed with just the shake-down to go on. However, I remember him having to be called back to racing after he broke his legs at Silverstone. The question that keeps going through my mind is whether he has the commitment, let alone the stamina, for a full 19 race season. Kids slow you down in more ways than one.

And there are more of course. Whether Williams will or will not be on the pace is a matter of some conjecture, but the battle between Rubens Barichello and Nico Hulkenberg could well describe that between experience and youth. We have, possibly, a classic in the making.

Many might have felt that Force India were merely in the championship to provide something for Eddie Jordan to talk about on television but they surprised many, including me. Who will come out on top between Sutil and Luizzi?

To the more cynical amongst us, for Toro Rosso’s scuderia all the betting might be on which driver gets sacked first.

If you want to start an argument, and what F1 fan doesn’t, then just make a bold and dramatic statement suggesting that either Vettel or Webber will trounce his team mate this season. It seemed to be the most divisive pairing, at least as far as fans were concerned, on the grid.

You might think that what we need is some form of statistically robust method of judging each driver against the other race on race but that would be against the morals of every F1 fan as it would negate all argument. What we want is a subjective, prejudiced, off-the-cuff, seat-of-the-pants, cliché ridden system with little or no logic. And that it what Pitlane will provide throughout the season.

Moriarty

www.writewheel.co.uk