Ricciardo or Vergne?

Although Kimi Raikkonen is a contender for the available red bull seat next season, I'm more interested in the young Torro Rosso drivers.

Qualifying/Race Result

Australia: Vergne - 13 / 12 :::::: Ricciardo - 14 / Ret

Malaysia: Vergne - 17 / 10 :::::: Ricciardo - 13 / 18 (Exhaust)

China: Vergne - 15 / 12 :::::: Ricciardo - 7 / 7

Bahrain: Vergne - 16 / Ret (Accident Damage) :::::: Ricciardo - 13 / 16

Spain: Vergne - 18 / Ret (Accident Damage) :::::: Ricciardo - 11 / 10

Monaco: Vergne - 10 / 8 :::::: Ricciardo - 12 / Ret (Accident)

Canada: Vergne - 7 / 6 :::::: Ricciardo - 11 / 15

Britain: Vergne - 12 / 22 (Retired) :::::: Ricciardo - 5 / 8

Germany: Vergne - 16 / 20 (Retired) :::::: Ricciardo - 6 / 12

Hungary: Vergne - 14 / 18 :::::: Ricciardo - 8/ 19

Belgium Vergne - 18 / 12 :::::: Ricciardo - 19 / 10


Team Qualifying Battle: Vergne: 4/11 :::::: Ricciardo: 7/11

Top 10 finishes: Vergne: 3 out of 11 races :::::: Ricciardo: 4 out of 11 races

Total points so far: Vergne 13 / Ricciardo 12

I'll continue to update this thread after each race.

The pendulum has begun to swing Ricciardo's way, but the season is no where near complete. Plenty more action to come. What are your thoughts on both drivers? Their current and previous form?

Im a vergne fan, prefer and think he is better than Riccardo

British GP: Riccardo, qualified 6th:: Vergne, qualified 13th

Guess we'll see how they drive tomorrow (Vergne's strong point currently) but that makes it 5/8 times Riccardo has out qualified his team mate.

Well Riccardo had a fantastic drive today. Shame about the safety car at the end because he had a very good chance to finish 6th or so. 8th is still very good though for him, look forward to next race. Vergne had a tough day in the office.

I think Ricciardos edge in quali might be what tips it his favor.

I suspect itll be Kimi though

Riccardo is a good qualifier while Vergne is not, often he improves on his race position because he doesn't make it out of Q1 and has multiple sets of fresh tyres. So I would go for Riccardo.

Id say Ricciardo... but its a close call at the mo. I think Ricciardo has upped his game just a little bit more than Vergne, but still pleny of season left Vergne

Ricciardo 6th, Vergne 16th.

Only 1 of them has really upped it since Webbers announcement.

If Ricciardo can keep up the kind of performances he's shown in the last couple of races, he has to be the favourite of the two...assuming the unthinkable doesn't happen and they sign Raikkonen.

Vergne`s luck is shocking though. I just hope for the good of f1`s competitive side that kimi gets the seat.

You make your own luck to an extent when you qualify 16.

But that's in terms of race incident. Qualifying higher just reduces the risk of crashing or losing a wing, Vergne`s issues have been mechanical the majority of the time. I agree though Ricciardo is way out in front currently but its only half way through

Indeed. So much can happen between now and the end of the season.

Once again yesterday, Riccardo dropped off and missed out on points. However, I think his tyres/strategy were wrong by the end of the race, as several people over took him in the final laps when it looked as though 10th place might be possible.

Didn't see what happened to Vergne but I think he'll bounce back.

John wrote:Vergne`s luck is shocking though. I just hope for the good of f1`s competitive side that kimi gets the seat.

Can't see Vettel allowing that...after all, he wants a good, obedient No.2 who will obey team orders.

Kimi told his own team to just shut up and let him drive...don't think that would go down too well at RB.

Yeah, everyone knows Vettel will probably opt for the easy option, but for me, I would want Kimi in that seat, so we finally get to see how good seb is - thats all. Seriously would of loved to of heard the complete Kimi-engineer radio transcripts from yesterday - bet there were some absolute classics in there. what a legend. 'having a s**t' and from nascar trucks, 'my ass is burning' are two of my favs.

It would be interesting to see how both drivers would get along. I think it is a risky move by Red Bull in some respects as it could bring the worst out of both drivers. Despite Webber and Vettel's rather poor relationship, it is a very successful partnership as far as points are concerned.

According to Bild, Ricciardo will be announced as Vettels partner at RB for 2014 at Spa

GSC wrote:According to Bild, Ricciardo will be announced as Vettels partner at RB for 2014 at Spa

Expected but somewhat disappointed in this call. Fully understand the reasoning because of the Young Driver Programme and the investment they have in this. I fear that Ricciardo will not be able to challenge Vettel, like Webber. For the good of F1, we needed Kimi in that seat. It would of given us a realistic measurement of how good Vettel really is, unfortunately now, all we can do is measure Vettel on his records & stats, instead of in a head-to-head racing format with a genuine world champion.

