Equality of drivers

How is the balance between your drivers?

Do you have two equally strong drivers, or a real 'number two' driver?
Also, are they the same age or do you have a veteran and a new upcoming youngster?

Think it's interesting to hear how you guys approach drivers.
A 'Prost/Senna' combination, or a 'Schumacher/Barrichello' one.

And do you know before the season who your number one driver is?

Both my drivers are talented youngsters (19 and 20 years old).

When I was starting out I had two basically equal drivers. Now, I have a clear #1 and clear #2 - my #1 driver is expected to keep the team from being relegated and contend for wins, while the second one is being trained up as a prospect.

Eventually, I hope to make my prospect driver the lead driver and then hire from the YDA. That way, I create a good cycle to keep the team fresh and have options when my "star" drivers get too expensive.

Both my drivers are at the age of 31 and I treat them as equal. Flores has done 111 races so far and Ciampi has done 94 races. If possible they both get new parts every race and one of them has the new engine and otherwise the one with older parts gets the new engine as compensation.

When I hired Ciampi, Flores was on his way to his first championship and Ciampi was still slower and learning. In the season after that, Flores took his second championship and Ciampi managed to get 3rd with 35 points behind but won no races. Next season Ciampi started to win races but still Flores managed to win his 3rd championship in a row with a 10 point difference.

Then the turn around came and in the following season both took wins, Ciampi was simply the better one and won her first championship. At that point, I thought Ciampi was going to beat Flores more often. Also because she has 15 talent and Flores 12. That didn't happen. Although it was just a 5 point difference, Flores managed to win his 4th championship. Last season I just watched it develop and it turned out Ciampi was the better one again and took her 2nd championship, beating Flores by 33 points.

Near the end of last season I was even close to letting Flores go at the end of the season and go for a fresh young driver. Then in the last three races he managed to win two races and beating his teammate rather convincing which made me decide to keep him for another season.

Flores is a comeback kid. By the time you think he lost his touch he manages to show good speed and makes you doubt his teammate. It's like pizza, even when it's bad it's still pretty good. I'm even starting to think Ciampi is losing her touch but who knows what next season will bring. I for sure am not going to put money on anything :D