Miguel wrote:Those stats, as always, only tell half the story. The 2012 Williams is perhaps the only decent car that Maldonado has ever driven, and may well be the best car williams had designed since, who knows, 2005? One must not forget that, until Hamilton and Maldonado got red mist, they were going to finish 2nd and 3rd in Valencia (a valuable result for *both*). Maldonado was also enroute to a podium in Singapore until, unbelievably, a DNF not of his making. That day he was out of reach of Alonso.
Let me repeat that: faster than Alonso. In Singapore.
Maldonado is far from the worst driver, paydriver or not, we've seen. He's far too trigger happy, and that's helped create the internet monster that he currently is. Unlike Bruno Senna, Maldonado has some real speed inside. Given the current price of oil, though, this discussion will probably be academic in a few months.
Yes, yes and yes again! Just needed to quote this one, it sums up my thoughts exactly.
bhall II wrote:Don't most drivers realize pretty quickly that it's --- pointless to have knowledge of "the limit" if you can't keep yourself from crossing it "every time"?
This is also true. But I think the issue goes a bit deeper. Pastor has a bit of a Senna attitude. Hamilton does too, although 2014 and 2015 have shown a much more calculated approach by him. Given the choice however, if one of these two drivers find themselves in the position where they see a gap; 9 times out of 10 (okay, in Maldonados case, it may be 15 out of 10, the +5 stemming from him seeing imaginary gaps
- just kidding) they
will go for it. This has often created the sense that these drivers see themselves as above the rest and will simply march through, with little thought to any consequences if it doesn't pan out. Senna had this too, and impressively, he gained a pyschological advantage because of it. In many head-track battles, it would often be the other drivers decision if to crash, or back out and hand him the place. Hamilton has this element of agressiveness too. When he goes for a gap, he goes with it with a level of commitment that often results in moves and overtakes that are mesmerizing to watch.
As said in a previous post - the reason why Hamilton is whorshiped for it and Maldonado not - has a lot to do over which positions these drivers are battling it out. When you are battling at the front, you have a lot to lose. Everyone does. Because the difference between a top 3 finish and a DNF are at least 15 points. Way down the grid where Maldonado often finds himself battling for positions; the point spread is perhaps 5 points to 0. Or 0 to DNF.
In 2014, these are the points of the non-works team:
Force-India 155
Torro-Rosso 30
Lotus-Renault 10
Marussia-Ferrari 2
Sauber 0
Caterham 0
That is over 19 races and two drivers! If we devide it by 38 (19*2), Forcia-India scored a "mighty" 4 points per race on average, per driver. Torro-Rosso; 0.8. Lotus-Renault, the team Maldonado was driving for... 0.26. Marussia 0.05.
The point? That competition among the lower tier teams is brutal. And most often, these teams are even competing outside the points. We have drivers like Button who are probably on the other side of the spectrum... head-driven, calculated, technically risk free and therefore also consistent. They rarely go for gaps, because they see it as a futile attempt, so don't even attempt it in the first place. Maybe they are right. And on the other hand, you have drivers like Maldonado who are on the other side, perhaps a tad too agressive, but also driving in a very competitive surrounding where every point counts and there's potentially little to lose because the difference between 1 or 0 points and a DNF is nearly non-existant.
Maldonado has big balls, I give him that. And because he does, it would be great to see him at the front, like we did in Barcelona when he got that first win and showed great pace. Unfortunately for him, he's way back in a less than competitive car, so he often finds himself in trouble. And even if it's not his fault, people tend to go with it, blaming him, amusing themselves over it, because it's popular and fun to do so. Hey, I've done it too. But at the same time, I think it's great to have him in F1. Can't beat that kind of entertainment, for good or for worse.
For those on the bandwagon that Pastor is a crazy driver. He is. Definately. But Hamilton wasn't better when he was out of position. I think the same applies to Pastor to a degree.
