Mainly because the car performance potential obviously colours how we judge driver performance.mcdo wrote:2007 was Kubica's first full season. Heidfeld also beat Raikkonen in 2001Laz_T800 wrote:I think Kubica is a solid driver but when his benchmark was Nick Heidfeld and Vitaly Petrov, I'm unsure I could bestow such accolades on him. Nick beat him in 07 and 09.mcdo wrote:He was the star of the show for me in 2008. Spinning off in Silverstone is the only time I can recall him putting a foot wrong. And blew me away a number of times in 2010 - so much so that I still think he put a better season together than any of the title contendersDOLOMITE wrote:I like Kubica as a person, but I never quite bought into the hype. One attrition based win and a minimal margin over Heideld wasnt enough to convince me. I know the other drivers rate him, but I also remember Fisichella being viewed in the same way..
Di Resta, again, nice enough guy, had a shot but didn't really show signs if being anything more than competent.
It would have been interesting to see him against a rated team mate as to better gauge where he really stood.
Either way I greatly admired Heidfeld. I don't know if any other modern day driver was screwed over so many times.
- Lined up for a McLaren seat - in walks Kimi
- First (and only) genuine opportunity at a race win - aaah we'll go with the other guy
- Lined up for a Mercedes seat - in walks Michael bloody Schumacher
- Driving a Lotus with the dodgiest of designs - gets the sack. Then of course they put together their stellar 2012 machine![]()
Dude couldn't catch a break. And now he's Quick Nick with the most races/no wins record, a journeyman teammate that you should be embarrassed to lose to. Well he was no all-time great but he was better than the stats show
What does the guy in the other car have to do with it anyway? Kubica drove better than anyone else in 2008 and there's a strong case for 2010. Put Fred Flintstone in the other BMW or Renault and I don't know why that should lessen Kubica's performance. It's an open secret that he was going to be in the other Ferrari in 2012. The match-up you crave would have happened if things didn't go a certain way
As you say, Kubica drove well in 2008 and most acknowledge that.
Swap Nick for say Alonso as his team mate.
If Kubica still comes out on top that would be an immense performance.
If Alonso had on the other hand romped to a easy WDC, well that says a completely different thing.
What I'm saying is that I thought Heidfeld was only a journeyman driver, usually rated about 8-12 IMHO across the driver field.
So was Kubica's performance in 2008 up to par with the car or would a proven WDC have put it on another level.