2011 Formula One Power Rankings – Part 2
At the conclusion of my first power rankings column for 2011, I suggested that it “promises to be an intriguing season”. That idea may have ended as badly as the Summer of George did in ‘Seinfeld’. Nonetheless, I’m too stubborn to walk away from the promised reassessment of the Formula One pecking order after Silverstone, so here we are.
Drive of the round votes
As noted in my first power rankings columns of 2011, the drive of the round votes aim to reflect what a driver was able to do with what he had at his disposal. Drivers who ‘punch above their weight’ are looked favourably upon, as are those who overcome adversity in a race or soundly defeat their teammate (whom also acts as the only real barometer of how competitive that constructor was on any given race day).
Australian Grand Prix
3 – Vitaly Petrov (Renault), 2 – Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), 1 – Paul di Resta (Force India)
Malaysian Grand Prix
3 – Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), 2 – Nick Heidfeld (Renault), 1 – Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
Chinese Grand Prix
3 – Mark Webber (Red Bull), 2 – Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), 1 – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
Turkish Grand Prix
3 – Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), 2 – Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso), 1 – Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber)
Spanish Grand Prix
3 – Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), 2 – Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), 1 – Nick Heidfeld (Renault)
Monaco Grand Prix
3 – Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber), 2 – Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), 1 – Rubens Barrichello (Williams)
Canadian Grand Prix
3 – Jenson Button (McLaren), 2 – Michael Schumacher (Mercedes), 1 – Vitaly Petrov (Renault)
European Grand Prix
3 – Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), 2 – Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), 1 – Jaime Alguersuari (STR)
British Grand Prix
3 – Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), 2 – Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), 1 – Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
Overall vote leaders
12 – Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
10 – Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
7 – Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
4 – Vitaly Petrov (Renault), Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber)
3 – Mark Webber (Red Bull), Jenson Button (McLaren), Nick Heidfeld (Renault)
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The season to date has already clearly defined the upper and lower echelons of the pecking order, but the middle rungs are less apparent. Here is one man’s assessment of the Formula One food chain after nine rounds:
2011 Driver Power Rankings – After British Grand Prix
The Zakspeed Group (for mobile chicanes masquerading as Formula One cars)
25. Narain Karthikeyan (HRT)
Race results to date – DNQ (Australia), Retired (Malaysia), 23rd (China), 21st (Turkey), 21st (Spain), 17th (Monaco), 17th (Canada), 24th (Europe), DNS (British)
24. Daniel Ricciardo (HRT)
19th at British (Grand Prix) on debut
23. Vitantonio Liuzzi (HRT)
DNQ, Retired, 22nd, 22nd, Retired, 16th, 13th, 23rd, 18th
22. Timo Glock (Virgin)
Not classified, 16th, 21st, DNS, 19th, Retired, 15th, 21st, 16th
21. Jerome D'Ambrosio (Virgin)
14th, Retired, 20th, 20th, 20th, 15th, 14th, 22nd, 17th
20. Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus)
Retired, 15th, 16th, 19th, Retired, 14th, Retired, 19th, Retired
19. Jarno Trulli (Lotus)
13th, Retired, 19th, 18th, 18th, 13th, 16th, 20th, Retired
When I was a kid and first developed affection for the speed and spectacle of Formula One in the late 1980s, Zakspeed were the perennial straggler. They often struggled to make it past pre-qualifying and actually be permitted to start a race, creating havoc for other cars attempting to lap them when they did succeed in making it to Sunday. To give you a sense of where Zakspeed fit into the equation, the old Minardi team were also a struggling outfit in those days – and Zakspeed was the homeless man’s Minardi.
Flash forward to 2011, and we have a modern day Zakspeed in HRT, and two rich man’s Zakspeed outfits in Virgin and Lotus (oh, how the once mighty have fallen). Beyond the bragging rights associated with saying “we were a part of Formula One”, it’s unclear what motivates these teams to go out 18 or 19 times a year and get lapped a lot. I wouldn’t miss these three teams in the slightest if they were gone.
