The F1 thread

goldtop

If Mercedes build a winner this year, and Ferrari build a dog, I wonder if Lewis will get advice from Button about the real meaning of signatures on contracts.

Spicey!

euan

One thing you have to say about Hamilton. Of all the top drivers, he isn’t afraid of being pitted again a fast team mate. 

Penn

I think it’s a mistake. Ferrari have rarely made a decent car in years, when they have something near competitive they piss it up against the wall. I hope Lewis does well with them but I’m not convinced. 

As for the Mercedes seat he’s leaving I reckon Albon will end up in it. He’s fast enough and would be a good number 2 to George. I can’t see Mercedes wanting a couple of the other drivers (ocon/alonso) as they could end up with a Rosberg/Hamilton situation and that isn’t fun to manage. 

fretmeister

Penn said:

I think it’s a mistake. Ferrari have rarely made a decent car in years, when they have something near competitive they piss it up against the wall. I hope Lewis does well with them but I’m not convinced. 

As for the Mercedes seat he’s leaving I reckon Albon will end up in it. He’s fast enough and would be a good number 2 to George. I can’t see Mercedes wanting a couple of the other drivers (ocon/alonso) as they could end up with a Rosberg/Hamilton situation and that isn’t fun to manage. 

Everybody said going to Merc was a crap idea too.

I'm hoping Ferrari get Rory Byrne out of retirement and they build a rocket ship of a car!!  

I'd love LH to get his 8th, but more than that I'd like Max to not get any others! No problem with any other RB driver getting one, just not him!  

fretmeister

euan said:

One thing you have to say about Hamilton. Of all the top drivers, he isn’t afraid of being pitted again a fast team mate. 

There was another interview like that last week - Italian press I think - asking whether he would 'dare' to go up against Max in the same car.

He said he'd love to do that very thing. But that the team boss might not enjoy it very much!  

He's definitely at his best when he's in capable machinery but when someone else is up there too.
When Rosberg won LH actually drove amazingly that year - the pressure bought out the very best, in both of them really.

I hope we get another season like that soon.

dazzajl

fretmeister said:

……….more than that I'd like Max to not get any others! No problem with any other RB driver getting one, just not him!  

That’s a rather childish and petulant approach. I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels like that 

fretmeister

dazzajl said:

fretmeister said:

……….more than that I'd like Max to not get any others! No problem with any other RB driver getting one, just not him!  

That’s a rather childish and petulant approach. I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels like that 

I'm just hoping Jos will leave the track without Max again like he allegedly did while Max was in a lower formula!  

Boromedic

dazzajl said:

fretmeister said:

……….more than that I'd like Max to not get any others! No problem with any other RB driver getting one, just not him!  

That’s a rather childish and petulant approach. I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels like that 

Same!!

I'm excited to be honest, nice to see him roll the dice one last time before he retires, how can it be a mistake? It's the most romanticised team in F1 and the one they'd all love to be in.

Whether Ferrari mess it up or not, it doesn't matter. Lewis's legacy is assured already anyway, but for a Mclaren strategy error in 07, a blown engine in Malaysia in 16, and the stewards contriving a false result in Abu Dhabi 21, he'd be a 10 time world champion by now. None of those are any of that could of been a contender bullshit, all 3 hinged on just one thing because he was right there otherwise. Even if he never wins again he will always be one of the GOATs. At this stage in his career who cares!!

stickyfiddle

Boromedic said:

dazzajl said:

fretmeister said:

……….more than that I'd like Max to not get any others! No problem with any other RB driver getting one, just not him!  

That’s a rather childish and petulant approach. I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels like that 

Same!!

I'm excited to be honest, nice to see him roll the dice one last time before he retires, how can it be a mistake? It's the most romanticised team in F1 and the one they'd all love to be in.

Whether Ferrari mess it up or not, it doesn't matter. Lewis's legacy is assured already anyway, but for a Mclaren strategy error in 07, a blown engine in Malaysia in 16, and the stewards contriving a false result in Abu Dhabi 21, he'd be a 10 time world champion by now. None of those are any of that could of been a contender bullshit, all 3 hinged on just one thing because he was right there otherwise. Even if he never wins again he will always be one of the GOATs. At this stage in his career who cares!!