Reports are suggesting that Kimi rejected Red Bull and had agreed to rejoin Ferrari.

Kimi(the last Ferrari WDC) vs Fernando(Ferrari's golden boy). Now that could be interesting.

GSC wrote:According to Bild, Ricciardo will be announced as Vettels partner at RB for 2014 at Spa

That wouldn't surprise me at all for various reasons.

Can't understand that from Kimis point of view. #2 in either car but picks the worse car?

Firstly, it's not confirmed. No guarantee, under the new regulations & engines that Red Bull will be the superior car. James Allison is joining Ferrari, someone Kimi knows well and probably trusts. Financially, makes sense to go to Ferrari. In terms of racing for Ferrari, it would be a bad move. Two heavy-weights at one team, usually ends in disappointment...just ask McLaren. Red Bull have the right strategy of prioritising Vettel, even if it's to the detriment of the number 2 driver and to the fans wants of better competition.

The Raikonnen to Ferrari thing could be mere pie in the sky. But if it is so perhaps he feels he'll get a fairer crack at the whip at Ferrari and obviously he'll get more wages. Also perhaps Kimi feels Fernando is not far away from retiring - or at least a lot closer to retiring than Sebastien Vettel. Also we don't really know how hard Red Bull actually pursued Kimi - perhaps they always intended to promote from within.

If you're going to back a team for next season it'd RB and Newey.

I think if Kimi opted for Ferrari it says more about the future of Alonso.

But we don't know any of the facts GSC. For all we know it may always have been Red Bull's intention to promote from within and the Kimi story was largely fabrication by the media? After all it is how Vettel got into Red Bull through the sister team Toro Rosso. I think it is safe to say that the replacement at Toro Rosso for Riccardio will be from the Red Bull school (so to speak).

Kimi did say his choice may look stupid to others...

so maybe he is going to Ferrari.

Bull wrote:Kimi did say his choice my look stupid to others...

so maybe he is going to Ferrari.

Or perhaps he is staying at Lotus?  

Maybe hes going to Caterham

Silly season. Just wait for the facts to emerge.

Eddie Jordan believes Kimi will rejoin Ferrari

Just because he got the 'Hamilton to Mercedes' call right, doesn't mean this is right. It possibly could be, but I'd rather wait for the confirmation. If anything, it's a positive for Red Bull & Vettel. Two of his rivals battling in an inter-team battle, taking away points opportunities from each other, just simply plays into the hands of Vettel. If Kimi goes there, he's just trying to rekindle old memories of winning the title there but I fear it could possibly be a mistake for both driver and team. It also opens the Lotus' driver seat for next year, if it goes ahead. Grosjean would be one but who would be the other. I would put my money on Nico Hulkenberg every day of the week.

I knew this would be the case and makes sense. As for Kimi going to Ferrari, cant see it whilst Alonso is still there, but stranger things have happened. I reckon he'll stay where he is at Lotus.

Well if Ricciardo is Red Bull-bound as many reports suggest it gives credence to Red Bull's driver programme. But questions abound as to why not Kimi?

Well clues are dotted around. In a BBC report it claims that Ricciardo is seen to be ' a malleable choice who will play a support role for Vettel without the friction that developed between the German and Webber and which may well have emerged had Raikkonen, a former world champion, joined the team.' So sounds like they are after a rear gunner and I'd guess Kimi is not interested in that kind of role.

This is supported by comments made by Christian Horner on Sky F1 yesterday when he admitted Kimi is his own man and will do what is best for himself. Can that be taken as he wasn't willing to play rear gunner at Red Bull? It would seem so and if that is the case then I cannot see him joining Ferrari either as the same situation would arise there I am sure.

Ricciardo was always going to be the choice. He's the cheaper option, came through the driver programme and will need time to settle and adjust to the Red Bull setup/car and will happily play second-fiddle in his early career. Also, not promoting from within, through the young driver programme would basically mean Helmut Marko would be surplus to requirements and we all know how much that team & more importantly Vettel, loves that idiot hanging around. Kimi to Ferrari is my bet, Lotus don't match his ambitions.

RICCIARDO CONFIRMED. WHAT A SURPRISE.

YES!!! So happy for Ricciardo!

I am excited to see how he gets on in the team. He strikes me as a driver who could do very well for Red Bull and challenge Vettel more than Webber did, especially in qualifying.

As much as I love Webber, he has a lot of flaws, too many to be a championship winner unfortunately. Sadly, he missed out on his one chance to win a championship in 2010. Since the Pirelli tyres he has never looked capable of winning it. His starts have been consistently poor and he struggles to get on pole.

Ricciardo still has ? over his actual racing ability, but I think he'll develop as Vettel did and surprise a lot of people.

So what is Vergne's future looking like?

like he's staying at torro rosso. felix da costa should replace ricciardo for 2014.