The biggest surprises of 2013

[Knowlesy]

Hamilton was slightly better than Rosberg over the season for me. Only slightly!

Two places in an opinion poll is hardly a massive slight in any case.

[m355y]

The Autosport list is weird this year. I don't think there were too many drivers who had an impressive season this year. Alonso, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Button and Webber all had fairly ordinary campaigns by their usual standards. Fernando did alright and had some excellent races, ditto Hamilton and Raikkonen, but if we're talking ones who've genuinely been impressive then Rosberg, Grosjean and Hulkenberg really, as well as Seb.

1. Vettel
2. Hulkenberg
3. Grosjean
4. Alonso
5. Rosberg
6. Hamilton
7. Raikkonen
8. Webber
9. Perez
10. Button

Would probably be my list. Looks harsh on some of them but if we're talking drivers who've actually impressed or caught the eye then you bump down the established drivers who've finished higher in the points but had comparatively ordinary seasons. Good as Bottas has looked too, I don't think he warranted a top ten position.

[Teretonga]

I rate Hulkenberg a top 10 but not in the top 3. Perez I also rate in the top ten Perez looked good in 2012 but when alongside Button not quite so exceptional. Hulkenberg may be the same.

They got a few things right about the car later in the season and that made a difference or was hulkenberg more than a little more motivated? He's good but not that good.

Grosjean is a top four or five. Kimi and Webber still make my top six, Rosberg ahead of Hamilton? I am not so sure.

Vettel, Alonso, Kimi,Webber, Grosjean, Hamilton, Rosberg, Hulkenberg, Perez, Button.

[Aysedasi]

I think we've probably moved away from the thread topic..........

[TheNo1F1Fan]

I have some here (might be)...

1. Alonso takes his victory at his home race in Spain.
2. Vettel retires from the British GP, and Rosberg holds the lead after safety car deploy, and then he wins.
3. Ricciardo gets confirmed for Red Bull.
4. Grosjean takes a Second Place in the US.
5. At the start of the Japanese GP, Grosjean overtakes Vettel and Webber.
6. The stupidest start crash from the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix NEVER happened again this year.
7. Kovalainen qualified very well during the US GP, but was dropped down to non-points finish in the two final races.
8. Vettel and Webber did a double-shoot by overtaking Hamilton during the Nürburgring Grand Prix (German GP).
9. A marshal gets killed in the Canadian GP.
10. Chilton never retired on any race, being the "Last Man Standing of the Débutants".

[wolfhound]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I think we've probably moved away from the thread topic..........

I probably started it but I was looking for somewhere to put the Autosport results without starting another thread.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I think we've probably moved away from the thread topic..........

That's a surprise

[Aysedasi]

Yep, some things never change......

TBH, I'm struggling for something to name as a surprise in 2013. As some would guess, the fact that Maldonado somehow justifies a decent seat next season tops my list. Other than that, a truly miserable season for McLaren. The fact that there were no wet races was more of a disappointment than a surprise....

[Paradise City]

Webber moving to Porsche. The extent of Mclaren and Williams' poor form.

[bella]

Originally Posted by m355y

Looks harsh on some of them but if we're talking drivers who've actually impressed or caught the eye then you bump down the established drivers who've finished higher in the points but had comparatively ordinary seasons. Good as Bottas has looked too, I don't think he warranted a top ten position.

it depends how you look at the top 10s though doesn't it. personally, i look at what they driver had at the start of the season, including his situation, his budget, his car, his team. then i ask did he make the most of it? could he have done more? i think alonso gets a bit of a free pass sometimes simply because he is alonso, and the same with kimi.

on that basis i'd take your top 10 and shift alonso down to below raikkonen and move everyone else up. rosberg and hamilton did similar jobs, in my opinion, but with differering results because they did them differently. i think bottas did a better job than perez, and would put him in the top 10 instead of perez.

also perhaps i'd put grosjean ahead of hulkenberg, because the way he turned his reputation and season around was absolutely superb. even if you ignore all the noise from the fans and media the odds really were against him and the only person who did a better job come the end of the year was vettel.

[Peter Mallett]

The surprise for me is that people are actually interested in this crap. For me the only interest is seeing which manager we can pillory at any given weekend.

Let us not forget, once upon a time racing was er, racing, now it's look after the tyres, radio messages and DRS.

We have really lost the plot.

[nicanary]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

The surprise for me is that people are actually interested in this crap. For me the only interest is seeing which manager we can pillory at any given weekend.

Let us not forget, once upon a time racing was er, racing, now it's look after the tyres, radio messages and DRS.

We have really lost the plot.

You and I think alike, which is why I no longer post on this thread. Having said that, I feel that most thread contributors love the sport so much that they accept what they are being fed, since it's better than no GP racing at all. Quite why they find it so interesting is beyond me.

It's the principle that offends me - no sport should be privately owned, and manipulated to entertain. I know it costs a billionaire's ransom to compete in it, but the entry lists should be open to all, not a closed shop. The fact that nobody else will enter is neither here nor there - it's the principle.

It's become the X-Factor of sport. A circus.

[bella]

Originally Posted by nicanary

You and I think alike, which is why I no longer post on this thread. Having said that, I feel that most thread contributors love the sport so much that they accept what they are being fed, since it's better than no GP racing at all. Quite why they find it so interesting is beyond me.

if i wanted to be patronised, i'd go and visit my grandmother.

come on guys... this is a positive thread. we get it. you don't like f1.