The only silver lining here: HRT offering a debut drive to talented Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo. While he trailed the field home on Sunday, his performances as a test driver for Toro Rosso (often outperforming Buemi and Alguersuari) suggest brighter things in his future.
The Metamucil Group (for teams with a clearly defined number two driver) – Part B
18. Pastor Maldonado (Williams)
Retired, Retired, 18th, 17th, 15th, 18th, Retired, 18th, 14th
17. Sergio Perez (Sauber)
equal 14th in championship – 8 pts
DSQ (8th across the line), Retired, 17th, 14th, 9th, DNS, DNS, 11th, 7th
Maldonado started the season within striking distance of teammate Rubens Barrichello and it appeared as though the majority of blame for poor finishes lay with the car, rather than the driver. However, point-scoring finishes by Barrichello at Monaco and Canada have turned up the blowtorch on yet another rookie.
Perez has been shown a clean pair of heels by the very promising Kobayashi, missed the Monaco Grand Prix following a crash and then was a late withdrawal (replaced by Pedro De La Rosa) in Canada as a result of illness. Despite a solid showing at the European Grand Prix at Valencia and a points finish at Silverstone where he stayed out of harms’ way while others found trouble, he is in danger of his Formula One career being a ‘one (season) and done’ affair.
The ‘Aussie’ Joe Bugner Group (for drivers who pushed on beyond their optimal retirement point)
16. Rubens Barrichello (Williams)
15th in championship – 4 pts
Retired, Retired, 13th, 15th, 17th, 9th, 9th, 12th, 13th
15. Michael Schumacher (Mercedes)
10th in championship – 28 pts
Retired, 9th, 8th, 12th, 6th, Retired, 4th, 17th, 9th
This is a well-worn story in the sport of boxing, but the need is far less apparent in Formula One. In the early 2000s, this pairing dominated the Formula One landscape like few before them, sweeping to victory after victory after victory in their scarlet Ferraris. Schumacher put forward a compelling case for the ‘Greatest of All Time’ mantle. Barrichello was a fantastic number two driver – the Robin to Schumacher’s Batman.
To watch them running around in midfield or worse in the twilight years of their respective careers is a touch depressing. If this was boxing and I was in either of these drivers’ corners, I’d be rummaging around for the white towel right about now.
The Rock, Scissors, Paper Group
14. Paul di Resta (Force India)
17th in championship – 2 pts
10th, 10th, 11th, Retired, 12th, 12th, 18th, 14th, 15th
13. Sebastien Buemi (STR)
equal 14th in championship – 8 pts
8th, 13th, 14th, 9th, 14th, 14th, 10th, 13th, Retired
12. Jaime Alguersuari (STR)
13th in championship – 9 pts
11th, 14th, Retired, 16th, 16th, Retired, 8th, 8th, 10th
11. Adrian Sutil (Force India)
12th in championship – 10 pts
9th, 11th, 15th, 13th, 13th, 7th, Retired, 9th, 11th
Every season there are a couple of mid-tier teams that seem to duke it out for the last couple of championship points at each race meeting and have a season long battle for say, sixth and seventh in the constructors’ title. This year those teams are Force India and Scuderia Toro Rosso (STR). One question lingers though: since this is the best each team can hope for in that given year and publicity/ exposure is so much harder to come by for these teams than the big guns, why don’t they orchestrate a ‘feud’ between the teams?
Imagine if, during a ho-hum dice for 12th spot in the final laps, Buemi repeatedly weaved from side to side to block Di Resta, followed by a pit lane confrontation afterwards with some angry gesticulation and maybe even a bit of push and shove? Or Sutil spending an entire lap on his pit radio rubbishing the way Alguersuarri’s first name is spelled? Wouldn’t these sorts of things make you more interested in these teams, to the point of picking a side to cheer for in this ‘feud’?
Bernie Ecclestone is shaking his head in disgust right now – mind you, he though the European Grand Prix was in no way boring, so maybe we’re on to something here! The marketing of Formula One could use some more imagination.
