So, who deserves this years WDC?

[Testure]

Michael, I reckon. The season so far has done little to change my opinion that he's still the best driver among the bunch. So, I suppose I think he deserves to win because of that - he's better than everyone else.

It'd be fantastic to see Montoya winning though. Such a complete turn around from our expectations at the start of the year. Would also be good for F1 in general, I guess...

Also - "Rafe"? Is that "Ralf" in German or something??? I've only ever seen him referred to as such around here...

[Snrub]

I don't know. MS as a driver has not been nearly as convincing this year. He's had a few outings where he looked quiet mediocre. By that I don't mean the car was slow, I mean he just didn't impress. (eg. being stuck behind JV)

I would like to say JPM, but I always figured when he'd do it there would be no doubt he deserved it. He has done some good stuff, but there were a couple of glitches and Ralf was driving faster for a few races there. (I tend to think JPM was in a slump @ the same time Ralf picked it up)

Ralf had a couple of very good races and that's it.

KR is overrated and hasn't done much this year despite the early success of the MP17. I'd rather pick from a team not mentioned then pick him.

[Led ZeppF1]

Montoya, for the F1's next generation...

[Onlooker]

Go JPM,give it to them.

[paulzinho]

Whoever wins it this year will deserve it IMO, has been a proper battle with some proper racing for once!

[Wrex]

Originally posted by paulzinho
Whoever wins it this year will deserve it IMO, has been a proper battle with some proper racing for once!

Agreed. Whoever gets it this year will certainly have earnt it.

[Valve Bounce]

I think most of us are predicting a continuation of improved form with JPM, so yeah!! I voted JPM. This thread/poll will become more meaningful if the season goes as I expect it to. And I certainly agree with Paulzinho and Wrex that whoever wins it certainly will deserve it - and he will have to prove it in the next 4 races.

[903cc]

I am tired of all the polls lately. Seems like we will vote on who has the best looking wheel nuts. Back to the topic, Who Deserves it the most. The man who wins it based on the rules. At this moment in Time it is TGF as he is in front on the leader board so to speak and has scored the most points so far in the season. Come Japan this may be a different person.

[jonathanc]

Ah, but is it JPM's talent or the start of another winning williams design (as per Mansell and Hill)? IMHO put KR in the williams and he would walk it giving the two finger salute to JPM on the way (pref mid corner) closely followed by TGF

Lets hope it goes all the way to Japan before we find out hey.

[Damon]

Well you're wrong. Kimi is more mistake prone than Montoya ever was, something missed by most, and simply hasn't had the same consistant speed as Montoya this year. Also consider that Montoya has shone at ever type of circuit and your argument begins to slip away. And if you are suggesting that Hill and Mansell had no talent and only won because they had the best car then sorry, but you need help.

[Mattracer]

I love how the old "only won cos he had the best car" chestnut gets dragged out of the cupboard ad nauseum.

JPM is much more experienced than Kimi, and it is a testament to Kimi's efforts this year that he has shone so brightly.

[Damon]

Sure is, and he's a definate star of the near future, but to suggest he'd thrash Montoya given the same car is crazy.

[Mattracer]

Well, he's pretty much a star now, but JPM has that animality about him that Kimi is too new to have.

[Bononi]

I still keep my Jos Verstappen's plea...

[jonathanc]

Personally I dont really care who wins as it is not really a true measurement of skill due to the deciding factor put inplace by the performance of the car.

Sure the driver has to be exceptional, but their car also has to be reliable and quick and that little bit better than the competition.

So my point being that why have a WDC championship at all, they should simply have an F1 Championship and scrap the WDC and WCC as it is more to do with the package/team than any single individual or company.

Roll on the next few races ...yeeee ha

Ps. I feel a can of worms opening up here. ha ha

[paulzinho]

Originally posted by Damon
Well you're wrong. Kimi is more mistake prone than Montoya ever was, something missed by most

Tend to agree with this, Kimi has made several costly mistakes this year, particularly in Barcelona (going off in qualifying causing him to start last where he got into the back of a stalled Pizzonia and his Silverstoine mishap causing him to lose a place to JPM).

However they've all had their moments, JPM in Oz (D'oh, that could be VERY costly!) and Canada, Michael in Brasil (as did JPM), Ralf and co in Germany, still go with what I said earlier.

