The F1 thread

TimmyO

Hamilton and Wolff seem to see each other as.an important part of the equation - and they're probably right. Wouldn't be surprised if they dance around each other and leave at the same time. 

Fretwired

You know me when it comes to F1 forecasts - wide of the mark. Ferrari has said they'd block Wolff from becoming head of F1. What if Ferrari wants Wolff and Hamilton? The new boss at Ferrari seems to be making the same mistakes as his predecessors. Wolff and Hamilton may fancy a challenge at F1's most prestigious team - Mercedes have had a good run but as an ex-head of Ferrari said Hamilton is driving for a company that makes diesel taxis .. :-) There's something about winning in a Ferrari. Even if Hamilton catches Michael Schumacher in terms of championship wins Schumacher will always be seen as the best as he had most of his wins in a Ferrari.

Cols

Fretwired said:

People said Lewis was mad to leave McLaren. It depends if Mercedes remain in F1 as a works team or sell the team and stick to engines and branding.

I was one of those.  

At the time it just looked like he was chasing the money; Mercedes had been pottering along for a few years post-Brawn GP doing reasonably well, but not really consistent challengers.  Proper success only came with the hybrid era, and Wolff convincing the Mercedes board that they needed to spend a lot more if they wanted to win the championship.

In retrospect his move looks like an utter blinder, savvy enough to see the incredible juggernaut Mercedes GP would become in 2 years time.  Or it could just be that he was fed up at McLaren and, finding doors shut at both Red Bull and Ferrari, decided he might as well go to Merc and get paid £20 million a year.

dazzajl

I never saw Lewis as leaving McLaren to join Merc. It always looked like leaving to join to Ross. And that’s always going to be a pretty smart move. 

Fretwired

Dan Ticktum has joined Williams as development driver for the 2020 season. Another British driver enters F1.

stickyfiddle

Fretwired said:

Dan Ticktum has joined Williams as development driver for the 2020 season. Another British driver enters F1.

But a massive twat. It's a shame Williams are stooping that low tbh.

Fretwired

stickyfiddle said:

Fretwired said:

Dan Ticktum has joined Williams as development driver for the 2020 season. Another British driver enters F1.

But a massive twat. It's a shame Williams are stooping that low tbh.

Agree he was a twat but hopefully after his ban, he learned his lesson.

Cols

stickyfiddle said:

Fretwired said:

Dan Ticktum has joined Williams as development driver for the 2020 season. Another British driver enters F1.

But a massive twat. It's a shame Williams are stooping that low tbh.

He’s a twat.  But evidently he’s a twat with financial backing.

I wonder what a development driver actually does these days, in this era of massively restricted track testing?

Fretwired

Cols said:

I wonder what a development driver actually does these days, in this era of massively restricted track testing?

Mostly simulator work these days. Hours and hours of it .. :-)

TimmyO

A diesel.taxi company they may be, but they've handed Ferrari their ass on a.plate multiple times now. 

The irony is that Ferrari need to be in F1 more than Mercedes do.

Talk.that championship wins at Ferrari are worth more than championship wins elsewhere is nonsense Ferrari PR speak. 

At some.point Mercedes will.leave F1 as they have less to gain by being in it, versus Ferrari whose whole identity is tied up in Motorsport. 

Re team leadership - I think Ferrari F1 is a poison chalice - it's an overly hierarchical, blame-focused organisation - I think Wolff would be mad to go there, and that he's far too canny to want to 

dazzajl

I’ve never understood this hold Ferrari have over F1 with the ‘they couldn’t exist without us’ story. 

As far as I can see, it is much more the other way around. 

stickyfiddle

Getting close to new car/livery launches, before testing next month. Not expecting many big changes, I guess. No more Orlen or Rexona for Williams, and plenty of new sponsors for McLaren but I guess colours etc will all be similar. Except the Toro Rossie/Alpha Tauri thing, which is a shame as they had one of the best liveries in recent years.

And I'm enjoying Leclerc's reasoning for skydiving without getting permission from Ferrari - "You normally should [ask permission]. I didn't for skydiving, because I just told myself that in case it will go wrong I will not be here to be told off!"

 

stickyfiddle

And Alonso has had a relatively gentle roll in KSA on the Dakar... Car and crew apparently ok but now sans-windscreen for the next 500km...

https://twitter.com/dakar/status/1217361030940176391?

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Not F1 related, but any fellow motorsports might be interested in this from Monte Carlo earlier today. How the f*ck nobody was seriously hurt/killed is a miracle!

https://mobile.twitter.com/i/web/status/1220634796482793472

https://mobile.twitter.com/i/web/status/1220641600294064130

Scary stuff, those guys have balls of the steel!! 

TimmyO

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

Not F1 related, but any fellow motorsports might be interested in this from Monte Carlo earlier today. How the f*ck nobody was seriously hurt/killed is a miracle!

https://mobile.twitter.com/i/web/status/1220634796482793472

https://mobile.twitter.com/i/web/status/1220641600294064130

Scary stuff, those guys have balls of the steel!! 

Wow 

TimmyO

Barichello has said in an interview that he thinks Hamilton is more talented than Schumacher and Senna.

also “The perfect driver would have Ayrton’s skill, Schumacher’s courage and Hamilton’s coordination,” he said."

Would we argue with that? 

sweepy

I TimmyO said:

Barichello has said in an interview that he thinks Hamilton is more talented than Schumacher and Senna.

also “The perfect driver would have Ayrton’s skill, Schumacher’s courage and Hamilton’s coordination,” he said."

Would we argue with that? 

Probably uniquely qualified to make that statement and tbh I don’t think he’s far off tbh 

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Mercedes to discuss potential F1 withdrawal in February board meeting...

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motorsport/mercedes-discuss-formula-1-withdrawal-potentially-triggering-sensational-aston

Would be a bit of a bombshell for the sport if they pulled out. Apparently under their current contract they can give notice to pull out at the end of this season IF they give 9 months' notice. Puts the pressure on to make a decision in the next couple of months. 

PC_Dave

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

Mercedes to discuss potential F1 withdrawal in February board meeting...

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motorsport/mercedes-discuss-formula-1-withdrawal-potentially-triggering-sensational-aston

Would be a bit of a bombshell for the sport if they pulled out. Apparently under their current contract they can give notice to pull out at the end of this season IF they give 9 months' notice. Puts the pressure on to make a decision in the next couple of months. 

Can't help but think it's a bit of a flounce - with the regulation changes in 2021 there is no guarantee they would win. They're only interested in winning, and I can't see LH being happy with midfield.....

Fretwired

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

Mercedes to discuss potential F1 withdrawal in February board meeting...

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motorsport/mercedes-discuss-formula-1-withdrawal-potentially-triggering-sensational-aston

Would be a bit of a bombshell for the sport if they pulled out. Apparently under their current contract they can give notice to pull out at the end of this season IF they give 9 months' notice. Puts the pressure on to make a decision in the next couple of months. 

It might confirm a rumour that Lawrence Stroll is to buy the team and rebrand it Aston Martin which he is about to make a major investment in - he would retain the existing driver and Stroll. The rumour comes from a German journalist.