Williams and Renault’s lead drivers have performed admirably to date, though their respective teammates have left much to be desired throughout the opening portion of the season.
Felipe Massa has justified his stay of execution and Nico Hulkenberg has immediately vindicated his career-defining switch, yet Lance Stroll and Jolyon Palmer appear out of their depth to varying degrees.
In contrast to Force India’s stunning consistency culminating in a double top-five finish at last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, these two outfits risk being left behind in the battle for fourth in the constructors standings – but these teams have made their own beds, and nobody should be offering any sympathy.
Rendering the imbalance even more galling is Red Bull’s ongoing struggle, with reliability issues plaguing its charge notwithstanding the inherent lack of pace in the ‘conservative’ RB13. Force India has repeatedly been in place to gather the spoils, most prolifically at the previous two events, while Williams and Renault endure weekends of wildly varied fortunes.
It’s increasingly conceivable that Force India could threaten the Milton Keynes squad for third should it draw a line through its seemingly futile title bid and concentrate resources on next season. As it stands, the aforementioned teams can only count on one driver to deliver, insufficient to their own pursuit.
The reasons for Stroll’s presence at the Grove outfit are well documented, with his father’s considerable fortune proving irresistible, and while the 18-year-old has endured his share of misfortune, the Canadian has been well off the pace in the FW40, which had demonstrated its competitiveness in Massa’s hands until a forgettable Sunday for the pair at Barcelona.
Jumping directly from Formula Three into the furnace was always going to represent a baptism of fire, though Max Verstappen is an exception to the rule, and it appears that Stroll would have been best served with another 12 months learning the ropes rather than damaging his long-term prospects.
(Image: David Davies/PA via AP)
Palmer is in his second campaign and, short of the perception that he’s a ‘placeholder’ aided by his own father’s financial contribution until a bigger name can be lured to Enstone, displays few signs of realising a third on merit with any other suitor. Involving himself in collisions, some entirely avoidable at his own hand, the Briton cuts a frustrated figure, often providing questionable excuses for his plight while his more esteemed teammate flourishes in the same machinery.
The 26-year-old’s partner at Renault is flattering the RS17, which has proven more competitive than foreseen, even if it initially struggled for pace on Sundays. If Palmer were half decent, he’d be troubling the points, thus his struggles to reach Q2 and often languishing at the rear of the field paint a damning portrait.
Massa has been labelled an invaluable mentor to Stroll, but it remains to be seen how soon the latter can harness his wisdom and make a valuable contribution, while Hulkenberg took a gamble in departing the safety of Force India and is dually reviving his own stagnant career while sinking another.
We always knew the season was going to amount to an arms race, yet the outfit which was deemed most likely to struggle at the earlier events has been most equipped to capitalise where others have fallen short, purely by counting on two drivers on who they can depend, which is midfield gold.
Part of the situation is circumstance – but you make your own luck in Formula One, so it is that two storied names find themselves humbled by an operation which does the simple parts very well with minimal fuss.
All the while Williams and Renault are paying for their asking price.
Bayden Westerweller
Roar Guru
Apologies for the late response, I was busy being tamed by the Great Ocean Road on the weekend! Stroll's presence begs the question of the lower categories relevance in contrast to the MotoGP structure, where the riders can see the trajectory leading to the pinnacle even if it takes a few years, rather than prematurely surfacing in the top tier and underwhelming before their time has come. It remains to be said that Stroll's huge backing grants him considerable leverage on his performances, Williams might be reluctant to dismiss him following a solitary season should the funds continue to roll in, and it's this concept which muddies the waters further.
Michael Lamonato
Expert
Stroll might still be learning, but I think that's the answer to the wrong question. What we really should be asking is: is Formula One the place for a teenager to develop his racing craft? I'd have thought that's what the junior categories are for. It's the influence of this same Max Verstappen-inspired debate that has everyone assuming that anyone can drive an F1 car in their teenage years so long as they've shown some promise at some point, but the 'If you're good enough, you're old enough' mantra still necessitates that you be good enough — it doesn't give a free pass to any young driver who wants to have a go. Not everyone is as good as Max Verstappen, and my fear now is that it might take the burning of Stroll's career for everyone to remember that.
Bayden Westerweller
Roar Guru
Stroll certainly wasn't aided at China & Bahrain, though he remains worryingly short on pace. He'll want to raise his game by the mid-season break, lest he is viewed as a liability. Palmer can count himself lucky to remain in his seat, some of his incompetence has been astonishing!
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
We can give some leeway to Stroll, being a rookie and all. Palmer however, well... You know my sentiments already! The car is competitive and only going to get better as the season progresses. You'd have thought that in his tough rookie year, he'd have learned some things, as most rookies do when the team they're in is facing difficulties - though it seems like he believes he's entitled to a good car.