Di Resta Vs Dario Franchitti

[sonic]

Another good win for Di Resta today.

For those that saw both of these cousins race, which one do you think is the better driver at the same stage of the career?

Both won the Mclaren Autosport award, but I reckon Di Resta just has more raw pace than Franchitti.

[strider]

At this stage of his career Franchitti was blown away by Jan Magnussen in British F3, so yes, I agree. I don't think di Resta is another Lewis Hamilton just yet, though.

[bella]

i think di resta is much quicker, but he seems to still make silly mistakes as of the second race of the year.

i didn't see franchitti race at this level, but was he any good? apart from being beaten soundly...

[rcarr]

I think this is a little harsh!

Dario didnt have the backup behind him like Paul does today!

Dario only really had George (his Dad) behind him at the early part of his career. Whereas Paul has support from Louis (his Dad), Dario, George and probably Marino.

Im also sure that Paul has had financial help from all of his family, to help him to get where he is now. I know for a fact both Louis and George had to give up their own racing careers to fund their son's careers. Both were fair handy in Formula Fords.

Remember Dario got the Mercedes DTM drive off his own back!

[bella]

i think the point of the thread is to look at the drivers regardless of the outside forces (which is difficult, but nethertheless), which include family support.

[Mackmot]

I think Dario will always be a better driver. Di Resta has never learned to drive a low grip car, he's never had the competition level that was around 10 years ago. If you put him in a car that wasnt perfect I dont think he'd know what to do.

[strider]

Originally Posted by bella

i didn't see franchitti race at this level, but was he any good? apart from being beaten soundly...

It was strange. He and Jan were team-mates at PSR and intially you'd have thought the odds would favour Dario. He was much more in the PSR mould than the slightly scruffy, cigarette smoking Dane, who was already a father by that time.

The thing was, Jan was a total racer and not one to be deterred. I think he probably out-psyched Dario. McLaren had signed him up before the British Grand Prix that year. I've always thought that in the right environment (somewhere like Red Bull nowadays) he could have gone much further in F1.

The change in fortune really happened when they both went to the DTM. Dario was in the 'works' team and Jan was not, but that's how it goes. I guess you'd say Darion made the most of the chances that came his way afterwards, but Jan didn't.

[chunterer]

I thought both of them were fully supported Merc Junior drivers at the time they did DTM/ITC?

Dario to me has always been a good pro driver, never an ace but always there or therabouts. A similar driver to the likes of Mauricio Gugelmin perhaps, I.E someone who knows how to drive a race when everything is right, good on the PR side and technical stuff i would think, but never someone who you could definitely say could grab a race by the scruff of its neck?

Having said that he and JPM had a storming title fight in '99 CART and he looked pretty on it that year.

I don't know much about Di Resta other than Iused to see his dad race years ago in F Ford. However he's obviously got a natural talent and looking more likely to win races at F3 level than Dario managed.

[strider]

Originally Posted by chunterer

I thought both of them were fully supported Merc Junior drivers at the time they did DTM/ITC?

I think you're probably right, but Dario was in the smart silver car teamed up with Bernd Schneider, iirc, whereas Jan was in a '****ty brown' car and these things count in the DTM. If he was more politically correct, he would have called it 'chocolate', but that wouldn't have been him.

The other point about Dario in F3 was that it was the first year BF3 ran two races and there weren't separate qualifying sessions, so the grid for the second race race was decided by the results of the first. It doesn't sound too harsh, but it did catch him out a few times, so he only finished 4th in the Championship.

I found this interesting website with some of the details.

[boycie]

Originally Posted by Mackmot

I think Dario will always be a better driver. Di Resta has never learned to drive a low grip car, he's never had the competition level that was around 10 years ago. If you put him in a car that wasnt perfect I dont think he'd know what to do.

i think that's a little bit harsh, paul is a good driver but i'd agree when all is said and done it will probably be dario who comes out on top

[Woolley]

Jan was probably the best F3 driver I ever saw, but it seems that it was a specialist niche, and he's never really excelled in anything else. Dario has been the opposite. personally I think Dario was showing more ability on a regular basis than Paul, but it's way to early to tell.