Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team 2015

[ME4ME]

I think it's all about the hunger for success. Vettel want's it more, thus his effort is higher on/off the track, and also focus is increased. That means on track he is more adaptable to changes, better prepared and makes less mistakes. Put that together and you get a driver which uses opportunities and tackles problems better.

If that hunger, for whatever reason doesn't exist, you get the Vettel of 2014 who got beaten by Ricciardo, or a 2015-edition Rosberg, or a 2011-2013 edition Massa (who has his hunger and self confidence restored since the second half of 2014 at Williams).

[alexx_88]

Goal posts keep changing. What I objected was " the Ferrari had a significant pace advantage compared to Merc" as far as Malaysian race is concerned. I did not claim Ferrari beat a 1 sec faster Mercedes there, certainly not with respect to race pace.

But it did have a pace advantage, for the Malaysian race, the Ferrari was the better car. Just take a look at their stint comparison. http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2015/03/a ... -mercedes/

My initial response was in regards to what ChrisF1 said, where he judged domination by number of wins/season. Truth is that the races Mercedes didn't win, it was not because of some surreal level achieved by their competitors for a weekend, but rather because their car, for some reason or another, was unable to produce the same level of performance.

[Sevach]

1996 Spain was epic win in wet.

Yes absolutely.

Spa was straight fight with Villeneuve, Ferrari made a better pitcall that put MS infront, but after that JV had about half the race to challenge MS but couldn't, at a track like Spa where it is possible, but MS managed to keep him at a safe distance all the way to the end.
Hill wasn't a factor in this race for whatever reason(i see here finished a strange 5th), Villeneuve monstered him in qualifying and was the faster Williams from the beggining anyways.

In Monza Villeneuve had power problems(?) and Hill clipped the (silly) tire barrier while leading and going away from everybody, MS got that one as gift the Williams'es were superior by quite a margin there.

[PlatinumZealot]

Good point but what I was saying is that the gap widens between those two when upgrades are brought is it due to Vettel loving the improved rear grip and Kimi getting understeer due to that is that the reason?

Also surprising hearing you praising Vettel PZ

It is all relative.

[siskue2005]

Vettel Stops Ferrari Singapore 2015 Celebration To Get Kimi’s Name Added To Pitboard

respect when it is due

[Vasconia]

I have to admit, I never watched those 3 wins by Schumacher, but I'm guessing back then, the driver was a way bigger factor than he is today. I mean, years from now, people might remember Ricciardo's 3 wins with Redbull when he beat the 4 times world champion and against one of the most dominant cars in history... but being in the now and here, we all know better right? They only won because Mercedes had a meltdown on those 3 races.

Which is why I think comparing two careers of different eras to be rather pointless....

Two of those victories can be considered epic, specially the one achieved in Barcelona. That was beyond amazing and with no excuses from the dominant car about a loss of power/pace in that race.

[Schuttelberg]

Vettel is his own man. He can be compared to not just Schumacher, but plenty of other WDC. The constant comparisons obviously stem from his nationality, roots and friendship with Schumacher.

Personally, it's ridiculous to compare the two of them. Vettel has achieved more in the first part of his career than Schumacher did because he started out younger. But, he has everest in front of him. He not only has the herculean task of the massive numbers Michael amassed but also did them in very difficult cars and times (1996-2000). However, if Seb catches hold of a competitive package, he can reel of championships for fun. Can he match what Michael did in those cars in the late 90's? I doubt anyone ever can.

The Spain '96 drive was so ridiculous at the time that I was convinced he was using some sort of substance to enhance his performance. Of course, I was only ten years old, but that's about as unbelievable as sport can get. I've seen stuff similar from Alonso, Hamilton and Vettel, but not that level.

[Rikhart]

Kimi is the oldest driver on the grid and he is highly intelligent and as such I think he knows what he is doing with setup and preparation. The problem is that Vettel is just that much better than him. The battle between them is instriguing to say the least. I haven't found any strengths that Kimi has over Vettel. There just isn't anything you can point out. What we are seeing here is a great driver against a very good driver. There is no shame in it for Kimi and I think he has come to accept that.

You are seeing two great drivers in different points of their career/performance stage.

[Vasconia]

Kimi is the oldest driver on the grid and he is highly intelligent and as such I think he knows what he is doing with setup and preparation. The problem is that Vettel is just that much better than him. The battle between them is instriguing to say the least. I haven't found any strengths that Kimi has over Vettel. There just isn't anything you can point out. What we are seeing here is a great driver against a very good driver. There is no shame in it for Kimi and I think he has come to accept that.

