SAM POSEY RATES TOP 10 F1 Drivers

In April 2009 issue of Road & Track magazine, page 88, Sam Posey rates the current drivers for the 2009 season. He gives his reasons, hard to debate a very literate Posey who also speaks as a former driver. He rates them in the following order:

1) Massa
2) Hamilton
3) Alonso
4) Kubica
5) Raikkonen
6) Vettel
7) Heidfeld
8) Glock
9) Webber
10) Barrichello

 

I'd have to agree with his picks because it was named "Top 10 F1 Drivers". Meaning these are the best combination of consistency and speed around.
Last year I would have thrown a ****-fest seeing that Felipe was on top, but this season he showed a lot of promise and rightfully deserves the top spot.
I'd still put Alonso ahead of Hammy because Alonso was able to produce wins from inferior equipment.

Glock at 8 and Barrichello at 10? I'd take their teammates over them any day.

 

Haven't read the article... Does Posey factor in development as well? A great driver is also a member of the egnineering team and can effectively communicate to the guys turning the wrenches. That was probably the greatest part of Mark Donohue's genius as a driver. Even with all telemetry coming from sensors on the car, a driver who can communicate makes a huge difference.

If we are factoring in development work I would give a nod to Alonso's work last year with Renault. And as much as I am a fan of Hamilton, how much of his inital success was due to Alonos's work with the same car?

Scott

 

Yup- That was probably the greatest differentiator between Massa and Raikkonen. Felipe came up as a test driver, and his feedback to the engineers was invaluable in setting up both his and Kimi's cars.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Development is exactly what Posey stated as a big reason for Massa being #1. He stated that Massa stayed late, spent many hours with his engineer and Michael Schumacher on car development a driver development. Interesting that Alonso gets credit for development, Briatore stated in an interview when Alonso left Renault that most of the development came from Fischichella.

 

I don't see Button on that list!

 

Wasn't it Posey who wrote the "Massapeal" article the other year. The Massa Fan-boy doesn't make any surprises with his pics. One thing I do agree with him though, I rate Barrichello higher than Button. I think that'll become apparent this season.

 

Personally, even with my negative impression of him, I would have put Alonso as #1. But based on the criteria Posey used, I would keep Massa as #2.

 

How can Glock be placed at 8th? The only thing that he knows how to do is pull over on the last turn of a race.

 

He was on slicks in the rain.
Try it,

 

I agree with Posey for the most part in terms of the drivers but I don't agree in terms of the order. If it were me (and not that my opinion matters ) my list would be:

1) Alonso
2) Hamilton
3) Massa
4) Vettel
5) Raikkonen
6) Kuboca
7) Heidfeld
8) Webber
9) Trulli
10) Button

 

Quick swap and a replacement.
1) Alonso
2) Hamilton
3) Raikkonen
4) Vettel
5) Massa
6) Kuboca
7) Heidfeld
8) Webber
9) Trulli
10) Barrichello

Although I think Truli and Glock might be on par this year.

 

I am not so sure about Raikonen ahead of Massa, as per the above -

But FOR SURE I can't see Kubica ahead of Kimi in the Posey rankings...

 

The article that you are referring to was written by Peter Windsor, not Sam Posey.
http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/special_massas_mass_appeal/

 

One needs to pick up this issue of Road & Track, read Posey's reasoning, and then decide whether or not you agree. But please offer your reasons in the same manner as Posey.

His reasoning was rather solid, so Massa does deserve to be ahead of Raikkonen.

Posey did not use past reputation as his only means of analysis. He acknowledged that Kimi had trouble adjusting to the 2008 Ferrari, the car being more to Massa's liking. When Kimi finally got his front tires sticky, he generally would set fast race lap. But that just isn't enough to win a championship.

My opinion that I would put Alonso as #1 was based on my gut feeling that Alonso still is the quickest driver ini F1. But using all of Posey's criteria as to who is the top driver, being the quickest is not the only category, his choice of Massa is correct.

 

Slicks are a addition to the 2009 rules, they were not allowed in 2008.

 

come now, we knew what he meant...

 

I only respond to what someone types, not to what I might think they want to say.

 

Which explains why The Renault was fast when Alonso was 2Xchampion, slow when he left and became quick again when Alonso came back to the team.

 

I am not sure of your point, but it does demonstrate that Alonso can take crap and make it go faster than anyone else. I can't believe I just said that about him.

But its true.

Keep in mind that development of an F1 car starts 8-10 months before the next season, so that would confirm that GF had much to do with the Renault that Alonso drove. I believe Alonso is only slightly better than Kimi at car development.

 

Ahh... Thank you for the correction.

 

I like this list.

 

Another quick swap and this is my list.

I think Kimi is a faster driver than Alonso but I think Alonso is a little better at development so that's why I have him as #1.

 

I think that when they are on their game nobody can touch Kimi or Alonso, they are just a cut above everybody else in terms of speed.
The problems for these guys is that they cannot be at the top of their game every single race, so we have the more consistent drivers such as Hamilton and Massa getting very good results.

 

What?

Sam hasn't heard that Massa can't pass!