The F1 thread

Cols · July 2020

chillidoggy said:

Well, that was more entertaining than I thought it would be. Taking aside the Renault/RP protest, Perez played a blinder, and I thought Norris demonstrated he's a class act. Reckon Leclerc and Vettel are gonna each get 100 lines from teacher, there must have been a dark cloud over the Ferrari garage last night.

No blame assigned to Vettel; Leclerc has held his hands up and admitted the accident was all his fault.

Kilgore · July 2020

I can only see Hamilton at Ferrari if he gets 8 titles with Mercedes and fancies a valedictory season or two in a prancing horse when the rules change.

Fretwired · July 2020

stickyfiddle said:

I still can't see Hamilton at Ferrari. He's always been a Mercedes guys, so a final return to McLaren Mercedes would be the only move I can see him wanting. The key is he knows how to win, and that means a team that is single-mindedly focussed with minimal politics and everyone being empowered to suggest ideas and criticise others. Ferrari has always been the opposite of that, save for the Schumacher/Brawn/Todt years, but it didn't take long to revert to the mean after they all left.

Even with Wolff onboard, does Lewis have time or inclination to build that again? With a budget cap on top? I just don't see it happening.

Does Mercedes want to keep Hamilton? Whilst he's a great racer he is attracting a lot of negative press with his current political stance. There's a new CEO at Mercedes who has clashed with Wolff - it looks like the F1 team will have a new boss. Wolff has admitted he may need a new challenge. Hamilton has said he wants to stay with Wolff. I doubt Mercedes will want to pay what Hamilton is asking. Everything is therefore up in the air.

Schumacher will always be regarded as better than Hamilton as he won with Ferrari. Ham may like to win a title with Ferrari. If Wolff quits Mercedes he could bring some people with him - Ferrari won't want to continue as they are so may throw caution to the wind and bring Wolff on board. He won't tolerate mistakes or politics. He's probably what Ferrari need. His chat with Vettel could be to get the inside on Ferrari.

Who knows. Ferrari has a cachet that no other team in F1 has .. and after all Mercedes build more diesel taxis and vans than sports cars and Red Bull makes a fizzy drink ... Ferrari is something special .. :-)

stickyfiddle · July 2020

Fretwired said:

stickyfiddle said:

I still can't see Hamilton at Ferrari. He's always been a Mercedes guys, so a final return to McLaren Mercedes would be the only move I can see him wanting. The key is he knows how to win, and that means a team that is single-mindedly focussed with minimal politics and everyone being empowered to suggest ideas and criticise others. Ferrari has always been the opposite of that, save for the Schumacher/Brawn/Todt years, but it didn't take long to revert to the mean after they all left.

Even with Wolff onboard, does Lewis have time or inclination to build that again? With a budget cap on top? I just don't see it happening.

Does Mercedes want to keep Hamilton? Whilst he's a great racer he is attracting a lot of negative press with his current political stance. There's a new CEO at Mercedes who has clashed with Wolff - it looks like the F1 team will have a new boss. Wolff has admitted he may need a new challenge. Hamilton has said he wants to stay with Wolff. I doubt Mercedes will want to pay what Hamilton is asking. Everything is therefore up in the air.

Schumacher will always be regarded as better than Hamilton as he won with Ferrari. Ham may like to win a title with Ferrari. If Wolff quits Mercedes he could bring some people with him - Ferrari won't want to continue as they are so may throw caution to the wind and bring Wolff on board. He won't tolerate mistakes or politics. He's probably what Ferrari need. His chat with Vettel could be to get the inside on Ferrari.

Who knows. Ferrari has a cachet that no other team in F1 has .. and after all Mercedes build more diesel taxis and vans than sports cars and Red Bull makes a fizzy drink ... Ferrari is something special .. :-)

I disagree very heavily with those first 2 paragraphs. Merc have thrown their weight utterly behind Hamilton with BLM and so on. That's risky and speaks to them wanting him for the foreseeable.

As for Schumacher - Hamilton is almost level with his record and has done it in a far tougher era - he's beaten Alonso, Rosberg and Button as teammates and beaten Vettel and Max to titles as well, and he could easily go another 3-5 years at the top. Schumacher was almighty, but he had compliant, contracted #2-status teammates and was usually fighting 1 guy in a less reliable car for titles.

Cols · July 2020

I think it’s clear that Hamilton wants to stay at Mercedes and that they want to keep him - just not at any cost.

Lewis is reported to be seeking a 3 year deal at $50 million per year, which Merc are understandably not keen on paying. The problem for both parties is that there’s not a great many alternatives; the only top flight driver remaining unsigned is the underperforming Vettel, and none of the other top teams have a free berth for Hamilton. They’re literally stuck with each other.

I’d love to see them take a punt on George Russell though.

Fretwired · July 2020

stickyfiddle said:

I disagree very heavily with those first 2 paragraphs. Merc have thrown their weight utterly behind Hamilton with BLM and so on. That's risky and speaks to them wanting him for the foreseeable.

Not me saying it - Mercedes repainted their cars and put stop racism on the car to support him but there is disquiet about the comments Ham has been making and the taking the knee. Don't believe me check Twitter and the press.

On 6 July he was forced to say he supported the message, but not the politics ...

https://the-race.com/formula-1/hamilton-i-support-black-lives-matter-message-not-politics/

I respect what he's doing and he's right in what he says about the sport but F1 always distances itself from politics - it is happy to race in Russia and China. Money comes first.

