What Makes an Interesting Team-Mate Duel?

[BootsOntheSide]

Raikkonen and Montoya at McLaren (assuming it happens) is one of the most anticipated team-mate duals in years, but waht factors make pairings in general so exciting?

[Super Tourer]

Got to be similar ability. The reason a Kimi/JPM team battle is eagerly anticipated, is the sight of the two drivers pushing eachother and their cars, to get the upper hand.

It will be fascinating to watch, and for F1 nowadays, a rare-ish opportunity to witness two real chargers in the same car.

[Redblurr]

not much difference in my opinion watching Ralf and JPM

[ASCII Man]

A combination of similar abilities, different driving styles and different personalities. (Prost & Senna for example)

[Aysedasi]

Well if there are two of them, I guess there could be a dual.

[Super Tourer]

Originally posted by Aysedasi
Well if there are two of them, I guess there could be a dual.

OK, I'll change the spelling on the title!

[steve_r]

I voted for all of them.

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by Super Tourer
OK, I'll change the spelling on the title!

Just call me Mr. Pedantic.........

[Smokey 6 litre]

like steve_r i voted for all of them, similar talent is importnat (otherwise there wouldn't be much of a duel) but a bit of hostility between team mates is always nice to see.

[Gt_R]

I think it's best to have 2 drivers who arrive at the same performance levels walking on different personality/driving style paths.

It's the contrasting methods of producing the best results for close competition that's intriguing.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Redblurr
not much difference in my opinion watching Ralf and JPM

So you think we'll see JPM beat Kimi by 24 points also

[Spudgun]

Originally posted by Mr V
So you think we'll see JPM beat Kimi by 24 points also

[f1manoz]

Get two drivers with similar ability, but with different personalities and backgrounds (support seems to come from personality as much as driving nowadays).

[DriverT]

Originally posted by f1manoz
Get two drivers with similar ability, but with different personalities and backgrounds (support seems to come from personality as much as driving nowadays).

Yep, Kimi and JPM. It's going to be interesting having someone like JPM in the conservative McLaren environment.

[Smokey 6 litre]

i think that the Massa/Fisi partnership will be good too see, Fisi (who can be fast when he wants too) against Massa (Fast but previously irratic, now with Ferrari training)

My moneys on the revamped Massa, he'll be better with the mechanics than he was, calmer and quicker than ever.

[climb]

Interesting poll, indeed

[Liz]

Different personalities, similar ability, and no contract commanding one of the teammates to give way to the other at all times.

[BSchneiderFan]

I went for different driving styles - Prost/Senna, Piquet/Mansell, Villeneuve/Scheckter, Hill/Villeneuve...

[Raven]

Dislike for eachother, fueled by similar ability usually make the most talked about pairings.

Generally it is a lot less hyped if the two drivers actually appear to like eachother. Hill/Villeneuve or de Ferran/de Castro were closely matched, and fought for championships, but there could've been a lot more to talk about if they had hated eachothers guts in the same fashion as Mansell/Piquet or Senna/Prost.

[Hugh Jarce]

I reckon all on the list are good one's.

I must admit I loved the Button - Villeneuve stuff last year especially when Button won through - I guess that would come from a one-sided dislike issue.

I guess where Minardi are concerned it comes down to who pays the most!

[Mattracer]

Voted different driving styles. There's more than one way to skin a cat. It is remarkable how te tortoise and the hare principle can lead to a similar points haul.

[Adam43]

Total dedication to beating the team mate coupled with total respect for your team mate.

[krt917]

Sounds good Adam!

All of the above can help, but I reckon similar ability has to be the main one. That, and a willingness on the part of each driver to battle the other and a team willing to let them.

[BSchneiderFan]

Originally posted by AdamAshmore
Total dedication to beating the team mate coupled with total respect for your team mate.

Admirable, if rare.

Clark/Hill, 1967?

Lauda/Prost, 1984?

Prost/Hill, 1993?

No, I admit it, I'm struggling.

[Skam85]

I reckon teammates that work well together, e.g Alonso, Trulli and Panis, da Matta are good for the team, they work OFF each other, not against each other.