Formula 1 2021 - General Discussion Thread (Read 1st post rules)

Harika

Already very visible how important the number 2 will be this year. Every point counts and Bottas was in a position of snatching the extra point away from Verstappen. Also in two of three races at least in the mix to impact red bull strategy.

Inquitus

Harika wrote: »

Already very visible how important the number 2 will be this year. Every point counts and Bottas was in a position of snatching the extra point away from Verstappen. Also in two of three races at least in the mix to impact red bull strategy.

Yep Sergio Perez seems to have the Red Bull fairly well figured out in qualification, but doesn't seem to be able to extract as much out of the car as Max does in race trim, hopefully it's something he can learn over the next few races, or else RB's hopes of challenging for the Constructor's title will start to slip even this early in the season. They already have an 18pt cushion after only 3 races.

Frank Bullitt

We are in a close one, I just hope it stays close.

Yesterday was a mix of low grip and a terrible selection from Pirelli. Bottas and Perez already have their number 2 status, and looks to me like Perez has the most improvements to make as well. It could get really tight as the season goes on.

Frank Bullitt

https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/formel-1/mercedes-gegen-redbull-gp-portugal-portimao/

You will need translate for this, but it is an interesting article that says the Merc is very rear limited and the cooler temps and less abrasive surface. Interesting theory.

Having said that, RB can't just rely on that alone. They will have to kick it up a big notch over the next few races.

barryribs

Portimao, Imola, Istanbul Park all deserve permanent status on the calendar. I love the elevation changes in Portugal, some really spectacular shots of the cars cresting over the hills. Imola has always been a great track, but getting rid of the final chicane and running it a month earlier have made it even better where weather is a constant variable. Turkey is just a great challenging track, for all the criticism leveled at Tilke, Istanbul park is a masterpiece. Run it in July and make the tyre strategy a factor.

Captain_Crash

I know it’s the Daily Mail but interesting reading all the same! With the season looking as close as it is, think Red Bull might prefer to see a relative rookie in the second Mercedes seat than a seasoned veteran like Bottas.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-9538633/Mercedes-axe-Valtteri-Bottas-end-season-George-Russell-line-repalce-him.html

TCP/IP

Captain_Crash wrote: »

I know it’s the Daily Mail but interesting reading all the same! With the season looking as close as it is, think Red Bull might prefer to see a relative rookie in the second Mercedes seat than a seasoned veteran like Bottas.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-9538633/Mercedes-axe-Valtteri-Bottas-end-season-George-Russell-line-repalce-him.html

I think RB would prefer Bottas in that second seat all day long as he is such a weak driver for that seat and only has it to keep LH happy that he has no challenge. If Russell was in that second seat MB would clean up as much as I hate to say that.

Captain_Crash

TCP/IP wrote: »

I think RB would prefer Bottas in that second seat all day long as he is such a weak driver for that seat and only has it to keep LH happy that he has no challenge. If Russell was in that second seat MB would clean up as much as I hate to say that.

If Russell had a couple more years experience I’d agree with you 100%. But he’s already proven this season that his decision making under pressure is questionable and he has a lot to learn.... imagine the pressure he’d feel being near the top of the grid with Max or Sergio and even LeClerc and Norris breathing down his neck!

VB is as passive as it gets and offers zero challenge to LH, but he’s an experienced head and thinks nothing of having to defend his position.... he’ll finish third in most races with Lewis and Max occupying the top 2, could Russel do much better?!?

Inquitus

Captain_Crash wrote: »

If Russell had a couple more years experience I’d agree with you 100%. But he’s already proven this season that his decision making under pressure is questionable and he has a lot to learn.... imagine the pressure he’d feel being near the top of the grid with Max or Sergio and even LeClerc and Norris breathing down his neck!

VB is as passive as it gets and offers zero challenge to LH, but he’s an experienced head and thinks nothing of having to defend his position.... he’ll finish third in most races with Lewis and Max occupying the top 2, could Russel do much better?!?