Fretwired · July 2020

Cols said:

I think it’s clear that Hamilton wants to stay at Mercedes and that they want to keep him - just not at any cost.

Lewis is reported to be seeking a 3 year deal at $50 million per year, which Merc are understandably not keen on paying. The problem for both parties is that there’s not a great many alternatives; the only top flight driver remaining unsigned is the underperforming Vettel, and none of the other top teams have a free berth for Hamilton. They’re literally stuck with each other.

I’d love to see them take a punt on George Russell though.

I agree but Ferrari could make a move. At the moment Hamilton can only talk to Mercedes - there are no other seats free.

I think Nando Norris could drive a Mercedes as could George Russell so there are alternatives. Also are Honda going to remain after 2021? Vestappen has a clause in his contract so he could be on the market next year. Mercedes won't offer Hamilton a long term contract - I bet Ham and Bottas will get two years at most.

chillidoggy · July 2020

Russell would be a risky move, as would any other relatively inexperienced driver, and I can’t see Merc going down that road. It would however be wonderful to see what they could do in a competitive car!

I don’t think Hamster will go to Ferrari at this stage of the game. Yes, I get the kudos and cachet thing, but he wants to win, and if he wants to cruise around in a Ferrari he can do that back at home in Monaco. The situation is far from ideal from Merc’s or Ham’s point of view, but my money’s on him staying put, probably with a reduced salary, as being the lesser of the evils.

Fretwired · July 2020

chillidoggy said:

Russell would be a risky move, as would any other relatively inexperienced driver, and I can’t see Merc going down that road. It would however be wonderful to see what they could do in a competitive car!

I don’t think Hamster will go to Ferrari at this stage of the game. Yes, I get the kudos and cachet thing, but he wants to win, and if he wants to cruise around in a Ferrari he can do that back at home in Monaco. The situation is far from ideal from Merc’s or Ham’s point of view, but my money’s on him staying put, probably with a reduced salary, as being the lesser of the evils.

You're probably right. If Hamilton signs a new deal would Merc look at Russell to partner him in 2021 or 2022? Bottas could return to Williams. Hamilton won't be around forever and someone like Russell could learn a lot - commentators see him as a future champ if he gets the chance to drive for a top team.

chillidoggy · July 2020

Fretwired said:

chillidoggy said:

Russell would be a risky move, as would any other relatively inexperienced driver, and I can’t see Merc going down that road. It would however be wonderful to see what they could do in a competitive car!

I don’t think Hamster will go to Ferrari at this stage of the game. Yes, I get the kudos and cachet thing, but he wants to win, and if he wants to cruise around in a Ferrari he can do that back at home in Monaco. The situation is far from ideal from Merc’s or Ham’s point of view, but my money’s on him staying put, probably with a reduced salary, as being the lesser of the evils.

You're probably right. If Hamilton signs a new deal would Merc look at Russell to partner him in 2021 or 2022? Bottas could return to Williams. Hamilton won't be around forever and someone like Russell could learn a lot - commentators see him as a future champ if he gets the chance to drive for a top team.

Yup, I certainly hope that's the case. To me, at least, it makes sense and in the meantime Merc would be keeping a good eye on him, as I'm sure all the teams will.

fretmeister · July 2020

fretmeister said:

skullfunkerry said:

My thoughts from yesterday's race:
Lando Norris is champion material
George Russell needs to be in a more competitive car
I wouldn't be surprised if Vettel didn't make it to the end of the season
Surely this has to be Romain Grosjean's last season in F1?

I've had those thoughts.

Vettel to Haas to replace Gosjean!

ha ha hahhahaha

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sebastian-vettel-haas/

Haas are up for it!

Fretwired · July 2020

fretmeister said:

fretmeister said:

skullfunkerry said:

My thoughts from yesterday's race:
Lando Norris is champion material
George Russell needs to be in a more competitive car
I wouldn't be surprised if Vettel didn't make it to the end of the season
Surely this has to be Romain Grosjean's last season in F1?

I've had those thoughts.

Vettel to Haas to replace Gosjean!

ha ha hahhahaha

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sebastian-vettel-haas/

Haas are up for it!

:-)

Is that a wind up ....

Grosjean is a real pain in the Haas

chillidoggy · July 2020

Presumably this is due to Vettel making less cock-ups than Grosjean?

Fretwired · July 2020

Ferrari could be up to 45 bhp behind Mercedes .. I wonder is Saintz is regretting his move to Ferrari ..

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-2020-power-unit/

Cols · July 2020

Fretwired said:

Ferrari could be up to 45 bhp behind Mercedes .. I wonder is Saintz is regretting his move to Ferrari ..

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-2020-power-unit/

He’s probably delighted to have a 2021 contract stitched up already, considering that Norris has given him a pasting in the first two races.

fretmeister · July 2020

Has anyone reported Ferrari to the FIA yet - for copying last year's Williams?

Fretwired · July 2020

fretmeister said:

Has anyone reported Ferrari to the FIA yet - for copying last year's Williams?

:-) :-)

chillidoggy · July 2020

fretmeister said:

Has anyone reported Ferrari to the FIA yet - for copying last year's Williams?

And similar drivers from what I saw on Sunday.

sinbaadi · July 2020

Stroll should have been forced to give that place back to Ricciardo after that dive bomb sent them both off.

Cols · July 2020

Rumours building that Vettel is on the verge of signing with Racing Point at the expense of Perez.

Assuming that all teams are still there next year and Perez’s sponsors are content to keep backing him, I’m sure he won’t have difficulty finding a berth elsewhere.

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