Motorsports Thread

[FishFright]

You'd actually be surprised. Ever wonder why various drivers, over the course of history, have insisted on a mediocre teammate...

OK, it's not the only reason, but it's one of the reasons. There's a pathological fear of being upstaged.

Your biggest opposition is you team mate

 

[Reynard]

Your biggest opposition is you team mate

Litmus test is probably closer to the truth. Given that you are ostensibly using the same kit.

Although that's not always the case as we well know.

Two (driver) heads are usually better than one when it comes to developing a car, but sometimes, the quickest driver isn't always the best problem-solver. The classic case-in-point here is Senna, as his best successes / flashy performances came in cars largely developed by other drivers.

 

[Tom B]

Two (driver) heads are usually better than one when it comes to developing a car, but sometimes, the quickest driver isn't always the best problem-solver. The classic case-in-point here is Senna, as his best successes / flashy performances came in cars largely developed by other drivers.

The problem is with today's cars that seem to work in a couple of very narrow bands you need two drivers who both have a similar driving style and requirements from a car to perform well. Otherwise you end up with the red bull situation in 2024. The problem is exasperated when you have a team focussed on one driver who is at, perhaps the far end of the envelope or spectrum and takes the car development with them.

Then even an otherwise decent teammate looks crap.

 

[Reynard]

The problem is with today's cars that seem to work in a couple of very narrow bands you need two drivers who both have a similar driving style and requirements from a car to perform well. Otherwise you end up with the red bull situation in 2024. The problem is exasperated when you have a team focussed on one driver who is at, perhaps the far end of the envelope or spectrum and takes the car development with them.

Then even an otherwise decent teammate looks crap.

Yes and no.

One of the biggest issues here is the mental browbeating that goes on behind the scenes that we never really see. Well, except for Red Bull, where Herr Marko et al are known for publicly stirring the doo doo.

Sometimes that background needle worked quite well e.g. Piquet & Mansell at Williams (although Mansell's buttons are ridiculously easy to press) and at other times it can be quite detrimental - as we saw with Max and Checo these last couple of seasons. Makes you wonder how much Checo was paid *not* to wallop Max in the chops, because let's face it, who of us hasn't been tempted?