The F1 thread

Fretwired

Win 10 races but not world champion - that's a new record. I wonder if Hamilton will be looking for a new job next season .... at least he made the race interesting .. :-)

stickyfiddle

Fretwired said:

Win 10 races but not world champion - that's a new record. I wonder if Hamilton will be looking for a new job next season .... at least he made the race interesting .. :-)

Where would he go? RB is the only team likely to touch Mercedes next year and they're full.

Though I did see a rumour Zak Brown wants him back at McLaren...

sweepy

Zak Brown certainly didn't rule it out in his interview with Brundle 

Fretwired

@fretmeister loves my predictions as they're nearly always wrong ... :-)

Vettel to Mercedes and Hamilton to Ferrari .. probably 2018. Hamilton's not popular with the German team and Vettel's upset the senior Ferrari management a few times. Hamilton's win at all costs and 'me first' attitude is respected at Ferrari which is a team that likes a number one driver.

Hamilton has always said he'd love a drive with Ferrari .. can't see him going to McLaren.

xSkarloey

Okay so Rosberg won 9 races to Lewis's 10, but at least Rosberg jr outdid his old man, who, a newspaper article reminded me today, cobbled together  a Championship win in 82 after winning one (count it) race all season. 

Fretwired

Word around the paddock that Lewis is about to be suspended by Mercedes - on his way out of the door?  Apparently Woolf is incandescent and isn't speaking to Hamilton and is considering his future.

Garthy

Fretwired said:

Word around the paddock that Lewis is about to be suspended by Mercedes - on his way out of the door?  Apparently Woolf is incandescent and isn't speaking to Hamilton and is considering his future.

It'd be a PR disaster for Merc if they did suspend him, no matter what the result they were still constructor champions and one of their drivers would be crowned WDC. Had Vettel won then Rosberg didn't need to finish 3rd, 6th would have done the job, the person with the most to lose was Hamilton.

stickyfiddle

Garthy said:

Fretwired said:

Word around the paddock that Lewis is about to be suspended by Mercedes - on his way out of the door?  Apparently Woolf is incandescent and isn't speaking to Hamilton and is considering his future.

It'd be a PR disaster for Merc if they did suspend him, no matter what the result they were still constructor champions and one of their drivers would be crowned WDC. Had Vettel won then Rosberg didn't need to finish 3rd, 6th would have done the job, the person with the most to lose was Hamilton.

Exactly. I don't believe there's a driver on the grid who wouldn't have done the same thing yesterday. It was the only thing that made the race interesting. 

And who would they swap Ham for? Maybe Vettel? I can hear Paddy now, "multi-6-5 Seb..." I don't think so! 

There's no way that would be better for Merc overall. All the driver tension is great because it means headlines. 

sweepy

It wouldn't do Hamilton any harm to have a year out, it worked for Prost 

stickyfiddle

sweepy said:

It wouldn't do Hamilton any harm to have a year out, it worked for Prost 

Nah, he's finishing the season the quickest driver in the quickest car. If RB and Merc are level in performance next year he'll be convinced he will beat Rosberg again and have a great fight with Max and Dan. Whatever Merc say to him he knows he has the upper hand - they've already shown they won't actually penalise him so why change? 

It's all good imo

fretmeister

Fretwired said:

Word around the paddock that Lewis is about to be suspended by Mercedes - on his way out of the door?  Apparently Woolf is incandescent and isn't speaking to Hamilton and is considering his future.

 Ewspapers this morning saying Toto hasn't made his mind up. On one hand it was his only way to win, on the other he disobeyed an order.

The tactic was entirely legitimate, but the ignoring of team orders might be a problem.

stickyfiddle

fretmeister said:

Fretwired said:

Word around the paddock that Lewis is about to be suspended by Mercedes - on his way out of the door?  Apparently Woolf is incandescent and isn't speaking to Hamilton and is considering his future.

 Ewspapers this morning saying Toto hasn't made his mind up. On one hand it was his only way to win, on the other he disobeyed an order.

The tactic was entirely legitimate, but the ignoring of team orders might be a problem.

Of course the counterargument is that they should never have given that order on the last race when the constructor's title is safe and your guys are the only ones who can win the title. It should've been open season with the only rule being "don't bin it"

Fretwired

fretmeister said:

Fretwired said:

Word around the paddock that Lewis is about to be suspended by Mercedes - on his way out of the door?  Apparently Woolf is incandescent and isn't speaking to Hamilton and is considering his future.

 Ewspapers this morning saying Toto hasn't made his mind up. On one hand it was his only way to win, on the other he disobeyed an order.

The tactic was entirely legitimate, but the ignoring of team orders might be a problem.

It's in the papers .. I heard it from a paddock source .. ;-)

Don't forget the not much reported busted up between Woolf and Hamilton - Lewis was unhappy with the way his mechanics were switched and what he saw as favouritism for Rosberg. He said we could read all about it in his autobiography at some point.  Woolf countered with he would write a book that the the truth and blew the lid on the relationship. I've been told it has soured - the problem as I see it is the relationship between Hamilton and Rosberg is non-existent so expect fireworks on the track next year and Woolf won't like the idea that a driver ignores orders.

stickyfiddle

Of course this is inevitable if your only title rival is your teammate. It happened at Red Bull from 2010-2012, Mclaren in 2007, Mclaren in 88/89 etc.

Merc will do nothing except a "please don't do that again", because they know they can't *actually* control things.

But I'd be surprised if both drivers renew their current contracts.

Fretwired

stickyfiddle said:

Of course this is inevitable if your only title rival is your teammate. It happened at Red Bull from 2010-2012, Mclaren in 2007, Mclaren in 88/89 etc.

