The F1 thread

fretmeister

Cols said:

fretmeister said:

The Express were "reporting" that Max has apparently demanded a new team mate.

Whether there is any truth in that, I have no idea (I do really - it is the Express after all). Still, it's nice to start the Silly Season off so early for a change. [headdesk]

That’s story comes from one of Ralf Schumacher’s theories.  He talks almost as much shite as Eddie Jordan.

Ah - Ralf. Now trying to be the new Villeneuve as well!

Cols

Ah, Jacques and Ralf - two of the most striking disparities between talent and pay that I’ve ever seen in F1.  

Villeneuve handily pocketed $20 million a year at BAR (it helped that his manager Craig Pollock also happened to be the team boss).  The gravy train lasted until Pollock was replaced as team boss by Prodrive’s Dave Richards and contract negotiations became a bit more strained.

Ralf was even more impressively overpaid during his Toyota tenure; at his salary peak in 2007 (and his last year, as it turned out) he was paid $25 million - more than the reigning World Champion Alonso, and second only to Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.

Both of them have undoubtedly made sufficient sackfuls of cash to retire in luxury, it beats me why they continue to pollute the paddock with their presence.

chillidoggy

fretmeister said:

Cols said:

fretmeister said:

The Express were "reporting" that Max has apparently demanded a new team mate.

Whether there is any truth in that, I have no idea (I do really - it is the Express after all). Still, it's nice to start the Silly Season off so early for a change. [headdesk]

That’s story comes from one of Ralf Schumacher’s theories.  He talks almost as much shite as Eddie Jordan.

Ah - Ralf. Now trying to be the new Villeneuve as well!

You beat me to it!

euan

Cols said:

Both of them have undoubtedly made sufficient sackfuls of cash to retire in luxury, it beats me why they continue to pollute the paddock with their presence.

The answer is probably that same as it ever was…tax

stickyfiddle

Binotto is out

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/binotto-resigns-as-ferrari-f1-team-principal/10405914/

No word on the head of strategy...

chillidoggy

He must have waken up next to the horse's head.

Boromedic

TBF, they had pace at the start of the season but RB were so far ahead on pace by mid season they never would've took the title. They certainly didn't help themselves, let's hope this instability doesn't hamper next season and improving on this one.

Cols

stickyfiddle said:

Binotto is out

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/binotto-resigns-as-ferrari-f1-team-principal/10405914/

No word on the head of strategy...

They have a head of strategy?

skullfunkerry

Read this earlier, and the last paragraph in particular made me think about some of the things I've said online...

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-sebastian-vettel-dinner/

stickyfiddle

Cols said:

stickyfiddle said:

Binotto is out

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/binotto-resigns-as-ferrari-f1-team-principal/10405914/

No word on the head of strategy...

They have a head of strategy?

Yeah it's one of these guys

chillidoggy

Cols said:

stickyfiddle said:

Binotto is out

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/binotto-resigns-as-ferrari-f1-team-principal/10405914/

No word on the head of strategy...

They have a head of strategy?

That’ll be the horse’s head.

euan

I think if the rumours are to be believed then there was been a degree of conspiring against Binotto from above and below him in Ferrari. 

As is the Ferrari way

Cols

euan said:

I think if the rumours are to be believed then there was been a degree of conspiring against Binotto from above and below him in Ferrari. 

As is the Ferrari way

Naturally - of all the teams in F1, Ferrari has been the most prone to internal political machinations.  Binotto knows this very well; he's been at the team since 1995 and is well aware that there are always those around who would cheerfully slide a knife between his ribs if they thought it could further their own careers.  And for those above him, they would be keen to ensure that any blame for failure doesn't drift upwards.

It's not healthy, and it's notable that Ferrari's greatest period of sustained success came when Jean Todt was able to insulate the team from Ferrari politics and allow them to get on with their jobs.

Ferrari are going to miss Binotto's huge experience and ability to understand the intricacies of car design, engineering and balancing all the competing factors to get a winning package.

That said...

Ferrari could have won the championships this year, and the fault for not having done so lies in multiple areas.  As such, Binotto is the one who takes the bullet.  

Ultimately, they squandered their initial performance advantage through reliability issues and strategy blunders.  Leclerc alone lost over 100 points before the summer break though blown engines and bad strategy calls, which increased the pressure on him to make up the difference and arguably contributed to his own errors at Imola and Paul Ricard.  Red Bull then had the momentum into the autumn and cruised to an easy victory.  Had Ferrari built up a substantial points cushion, they would have been better placed (and motivated) to resist Red Bull's late season form.

Whoever gets the job after Binotto will have their hands full.  No time to get to grips with the intricacies of the team, and no expectation less than winning both championships.

marauder

Binotto should have demoted himself,  he's a good technical guy, and a loss to Ferrari in that capacity.

fretmeister

Christian Horner's table:





(I know it's probably 'shopped. But it's still funny).

fretmeister

FIA not biased.

no sir.

Not at all.

https://twitter.com/RobLMyers/status/1601496465675022336

stickyfiddle

Yeah, I saw that at the weekend,. Very odd. 

In other news, Capito is out at Williams. I assume he's going to Alfa/Sauber in prep of them becoming Audi once Vasseur is confirmed at Ferrari. 

This would be a great time for Porsche to announce a stake in Williams...

Cols

I can only assume that Sulayem had sunk a few before taking to the stage.  Domenicali looked mortified.

Williams have lost their Technical Director as well as Capito, so something’s evidently afoot.

stickyfiddle

And Vasseur is confirmed at Ferrari.

I've seen comments suggesting Williams' statement says Capito is retiring but actually they say “We’re grateful that Jost postponed his planned retirement to take on this challenge and now he will pass the reins on for the next part of this staged process."

Which absolutely isn't saying he's back to gardening and G&Ts next year.

stickyfiddle

Now Motorsport.com is saying Seidl is going to Alfa/Sauber/Audi... !

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-f1-boss-seidl-set-to-take-over-at-sauber/10410810/