You are seeing two great drivers in different points of their career/performance stage.

Absolutely, it would be great to compare Raikkonnen 2005 vs Vettel 2015 but sadly, we cant.

[WaikeCU]

I don't think that is so much the case. I think Vettel has that no. 1 status within Ferrari. You can't compare Kimi with Seb. We all know Kimi is a great driver, but he has that flamboyant character even though he's quite introvert towards media. Kimi has driven for top teams and have been very successful for them, but he just lacked that extra that would make him 'legendary' (depends how you look at it). Seb is something different. While he's still young, He is championship material, history in the making and Ferrari wants a piece of that regarding the recognition. It's the value and the history. If you open the record books and see Ferrari next to Seb's name, then that's what Ferrari really wants. That's also why Ferrari has such a rich and passionate racing pedigree. It's because they have been part of racing history and successes and that's including... Kimi Raikkonen.

[wickedz50]

Kimi is the oldest driver on the grid and he is highly intelligent and as such I think he knows what he is doing with setup and preparation. The problem is that Vettel is just that much better than him. The battle between them is instriguing to say the least. I haven't found any strengths that Kimi has over Vettel. There just isn't anything you can point out. What we are seeing here is a great driver against a very good driver. There is no shame in it for Kimi and I think he has come to accept that.

You are seeing two great drivers in different points of their career/performance stage.

Absolutely, it would be great to compare Raikkonnen 2005 vs Vettel 2015 but sadly, we cant.

All I know that Kimi beat both Lewis and Alonso to the title in 2007. Thats sufficient for me to say how good or bad he is.

[Vasconia]

But Kim won this title thanks to his great final races and the civil war inside McLaren. I would say that Kimi impressed me more in 2005 when he should have won, but that McLaren was as fast as fragile. In 2003 he showed a regularity almost unknown in his Ferrari years.

[Schuttelberg]

But Kim won this title thanks to his great final races and the civil war inside McLaren. I would say that Kimi impressed me more in 2005 when he should have won, but that McLaren was as fast as fragile. In 2003 he showed a regularity almost unknown in his Ferrari years.

2010- Vettel won because Webber crashed in Korea and Alonso couldn't pass Petrov.
2008- Hamilton won because of Glock.
2006- Alosno won because Schumacher's engine failed.
2009- Button won because Vettel was too inexperienced and Barrichello slightly over the hill.
2002- Schumacher won because he had the best car by a mile and his team mate was Barrichello.

5 World Champions- Each won because the other couldn't. Why? Because in that year they were the best. In our sport- 'Whoever wins is the champion. The rest is gossip.'

You become a champion because of your own hard work, desire and passion. Not because someone else f*cked up!

[Vasconia]

Err yes, but when you have two drivers of the same team ahead of you in the championship and it seems quite clear that one of them is going to win, and this doesnt happen because they start to f*ckt themselves. Its more than passion and commitment and blabla which gives you the chance of winning.

Kimi did a great job in the last races, but you cant ignore the fact that he was lucky.

By the way...

2010: Vettel won because he did a great job but Webber´s mistake and Ferrari´s incompetence helped a lot.
2009: Man, Button won because he had such a great advantage of points , the title was for him, even with a mediocre second half of the championship.
2008: Like 2010, a combination of good job with a LOT of lucky and mistakes.
2006: Normal championship, Alonso won because they did a great job in the first half gaining a good advantage. Even Michael said it.
2004/2003/2002/2001/2000: The best driver won, and Barrichelo would not be a real danger even with the same treatment.

[Schuttelberg]

Err yes, but when you have two drivers of the same team ahead of you in the championship and it seems quite clear that one of them is going to win, and this doesnt happen because they start to f*ckt themselves. Its more than passion and commitment and blabla which gives you the chance of winning.

Kimi did a great job in the last races, but you cant ignore the fact that he was lucky.

By the way...

2010: Vettel won because he did a great job but Webber´s mistake and Ferrari´s incompetence helped a lot.
2009: Man, Button won because he had such a great advantage of points , the title was for him, even with a mediocre second half of the championship.
2008: Like 2010, a combination of good job with a LOT of lucky and mistakes.
2006: Normal championship, Alonso won because they did a great job in the first half gaining a good advantage. Even Michael said it.
2004/2003/2002/2001/2000: The best driver won, and Barrichelo would not be a real danger even with the same treatment.

The best driver won every year. It is completely your interpretation that when two drivers in the same team are ahead it takes luck to win. It's hard to separate Kimi's second half of the season and Lewis' first half. It's easy to sit in front of a keyboard and 'blabla' about luck. Quite another to become a F1 World Champion.