Hamilton vs Rosberg and Button vs Perez in 2013

[zyphro]

Rosberg is most definitely a better driver than Button. Button could never have won a race with MGP in the past 3 years, yet Rosberg has. He has scored all the podiums MGP has achieved so far - bar one. Hamilton is entering the lion's den. But, is he aware ?

Maybe Hamilton's only advantage will be the fact that Rosberg has been underperforming lately. If he caries that into 2013, Lewis' job will be somewhat easier. But I fully expect Rosberg to return to form.

"Underperforming lately", not really: MSC has had the handle on him all year long.

It isn't a season slump, Schumacher is driving quicker than him over the course of the season so far - even if the points don't reflect that.

Hamilton's TR next season will be a treat - when he gets those diabolical strategy calls I've seen over the past three years for both MGP drivers.

[raymondu999]

Never having followed GP2, I actually just realized that Rosberg and Hamilton had the same team in GP2, and their GP2 teammate in their respective year (both won GP2 in their maiden seasons) were the same. Doesn't get much better for pseudo-comparisons.

In 2005 there were 12 rounds, with 2 races each. In 2006 there were 11 rounds with 2 races each.

2005:
Alexander Premat took 2 wins, 5 non-win podiums and totalled 67 points
Nico Rosberg took 5 wins, 6 non-win podiums and totalled 120 points.

2006:
Alexander Premat took 1 win, 7 non-win podiums and totalled 66 points
Lewis Hamilton took 5 wins, 7 non-win podiums and totalled 114 points.

That's 5 points per race for Nico on average in 2005, and 5.18 points per race for Lewis on average in 2006.

Hamilton took 172.7% of Premat's points tally in 2006, and Rosberg took 179.1% of Premat's points tally in 2005.

If we add in a bit of experience in Premat's favor for 2006 (as is clear when he took 3 points per race in 2006 compared to 2.79 in 2005) then things look like they're going to be closer than most people think. Nico probably will enjoy some home turf advantage too, at least in the first few races if not first half season.

[dren]

I expect Nico to out qualify Hamilton for about 1/3 to 1/2 the season. Then it'll be a close back and forth. I expect Hamilton to have better race pace.

As poor as Button's qualification pace has been lately, I don't know if Perez will even be able to match. As much as Button has his ups and downs in qualifying, Perez will surely take a few there. I expect Button to eat Perez up in the races.

[raymondu999]

I don't know. I'm still not convinced by Perez. I personally think his tyresaving feats have been mostly due to the car and due to him gambling on unused tyres at the starts (thanks due to his often not making Q3). I personally think that, considering the machinery at their disposal, the Force India boys have probably done a much better job.

In other news, the current tally is:

Hamilton 84% Rosberg 16%
Button 53% Perez 47%

[dren]

I don't know. I'm still not convinced by Perez. I personally think his tyresaving feats have been mostly due to the car and due to him gambling on unused tyres at the starts (thanks due to his often not making Q3). I personally think that, considering the machinery at their disposal, the Force India boys have probably done a much better job.

In other news, the current tally is:

Hamilton 84% Rosberg 16%
Button 53% Perez 47%

Wow, I think it'll be much closer than those numbers suggest between Hamilton and Rosberg. Button -should- smash Perez. I agree, I think his performances have been more down to the car and the available strategy options that it gave him.

[ScottB]

In the Hamilton Rosberg relationship, Rosberg has it all to prove.

Hamilton in his time in sport has had 3 team mates, in his rookie year, he went toe to toe with pound for pound the best driver in the sport, an average guy in Heikki who he wiped the floor with and Button, a good, but I think most would agree not quite top drawer driver in Button.

Rosberg has yet to be tested by a top drawer team mate in the sport, and I think an ageing Schumi can't be considered in the top drawer. It was rumoured that Rosberg and his Father shied away from Mclaren interest in the past. Next season will begin to the answer to the question, 'just how good is Nico' for me. Personally I expect him to be beaten comfortably, as Schumi has outpaced him for much of the year, and I would have to assume Lewis is a faster driver.

