Battle of the butlers

My vote
1. Barichello
2. Masi
3. Perez

 

No, Masi. Barichello envented the role. He opened up a butler's driving school.

 

Well, this thread is already ruined I see.

 

Coulthard

 

Depends how you look at it. Are we asking if it's the best driver that was a #2, or the best driver performing as a #2?

Barrichello was a true #2 at Ferrari and was very impressive with Stewart in 1999. I think 2000-2004 he did exactly what was hoped for him. 2005 he stunk while his was peeved at Ferrari. I expected more from him in 2009 with Brawn but he had his moments.

Coulthard was very successful as a #2 with McLaren. Probably better individually than Rubens, but maybe not as pure #2 either.

Massa pretty much carried the same role as Rubens while at Ferrari, and had to do it with Alonso as a teammate as well. He managed to out perform Schumacher and Alonso at times, both of whom are in the conversations of some of the best drivers of all time. Nearly won a championship in 2008 against Hamilton (again many consider him among the best) in a car that was pretty much equal to the 08 McLaren, and beat his teammate Kimi. When you consider all the factors, he probably should be number 1 on this list.

Bottas was sort of forced into the #2 role and he didn't really embrace it like others did. He lost motivation quite quickly each season and during his time at Mercedes. He had good speed at times, but was often quite terrible with a car that easily should have been 2nd behind Hamilton. Once leaving Mercedes, he could barely beat his rookie teammate Zhou and that hasn't changed. Shows he was never very good at all.

Perez, a one of the most overrated drivers when you think people have been hyping him up for over 10 years. Better than Bottas IMO, but has never had raw speed. Deserves to be in F1 absolutely. Great at saving tires, great defensive driving, but lacks speed and skills to attack. Has played the team game at times in spectacular fashion. But he also never takes any accountability for his failures.

 

No contest; Felipe Massa, while not the '08 WDC was Ferrari's '08 Champion...

 

So effective #2's
No particular order -
Massa / Bottas / Barrichelo / Irvine / Coulthard / Peterson(as good as Mario in my book) / Checo / Webber

Its is a frustrating existence and we know they have strong competitive drive to win. To be so close to a WDC, in a team with a winning car and not able to fully capitalize would be tough mental challenge.

 

Bottas. No contest.

 

I agree.
It's not only the performances Valteri Bottas delivered as #2 to Hamilton in the the dominant car, but also the loyalty he demonstrated.
Bottas was no problem at Mercedes; he didn't whine all the time, didn't pretend he could beat his team mate, etc ...
That's what make me consider Bottas as the ideal #2.

 

Fair play to him.

It was infuriating though that he didn’t have any balls. At times Merc would treat him like crap and he’d take it with a smile on his face.

 

Mercedes treated Bottas like a #2, just like other top teams do with their #2, no more, no less.
Valteri Bottas was realistic enough to understand he didn't have the same skill as the team leader.
That's an approach some drivers should adopt rather than pursuing an impossible ambition.

 

Actually, perhaps the usurper, Nico Rosberg.

 

Best butler: MSC to ROS in the Mercedes.

 

This is what I was going to say.

Nico got a WDC and kept it
Massa only had WDC for 30-odd seconds.

 

And he's not even the #1 instructor at his own school.....

 

There is a big difference in having the ability to carve a curve at the limit of traction,
and being able to teach/train a novice to do the same.

With no disrespect to Barichello implied or expressed.

 

I think Rubens was the best. Massa a strong second.

Both were there when the number 1s dropped the ball.