Driver Ricciardo

Skam85 · 28 Sep 2011, 04:39 (Ref:2961996)

So he's 6 races into his career now, and starting to get the better of Liuzzi, his only real measuring stick. Outqualified him in the past two races, and even finished ahead of him in Singapore with the front wing replacement.

So how do we think he's going? Has he done enough to oust Buemi/Alguersuari (IMO Buemi) at STR next year? The last 5 races will be crucial, but I think he's definitely on the right track.

mac · 28 Sep 2011, 04:54 (Ref:2961999)

How could you ever know in that HRT thing...?

He is starting to get the better of Liuzzi in qualifying on a regular basis, and he has had a few decent runs in the races...

But who knows what any of this means? The HRTs are in such a different league, with such a variety of issues that's impossible to truly know how he's going.

I suspect we won't have a reasonable picture until he jumps back in a Red Bull or a Toro Rosso in testing during the off-season.

TomVanRompaey · 28 Sep 2011, 10:49 (Ref:2962118)

He surely is in the hotseat to take over from Buemi. Algersuari has shown himself as a racer who can pick up points when missing out on Q2.

steve_r · 28 Sep 2011, 11:12 (Ref:2962125)

I dont get to see much of the HRTs unless they are first car out in qualifying or being lapped. However from the very little I have seen, I rekon he could be worth a spot in the Torro Rosso at some point in the near future.
The difficulty is, which one of the current Torro Rosso drivers do you drop to bring Ricciardo in? JA and SB are both young and both performing at a very similiar level.

Mekola · 28 Sep 2011, 11:15 (Ref:2962127)

Alguersuari and Buemi entered both often in the points but Jaime has at his expense Spanish sponsorship that would favour to retain him in the team. Thus Buemi is likely to be ousted by Ricciardo in Toro Rosso.

Jacques Rabbit · 28 Sep 2011, 16:11 (Ref:2962207)

I never rated Daniel Ricciardo as much as most, and I still don't, but he's been competent at HRT. Not impressed, not unimpressed. I would have expected more of him in World Series by Renault, personally, and that alone makes me wonder. Unless his team there isn't that good?

I guess what I'm trying to say is nothing at all: I see no reason to do or not do anything with him next year. I wouldn't be against him getting an STR seat, but I also wonder what happens if Vergne wins the WSR title...

**bella** · 28 Sep 2011, 16:22 (Ref:2962211)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacques Rabbit

I never rated Daniel Ricciardo as much as most, and I still don't, but he's been competent at HRT. Not impressed, not unimpressed. I would have expected more of him in World Series by Renault, personally, and that alone makes me wonder. Unless his team there isn't that good?

I guess what I'm trying to say is nothing at all: I see no reason to do or not do anything with him next year. I wouldn't be against him getting an STR seat, but I also wonder what happens if Vergne wins the WSR title...

my thoughts exactly - i actually think vergne is a better all round driver. he's certainly more eloquent and interesting when he's not being asked awkward questions he can't answer about red bull. he also hasn't stitched himself up in the same way that ricciardo has done at least once a season.

there's nothing wrong with isr, they nearly won the title last year and if anyone's going to suggest that ricciardo isn't as competant as esteban guerrieri (who in that very drive, took it to carlin's aleshin and ricciardo at tech1) then well, that's an interesting thought. i just don't think ricciardo's heart was in it - he didn't have a genuine opportunity to win the title once it became clear he'd be missing at least 2 of the 9 events for f1 obligations. then again, if we take guerrieri last year, he missed 3 races (monaco and hungary) and still went at it like his life depended on it...

wickens is a fantastic driver, and if he took the title he'd richly deserve it too, but i really want vergne to win purely to see what red bull are going to do too.

p-matt · 28 Sep 2011, 18:51 (Ref:2962251)

Of course, if STR are bought over goodness knows who will be in those seats next year.

But assuming it is still the Red Bull junior team, it will probably be Alguersuari and Ricciardo with Vergne keeping them both on their toes.

OZ_HCR32 · 29 Sep 2011, 03:46 (Ref:2962378)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bella

- he didn't have a genuine opportunity to win the title once it became clear he'd be missing at least 2 of the 9 events for f1 obligations...

That is a point that most people miss. It is a concern of mine that he isnt so hungry for results that he get out there and win every race he was entered in to prove he is the pick of the litter and worthy of the STR Friday testing and HRT race seat.

But, nothing is ever that easy in competitive motorsport and i think missing rounds, driving for two F1 teams in 2011....well WSR was always going to take a back seat and not be his main focus when away from the track...something no doubt it was for the others

Re his form at HRT...the car simply isnt reliable enough to tell. He has outqualified Luizzi, but with the cars being what they are you just dont know if its the driver or a small gremlin with the car. Indeed over a race distance if you pay attention to their respective lap times it seems Dan is generally on a better pace then Luizzi, but with so many cars lapping them and affecting their pace even this is difficult to confirm.

So from his year, I think all you can really take from it is he hasnt made any silly mistakes and binned or looped the HRT. His race pace is improving with experience in traffic management.

The biggest indicator for me was his Friday testing performances in the STR. For a tyre that is meant to be difficult to turn on and get endurance from, his pace over a single lap and over a long run was very good compared to the other car. So he definitely hasnt thrown away the opportunity, it seems he is doing everything expected of him...but it would be nice to see him be the first HRT driver to take it to the Virgins like he almost did in Singapore...that will start to prove his pace and race craft over Luizzi

**bella** · 29 Sep 2011, 09:42 (Ref:2962449)

Quote:

Originally Posted by OZ_HCR32

That is a point that most people miss. It is a concern of mine that he isnt so hungry for results that he get out there and win every race he was entered in to prove he is the pick of the litter and worthy of the STR Friday testing and HRT race seat.

this is something that worries me too. silverstone race 2 in 2010 he wasn't aware enough of the race around him to notice he was being hunted down, and duly lost the lead. he said afterwards that he didn't really know what had happened. there was nothing wrong with the car, or the tyres he'd had replaced in the pitstop, but he lost a substantial lead. actually i think part of the problem there was that he was too honest in the post-race press conference - he could have easily made something up and nobody would have noticed!

he's put in some very classy performances, and no doubt is a very quick driver but sometimes... you wonder. in a way he was lucky that vergne's fr3.5 drive fell through last year because the pace that vergne showed in testing and at the other end of the season when he replaced hartley was very impressive. in that respect, and certainly looking at the situation red bull have on their hands now, you can see why they chose to say "thanks, but no" to hartley.

Juarez Jed · 30 Sep 2011, 10:55 (Ref:2962894)

I think he will make a very nice replacement for Webber as a solid number 2.
I think he is a journeyman but no superstar.

strider · 30 Sep 2011, 20:32 (Ref:2963195)

He's going to have to have a very good season with Toro Rosso next year (assuming that's how it goes) if he's going to be #2 at Red Bull in 2013.

OZ_HCR32 · 30 Sep 2011, 23:27 (Ref:2963268)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juarez Jed

I think he will make a very nice replacement for Webber as a solid number 2.
I think he is a journeyman but no superstar.

Journeyman? Thats a pretty early call

He seems to be a pretty chilled guy who hasnt been schooled into being a cold media machine. So maybe by association to such a relaxed public face I am thinking he isnt the single minded robot you almost need to be to have success over an F1 season

At the moment I suspect he could be more of a Montoya type driver with amazing turns of speed every now and then...but lacking the pace over a season.

I still think we need to see more of him in a better race car.