As for Button and Perez, it's difficult to tell how good Perez is, at points he's been brilliant, but at others he's been rather slow. Have his good performances been all his doing, luck with the tyres, a Sauber that is exceptionally good on its tyres, team strategy calls or a mix of all of those? In any case his Mclaren is unlikely to be so easy on the rubber, and if he's doing his job right he won't be getting the benefit of starting races on fresh rubber anymore. I'd expect Button to beat him comfortably too.

[godlameroso]

Regarding Perez, his performances have been up and down, mostly because the car is good in some areas and marginal in others. In circuits that have a lot of technical corners that require good stability under braking the Sauber team is hopelessly outclassed. In circuits that have high average speeds with long high speed corners as well as braking events that happen only in a straight line, they do very well. From the way the drivers of the Sauber are constantly sawing away at the wheel it leads me to believe they run strange toe settings in front. While this alleviates tire wear it also makes the car twitchy more so under braking than on corner exit.

[raymondu999]

I think it's their aero map actually. I think their aero map is one of, if not the strongest in the field, in the higher range. All their podiums (and good qualifying) results have all come in high speed - be it straits or corners. Suzuka, Spa, Malaysia, Canada, Monza. All VERY fast.

[raymondu999]

Godlameroso - unconventional in what way? Huge amounts? Toe in/out?

[schick]

I would expect McLaren to slip in overall performance and Perez will be the least of Ron Dennis problems, Perez will make Button out for the imposter he is.
Nico will give Hamilton a very hard time, especially if he gets into Hamilton's head, expect the toy throwing to begin when Nico out qualifies him, Hamilton racing in mid field with the dunces will be excruciating and I don't think he stable enough to handle it. Hamilton racing for Mercedes says more about Mercedes, ask Brawn.

[Websta]

Perez will make Button out for the imposter he is.

Not exactly sure what you mean, but I highly doubt Perez will manage anything that Hamilton couldn't in his three year tenure with Button as his team mate.

[Just_a_fan]

Hamilton in his time in sport has had 3 team mates, in his rookie year, he went toe to toe with pound for pound the best driver in the sport, an average guy in Heikki who he wiped the floor with [...]

As for Button and Perez, it's difficult to tell how good Perez is, at points he's been brilliant, but at others he's been rather slow. [...] I'd expect Button to beat him comfortably too.

I expect Button / Perez to be the same as Hamilton / Heikki. If not, then Button has some questions to answer. Sure, Perez will have good days and out qualify / race Button but I can't see it being anything other than an occasional blip.

Heikki has said that Perez needs to make the most of his chance with McLaren. I bet he still feels that he didn't do so when he was there.

[Nando]

Hamilton racing in mid field with the dunces will be excruciating and I don't think he stable enough to handle it. Hamilton racing for Mercedes says more about Mercedes, ask Brawn.

“Vettel is lucky to have such a dominant car and for so long. For whatever reasons, we did not have that fast enough and consistent car,” observed Hamilton. “But I have no complaints. Next year the title is out of question for me, seeing the picture realistically, but I will try to make a comeback in 2014.”

"It was a tough decision to leave a team with which I have been since I was a teenager. But, these things happen and who knows maybe someday before I end my career I might even be racing in a Ferrari car!"

http://totalf1.com/full_story/view/4340 ... s_in_2013/


Seems like he knows full well what he´s gotten himself into.

[raymondu999]

Cerebrally at least, he does know. But feeling something and knowing something is very different. But is he expecting it? To be fair, he didn't handle it too bad in 2009 and still put some stonking drives in - but that was a half a year thing, and there was still the added bonus of the love affair that was still alive between him and McLaren.

Ever had that feeling of "Oh gosh - I didn't think it was going to be this hard!" before? If you do you'll know what I mean.

Note that I don't necessarily think he will go through such a mental situation - but it's food for thought.

[godlameroso]

Godlameroso - unconventional in what way? Huge amounts? Toe in/out?

I'm not claiming to know the exact values but it seems that the car is very skittish under certain loadings of the suspension.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0TJ7z771GU[/youtube]

to me that seems to suggest a slight toe in at the front that might cause the car to wonder towards the turn, and have other consequences that I'm not going to bother naming. This might explain their lack of braking stability relative to other teams and also their preservation of tires and difficulty in turning them on in one lap.

They try to exploit this principle because they have an incredibly effective front end. The rest of the car, is well designed but unfortunately due to budget not well developed, at least relative to the competition.