Race Starts: 237; Wins: 13; Career Points: 533
That's an average of around 2.25 points per race—not too shabby given that most of them came in the old point scoring system when only the top six finishers received points. All the more impressive when you consider he's been in a rut until this season, underachieving Red Bull outfit for some time!
That's what David Coulthard's leaving behind him, and that's what Red Bull has to replace. So where do they go from here?
There are two obvious choices. The young-gun Sebastien Vettel, or the two-time World Champ Fernando Alonso.
If you follow the sport as much as I do, you'll know as well as I do, both have a legitimate shot at landing in the Milton-Keynes based squad next year. The question is: who is the better fit?
It's undeniable that Alonso—who will be turning just 27 in a little over a fortnight's time—has already secured his spot in F1's fraternity as being considered one of the greats of all time. The man defeated the legendary Michael Schumacher in back-to-back seasons, and he is widely considered to be the most complete driver on the current F1 grid.
I am a huge admirer of Alonso, and I appreciate him for what he is; a fantastic, technologically savvy, and—for the most part for at least everyone out of the UK—a media friendly race car driver. That is not to say he doesn't have some flaws, and his biggest is possibly also his biggest asset; his passion!
If Red Bull were to sign him for 2009 and beyond, they risk destabilizing a group that has had years to gel together. That is not in any way a stab at Alonso given what happened at McLaren last year! I believe the circumstances there were not favorable for Alonso at all, and I blame McLaren management and the British media ahead of Alonso for any difficulties experienced there last year.
The problem is if Alonso—who as it is widely speculated—is on the way to the Scuderia in 2010 or beyond, do you really risk breaking Red Bulls rhythm for a one or two year signing?
Furthermore, Red Bull already has a very talented, and I feel, tremendously underrated driver in Mark Webber. If Red Bull turns out a race winner car anywhere in the near future, surely he is the one who deserves to drive it with the full support and backing of the team. Surely he's earned it... surely?
I must admit I am in two minds on this topic, after all, Alonso and Webber are my two favorite drivers, apart from possibly Felipe Massa, if not simply because of all the drivers I've met and read about, he seems the nicest, most down to earth, and ultimately most like-able.
But it could be very dangerous for two such highly motivated, highly passionate, and highly talented drivers as Webber and Alonso to tee off against each other. Ultimately, neither will get the full support they require, and have earned!
So at this stage, the best suited is Vettel right? Wrong! Vettel is talented no doubt. Inconsistent no doubt! In-experienced...yep you guessed it, no doubt!
At 26 I could get stuck in a time warp for many years to come and still emerge older than he is. My point is that Vettel will have his time, where as Mark's has kind of reached the point where it's now or never!
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