No but I reckon Lando could!

klose

I can't imagine Mercedes are anything other than delighted having bottas as their number 2, he seems to be happy thinking he can challenge Lewis and he will do as told in race and not be a rosberg type. Bar Russell crashing into him this year he has taken P3 twice which is why they expect of him you'd imagine. The only gripe they probably have with him based on Turkey and imola is that he struggles in the wet.
Sure, toto can come on radio telling him to get on with it he's the fastest car etc but I cant imagine he's not happy with him.
If they bring in Russell for him he might go Billy big bollocks attacking Lewis in corners etc causing spins etc which red bull would only be too happy with.
I think Russell will replace Lewis and not bottas.

Harika

If you want to point out how close the season is, before Verstappen second pitstop there were four seconds between them what's 0.07 second's per lap.
It's close and everything counts. Every update, every point and with red bull being good at the development race we have a good chance to go down to the last race. And take in mind Hamilton & Mercedes are an oiled machine and not some nose drillers.
Also developing this long will give the other teams the opportunity to swap their focus on 2022 earlier and close up

Charlie-Bravo

I learned my lesson last week when I said it...

It's Rawe Ceek!

Can't believe it's a short week and a race weekend to kick off on Friday

TheQ_Man

Can’t see how Mercedes are happy with Bottas, the core objective should be to beat Verstappen, which he can’t. How many 1-2’s did Rosberg and Hamilton have? The Mercedes is still good enough for that, Bottas isn’t. Look at where he was when he was taken out by Russell, you could be damn sure Russell in that car that day would have been higher. If Perez gets his act together Merc could be in trouble in the constructors. He’s better than Albon was but is struggling to adjust

El_Duderino 09

TheQ_Man wrote: »

Can’t see how Mercedes are happy with Bottas, the core objective should be to beat Verstappen, which he can’t. How many 1-2’s did Rosberg and Hamilton have? The Mercedes is still good enough for that, Bottas isn’t. Look at where he was when he was taken out by Russell, you could be damn sure Russell in that car that day would have been higher. If Perez gets his act together Merc could be in trouble in the constructors. He’s better than Albon was but is struggling to adjust

Perez is better than Albon was last year, but I doubt Perez will beat Bottas over the course of the season unless Red Bull actually has a faster car than Mercedes. And at the moment it looks like the Merc is comfortably faster than the RB. If Perez and Bottas were in the same car, there wouldn't be much in it between them. Bottas is probably more consistent and he's a top qualifier so I'd back him to finish ahead over a season together.

Jordan 199

Looking back at the Spanish Grand Prix, only three spring to mind for me. Schumacher and his brilliant drive in the rain in 1996, Maldonado taking his only victory in 2012, and the Mercedes drivers taking each other out with Max Verstappen taking his first win in 2016.

Captain_Crash

TheQ_Man wrote: »

Can’t see how Mercedes are happy with Bottas, the core objective should be to beat Verstappen, which he can’t. How many 1-2’s did Rosberg and Hamilton have? The Mercedes is still good enough for that, Bottas isn’t. Look at where he was when he was taken out by Russell, you could be damn sure Russell in that car that day would have been higher. If Perez gets his act together Merc could be in trouble in the constructors. He’s better than Albon was but is struggling to adjust

Bottas will be a comfy 3rd in most races this season and I can’t see Russel doing any better! So what benefit is there to Merc in bringing him in mid season?

Max and Lewis are look like they’re off on their own battle this season leaving LeClerc, Nando and Sergio salivating at the prospect of bullying a Mercedes with an inexperienced driver.... add to that the media circus pouring down on Russel like a hot snot if he makes any mistakes, which he will.... becuse he’s young and has a lot to learn!

End of the season yeah of course go on, but I just don’t see any benefit to Mercedes by doing it now

One thing I meant to mention, it's pretty hilarious how you can tell even Sky are finding it a bit hard to keep up their nonsense, listen to Croft at the end of the race. Barely raises his voice when Hamilton crosses the line.

