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[Fact Man]

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/11072008/ ... -2008.html

Kubica statistically best driver of 2008
Fri 11 Jul, 03:10 PM

Robert Kubica is statistically the best driver of the 2008 season so far, the Canadian sports television network CBS Sport said.

Although the Pole is two points behind the three-way tussle for drivers' title honours, CBS said it has based its findings on an analysis of various other factors.

Kubica has made fewer driving errors than any other championship challenger, and has been more consistent, they reported.

The television network said Kubica's average finishing result (4.89), compared even with world champion Kimi Raikkonen (5.33) and Silverstone winner Lewis Hamilton (6.11), is the highest of any competitor.

Although I like Kubica and would like to see him win this year, I'm not so sure about this analysis. My problem with this article is that it doesn't give any idea about the parameters used to determine who's the best . A little bit lost...I went to cbs sportline website but didn't find the "study".

[McLaren Fan]

Same here, I'm afraid. I couldn't see the study as well. Overall, I think Kubica is the star driver of the year, but I'm not certain that CBS' research can be totally accurate.

[madbrad]

well there are dozens of different stats for each driver. You can pick and choose which ones you want to use and which ones you want to ignore, to put the driver of your choosing at the top of your data sheet. That's clearly what has happened here, not that I disagree that Kubica is very good.

[FJuan]

I think in identical cars the podium would be Kubica, Alonso & Kimi.
Not sure of the order.

[przemo]

Like it says, they took average finishing place as a criteria for this comparison. So he's the best finishing driver statistically. For me, it doesn't really matter, because the one with the most points wins.

well there are dozens of different stats for each driver. You can pick and choose which ones you want to use and which ones you want to ignore, to put the driver of your choosing at the top of your data sheet. That's clearly what has happened here, not that I disagree that Kubica is very good.

I agree.

[racechick]

I think in identical cars the podium would be Kubica, Alonso & Kimi.
Not sure of the order.

Kubica just screwed up. (I still rate him mind)
In identical cars id have Lewis Kubica Kimmi

[bud]

the only stats that count are wins and points.. in that Kubica is 2 points shy of being the best Driver of 2008

[Denthúl]

You have to look at more than just stats and, in general, Kubica has had the best performance of all the front-runners so far this season because he's combined pace, technique and consistency, in a car that isn't quite on the same level as the McLaren and the Ferrari, to put himself only two points shy of the leaders with only one race win, whilst it has taken Hamilton, Massa and Raikkonen three wins to get only two points ahead of Kubica. Had Kubica finished the last race, he could (and most likely would) have scored two points, which would have put him on the same amount as the other three. That's quite impressive.

[bud]

You have to look at more than just stats

yes i agree but the title of the topic says "statistically the best driver"

[Denthúl]

You have to look at more than just stats

yes i agree but the title of the topic says "statistically the best driver"

Well, on the stats that really matter to most people (finishing positions, that is), I'd say yeah, he is. Because his average finishing position over the first nine races is 4.8. Compare this to:

Hamilton - 6.1
Massa - 6.4
Raikkonen - 5.3

So, with rounding taken in to account, that puts Hamilton and Massa finishing 6th on average, Kubica and Raikkonen finishing 5th on average. Note that the reason their averages are so low is, in general, due to DNFs, in which case I counted the position they were listed as being despite their retirement.

[bud]

for DNF's you should count them as finishing 20th as the penalty for a DNF not the position they were listed in if your calculating finishing positions. for example Kubica DNF'd in Australia and wasnt classified but you would have put him 10th yeah? compare to Lewis who for example finished Bahrain 13th.

ive seen a good stat where you calculate starting position to finishing position

[Denthúl]

Right, then. In that case, statistically, Raikkonen and Hamilton draw level at 6.2, Kubica is 6.7 and Massa 7.3.

Amazingly, Heidfeld is 6.3, standing just behind Raikkonen and Hamilton. And the guy has a fastest lap to boot! I think it may be necessary to do this for the entire field:

Hamilton - 6.2
Raikkonen - 6.2
Heidfeld - 6.3
Kubica - 6.7
Massa - 7.3
Kovalainen - 7.8
Trulli - 8.5
Webber - 8.6
Alonso - 10.2
Barrichello - 12
Rosberg - 12
Nakajima - 10.4
Coulthard - 13.3
Glock - 12.4
Vettel - 15.7
Button - 14.3
Bourdais - 15.8
Piquet - 17
Fisichella - 16.8
Sutil - 19.3

[f1maniac95]

I'm not entireley sure about those stats but even so Kubica is an excellent driver and is a strong contender for the world championship.

[racechick]

I'm not entireley sure about those stats but even so Kubica is an excellent driver and is a strong contender for the world championship.

he is an excellent driver but I dont think a championship contender this year.

[Denthúl]

I'm not entireley sure about those stats but even so Kubica is an excellent driver and is a strong contender for the world championship.

he is an excellent driver but I dont think a championship contender this year.

I think he is. He won't be winning races in the way Raikkonen, Massa and Hamilton will, but the fact that he's only two points behind those three with only one race win shows that he has the potential to stay on their heels right the way up to Brazil and we know that Kimi was a fair few points behind in the last round. He's an outsider, but the chance of him winning the championship is there nonetheless.