|
Wise words from littleman, and indeed from Russfeld. I cannot understand how some drivers can just stay in a class for 3 years, say. How do they afford to do this? Like Danny Watts for example, or Alx Danielsson up for his 3rd year of FFord? I guess that they get keener prices than the learning drivers, if they can claim a realistic shot at the title, so that may be all they could afford. In which case, if they then win (or come top 3) they have a better chance of securing backing for the next class up, and better chance of a decent price for a race seat. So it might work for the best this way - a kind of natural selection.
The rich ones will always be able to buy their way into the top seats of course, but I'm not certain what sort of a confidence this gives a driver. Sometimes the line between confidence and unfounded arrogance bestowed by equipment advantages is a thin one.
I agree, different people mature at different rates. It is normally best to let people mature at their own rate, be that meteoric at first then burn out, or slow then gathering pace with experience and confidence, which is the best way if you can do it, I think ... it means that if the driver is good, then his/her confidence is built on the firm foundations of experience, of seeing through the highs and lows (like Justin Wilson, fingers crossed for him) instead of the brash confidence of youth. Don't get me wrong, I always used to wish I was as confident as some youths, but when someone finally EARNS the right to their confidence, it oozes out of them in a palpable way.
Sometimes everyone needs pushing, of course, it's just a matter of finding the key to a driver's motivation and unlocking his/her full potential.
Brash swaggering confidence will certainly get you the initial edge over the more normal or shy driver, but I don't think that too many of the true greats start this way, and anyway, it's crass! I like to see the confidence borne of achievement, rather than the blinkered self-belief of some drivers that turn in to tantrums when bad luck or someone better comes along.
|