Burkie1203

Captain_Crash wrote: »

If Russell had a couple more years experience I’d agree with you 100%. But he’s already proven this season that his decision making under pressure is questionable and he has a lot to learn.... imagine the pressure he’d feel being near the top of the grid with Max or Sergio and even LeClerc and Norris breathing down his neck!

VB is as passive as it gets and offers zero challenge to LH, but he’s an experienced head and thinks nothing of having to defend his position.... he’ll finish third in most races with Lewis and Max occupying the top 2, could Russel do much better?!?

Russell would be in clear air mostly. Reduces the decisions he has to make hugely

El_Duderino 09

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Russell would be in clear air mostly. Reduces the decisions he has to make hugely

Russell is young driver but he has plenty of experience at this stage. Another year at Williams would be a waste of everybody's time. He mad a mistake against Bottas but there's absolutely nothing wrong with a driver being slightly too aggressive. He doesn't crash regularly and isn't a Maldonado or a Grosjean. He just made a mistake in a close fight with his only real rival on the grid at the moment. Wolff had to reprimand him but I doubt he'll think any less of him because of it. probably the opposite.

Russell also had a very mixed weekend this weekend. Extraordinary qualifying but very poor race. Finished 16th and under pressure form Schumacher in the Haas who had just overtaken Latifi. Latifi had the better race when you consider where they both started the race.

MadYaker

Russel didn't sound happy with the car at all during the race.

barryribs

MadYaker wrote: »

Russel didn't sound happy with the car at all during the race.

It's rare enough he seems to be happy to be honest. I guess three years at Williams will do that to you.

El_Duderino 09

barryribs wrote: »

It's rare enough he seems to be happy to be honest. I guess three years at Williams will do that to you.

His spin in the Mercedes last year won't have done anything to lower his expectations!

MadYaker

Looked good in quali though and he seemed happy, not sure how it all went pear shaped the next day!

mickdw

MadYaker wrote: »

Looked good in quali though and he seemed happy, not sure how it all went pear shaped the next day!

His radio during the race said the car was undriveable once he came near another car. That would explain the good quali but useless race car.

Not sure about the traffic thing, Russell had plenty of clean air and got nowhere. Latifi ended up behind Schumacher though, and fell pretty quickly from behind Russell, would think both those things would suggest a big fall off in performance in race trim for the Williamses.

El_Duderino 09

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Not sure about the traffic thing, Russell had plenty of clean air and got nowhere. Latifi ended up behind Schumacher though, and fell pretty quickly from behind Russell, would think both those things would suggest a big fall off in performance in race trim for the Williamses.

None of that explains why Russell started so far ahead of Latifi and ended up so far back with latifi. Latifi had a much better race than Russell.

I think latifi is probably surprising people with his race pace this year. Quali pace still isn't special.

Frank Bullitt

I think Kravitz made the comment during the race that Williams has "peaky downforce", so once it is in turbulent air, it is pretty much rubbish. Doest bode well for a team that usually qualifies at the back that often.

TheQ_Man

Grosjean/Mercedes test confirmed for June

https://www.skysports.com/share/12297221

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-grosjean-to-make-fairy-tale-return-to-f1-with-special-one-off.4iaABiRi5Sq6XxTCch9llk.html

Joeface

TheQ_Man wrote: »

Grosjean/Mercedes test confirmed for June

https://www.skysports.com/share/12297221

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-grosjean-to-make-fairy-tale-return-to-f1-with-special-one-off.4iaABiRi5Sq6XxTCch9llk.html

Is that not kinda cruel really , Here you go Grosjean, here is what it could have been

flazio

OSI wrote: »

I believe he was asking around for the opportunity to do so. Probably didn't want his last drive of an F1 car to be the big crash.

He didn't ask, they offered. (Unless he was asking around from his hospital bed as the tweet offering the drive came while he was still in hospital)
Say what you want about their drivers, there's no denying Mercedes are an excellent human team and a nice place to work regardless of what you do in the team.