Just bumping this up so to see what people think about kamui now after Canada. My vote would still be Kamui.
Well, each to their own but I'm surprised to see this El_Bando! di Resta is very much getting the job done; and don't forget, unlike Kobayashi he's a complete rookie. I think your assessment of "just running a good pace and picking up points" is rather dismissive of such a superb entry into the top level. But the thing that really caught my eye about your comment is that you say you "haven't seen any good racecraft from him so far"! … Well, of course we are at the mercy of the TV director and his camera-crew, but I've seen nothing but good racecraft from him in all but one race, and even there I thought he was a little unlucky.
That was an old comment. My views are a little updated now and his 'racecraft' has grown. He is taking risks but maybe he should work on them a bit as they have not payed off in the last 2 races. Koba is still the best though
the fact that Koby is mixing his Sauber with the Renault, Mercedes and Massa's Ferrari is a demonstration of how good he is
Ah yes. I didn't make note of the date you wrote it. Then again, at that stage, after only 3 races in F1, di Resta had out-qualified and out-performed the highly rated Sutil - who's been around an awful lot longer - in every one of them! Even at the end or April the writing was on the wall… I said right at the start of this thread that I'd want them both in my team if possible. If I really had to choose between the two, di Resta's technical feedback is superb and he is very level headed with his feet firmly on the ground, so that might just edge it. And as I said early on, I know him more than the fantastic Kobayashi, so that would have to play a part in my decision. Then again, there are other practical considerations, not least the fact that happy Kobayashi is the more marketable sponsor draw because Japan so dearly want a world-beater and this guy is their best hope to date, as well as being thrilling to watch - so he'd be an asset for any team principal including a theoretical me! It really is a close call…
My estimates of these two drivers are closer than ever to each other. Kobayashi whos name is a joy to spell , and equally to watch, as others have said he has been in the points for every race , an impressive feat achieved by no one else in the midfield teams. I think he will stick with sauber, for another year or two and then move on through the Mercedes or Renault route. I dont think he will go to Ferrari even with the engine link. Di Resta , has been a great new addition to F1, beating his teammate fairly regularly, and being in and around the points often. His incident in Monaco and Canada are the only things he can be faulted for, but even then he stood up and said he was at fault(in Monaco). Hopefully he will not be like Sutil, the talented driver that never moved anywhere, and if he can move higher he can go on to be a race winner in the future.
If one were to take the scenario of putting Kobi or Di Resta into one of the top 3 teams, who do you think would be more suited which team? I'd imagine that Kobayashi would be more suited to Ferrari, not sure why, whereas Di Resta clearly would be much more marketable to McLaren.
That's an entertaining little aside Westy! - di Resta for McLaren. Kobayashi for Red Bull. But we really should be speaking of the top 4 rather than 3. And Kobayashi would fit in well at Mercedes too.
If I was a team manager then I'd get Di Resta in, but if a team manager asked me who he should get I'd plump for Kobayashi. I'd love to see Kobayashi in a Ferrari putting the wind up Alonso, and I think that Di Resta in a McLaren or a Red Bull would be straight on the pace.
More so than the Mercedes sponsored Di Resta though? I find it difficult to consider Mercedes as the 4th best at the moment, especially considering that Renault are beating them at the moment. That's why I thought the question would be easier if kept to the top 3 as I don't envisage Mercedes or Renault to be challenging for titles any time soon. However, I digest.... I suppose Di Resta doesn't really fit the "up and at 'em" image of Red Bull. I like Paul and I think he'll go far but with the greatest respect, sometimes he can seem a little bit bland. Maybe he's just trying to keep his head down as it's his rookie year in F1.
As i mentioned above, Di Resta has come out of his shell a bit in the last 2 races and seems a bit firey especially towards the stewarts (even though both occasions were his fault)
Haha! Yeah I think you have a point there with the last couple of races. Well, I hope he continues it. I like it when drivers are more personable.
I disagree. Di Resta has driven at the top level in DTM for a few years already, OK he's a rookie to an F1 car but he is not a rookie to this level. Koba is the other way around, a full season in F1 but little experience to speak of prior to that. Personlly I would say that makes them pretty even. Both are doing good jobs, Di Resta looks a better more consistent long term prospect for me but whether he is Vettel levels of prospect I'm not sure. Koba reminds me so much of Montoya nd I think that is likely going to be the role and level he reaches, good enough to be WDC in a good year perhaps.
Bloody tough shout. In fact, they are both very strong prospects for equally different reasons. Not sure I can pick between them. My heart say Kobayashi because of how he drives, my head Di Resta because he seems a more solid platform to improve. I think they could actually make a very decent combination of drivers for one team as they mature, so I am going to pick both.