[Peter Mallett]

On the contrary I really enjoy Formula One, I don't see the relavance of drs which can only be used as directed by the organisers, kers (other than the technical challenge), a points system that does nothing to improve the racing; tyres that can't be used to their full potential; and, limitations on technology. Albeit these things meet the economic needs of someone who patently doesn't understand racing.

The point may be that this is really not by any stretch of the imagination Formula One. It is a dreamed up formulaic reality show.

Yes there are drivers who are excellent but their talent is being eroded by "the show", so not being patronising; in line with the thread title, I'm expressing my surprise that anyone thinks this is Formula One.

[m355y]

Originally Posted by bella

on that basis i'd take your top 10 and shift alonso down to below raikkonen and move everyone else up. rosberg and hamilton did similar jobs, in my opinion, but with differering results because they did them differently. i think bottas did a better job than perez, and would put him in the top 10 instead .

The more I think about it, the more I think Perez did a good job. It was similar really to Kimi's first season (minus the near win Kimi got in France), outscored by his established but slightly fading force of a team-mate, but eye catching. His wheel to wheel racing was aggressive, but brave and brightened up some dull races. He had good underlying speed and showed quite a lot of promise. Worth a top ten for me, and a second season at McLaren for that matter.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by nicanary

You and I think alike, which is why I no longer post on this thread. Having said that, I feel that most thread contributors love the sport so much that they accept what they are being fed, since it's better than no GP racing at all. Quite why they find it so interesting is beyond me.

It's the principle that offends me - no sport should be privately owned, and manipulated to entertain. I know it costs a billionaire's ransom to compete in it, but the entry lists should be open to all, not a closed shop. The fact that nobody else will enter is neither here nor there - it's the principle.

It's become the X-Factor of sport. A circus.

Stop patronising me by insulting good affordable family fun such as the circus and comparing it to something as overpriced to attend and contrived as current Formula 1.

[nicanary]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

Stop patronising me by insulting good affordable family fun such as the circus and comparing it to something as overpriced to attend and contrived as current Formula 1.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by nicanary

I feel that most thread contributors love the sport so much that they accept what they are being fed, since it's better than no GP racing at all. Quite why they find it so interesting is beyond me.

It's the principle that offends me - no sport should be privately owned, and manipulated to entertain. I know it costs a billionaire's ransom to compete in it, but the entry lists should be open to all, not a closed shop. The fact that nobody else will enter is neither here nor there - it's the principle.

It's become the X-Factor of sport. A circus.

This is the bit that gets me too Nicanary.

It is supposed to be a World Championship, yet it is run as an invitation only club championship!


Biggest surprise of 2013; Lewis Hamilton bringing his dog to races, simply gobsmackingly incomprehensible!

[Aysedasi]

With apologies to all my French friends here - I thought it was only the French who did that?!

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

With apologies to all my French friends here - I thought it was only the French who did that?!

Ayse, you're going to have to, and type slowly.

"I really can't be bothered to explain again...... (whatever it was.....)"

[Peter Mallett]

Wnut. In France and indeed Belgium spectators bring their dogs to the events. I suspect that's what Ayse was getting at.

Ok to be positive about 2013, we saw that no matter how good any paticular driver is Max Chilton was the most consistent finisher.

[Beryl]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

Autosport have just puplished their top ten GP drivers of the season 1st, 2nd & probably 3rd are pretty obivious but after that it gets interesting. Although when one thinks about it they make sence.

http://plus.autosport.com/premium/fe...ivers-of-2013/



For those who don't have access hear are the top ten.

10 Bottas, 9 Button, 8 Webber, 7 Raikkonen, 6 Grosjean, 5 Rosberg,
4 Hulkenberg, 3 Hamilton, 2 Alonso, 1 Vettel.

Opinions are opinions, but I can't comprehend two things:
1. Romain was impressive late, but Raikkonen clearly out performed Grosjean on the season as a whole and all stats point to that. Having Romain ahead makes no sense.
2. Likewise Bottas was outperformed by his teammate, so having him in the top ten (and not his teammate) also makes no sense.

[wolfhound]

Originally Posted by Beryl

Bottas was outperformed by his teammate, so having him in the top ten (and not his teammate) also makes no sense.

Bottas scored more points than Maldonado reached higher grid placing (3rd vs 13th) and was almost equal in terms of fastest times over the season in his rookie year. He also out qualified Maldonado 11:8 although Maldonado was higher when they both finished.

I don't regard those stats as showing Bottas was outperformed by his team mate.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Beryl

Opinions are opinions, but I can't comprehend two things:
1. Romain was impressive late, but Raikkonen clearly out performed Grosjean on the season as a whole and all stats point to that. Having Romain ahead makes no sense.
2. Likewise Bottas was outperformed by his teammate, so having him in the top ten (and not his teammate) also makes no sense.

It isn't just a case of points though. It's the way it's done. Raikkonen won me over early in the season but lost me again when he and Lotus fell out of love with each other and Romain clearly got the upper hand. Grosjean's was a great comeback after being rubbished left right and centre. My opinions on Maldonado are already well known so I won't bother repeating them here......

[bella]

i agree with ayse - it's about what they did relevant to expectations as well as pure and simple results, especially with drivers like grosjean. take vergne for example. he did exactly what everyone was expecting and regardless of any individual standout performances, isn't rated in any top 10s (not even mine ).

that's why i personally rated grosjean so highly, anyway.