No one denies that MS has the No1 Status at Ferrari.
But if someone comes there and drives consistently faster than MS, Do you really think that he will retain that status? I think that MS would quit.
Ok, for arguments sake, Lets say RB has to Move over for MS twice, If he is faster the third time, then what? For how long will he agree and how long will the management do it? If the guy is faster most of the time, MS will not remain No 1 all the time. Do you really believe if Ferrari were to Take KR, they would intentionally slow him down, that?s downright stupid?
But this scenario is practically impossible.
- First: MS is the official #1 driver at Ferrari and Ferrari will not make a contract with a driver, who would not accept his own role as the #2 driver. So the other Ferrari driver is mentally beaten before the season has even started.
- Second: MS gets all the new parts first; the other driver might get them sometimes simultaneously, but never before MS (unless MS has already sealed his title, then he voluntarily supports the #2 driver to promote him).
- Third: Because the Ferrari team spends a huge amount of money to keep MS, the team also puts some 70-75% of team resources to his disposal, the other driver gets what is left.
Sometimes one can see the difference of attitude very clearly, in Spa 2000 and in Interlagos 2003 RB ran out of fuel. Do you really think, that this would ever happen to MS ? If you check the technical DNFs, you'll find out that RB has a relatively low DNF ratio, but MS has not had a single technical DNF since 2001.
- Fourth: Because MS is such a big name in Ferrari, he can direct the development of the car to the way he wants it. The other driver may not like it, but his words will not weigh much.
When Ferrari was negotiating with KR in 2001, the team promised that after a couple years of #2 drivers, KR could get a strong position in 2004, and he could race against MS freely and if MS would have quit, KR would be Ferrari's #1 driver. The 2004 Ferrari package obviously suits MS much better than RB. So the balance of power has changed and MS dominates again at Ferrari. But RB is not the ultimate racer, his potential is pretty near to DC's, but now RB has a much better tool to his disposal than DC.
A new driver would have an uphill battle against MS. Michael is a formidable driver, even in his old age and he is VERY strong at his home ground. He has many advantages, and for the other driver it would take more than a year to beat him. Even if this other driver is actually more talented and faster than MS, the new driver has to learn the Ferrari car and get to know the key engineers, and that takes time.
But MS would not stay and wait to get beaten. He would quit before that.
When Button went to BAR JV was undisputed No1 in that team, regardless if DR liked him or not. If button had not driven well DR would have had to back JV. Button did what was required, and the results are there to see. He is now No1 in the BAR team.
If you want to beat MS, do it in a Ferrari, he'll know he's beat.
![Bang Head :banghead: :banghead:](/wp-content/themes/gtp16/images/smilies/banghead.svg)