The F1 thread

Fretwired

Cols said:

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

I think Stroll has his eyes on turning Aston Martin around and selling it to Mercedes. VW Audi and BMW have top British brands so why not? Mercedes already owns 20% of the company - they already use Mercedes engines and the new agreement means they'll get more tech so an Aston Martin sports car will slowly morph into a Mercedes. Stroll's a businessman ... buy cheap, turnround and sell for a big profit.

markr76

Fretwired said:

Cols said:

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

I think Stroll has his eyes on turning Aston Martin around and selling it to Mercedes. VW Audi and BMW have top British brands so why not? Mercedes already owns 20% of the company - they already use Mercedes engines and the new agreement means they'll get more tech so an Aston Martin sports car will slowly morph into a Mercedes. Stroll's a businessman ... buy cheap, turnround and sell for a big profit.

Don’t forget though that Mercedes have AMG that they may want to push forward. As the parent company move more electric.

Fretwired

markr76 said:

Don’t forget though that Mercedes have AMG that they may want to push forward. As the parent company move more electric.

AMG is the performance arm of Mercedes. However, I bet it hasn't escaped the Mercedes board that BMW and VW Audi have two high-value brands in Rolls Royce and Bentley that basically allows them to package their tech and present it in a premium package that makes a lot of money. Aston Martin is a high-value brand - I'll bet Mercedes buys it at some point. It won't compete directly with AMG but it will be a major revenue generator. James Bond drives an Aston Martin, not an AMG Mercedes .. :-)

Fretwired

Porsche as an engine supplier ... so very nearly .. worth a watch:

Cols

Spot of good news for next year’s calendar - Vietnam is out and Interlagos is retained in place of Rio.  With luck, Portimao, Imola or Mugello will replace Hanoi.

Fretwired

Interesting comments/rumours from the pitlane. Hamilton only wants a one year contract - presumably to beat Scumacker's record next year and retire. Mercedes want a multi-year deal. If there's an impasse would Mercedes make Bottas number one - Mercedes is so dominant he'd probably win the championship next year - and partner him with Russell?

I still think Ham will be in a Mercedes seat next year but you never know .. other drivers have walked away.

chillidoggy

I can’t see him ditching a drive in the only car guaranteed to win a championship.

stickyfiddle

I honestly think Russell might beat Bottas over a season. 

No one would blame Hamilton for stopping after next year. He’ll be at the age where it starts getting much harder and what does he have left to prove? He’s not going to be like Kimi and rolling around at the back just because it’s fun to drive an F1 car

chillidoggy

I reckon Russell’s a class act and could well beat Bottas in the same car.

No, no-one would blame Hamster for stopping, it would mean him leaving on a high. Assuming he gets another year at Merc, I can see him retiring the following year.

Fretwired

stickyfiddle said:

I honestly think Russell might beat Bottas over a season. 

It would be interesting to see - Max says that 80% of the field could win in a Mercedes and perhaps he is right. It's a shame Porsche didn't enter F1.

I agree with Berger - he says if Ferrari wants to win they have to recruit international design and technical talent rather than just Italians.

https://www.planetf1.com/news/gerhard-berger-ferrari-all-italian-approach/

fretmeister

Fretwired said:

Interesting comments/rumours from the pitlane. Hamilton only wants a one year contract - presumably to beat Scumacker's record next year and retire. Mercedes want a multi-year deal. If there's an impasse would Mercedes make Bottas number one - Mercedes is so dominant he'd probably win the championship next year - and partner him with Russell?

I still think Ham will be in a Mercedes seat next year but you never know .. other drivers have walked away.

I don't think that can be right.

He could sign up for 20 years and then still retire after 1. There might be clauses that the majority of the next contract salary is payable in years 2 and 3 but at this point he's not in it for the money.

Fretwired

fretmeister said:

Fretwired said:

Interesting comments/rumours from the pitlane. Hamilton only wants a one year contract - presumably to beat Scumacker's record next year and retire. Mercedes want a multi-year deal. If there's an impasse would Mercedes make Bottas number one - Mercedes is so dominant he'd probably win the championship next year - and partner him with Russell?

