The F1 thread

stickyfiddle

Nice words from Lewis and Grosjean on George's instagram post:

Fretwired

Lewis, to quit F1? An interesting if somewhat downbeat interview yesterday. Not sure Toto will be around either.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/nov/01/lewis-hamilton-ponders-quitting-f1-at-end-of-2020-season?CMP=share_btn_tw

chillidoggy

My pre-race prediction of an RP up the front of the grid was clearly bollocks but I’m sticking with Albon moving on to pastures new. Given my track record, I’m not making any suggestions about a possible replacement.

Oh, alright, I reckon Perez.

stickyfiddle

After yesterday's race I'd say Perez has to be the first choice. I love Hulk but an in-form Perez is a great driver who knows how to take podiums.

Fretwired

chillidoggy said:

My pre-race prediction of an RP up the front of the grid was clearly bollocks but I’m sticking with Albon moving on to pastures new. Given my track record, I’m not making any suggestions about a possible replacement.

Oh, alright, I reckon Perez.

Where would Albon go? Who would want him?

chillidoggy

Fretwired said:

chillidoggy said:

My pre-race prediction of an RP up the front of the grid was clearly bollocks but I’m sticking with Albon moving on to pastures new. Given my track record, I’m not making any suggestions about a possible replacement.

Oh, alright, I reckon Perez.

Where would Albon go? Who would want him?

Aston Martin in place of Vettel, perhaps? 

Fretwired

chillidoggy said:

Fretwired said:

chillidoggy said:

My pre-race prediction of an RP up the front of the grid was clearly bollocks but I’m sticking with Albon moving on to pastures new. Given my track record, I’m not making any suggestions about a possible replacement.

Oh, alright, I reckon Perez.

Where would Albon go? Who would want him?

Aston Martin in place of Vettel, perhaps? 

Vettel has a contract and is a shareholder. I think Albon's time in F1 could be over. He was shocking at the weekend.

stickyfiddle

I still think Albon will end up at AT if Tsunoda doesn't get his licence. Otherwise he's out - there's nowhere else for him.

Honestly I half wonder if the reason Stroll isn't confirmed is because Aston Martin want him (and Toto..). That would be a bigger upset than Rosberg's retirement. But still no place for Albon as Russell would go to Merc and whichever of Hulk/Perez doesn't go to RB would be in at Williams

Fretwired

stickyfiddle said:

Honestly I half wonder if the reason Stroll isn't confirmed is because Aston Martin want him (and Toto..)

And Hamilton ... :-)

Now that would be a belter .. Hamilton v Vettel ... I can't see it though. Old man Stroll isn't going to fire his son IMHO and I bet Merc has a garden leave clause in Toto's contract, so he couldn't just rock up and join Aston Martin. I wonder if Merc may sell the team in 2022? There's obviously something going on at Mercedes.

According to German magazine Auto Bild (earlier this year) Mercedes could sell the team to Dmitry Mazepin, the wealthy Russian father of a Formula 2 driver, as well as American racing legend Roger Penske.

Penske, 82, has just bought the Indycar series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Bach says his estimated fortune is $1.6 billion. Penske's son Jay owns the Formula E team Geox Dragon.

After a potential takeover of the Brackley based team, Mercedes could then remain in Formula 1 as an engine supplier.

Bild claims the information came from a 'reliable source'.

chillidoggy

Fretwired said:

chillidoggy said:

Fretwired said:

chillidoggy said:

My pre-race prediction of an RP up the front of the grid was clearly bollocks but I’m sticking with Albon moving on to pastures new. Given my track record, I’m not making any suggestions about a possible replacement.

Oh, alright, I reckon Perez.

Where would Albon go? Who would want him?

Aston Martin in place of Vettel, perhaps? 

Vettel has a contract and is a shareholder. I think Albon's time in F1 could be over. He was shocking at the weekend.

I think you missed the tongue-in-cheek!

stickyfiddle

@Fretwired - sorry I did mean Hamilton. 

If I was a billionaire with a car company and racing team I'd want the 2 most successful drivers both in my team and move mountains to make it happen. It's literally the only scenario I can see other than Lance staying. Only about 4% likely but if it happens I'm taking credit  

Fretwired

stickyfiddle said:

@Fretwired - sorry I did mean Hamilton. 

If I was a billionaire with a car company and racing team I'd want the 2 most successful drivers both in my team and move mountains to make it happen. It's literally the only scenario I can see other than Lance staying. Only about 4% likely but if it happens I'm taking credit  

OK

Those rumours are already floating around the paddock. Toto owns shares in Aston Martin and it appears Toto and Lewis are a package.

That said, I think Hamilton would want to stay at Mercedes next year as he will probably break Michael Schumacher's record as the rule changes are minimal, and will probably mean the Mercedes is yet again the best car. But from 2022?

Mercedes want a multi-year contract with Hamilton - perhaps Lewis only wants a one year contract and a new challenge in 2022. Who knows? Something is going on though ..

Stroll senior now owns Aston Martin the car company and has signed a technology agreement with Mercedes - he now needs a successful F1 team to sell road cars. So maybe Stroll Jnr may get punted into another team.