The Michael Douglas Group (for drivers punching a mile above their weight)
10. Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber)
11th in championship – 25 pts
DSQ (9th across the line), 7th, 10th, 10th, 10th, 5th, 7th, 16th, Retired
Australians aside, Kobayashi is now my favourite driver the Formula One paddock. He is wringing the neck out of the oft-uncompetitive Sauber, peaking with a fifth-place finish at Monaco to follow up a great recovery drive to snare a championship point in Turkey. One can only hope that a more competitive car awaits him in 2012 – I’d love to see what he is capable of with the right machinery at his disposal.
Hopefully he’ll get his own line of video games in the future as well. An improved version of the old Aguri Suzuki Formula One games, if you will. Where Kamui doesn’t have to drive a Sauber anymore and guest appearances are made by the Kobayashi of hot dog eating fame. I would definitely play that game.
Going through the motions
9. Vitaly Petrov (Renault)
9th in championship – 31 pts
3rd, 17th, 9th, 8th, 11th, Retired, 5th, 15th, 12th
8. Nick Heidfeld (Renault)
8th in championship – 34 pts
12th, 3rd, 12th, 7th, 8th, 8th, Retired, 10th, 8th
7. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
7th in championship – 40 pts
Retired, 12th, 5th, 5th, 7th, 11th, 11th, 7th, 6th
It’s important to note that I don’t think these three drivers are going through the motions, far from it. Rather, I am going through the motions in talking about their performances in 2011 to date, especially in the last few races. My interest in this section is much like that of a loveless couple for whom the spark is long gone and eyes are starting to wander – yeah, some intimacy is better than none, but not by that far.
Word is that Heidfeld is well and truly on the outer at Renault, to the point where he may be given the axe before the season is out. To my mind, this is rather an indictment on Petrov as well, a man who has only marginally had the better of Heidfeld in 2011. How often do you think Renault boss sits back on a Sunday evening after another mediocre performance from his drivers, wonders how much better his lot in life would be if Robert Kubica hadn’t injured his right hand, then pours himself a triple scotch? No wonder they are after Mark Webber’s signature for 2012. At least the Renault livery continues to look fantastic.
As for Rosberg, he has only 12 more championship points than his teammate, who has one less race finish thus far in 2011 and whose first world title was claimed 17 years ago. Not a good sign for the Nico Rosberg era.
The Metamucil Group (for teams with a clearly defined number two driver) – Part A
6. Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
6th in championship – 52 pts
7th, 5th, 6th, 11th, Retired, Retired, 6th, 5th, 5th
Poor old Felipe – his window of opportunity to capture a Drivers’ Championship appears to have come and gone and with Alonso head and shoulders above him in performance over the past two seasons, you wouldn’t want to take even money about him driving for Ferrari beyond his existing contract. He just hasn’t come back the same driver from his big accident in 2009 – completely understandable, by the way – and thus can no longer be considered a contender. Zero top-4 finishes from nine races to date says it all really.
Bullet-ridden shoes
5. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
Equal 4th in championship – 109 pts
2nd, 8th, 1st, 4th, 2nd, 6th, Retired, 4th, 4th
4. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
3rd in championship – 112 pts
4th, 6th, 7th, 3rd, 5th, 2nd, Retired, 2nd, 1st
Alonso’s 2011 wounds have primarily been inflicted by an off-the-pace Ferrari for the first five races, whereas Hamilton need only consult the mirror to find the rationale for his recent slump (most notably in Canada, where some reckless driving saw him collect zero championship points on the day and drop put of second place in the drivers’ standings).
Where to from here for these guys in 2011? It’s unclear – along with Vettel, they are clearly the three most talented drivers in the sport. Both have tasted world championship victory before, and both were part of the epic four-way duel for the title last year. But with the halfway point of the season upon us, the damage may have already been done from a championship perspective.
