I know Perez beat him last year but who do you think would have been the victor this year had they both still been teammates?
No, he's always been overrated and got one lucky podium in 2012 where Perez had far superior race pace and was just overall better.
pish, Perez's first podium was because he damaged his car hitting someone came into the pits and had a tyre change to ints at the same time, which was also the perfect time, total fluke, if he'd driven better he would've won.
I'm arguing yes, but based on driving style than "talent". Whilst Mclaren didn't expect to be a midfield team, that's what they've become this season, and Kobayashi as the more natural at overtaking may have helped them get out of traffic and pick up more points. It would also have helped the team split strategies. Having two people good on the tyres is only helpful if you both understand the tyres, and it gives you an edge over other teams. This season the tyres have been so unpredictable at times that having someone on the "tyre preservation strategy" and another on "maximum attack" could have helped them score more highly with at least one car.
And the other two? Kobayashi only got a podium because pretty much everyone got taken out that race, even Massa got a podium from the 5th row. You just don't like to see Kobayashi not being as good as someone else.
A lot of us said we'd like to see Kobayashi in a top team, but even if he had moved, he'd be racing exactly where Sauber were last year! Not sure how much better he would have done, but at least you'd know he was trying!
Perezs results last year were down to the same old trick exploiting the tyres. Kobayashi was the man driving the standard strategy and showed a true picture of the sauber. Imo kamuis achievements were more deserved than Perez.
Perez drove to his and the cars strength last season. It's the only sensible thing to do. I liked kobay but I think perez was the better driver in a car like the softly softly Sauber.
Frankly, I don't think either driver has lived up to expectations. Plus, I think Kobay gets a lot of personal love, whereas Checo is a less likeable character.
Kobayashi's hugely overrated. I liked the the guy but he was mediocre and not deserving of a drive for a top five team in my opinion. There are a lot of drivers who would have got more out of the McLaren than Perez has; Kobayashi probably isn't one of them.
I think this type of hypothetical question leads nowhere really, since it's difficult to be entirely objective if one has a soft spot for, or conversely, a dislike of a driver. Kobayashi is one of the best ever racers from Japan. His overtaking hit the headlines, notably at his home circuit's hairpin. He's friendly and courageous, and his gregarious nature brings out the best in others. He also got some pretty decent results without ever having a crack in a top tier car. This sort of combination will always win people's hearts; little wonder then, that he is so enormously popular… On the other hand, has Perez really done a poor job in his first season against a solid World Champion who has made the team his own? Obviously there have been incidents but I wonder if some of his feistiness has rubbed a few people the wrong way? This feistiness has also been seen on the track, and although it might be said that his ambition sometimes looks a little amateurish (especially when defending), he's actually pulled off some pretty daring overtakes. And despite not getting the better of Button in the latter's weakest link – qualifying – he's still quick; perhaps quicker than Kobayashi… So, as for who'd have done a better job; well, I'm back where I started: I have no idea! Kobayashi might have slotted in easily at McLaren, but in a first season against Button, I doubt he'd have beaten him any more that Perez will.
I think all that would really have happened is the 2nd McLaren would have crashed into other drivers a bit more.
Quantify that, I don;t remember Kobayashi hitting many people, the other way around yes, his great positions in Spa ruined by Hamilton and then Grosjean for example
Well it was more a reference to him crashing the Ferrari in Moscow early in the year. Having said that, he was termed "Kobay-bashi" by Martin Brundle a few years back because a lot of his overtakes involved just punting into the side of people as he braked too late. I remember him putting Nakajima into the barriers at Interlagos with his aggressive defending too. Mind you that was 2009.