Merc will do nothing except a "please don't do that again", because they know they can't *actually* control things.

But I'd be surprised if both drivers renew their current contracts.

They both have another two years - interesting that Vettel is needling Hamilton. How about a team swap? :-)

stickyfiddle

Fretwired said:

stickyfiddle said:

Of course this is inevitable if your only title rival is your teammate. It happened at Red Bull from 2010-2012, Mclaren in 2007, Mclaren in 88/89 etc.

Merc will do nothing except a "please don't do that again", because they know they can't *actually* control things.

But I'd be surprised if both drivers renew their current contracts.

They both have another two years - interesting that Vettel is needling Hamilton. How about a team swap? :-)

So *maybe* Ham would switch with Vettel, but surely he'd only want to if Ferrari suddenly get quicker (then Seb won't want out), or if Merc skewer him over 2017, which I think is unlikely.

Fretwired

stickyfiddle said:

Fretwired said:

stickyfiddle said:

Of course this is inevitable if your only title rival is your teammate. It happened at Red Bull from 2010-2012, Mclaren in 2007, Mclaren in 88/89 etc.

Merc will do nothing except a "please don't do that again", because they know they can't *actually* control things.

But I'd be surprised if both drivers renew their current contracts.

They both have another two years - interesting that Vettel is needling Hamilton. How about a team swap? :-)

So *maybe* Ham would switch with Vettel, but surely he'd only want to if Ferrari suddenly get quicker (then Seb won't want out), or if Merc skewer him over 2017, which I think is unlikely.

Hamilton may not get a say. Woolf looks to me like a control freak - he apparently blanked Hamilton who may be better suited to Ferrari. They like Prima Donnas and the concept of a number one driver. And like Mercedes the management at Ferrari has fallen out of love with Vettel.

Woolf may be pragmatic and think they've reached the end of the road with Hamilton. Rosberg will be goading Hamilton next year and getting under his skin as he's the world champion. Woolf will know he will get many sleepless nights - it's not a forgone conclusion that Mercedes will dominate next year.

stickyfiddle

Fretwired said:

stickyfiddle said:

Fretwired said:

stickyfiddle said:

Of course this is inevitable if your only title rival is your teammate. It happened at Red Bull from 2010-2012, Mclaren in 2007, Mclaren in 88/89 etc.

Merc will do nothing except a "please don't do that again", because they know they can't *actually* control things.

But I'd be surprised if both drivers renew their current contracts.

They both have another two years - interesting that Vettel is needling Hamilton. How about a team swap? :-)

So *maybe* Ham would switch with Vettel, but surely he'd only want to if Ferrari suddenly get quicker (then Seb won't want out), or if Merc skewer him over 2017, which I think is unlikely.

Hamilton may not get a say. Woolf looks to me like a control freak - he apparently blanked Hamilton who may be better suited to Ferrari. They like Prima Donnas and the concept of a number one driver. And like Mercedes the management at Ferrari has fallen out of love with Vettel.

Woolf may be pragmatic and think they've reached the end of the road with Hamilton. Rosberg will be goading Hamilton next year and getting under his skin as he's the world champion. Woolf will know he will get many sleepless nights - it's not a forgone conclusion that Mercedes will dominate next year.

Yeah, maybe on a conceptual level, but the negative PR around kicking out a 3-time champion would be big. Can't see the Merc board liking that.

TimmyO

Fretwired said:

@fretmeister loves my predictions as they're nearly always wrong ... :-)

Vettel to Mercedes and Hamilton to Ferrari .. probably 2018. Hamilton's not popular with the German team and Vettel's upset the senior Ferrari management a few times. Hamilton's win at all costs and 'me first' attitude is respected at Ferrari which is a team that likes a number one driver.

Hamilton has always said he'd love a drive with Ferrari .. can't see him going to McLaren.

No - I really don't want this to happen. Ferrari are my "hate" team :-) - I couldn't support a driver who was there, and with Button retiring my 'career support*' vote was going to move to Hamilton. 

* - since being a kid I have this thing where I support McLaren (and whoever is in the team at the time) plus one British driver for their career, as long as it lasts. Button has been my guy since he showed up. 

TimmyO

Fretwired said:

stickyfiddle said:

Fretwired said:

stickyfiddle said:

Of course this is inevitable if your only title rival is your teammate. It happened at Red Bull from 2010-2012, Mclaren in 2007, Mclaren in 88/89 etc.

Merc will do nothing except a "please don't do that again", because they know they can't *actually* control things.

But I'd be surprised if both drivers renew their current contracts.

They both have another two years - interesting that Vettel is needling Hamilton. How about a team swap? :-)

So *maybe* Ham would switch with Vettel, but surely he'd only want to if Ferrari suddenly get quicker (then Seb won't want out), or if Merc skewer him over 2017, which I think is unlikely.

Hamilton may not get a say. Woolf looks to me like a control freak - he apparently blanked Hamilton who may be better suited to Ferrari. They like Prima Donnas and the concept of a number one driver. And like Mercedes the management at Ferrari has fallen out of love with Vettel.

Woolf may be pragmatic and think they've reached the end of the road with Hamilton. Rosberg will be goading Hamilton next year and getting under his skin as he's the world champion. Woolf will know he will get many sleepless nights - it's not a forgone conclusion that Mercedes will dominate next year.

I honestly think it was naïve of them to issue the order (certainly the 2nd time with Paddy trying to pull rank) - if they thought he was going to obey then I'm shocked. They both have form this season for ignoring team instructions. 

Both team and driver are probably torn - each are hardwired to want to win but they hate each other - which notion will win?