Talented field of drivers

[ShiftingGears]

The talent level is pretty immense this year. Compared to ten years ago there were a lot more second-rate drivers than now. Some of the most competitive guys in the field ten years ago were Hill, Villeneuve and Hakkinen and right now, with Kimi, Massa, Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel and Kubica we have drivers that are a step up from them.

[woody2goody]

Well when you have 4 GP winners (Button, Coulthard, Fisichella, Barrichello) in the lower midfield you know it is a good year.

The 'worst' drivers are supposed to be Piquet, Sutil and Nakajima and they are pretty good too despite what some people say.

[jens]

I agree. If we indeed compare current grid to the one we had 10 years ago, then I think any driver on the grid at the moment is superior to the likes of Rosset, Nakano, Takagi (despite showing some promise), Diniz and Magnussen if we take 1998 as an example. Maybe Tuero too, didn't see enough of him.

[TMorel]

now we just need them all to get good consistent cars under them so we can see that talent

[millencolin]

now we just need them all to get good consistent cars under them so we can see that talent

throw them all into A1gp then :p :

[Mark]

I would tend to agree. Most of the drivers in the field today are there because of their talent. Unlike say 12 years ago where we'd have a significant number of pay-to-drive drivers on the grid. Having said that it's partly because there are less seats available than there were.

[DazzlaF1]

I agree. If we indeed compare current grid to the one we had 10 years ago, then I think any driver on the grid at the moment is superior to the likes of Rosset, Nakano, Takagi (despite showing some promise), Diniz and Magnussen if we take 1998 as an example. Maybe Tuero too, didn't see enough of him.

He was only 19 at the time i think, he had potential, but came in way too early.

Whats he doing now?

[Sleeper]

He was only 19 at the time i think, he had potential, but came in way too early.

Whats he doing now?
TC2000 in Argentina.

[wedge]

The talent level is pretty immense this year. Compared to ten years ago there were a lot more second-rate drivers than now. Some of the most competitive guys in the field ten years ago were Hill, Villeneuve and Hakkinen and right now, with Kimi, Massa, Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel and Kubica we have drivers that are a step up from them.

No pay drivers, unless you count Kazuki/Toyota.

I think it shows you how well drivers are managed these days like the Red Bull programme, customer cars and the amount of money flashed by teams/manufacturers these days.

[555-04Q2]

Yeah, the grid is full of fast and young drivers at the moment. As long as Max and Bernie dont fool around with F1 too much, the next 10 years should be great ones :up:

[Mifune]

Well when you have 4 GP winners (Button, Coulthard, Fisichella, Barrichello) in the lower midfield you know it is a good year.



Although years have elapsed since any of them won a race, it could just as easily be regarded as has-beens stagnating the driver market. Not that I agree with that but I would like to see some established US OWR driver making the haul across the Atlantic rather than watching Fisichella and Barrichello milking their careers for every last cent for yet another season.
Anyway it wont matter how talented the field is if we continue to have grids that produce only two front running cars at the most per race weekend.