I still think Ham will be in a Mercedes seat next year but you never know .. other drivers have walked away.

I don't think that can be right.

He could sign up for 20 years and then still retire after 1. There might be clauses that the majority of the next contract salary is payable in years 2 and 3 but at this point he's not in it for the money.

True. The honest answer is I don't know .. unless Ham wants the freedom to move somewhere else with Toto for one last hurrah in 2022/23. Ham is a major asset for Mercedes outside the car - he's boosted sales of the top-end Mercedes cars and brands in the USA via his connections with the movers and shakers in media, film, and urban music. He's always willing to go and market the brand which most other drivers can't be arsed to do .. it's been a smart move as Ham earns a fortune from major endorsement deals with Bose, L'Oréal, Monster Energy, Police, Puma, Sony, Tommy Hilfiger, and Vodafone-USD. So as you say he probably doesn't need the money but Mercedes may want to keep him as a brand ambassador.

chillidoggy

Hamster's net worth, after a quick Google, is $285 mill.

So no, he doesn't need the money.

markr76

Fretwired said:

fretmeister said:

Fretwired said:

Interesting comments/rumours from the pitlane. Hamilton only wants a one year contract - presumably to beat Scumacker's record next year and retire. Mercedes want a multi-year deal. If there's an impasse would Mercedes make Bottas number one - Mercedes is so dominant he'd probably win the championship next year - and partner him with Russell?

I still think Ham will be in a Mercedes seat next year but you never know .. other drivers have walked away.

I don't think that can be right.

He could sign up for 20 years and then still retire after 1. There might be clauses that the majority of the next contract salary is payable in years 2 and 3 but at this point he's not in it for the money.

True. The honest answer is I don't know .. unless Ham wants the freedom to move somewhere else with Toto for one last hurrah in 2022/23. Ham is a major asset for Mercedes outside the car - he's boosted sales of the top-end Mercedes cars and brands in the USA via his connections with the movers and shakers in media, film, and urban music. He's always willing to go and market the brand which most other drivers can't be arsed to do .. it's been a smart move as Ham earns a fortune from major endorsement deals with Bose, L'Oréal, Monster Energy, Police, Puma, Sony, Tommy Hilfiger, and Vodafone-USD. So as you say he probably doesn't need the money but Mercedes may want to keep him as a brand ambassador.

I don’t think Toto is leaving Mercedes. He might not be team principal though and move into a role more like Niki had. Or a role that at least gives him a bit more time with his family. 

I think you’re right with Hamilton though. I think he’ll retire after his time at Mercedes. But the contract talks are probably revolving around things like how the team is going to continue to promote diversity. Also our push towards a greener sport/planet. 

stickyfiddle

So Istanbul in late Autumn - can’t be more than 12C air temp. 

Track has recently been resurfaced and Pirelli have seen to it that they bring the hardest tyres possible. AND it’s raining for quali. 

Should be fun - Max already going backwards...!

thumpingrug

Interesting session so far.

stickyfiddle

That is the result Lance needs to boost his confidence. Fantastic lap - he’s always been decent in the wet. Max must be fuming!!

fretmeister

stickyfiddle said:

That is the result Lance needs to boost his confidence. Fantastic lap - he’s always been decent in the wet. Max must be fuming!!

Getting pulled in on that fast lap - I couldn't believe it.

Stroll has really shown he's up to the job now. Well done to him.

thumpingrug

Im not a fan of Stroll, but that lap was pretty special.

cgumtree

fretmeister said:

stickyfiddle said:

That is the result Lance needs to boost his confidence. Fantastic lap - he’s always been decent in the wet. Max must be fuming!!

Getting pulled in on that fast lap - I couldn't believe it.

Stroll has really shown he's up to the job now. Well done to him.

The shot of Max sat in the corridor head in hands after the Webber interview said it all. Wrong decision by Red Bull to go back to the inters along with everyone else after they struggled with them earlier in Q1.