raymondu999 wrote:I have the same impression on Di Resta. The way he speaks comes across to me as if he's saying, "I beat the guy who is the reigning triple-back-to-back champ, so it must be the car."
It was Will Buxton who revealed that Force India engineers often complained of Di Resta, because he was something of a diva. Whenever he qualifies poorly it's always a team fault. He seems to me as a guy who tries to cover his own ass too. For example he was saying how he was equal to Hulkenberg in 2012, comparing their equal-best finishes of P4, and even saying, "we both led races - I did in Bahrain and he did in brazil." Which is a complete farce. Leading the race on pace after overtaking the best cars in the field (he overtook ferraris, McLarens and red bulls to lead in brazil) is not the same as leading because you haven't pitted and everyone else has. Not to mention he only lead a lap.
Pretty much how I feel.
I think he believes he is something special because he beat Vettel 7 years ago.
And a word on Hulkenburg, I feel he is unbelievably good, probably the best of rest, and perhaps up their with Alonso/Vettel/Hamiltons of this world (big claim I know), however unfortunate to not have been elevated to a top team so we can't be sure.
Websta wrote:
Vettel is not the first top F1 driver to be beaten by a team mate in a junior F1 series. Di Resta himself was beaten by a significant margin in his first Euro F3 season by both Vettel (driving for a different team, also his first season) and even more so by Lucas DiGrassi who was DiResta's team mate at the time. If we are going to give lots of credit to DiResta beating Vettel in 06, then DiGrassi should be getting even more praise as he beat DiResta by a much larger margin than DiResta beat Vettel. There are many other examples involving other drivers. There's a reason why top-flight careers are not judged based on performance in junior racing championships...
Not that I have any problem saying DiResta beat Vettel in F3, as it is a true fact. But I don't like the way DiResta is continually bringing it up in interviews as if his performance over a single season in a not-exactly-top-flight championship over 7 years ago makes him on-par with the current 3x WDC Vettel (or in the case of the below quote, 2x WDC Vettel). Vettel has massively improved since he joined F1, he is most definitely not the same driver as he was back in 2006.
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2011/12/p ... -best-car/
“We had the same car, same engine, same tyres and I beat him,” said Di Resta. “I don’t want to diminish Vettel’s achievement (this year), but he won the championship because he had the best car. He did his job, but another driver in the same car would probably have achieved the same results. I hope one day to have the same opportunity.”
I
do like DiResta as a driver; he is smart and pretty consistent and quick. But he has a
massive chip on his shoulder - frequently complaining about and blaming poor luck rather than taking responsibility, diminishing Vettel's achievements, and now publicly blaming and shaming his engineering staff. I agree with OP that if I were Findia management, I would not be happy about it.
And the only team mate comparison he should be concerned about is his one last year vs Hulkenburg, who is his main competition for a top flight seat.
I think there has been a lot of maturing done to greater and lesser degrees.
Both these guys were late teens, early 20s, and people mature very differently.
Vettel's progress is remarkable, gifted the title in 2010 by Webber choking in quali and a strategic error from the prancing horse, and then storming away with the title in 2011 based on good quali pace. In all honesty, I didn't really rate him highly during those seasons, and I felt there were several drivers who would have easily won in 2010 and 2011, given the same equipment.
2012 he impressed me, though he was helped by Grosjean, and this year he seems to have just brought it all together even more. The pace, the ability to race hard and still bring the car home with all 4 wheels on it when others his age and older are chucking theirs at the wall every other weekend.
In 2010 and 2011, I felt there were a good few drivers that could have won the title in the manner which he could. Now though I feel there is perhaps only 2 or 3 which you could say are in his league. The aliens of F1 who always make the best out of their car and circumstance.
The point is, as a casual observer I can see great improvements from Vettel, so I don't believe DiResta's attitude is justified, as you have eluded to.
