Adam@Autometrics

Has a pair of #1 drivers ever worked for a championship contender? Serious question. Being friends, Kimi and Seb would probably be okay for a season. But if Kimi did make the move, it would suggest to me that Sebastian is also planning a move.

perfectlap

Prost and Senna at McLaren would be the most explosive. They nearly won every race of the season but one.

You could probably argue Mansell Piquet at Williams.

Recently would be Raikkonen and Montoya at McLaren.

If the pairing have the best car, one of the two will absolutely win the WDC.

Adam@Autometrics

If the Senna documentary was to be believed, I would not describe that as "working."
And I didn't think McLaren was competitive in its Kimi days. I have no knowledge going back to Mansell/Piquet, but if you have to go back that far, then its probably not a great idea to have two #1 drivers...

multi21

McLaren was very competitive in the Kimi days and had the fastest car for sure, but it was not reliable as Kimi was left on the side of the track more than a handful of times while comfortably leading races.

The rules are written to favor a clear #1 and #2. Although not intended to be the #1 going in his rookie year, 2007 proved to be a story of two #1 drivers in the same team that did not win the championship with the fastest car. Surprising both Alonso and more importantly Ron Dennis, Hamilton was expected to take a year or two under a double world champion before he was up to speed. However, a string of podium finishes followed by his first win in North America showed that Hamilton was ready and infact led the points well after the mid season mark.

In the end, there cannot be two bulls in the pen and both lost out in the championship by one point to Kimi in the Ferrari. Alonso left McLaren soon after and went back to Renault leaving Hamilton as the clear #1 at Mac. It wasn't until Button arrived from a fresh WDC himself at Brawn GP that there was some talk of two #1 back at McLaren. Both Hamilton and Button went back and forth on who had more points at the end of the season, but they probably worked as best as two supposed #1s can.

Larry L

The best era of F1. Even though McHonda won everything in sight, the Senna/Prost pairing kept it interesting.

jbossolo

I for one would love to see Kimi give Vettel some hell driving the same car. That "friendship" will last about two qualifying sessions.

multi21

With Vergnes two recent DNFs, the picture is looking more clear...


Ricciardo promoted to Red Bull test roster
16 July 2013

2014 Red Bull hopeful Daniel Ricciardo will run with the team during this week's Young Driver test at Silverstone.

Ricciardo promoted to Red Bull test roster

Red Bull Racing may have given the firmest clue yet to Daniel Ricciardo's candidature for the 2014 vacancy alongside Sebastian Vettel by promoting the Australian to its line-up for this week's Young Driver test at Silverstone.

Changes to the conditions regarding the test allow teams to run experienced drivers as they try to get to grips with the latest Pirelli tyres being introduced for the forthcoming Hungarian Grand Prix, and Red Bull has responded by shuffling its timetable to accommodate Ricciardo – who appears to be going head-to-head with Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen for Mark Webber's seat – alongside both 2013 race drivers and protégés António Félix da Costa and Carlos Sainz.

Ricciardo will now take over from da Costa for the permitted tyre testing on the afternoon of day one (17 July), while Webber and Vettel will run after lunch on days two and three respectively. da Costa will return to the cockpit on Thursday morning, with Sainz now running the opening session on day three.

Red Bull also claims that da Costa's split test 'fulfils the team's commitment to grant the mid-season leader of the World Series by Renault a full day's test in the RB9'.

leejo

First Kimi to Red Bull, then Vettel to Ferrari in 2 years. I suspect Ricciardo's placement on the test roster is has more to do with Kimi's negotiation$ than anything.

perfectlap

It shouldn't. It left a lot of important stuff out. It's also NOT the best documentary about Senna. The one that came out about 4 years after his death was miles better. Also, winning nearly every single race of the season but one (the magical 90+%) is about as close to "working" as you get. Rubens and Michael never pulled that off, although the Austria-gate disgrace nearly got them there. Nor did Alonso or Vettel with their #2's cross the 90% winning.

Having two #1 drivers without having the best car, is the best way to ensure the maximum number of con$tructor$ points. When you have the best car, having two #1 drivers gives the fans a great show and helps the sport tremendously. Having a boot-licker team mate while in a dominant car makes for a season like 2004 or whatever when you're falling asleep 10 laps into the race because you already know who won.

You may never see such a thing ever again. Two of the top three drivers of the modern era in the last of the truely exiciting F1 cars. While it was indeed like firing off fire works from an oil tanker, it was an impressive spectacle until it got out of control.

333pg333

From memory a few years ago after the season had completed, Ricciardo drove an RBR around one of the Middle East tracks and recorded faster times than both Vettel and Webber. May not be very relevant but the kid can drive. On the other hand, get the feeling that if Vettel has any choice in the matter, he's not going to have another Aussie in the team.

ltc

I doubt nationality plays a role in determining a teammate for Vettel at RBR.
Webber was just a douche (Interlagos was THE example), which is pretty much independent of nationality.

If Vettel had an issue with Australians, I am sure he would have boycotted the Melbourne F1 race by now.

I'm fairly confident Ricciardo could drive well enough in an RBR chassis to help secure a Constructor's Championship, which is all he would be asked to do; I don't believe there are any delusions of grandure regarding seeing him become World Champion.
Clearly Kimi could help secure a Constructors AND challenge for a World Driving Championship.
JEV seems to have a little too much Grojean in him ... I wouldn't put him in an RBR. If his feelings are hurt by not being chosen, there are other drivers that Toro Rosso could put in his place.

TrackDays247.com

My $ on one of the Williams drivers...

333pg333

lol...you do make me laugh...