2007 Team Rivals
A driver's performance in relation to his team-mate is critical in Formula 1, and this year the grid is packed full of fascinating rivalries.
Ferrari - Raikkonen v Massa
Kimi Raikkonen joins the team with a reputation as the world’s fastest driver. Is he? We’ll see.
He’s got a tough task ahead of him in that his team-mate Felipe Massa knows the team inside out, has already won his first two grands prix and is now looking to be let off the leash after playing Michael Schumacher’s support.
That said, in qualifying Massa averaged a huge 0.5s per lap slower than Schuey last year so if Kimi really is as fast as his reputation suggests he should quickly establish himself as team leader.
Massa’s in a no-lose situation but Kimi’s got that big reputation at stake.
McLaren - Alonso v Hamilton
The only team with an all-new line-up for ’07.
In double world champion Fernando Alonso it has probably the greatest all-rounder on the grid, now that Schuey has retired.
This is the guy who has made just one significant race error in the last two seasons whilst winning two titles and completely destroying a highly-rated team-mate.
As such, rookie Lewis Hamilton has a daunting task ahead of him, but the young Brit has shown huge promise on his way up the racing ladder.
If he can keep Alonso in his sights, maybe occasionally out-qualify him, no-one will mind him having the odd accident in the process.
Renault - Fisichella v Kovalainen
As reigning world champions, Renault’s driver line-up isn’t as rock solid as it should be. Giancarlo Fisichella has spent the last two seasons being overshadowed by Fernando Alonso, whilst Heikki Kovalainen is a raw rookie, albeit a highly promising one.
Against teams with Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen in their armoury, there’s sure to be a shortfall here no matter how good the car.
Fisi’s problem isn’t raw pace. Last year his average fuel weight-corrected qualifying time was just 0.13s slower than Alonso’s – far closer, for example, than Felipe Massa was to Michael Schumacher at Ferrari.
But he lacks the relentless grind, aggression and application of the very best and behind the scenes it’s going to fall to Kovalainen to push the team forwards.
Only if Kovalainen can occasionally exceed Fisi’s pace and show that he’s hungrier and sharper might he be a worthy Alonso replacement.
Honda - Button v Barrichello
One of only three teams beginning ’07 with the same driver line-up as they had 12 months ago.
Jenson Button averaged 0.284s per lap faster than Rubens Barrichello here last year, a significant gap and similar to that enjoyed by Michael Schumacher when he and Rubens were paired at Ferrari.
As such, Button’s credentials for being in F1’s elite top-three are intact.
But underlying last year’s statistics were technical circumstances that either driver might claim were against them.
Only if Button can establish a similar margin of superiority when both enjoy a clear run will his stature be more widely accepted.
BMW - Heidfeld v Kubica
Robert Kubica’s sensational pace as BMW’s rookie Friday test driver last year was such that he eased Jacques Villeneuve out of his race seat before the season was over.
Kubica was widely expected then to out-shine Nick Heidfeld, who generally had been no quicker than Villeneuve. But it didn’t really happen like that.
Although the thrusting, aggressive Kubica made a big impression by easily out-qualifying the measured, consistent Heidfeld on his debut, Nick then responded with a great drive to third in the race and thereafter was usually quicker than the young Pole.
The feeling in the team is that Heidfeld needs the pressure of a fast team-mate to keep him operating at his peak.
If Kubica is to establish himself as the next big thing, he needs now to finish off Heidfeld.
Toyota - Schumacher v Trulli
On qualifying performances last year there was absolutely nothing between Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli.
They were the closest matched team-mates on the grid – separated by a tiny 3-thousandsths of a second after a full season.
In the previous year Trulli had been comfortably the faster qualifier of the two, though their race performances have always been comparable.
It suggests they may be too comfortable with each other, that there isn’t enough competitive edge there. Only one of them is likely to stay at the team for a fourth year.
Red Bull - Coulthard v Webber
Mark Webber has been significantly faster than all seven of his F1 team-mates to date.
Now he goes up against David Coulthard, a driver some have been trying to write off for years but who has seen off an array of Red Bull youngsters in the last couple of seasons.
Both are savvy and super-competitive. But this contest really should go Webber’s way as the guy with everything still to achieve.
Williams - Wurz v Rosberg
This line-up reflects the Williams team’s decline in recent years.
As a rookie last year, Nico Rosberg was out-performed by Mark Webber but stays on, this time paired with the veteran Alex Wurz, the former tester making his return to a full-time race seat after a gap of six years.
Rosberg should be quicker. If he isn’t his F1 future won’t look bright.
Toro Rosso - Liuzzi v Speed
Team boss Gerhard Berger has been under whelmed by both Tonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed and is looking for more pace and less errors this year.
The new car should be much more competitive than the re-badged Minardi of '06 and so we should get a clearer idea of their ultimate potential.
Liuzzi has to date been the quicker guy, but not by the margin his big reputation in the junior categories would have suggested.
Spyker - Albers v Sutil
Since arriving in F1 two years ago Christijan Albers has generally had the upper hand over a variety of team mates.
But for ’07 he’s paired against a rookie who may well give him a lot more trouble – Adrian Sutil. In his two test driver appearances for the team last year the young German looked outstanding.
If he can maintain such form he should be capable of eclipsing Albers.
Super Aguri - Sato v Davidson
A little re-run of F3 history unfolds here as Anthony Davidson joins the team where Takuma Sato is already established.
If that junior season in 2000 is any guide, Davidson looks to be the guy with more inherent speed. But Sato has a big experience advantage.
Anthony’s realistic goal here should be to establish himself as the clear team leader by the end of the year.
Especially with vacancies possibly opening up at the parent Honda team.
