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[Denthúl]

I'm not sure it is fair to say that, given the fact that the car he has been driving for the past three seasons isn't exactly competitive. It gets at me when people say that certain drivers, notably Ralf Schumacher, David Coulthard and Rubens Barrichello are past it. Sure, you can say that because they aren't winning races, but none of them have had competitive cars for the past few years. They're all Grand Prix winners and, given a competitive car, I'd put money on them to come out on top of a number of other drivers on the grid at the moment...

[Sam-KK24]

He finished last at Monaco, behind the Spykers and Aguris, or is the Toyota not that competitve?

[Denthúl]

Actually, he finished in front of the Aguris and the Spykers didn't finish. The only cars less competitive than the Toyotas that finished ahead of them were the Hondas, and the Honda drivers are better than Ralf, in my opinion, which is what led to them finishing where they did.

[McLaren Fan]

Coulthard and Barrichello still have something to offer. Even though they have perhaps lost some of their racing speed, they know how to get experience points, how to test cars etc. Ralf Schumacher was never a brilliant driver in my eyes and his performances off late were pathetic. It was right he left Formula One. McLaren laughed at him when Schumacher said in the press that he was interested in driving for the team.

[Denthúl]

I think Barrichello would actually be a lot faster in a better car. He gets unmotivated when his car isn't great, but as soon as it's capable of finishing in a points paying position. That has been seen on several occasions. Coulthard, well, I'm not sure on. I think he could still do it if he was in a position where he knew it was possible, but I think that if Red Bull became championship contenders that Mark Webber would outshine him.

We'll see, no doubt. I may be wrong and Heikki may perform excellently, but I have a feeling that there will be occasions where both Hamilton and Kovalainen get into situations where they make mistakes that more experienced drivers wouldn't.

[racechick]

This is from Bild, it says it all!

Haha.

Well, to be honest, if I were in charge at McLaren, I honestly would've tried to get Ralf Schumacher into that second seat, because he's an experienced driver and could win a fair few Grands Prix.

Oh come on!! Ralph would have thought all his christmas' had come at once! 'Tried to get him'!!!'He would have bitten their hand off. Ziltch chance of the offer ever being made though because he's crap!

[Denthúl]

Firstly, you're forgetting it's unfair to call anyone who can drive an F1 car successfully crap, and secondly, that there have been a great, great many drivers worse than Ralf Schumacher. He has 6 GP wins to his name, which is as many as:

Riccardo Patrese
Gilles Villeneuve
John Surtees

And more than:

Jean Alesi
Jenson Button
Eddie Irvine
Keke Rosberg
Phil Hill
Mike Hawthorn
Giuseppe Farina

Some of those are also, I might add, ex-world champions. I'm not saying he's amazing, but he isn't bad.

[texasmr2]

Ralph has never been anymore than a driver who could win a few race's due to the circumstance's/attrition on track. He's arrogant and pompous and the only reason he made it to F1 was because of his last name. He was alway's trying to prove he had talent that he did not possess and alway's living in his brother's shadow which endured him to alway's have a 'chip on his shoulder'. He should have gone to DTM before Toyota wasted all that money on him, he may have a championship or two to brag about and most likely Toyota would not be in the dire straight's they are in now.

Now back to the main topic. Kovi as Vettel had shown great potential last year which was most likely the cause of McLaren's aprehension but I think they made the right choice.