The ‘process of elimination’ contenders
3. Jenson Button (McLaren)
equal 4th in championship – 109 pts
6th, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 3rd, 3rd, 1st, 6th, Retired
2. Mark Webber (Red Bull)
2nd in championship – 124 pts
5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 4th, 4th, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd
Here’s a depressing statistic for anyone hoping that the two ‘most consistent’ of the challengers to Vettel can make a fist of chasing down the championship leader:
Top-2 finishes in 2011: Vettel 9, Hamilton 3, Alonso 3, Button 2 and Webber 1.
Translation: At their best, Alonso and Hamilton are a bigger threat to Vettel than Button and Webber are. It’s true.
I made the cases in the last power rankings column that (a) Button was the luckiest World Champion of all time given all the circumstances that led to the success of the Brawn team in 2009 and (b) Webber is clearly the number two driver at Red Bull. Nothing that has happened in the past five races has changed my mind on either front. Both are fine drivers, deserving of race victories and seats in the most competitive cars of the time. Just don’t expect either to contend for a title unless they’re in the best car in the field and don’t have Alonso, Hamilton or Vettel for a teammate.
The prohibitive favourite
1. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
Championship leader – 204 pts
1st, 1st, 2nd, 1st, 1st, 1st, 2nd, 1st, 2nd
Vettel has posted seven pole positions and two second placings on the grid from nine qualifying efforts, as well as six wins and three second placings from nine races. So boring – let’s spice it up a little with ten ways to make Vettel, and by extension the 2011 Formula One season, more interesting (with thanks to fellow Nut columnists Nick Tedeschi and Chris Parkinson for some of the creative input here):
1. Only cycling commentator Phil Liggett (quite possibly the best and most interesting commentator in world sport) is allowed to discuss Vettel or reference him in any way.
2. Vettel befriends a cafe owner who hordes members of the French Resistance, much like in the TV show ‘Allo ‘Allo.
3. Vettel enter his Red Bull in Canberra’s ‘Summernats’ event next January. His skill would shine in events such as the 'Go-Whoa', 'Motorkhana' and 'Slalom', though he may struggle with the 'Grab-A-Flag' unless he could find room for a passenger.
4. A love triangle between Vettel, Hamilton and Hamilton’s current squeeze, Pussycat Dolls lead singer Nicole Scherzinger. Or Vettel and two of the other members of the Pussycat Dolls. Or two other female celebrities. Or two smoking hot gird girls. I don’t mind which one plays out.
5. Take his lead from 2010 Motor GP World Champion, Jorge Lorenzo, who has become just as well known for his crazy post win flag planting celebrations than his remarkable riding talent. I wouldn’t expect in the first instance for Vettel’s to be as choreographed as Jorge where golfing, spacemen, and ‘Mario Brothers’ have featured. But even a simple robot dance surely would endear him to millions.
6. Vettel must spend the night before each race out drinking with Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Justin Bartha (of ‘The Hangover’ and ‘The Hangover 2’ fame). How many times will he make it to the grid for a 2pm start?
7. Start a rumour that he is the new Stig on BBC’s Top Gear, and that he actually does all stunt driving for Jeremy Clarkson. Clarkson would likely be so infuriated that he might write a book about it.
8. Vettel and Pope Ratzinger present mass before every race – the potentially for hilarity increases exponentially if you combine it with idea 6.
9. Vettel goes very old school with his appearance and apparel, growing monster sideburns and driving in an open-faced helmet and goggles and crank-starting his Red Bull before each race. Or he goes completely the other way and gets around when not racing in a fedora and single white glove, paying homage to his Wikipedia-purported love for Michael Jackson. Team this up with idea 4 and I’m watching his every move with interest.
10. To tell this intrepid motor sports columnist what he really thinks of Australian’s own Mark Webber. That would surely help this site out with a few more hits. What, I’m not allowed to be self-indulgent with this list? It’s my list, dammit!
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Looking forward
The next five races on the calendar cover the German, Hungarian, Belgian (I love the Spa-Francorchamps circuit), Italian (ditto Monza) and Singapore Grand Prix. Making the Nut will come back to this season after Singapore to assess the (hopefully rejuvenated) lay of the Formula One land at that time.
Thanks to Clive Mason/Getty Images AsiaPac for use of the photo