Whoever wins deserves it, both drivers and teams.

Still like to see drivers doing more of the driving though, but thats for another thread.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by jonathanc
Ah, but is it JPM's talent or the start of another winning williams design (as per Mansell and Hill)?

To put this into context Michael didn't win it in 92/93/96/97and 98 (99 excepted due to his accident). None of these times did he have the best car, so he didn't produce the goods. This year, and especially the last 4 or so races, he hasn't necessarily had the best car and hasn't got the job done. Will this change in the next 4 races? thats anybody's guess, but it's going to be an intesesting proposition.

And before people think this is a Michael bash, it's not, just a good example. Ayrton Senna is regarded by many as the best driver who ever lived, but it should also be remembered that he won his 3 WDC's in the best car, When he didn't have the best car, no matter how much talent he had (and it was an emmense (sp??) ammount) he didn't get the job done.

To win the WDC, no matter who it is, that person has to have the combination of great skill and brilliant package, otherwise it's impossible.

[Yoong Montoya]

Originally posted by Mr V
To win the WDC, no matter who it is, that person has to have the combination of great skill and brilliant package, otherwise it's impossible.

In today's F1, yes - but it used to be possible because the driver could make a bigger difference. MS in 1994 and 1995 springs to mind (OK, just 1995)

[Mattracer]

But it takes great drivers to make a great car great. All cars are not created equal (except in CART), and neither are teams who run them. Senna, Prost and Damon Hill were well-known for their abilites to analyse engine, chassis and tyre performance. It is therefore no coincidence that the cars they drove were exceptional. I would actually dispute the fact that car Senna won the '91 WDC in was the best car. It was certainly the most reliable and straight-forward but was pressed at times to hold off the might of Williams Renault. The skill of the driver meant it sneaked by a few times despite the brilliance and resiliance of Mansell.

[krt917]

Originally posted by 903cc
I am tired of all the polls lately. Seems like we will vote on who has the best looking wheel nuts. Back to the topic, Who Deserves it the most. The man who wins it based on the rules. At this moment in Time it is TGF as he is in front on the leader board so to speak and has scored the most points so far in the season. Come Japan this may be a different person.

I take it that you have absolute faith in the points system then. And you don't feel the need to look at other factors which influence results, like tyres and the car. We're just debating who we think deserves it the most, irrespective of who actually does and (hopefully) who we would LIKE to see win it. A driver might drive well enough to win, but be held back by, for example, the tyre war situation.

Those that say you can't win the title, therefore, without a strong package have a point. However, the driver CAN make a difference, especially if 2 (or more) teams are evenly matched. This would be even more true if we made the driver a bigger percentage of the 'package', by taking away all the gizmos and fuel stpos, but that's another thread....

[Logrence]

Montoya has turned out to be far more consistent and at a higher level than Ralf - he doesn't seem to have the fire to want to be a WDC.

Michael will always deserve any world championship he competes in - he's a 100%, fully committed, mega kind of guy. Bridgestone have let him down and he has been showing the pressure this season.

Kimi just isn't there yet.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Yoong Montoya
MS in 1994 and 1995 springs to mind (OK, just 1995)

I don't see how anyone can say that the 1995 Benny wasn't the best on the grid, or at least equal best with the Williams. It had the best engine out there, the Renault and an excellent chassis, not to mention the best pit crew in the buisness (at the time).

[Number Juan]

even though im a die-hard Montie fan, i must admit that Kimi deserves it more than anyone simply because he's had to put up with winning with a far un-superior car to any other contender for the championship. he has really battled this year and shown sparks of brilliance, but i don't think he'll win - but this is not the question!

Michael has won enough championships and so thats my main argument for him not deserving to win! he has also put in some stella performances, but is it him or the car? is it both? theres no doubt he's put his all in this year, and so he may deserve it. he has consistency and has a funny knack of just liberating points from an unbearable situation where if Ralfie found himself in the same position, he would actually lose places or have an average GP and end up picking up the clearings from the floor. Montie deserves the championship as much as Michael; he has lifted his game when Ralfie lifted his - and Montie has again, pulled some outstanding passes this year, he is HUNGRY for the title - and battled with a pig earlier this year...thats a toughie!