World Series by Renault 3.5 talent - who do we rate?

[chunterer]

Haing attended my first (Nissan) RWS event on Sunday i was impressed by the series as a whole.

There seemed to be a mix of drivers' experience levels, possibly having a bearing on the shenanigans earlier in the season!

However judging by previous records and what they've done so far this year it appears that like big brother GP2, there is a lot of talented drivers in here.

Who do you think has got real ability and why? Who do you think can make it to F1 eventually, and whi is likely to progress to GP2 next year?

From what i saw on Sunday, Adrian Valles is decent, Maldonado is obviously high on natural pace but high on mistakes.. inexperience?

Wincklehock was pretty good but some of the names i've known for a while were fairly anonymous like Power, Dirani,Salignon and especially Gommendy who really ought to be in a GP2 car surely? And Carbone, who despite not qualifying well went like stink during the races (R1 22nd to 9th!!!)

Thought this might make a decent discussion, so lets have your thoughts..

[SALEEN S7R]

Kubica, Power and Toccacelo are the drivers that have stood out IMO this year, Kubica defintly has potential to do well in GP2 and maybe in F1 too, Power is obviously a potential star for the future too, a little early to say whether or not he will be in F1 one day or not IMO - but I get the feeling he would do quite well in GP2.

[bella]

no, i'd say the contrary about will power. he's very fast on occasion (he's won in the wsr this year hasn't he?), but doesn't seem to think much on track from what i saw of him in the british f3 season. it'd defy science if he'd changed.

kubica has been around for quite some time, like quite a few of the wsr drivers. he was quick in the f3 euroseries in the past iirc.

[Kidzer]

Obviously I rate Ryan, but kubica seems to be quick this season - whether it is a reflection of his ability, or his car Im not sure - some of its down to him without a doubt.

Power could be good - "you can tame speed but you can't speed up ..something" Can't remember the quote, but im sure it applies to him

[Kicking-back]

Sad to say Ryan doesn't seem to be getting to grips with it thus far...

[Kidzer]

He was on pole for one of the races at donny until the last 5 or so minutes - he aquaplained off at the Old Hairpin I think, and then the track suddenly got quicker. He was coming through the field in that race until a problem that struck in quali hit again. In race 2 he got taken out at T1 I think (Can't say for sure,i never saw it - but thats what my dad said)

Edit: Aye, jenzer site has a report of the weekend up now

[Gaz]

Oh dear - here we go again - bring on Jock Loon!

I'm not too sure on the World Series to be honest. I thought the cars looked and sounded fantastic and the racing was....well as expected really.

But looking through the drivers and their past accomplishments none really stand out as having done much of note. All have done Ok in the past but nothing outstanding, I think if you chucked them in on the GP2 grid even the frontrunners would just about struggle into the top 10 on occasion. My view is the grid is made up of Mr averages who have done reasonably before yet will never ultimately be world beaters.

Of the drivers I saw over the weekend I was impressed with Valles and Kubica and that was about it.

[Kidzer]

Don't worry gaz - im not looking to start an argument!

[runshaw]

The stand-out is obviously Kubica, I reckon he would do well in GP2. Valles and Gommendy are also good, as is Wincklehock but he has been racing cars since 1998 and had some good results but never been a champion. Power is good but inconsistent, as is Montanari, his win at Monaco was one of the best all year.

[jondownunder]

I'm still not convinced about the strength in depth of this series - as Gaz suggested, there are some OK and decent drivers, but few you'd mark out as anything all that special. Kubica's certainly come of age, and deserves to win the title - he's been quick and consistent all year. I'll be interested to see if he can continue that form if he steps up to GP2. Maldonado definitely seems to have a good deal of natural talent, but obviously has a bit to learn - it's only his third season of racing after all.

[JJ Jet Plane]

WSR is like a second division to GP2, Gaz was right. Kubica has stood out this year as clearly the best. He's a very good driver (especially on street circuits) and he was made to look worse than he is in F3 Euroseries because Mucke Motorsport don't seem to have been on the same level as ASM or Manor.

I genuinely think Kubica could be top 6 or 8 in GP2, but not so the rest. Gommendy's been around too long, Power is fast but just too erratic (a new Narain Karthikeyan?). Valles is pretty young and inexperienced so long term he could be good. I think we need to see him in GP2 to suss him out properly.

[Bezzen]

Alx! He's lacking in experience (only started racing when he was 17), but he's not lacking in speed and talent. Hopefully he'll be in one of DAMS' GP2 cars next year, but I guess Fauzy will bring more cash to the table and ruin it.

[Vicky B]

Got to agree with you there Bezzen. I think Alx has done really well this season. He has made an incredible come back after a terrible crash at Zolder, and was on the podium at Bilbao!!

He has a natural talent for racing. I would love to see him in GP2 next year.

[cds_uk]

Kubica and Valles have both been good, obviously i think Salignon could still do a job in GP2 at least, i tend to agree with Bezzen and Vicky B as well, i think Alx has done ok this year.

[Bezzen]

Well, this season hasn't really gone Alx' way. It sure didn't help that Maldonado got the race bans as his stand in Gianmaria was something like 1 to 2 seconds per lap slower than Alx and couldn't help out one bit with setting up the car. Now with Maldonado back I think DAMS can find a bit better setups the last remaining races. They have been having problems adapting to the World Series chassi and Alx has only been really competetive on the street track and in the wet, when the setups have pretty much been balanced out in the field. I guess it's in setting up the car where his lack of wing car experience shows (or perhaps he's just related to Ronnie Peterson ).