Couldn't agree more. I genuinely think it's win-win for Lewis. 

If Merc is great this year then he goes to Ferrari as the most successful driver in history
If Merc sucks again that just shows he's right to go. 
Either way he gets a shot at a couple of titles in a Ferrari, and a couple of home-race wins at Monza, and no retirement questions of "what if?"
And if he wins with Ferrari it puts him firmly at the top of any rational person's all-time driver list

My guess is he's spent a chunk of time talking with Seb

Cols

fretmeister said:

Penn said:

I think it’s a mistake. Ferrari have rarely made a decent car in years, when they have something near competitive they piss it up against the wall. I hope Lewis does well with them but I’m not convinced. 

As for the Mercedes seat he’s leaving I reckon Albon will end up in it. He’s fast enough and would be a good number 2 to George. I can’t see Mercedes wanting a couple of the other drivers (ocon/alonso) as they could end up with a Rosberg/Hamilton situation and that isn’t fun to manage. 

Everybody said going to Merc was a crap idea too.

I'm hoping Ferrari get Rory Byrne out of retirement and they build a rocket ship of a car!!  
.

Can’t see Rory Byrne fully coming out of retirement - he celebrated his 80th birthday last month - but he still remains very involved with the design of the F1 cars.  He had significant design input for the 2022 and 2023 challengers.

Good point that the jump to Merc was widely seen as nothing more than chasing a big paycheck… but after he left McLaren they didn’t win again until Ricciardo’s fortunate win at Monza 2021.

skullfunkerry

So, what's the mood like at Merc, @markr76 ?

(Genuine question, I'm not being an arse)

stickyfiddle

skullfunkerry said:

So, what's the mood like at Merc, @markr76 ?

(Genuine question, I'm not being an arse)

And do we need to know who to get odds on for LH’s car in 2025..?!

fretmeister

stickyfiddle said:

skullfunkerry said:

So, what's the mood like at Merc, @markr76 ?

(Genuine question, I'm not being an arse)

And do we need to know who to get odds on for LH’s car in 2025..?!

I think I want Albon in that seat.

fretmeister

I bet Ferrari are actually hoping LH doesn't win the 8th until he's wearing red.

The marketing potential of LH, an 8th WDC, and it being in a Ferrari are massive.

Unless he manages 9 of course.

TBH though even if he managed 10 there will be an awful lot of eijits who will still claim it's the car, or call him "Shamilton" or something else they think is amazingly witty.

stickyfiddle

fretmeister said:

stickyfiddle said:

skullfunkerry said:

So, what's the mood like at Merc, @markr76 ?

(Genuine question, I'm not being an arse)

And do we need to know who to get odds on for LH’s car in 2025..?!

I think I want Albon in that seat.

Yeah me too

stickyfiddle

Haas has a new livery. I honestly can’t tell it’s any different to 2023. 

I imagine their sponsor liaison folks are a bit miffed by Lewis’ timing…  

fretmeister

stickyfiddle said:

Haas has a new livery. I honestly can’t tell it’s any different to 2023. 

I imagine their sponsor liaison folks are a bit miffed by Lewis’ timing…  

Sponsors for everyone other than Ferrari: We have a great...

Media: We really don't care lads.

stickyfiddle

It’s funny because at the start of this week I was really looking forward to new liveries and maybe even a new car or two. 

Now I honestly don’t really care… but I want Merc AND Ferrari to be in with a shout this year please! 

fretmeister

LH to win his 8th.
LEC in 2nd
SAI in 3rd.

That would be perfect for the season. more excitement for 2025 too if Ferrari can build a decent car this year. I know the rules are changing again and all bets are off, but one can dream.

Somewhere in the attic I have a Nigel / Ferrari T shirt and a Kimi / Ferrari hat. Looks like I'll have to get my 3rd bit of Ferrari merch.

I did have a soft spot for Alesi but I never bought any merch for him. Not that there was as much choice in those days, let alone in Mansell's!

stickyfiddle

My only bit of F1 merch is a Damon Hill Jordan cap from 1997/1998-ish. 

Hill’s chevrons on a navy cap with Jordan sponsors on it. I still wear it whenever I go to a race