Building The Perfect Team

Team Red Bull may have built a car that almost no one can match. But is it the perfect car? What if we take parts from all the 12 teams to build what I call the Perfect Team. Lets see which parts from which team makes the cut.

Aerodynamics- Red Bull

This was probably the easiest choice I had to make. In terms of aerodynamic efficiency I will say only McLaren and Ferrari have come anywhere near to matching them. But both of those teams are still way behind. One might argue that the early season Red Bull dominance may be down to their perfecting the Blown Diffuser system. But whether or not that is the case remains to be seen as it has been outlawed from the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Engine- Mercedes FO 108Y

I was inclined to go for the Renault RS27-2011 engine that is present on Red Bull Racing, Renault and Team Lotus, but instead chose the Mercedes FO 108Y on the McLaren, Mercedes and Force India. Over the past few seasons McLaren's strong showings have been down to the raw power their Mercedes manufactured engines can churn out. With the proper aerodynamic set up they can post the fastest straight line speeds.

DRS- Mercedes

In spite of the problem of the air attaching once the DRS wing has been deactivated (a problem i came to know of until recently) I still chose the Mercedes version of the DRS system. The Mercedes DRS system can add upto 15-18 kmph once it is activated. Whereas in comparison the McLaren developed unit adds only about 5-7 kmph. It is widely regarded in the paddock that the Mercedes version is the most developed of the DRS system.

KERS- Ferrari/McLaren

Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) recovers the energy lost in braking and stores that energy in a battery. That energy can be used by the drivers for a duration of 6.6 seconds over a single lap. Red Bull have not been able to develop their KERS unit properly as we have heard of it failing a number of times this season. I chose Ferrari/ McLaren as they have acheived good stability with the weight distribution of the overall car.

Team Director- Martin Whitmarsh

Handling with two competitive drivers both of whom are challenging for the championship is never easy. Christian Horner tried, but after Turkey 2010 (and also Britain 2010) (in my view) he failed to look after Mark Webber by giving priority to young prodigy Sebastien Vettel. Stefano Domenicalli could have handled two championship chasing drivers, but at some stages he looks a bit lost with setting the strategy. Martin Whitmarsh on the other hand exudes a sense of calm in the McLaren garage. He is able to manage Lewis Hamilton's ego, which in itself is a big task, properly to some extent.

Drivers- Sebastein Vettel and Fernando Alonso. Nico Hulkenberg (third driver)

Choosing from a field of 24 of the best drivers in the world is never an easy task. But under the present condition and judging by their respective form and talent I am going with a pairing of Sebastien Vettel and Fernando Alonso. And as a third driver I am choosing an up and coming talent who I think is a contender for future championships given the right car.

Sebastien Vettel would probably walk into anyone’s dream line up given the nature of his dominance in this current season. He has won 6 out of the first 8 races, and has been either 2nd or 1st in every single one of the races so far. He has even secured Pole position 7 times already. Statistics even show that he has led above 80% of the total number of laps this season. He has matured as a driver since his much criticized crash into team-mate Mark Webber in Turkey last year. He can nurse the fast degrading Pirelli tyres very well. Vettel is still very young (turning 24 on July 3^rd) and has a bright future ahead of him. Many even say that he can overtake Michael Schumacher’s record of 7 World Championships.

The other driver that I chose is a double World Champion Fernando Alonso. He is one of the most talented drivers on the grid today. He can adapt very quickly with different conditions. He is equally fast in both dry and rainy conditions. He has shown the ability to get more than maximum out from his car. Many times this season he has punched above his weight with his Ferrari. Alonso can be both aggressive and defensive as the situation requires. I particularly remember his defending qualities in the 2005 San Marino Grand Prix when he blocked a much faster Michael Schumacher for over 15 laps.

Nico Hulkenberg is a driver whom I greatly admire. He has shown that he is genuinely quick in his first season in Formula 1. But unfortunately he could not secure a race seat in the current season owing to inability to rope in big sponsors. Last year he even got an unfancied Williams to qualify in Pole for the Brazilian Grand Prix. Given a chance in one of the front running teams, he has the talent to challenge for points or even a podium place.

Fans- Ferrari Tifosi

No other team has such a large and passionate set of fan as Ferrari. Their fans are extremely passionate about their racing team and support Ferrari through thick and thin. It’s impossible to find an empty seat during the Italian Grand Prix. The stands at Monza are filled with a sea of scarlet colour wearing supporters though out the race weekend including the practice sessions.