And Toto said in an interview “..  the new strategy going forwards is to give the sub-brands a larger marketing platform – AMG, EQ, Maybach – and I think it’s good that each of those brands gets a specific patch."

So I wonder if Williams might team up with Mercedes and support another Merc brand? Could explain why Russell wasn't given the boot. Williams need sponsors. They could become a Mercedes junior team which could explain Toto being in limbo. He could end up as Mercedes motorsport chief with team principals in Mercedes AMG and Williams becoming Williams -Maybach or something. Probably my usual load of old balls .. :-)

stickyfiddle

I don't think any of that is outside the realms of possibility. You have to assume the new Williams bosses don't have the same chip on their shoulder about "independence above all else" that Claire did, so surely they'd be very happy with a firmer Merc partnership, cheaper engines and better competitiveness long-term, even if that comes at the expense of a theoretical chance of winning. 

They're talking about Toto maybe "becoming CEO" - presumably that would be CEO of Mercedes F1 team - but what if he were to become CEO of "Mercedes F1 Racing Group"..

Fretwired

stickyfiddle said:

They're talking about Toto maybe "becoming CEO" - presumably that would be CEO of Mercedes F1 team - but what if he were to become CEO of "Mercedes F1 Racing Group"..

That's what I said above. Mercedes could invest some cash in the Williams team to create a junior team and Toto is the overall boss of the main team and the junior team. Each team would have its own team principle. Williams could turn into the junior Mercedes team whilst promoting another Mercedes brand.

And why does Lewis want to stick with Toto? Maybe Lewis sees a future in F1 as ultimately a team principle. Who better to coach him than Toto. Who knows?

markr76

Lewis won’t go to a different team after leaving Merc. He’ll retire, go out on a high.  People will always remember you as a great then. 

I’ve not been told anything. But I think Toto will take on a roll more like Niki had. So he spends less time travelling. So he can see his family more. Someone else will be brought in or promoted up to look after the day to day running of the team. 

markr76

markr76 said:

Lewis won’t go to a different team after leaving Merc. He’ll retire, go out on a high.  People will always remember you as a great then. 

I’ve not been told anything. But I think Toto will take on a roll more like Niki had. So he spends less time travelling. So he can see his family more. Someone else will be brought in or promoted up to look after the day to day running of the team. 

The only other alternative i can think of with Hamilton is once he’s got that 8th championship, that is if we’re any good next year. He might want to try Ferrari. But only if Ferrari has a car that can challenge. Also only if they offered him the contract he wanted. I genuinely think he had an eye on retirement. 

fretmeister

markr76 said:

markr76 said:

Lewis won’t go to a different team after leaving Merc. He’ll retire, go out on a high.  People will always remember you as a great then. 

I’ve not been told anything. But I think Toto will take on a roll more like Niki had. So he spends less time travelling. So he can see his family more. Someone else will be brought in or promoted up to look after the day to day running of the team. 

The only other alternative i can think of with Hamilton is once he’s got that 8th championship, that is if we’re any good next year. He might want to try Ferrari. But only if Ferrari has a car that can challenge. Also only if they offered him the contract he wanted. I genuinely think he had an eye on retirement. 

If he retires at least you've still got a driver who will come 2nd in the championship!

markr76

If anyone wanted an insight to what it’s like to win a championship though. For me that last one was my 8th I’ve been involved with. 

But at the exact moment we won the championship I was cleaning out a cnc machine at work as it was my turn to work Sunday. 

It’s quite a strange feeling as I probably won’t appreciate what we’ve accomplished until later on, maybe much later. But me and the weekend shift guys congratulated each other, then I went home. 

Monday back in at work we would usually have a team debrief with champagne then photos. Usually all the staff making a Mercedes logo or something. Then try and mob the drivers for an autograph. Although they’ve wised up to this and do a runner the last couple of years!
but with COVID about. We turned up yesterday and we’re given a bottle of champagne. Then told we could have half a day off. Before getting back to work. We’re already looking at winning the next one!! Making sure our car is strong again next year. 

So it can feel quite flat initially. But as the rest of this year goes on we usually get given gifts, medals etc. Which are a really nice touch. Then of course the bonus comes in which has bought me some ace guitar equipment. Holidays etc. 

Like I’ve said though. I probably won’t really appreciate what has been achieved until years down the line.

markr76

fretmeister said:

markr76 said:

markr76 said:

Lewis won’t go to a different team after leaving Merc. He’ll retire, go out on a high.  People will always remember you as a great then. 

I’ve not been told anything. But I think Toto will take on a roll more like Niki had. So he spends less time travelling. So he can see his family more. Someone else will be brought in or promoted up to look after the day to day running of the team. 

The only other alternative i can think of with Hamilton is once he’s got that 8th championship, that is if we’re any good next year. He might want to try Ferrari. But only if Ferrari has a car that can challenge. Also only if they offered him the contract he wanted. I genuinely think he had an eye on retirement. 

If he retires at least you've still got a driver who will come 2nd in the championship!

I think if Lewis does retire I think you’ll see Max here. He wants a seat in our car as it is!! 

Cols

Stroll might be a billionaire, but paying the salaries of two world champions would be a quick way to change that.