The F1 thread

thumpingrug

The last few laps got interesting but the rest was pretty dull.  Max Vestappen is having a terrible season, no luck at all.  

sweepy

Vettel of s becoming the Victor Meldrew of F1, I'm sorry Seb, Bottas didn't jump the start, no matter how many times you say it 

Fretwired

The FIA and Ross Brawn need to do something about the cars .. Vettel was faster than Bottas and Hamilton was faster than Ricciardo but there's no way you can get close to overtake in the dirty air unless you're racing Alonso.

Hoof

Fretwired said:

The FIA and Ross Brawn need to do something about the cars .. Vettel was faster than Bottas and Hamilton was faster than Ricciardo but there's no way you can get close to overtake in the dirty air unless you're racing Alonso.

A couple more laps and I think they would have both got past. 

That said, you're probably right. The current front wings are far too complex and sensitive. Perhaps a change in rules to bring the floors forward to increase ground effect and the front wing only really act to balance the car. 

stickyfiddle

It's been the case in F1 for almost as long as I can remember. Massive front wings plus massive diffusers will always result in shit performance behind another car. All the team know it, but none of the big guys want to lose the aero advantage they have over the little guys.

stickyfiddle

Interesting Bottas is now closer to Ham than Ham is to Vettel. And that is why Mercedes will walk the WCC but Vettel with get the WDC.

Hoof

stickyfiddle said:

Interesting Bottas is now closer to Ham than Ham is to Vettel. And that is why Mercedes will walk the WCC but Vettel with get the WDC.

Yeah, Merc are lettingg their drivers race and Ferrari have clearly chosen their Champion. Raikkonen is clearly being played for a sucker. I think he's realised that now and it's probably the reason his performances have dropped off. Why put your life on the line for someone else's title?

It puts Ferrari in a difficult position for next year. Do they stick with Kimi who's now just a steady Eddie or just go with another driver? The likely candidates are Verstappen, Ocon and Grosjean. I can't see any of them accepting the no.2 driver status and if they bought in Charles Leclerc I think he might send Vettel seeking pastures new. They'd have the same situation that McLaren had in '07.

sinbaadi

Predictably anticlimactic.

stickyfiddle

Ocon, Verstappen and Sainz are all contracted for next year, so unless Max wants to spend a fortune getting out of his contract I can see Grosjean being the best candidate for Ferrari. Based on some of his performances at Lotus I think he'd be a good fit. He won't beat Vettel but has a shot at a title once Seb gets pissed off and leaves. I'd really like to see him get a great car under him.

Ferrari won't put Leclerc in - they don't do rookies and never will.

Fretwired

stickyfiddle said:

Ocon, Verstappen and Sainz are all contracted for next year, so unless Max wants to spend a fortune getting out of his contract I can see Grosjean being the best candidate for Ferrari. Based on some of his performances at Lotus I think he'd be a good fit. He won't beat Vettel but has a shot at a title once Seb gets pissed off and leaves. I'd really like to see him get a great car under him.

Ferrari won't put Leclerc in - they don't do rookies and never will.

The paddock gossip says Alsono to Mercedes and Verstapen to Ferrari.  It could be just gossip but the one thing I can guarantee is Kimi won't be with Ferrari. Teams want to win the constructors title and Kimi is underperforming. Look at Hamilton and Bottas. Hamilton is clearly the better driver but when he falters Bottas steps up to the plate. When it gets to a race Kimi is just too far off the pace compared to Vettel. 

stickyfiddle

I just can't see that happening. RB will want 50m+ to break Max's contract, and I don't think Merc will let Bottas go the was he's driving at the moment. And if Ham leaves it would surely only be in a straight swap with Vettel

thumpingrug

Fretwired said:

The paddock gossip says Alsono to Mercedes and Verstapen to Ferrari.  

That assumes someone is leaving Mercedes and I cant see either Hamilton or Bottas moving on or Mercedes wanting rid of them.

Fretwired

Article on Max ....

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing/Formula1/max-verstappen-leave-red-bull-ferrari-next-season-formula-1-one-f1-news-austrian-a7829421.html

boogieman

I bet Max would jump at the chance to join Ferrari. 5 DNF's out of the last 7 races must be killing him. Whether RB let him go is a different matter. 

Nomad

Not sure Merc would be keen to have Dick "fuck off Charlie" Dastardly in the team. He's hardly a paragon of ambassadorial talent, is he?

chillidoggy

I thought the race was pretty boring, TBH. Apart from the first 3 laps, and the last 3. It's a very pretty venue, but I hope Austria gets dumped in favour of something more decent. The only entertainment apart from that was Raikonnen's moaning on the radio.

I hope either Alonso or Verstappen goes to Ferrari. That should sharpen things up a bit for Hamster.

Fretwired

stickyfiddle said:

I just can't see that happening. RB will want 50m+ to break Max's contract, and I don't think Merc will let Bottas go the was he's driving at the moment. And if Ham leaves it would surely only be in a straight swap with Vettel

Max has a break clause to do with having a competitive car.

chillidoggy

It would be very interesting to sight the actual contract for an F1 driver. Anyone ever seen one?

hotpot

chillidoggy said:

I thought the race was pretty boring, TBH. Apart from the first 3 laps, and the last 3. It's a very pretty venue, but I hope Austria gets dumped in favour of something more decent. The only entertainment apart from that was Raikonnen's moaning on the radio.

I hope either Alonso or Verstappen goes to Ferrari. That should sharpen things up a bit for Hamster.

Totally agree, we were robbed of the best two drivers for enertainment at the first corner in Alonso & Verstappen......... Note to the powers that be,  please get rid of those hybrid engines, get more engine manufcurers involved in a simpler engine design to open up the competition & please slap one in the back of Alonso's motor.

Fretwired

Nomad said:

Not sure Merc would be keen to have Dick "fuck off Charlie" Dastardly in the team. He's hardly a paragon of ambassadorial talent, is he?

Mercedes would need to 'cover off' any move by Mercedes. Max in a Ferrari would be a formidable package. I also wonder if Ferrari are tiring of Vettel's antics - bad for brand image and he was at it again this weekend attacking Bottas at the start. You'd think he'd keep his head down. Max is like Lewis - he has a big fan club.

As for Mercedes they need both drivers to be capable of winning as Lewis is no Schumacher - he goes from brilliant and unstoppable to  pretty average in the space of a few races. Mr inconsistency. Bottas is good in a Mercedes but arguably the two drivers who could challenge Vettel and Hamilton are Alonso and Vestappen. The racing would be intense .. I'd love to see Alonso in a Merc and Vestappen in a Ferrari if only to see the smile wiped off Vettel's face.