Formula 1 2019 - General Discussion Thread

TCP/IP wrote: »

Williams is not a sinking ship it’s a sunken ship. Only thing for them is for Mercedes to buy them and to become a feeder team like Haas is for Ferrari.
Bringing Patrick in is a joke and a decision made by Frank I would say. Sooner Frank and Claire are out of that team the better.

Yeah, that's what formula 1 needs. Mercedes and Ferrari in control of the majority of the teams. Rolls eyes...

TCP/IP wrote: »

Independent teams can survive look at Redbull they are the example but they need to be well funded and have great people at the top. Williams have neither funding nor great people at the top.

Or perhaps Liberty's approach to finally overhaul the greatest mistake in F1 history is the way to go. Introducing a cost cap, changing the revenue distribution model will ensure that the emphasis will be on engineering and brain power, not on whose wallet is deepest.

Looking at Lando Norris' performance this year really makes me wonder what he would have been able to do last year if Torro Rosso had managed to get a hold of him to replace Brendon Hartley.

He has had a cracking start in fairness.

jv2000 wrote: »

So following yesterday's tough day for Ferrari I really do wonder what could happen to Vettel if the season continues as such for him (i.e. being dominated by his rookie teammate and losing his head under pressure)? Hopefully, it was just a blip because his F1 career could be in danger, no top team will want him. He could end up at Alfa with Kimi....

Norris has also had a great start to the season, have McLaren discovered another Hamilton-esque gem? Only 2 races into the season but good signs, his teammate is not exactly bad either so a good barometer to test against.

Vettel not responding well to being challenged by his team mate, and then binning it under pressure? Could be a blip but he has previous in both cases.

Last year he made so many similar mistakes that his spin yesterday looks much more like part of a pattern than a simple blip.

afatbollix wrote: »

Fair fecks to Ross Brawn for sorting out the aero so they can run closer together.

The faster car can finally overtake!

Too early to draw conclusions on this I feel, Bahrain is one of the circuits where DRS has the biggest effect and even more so this year with extension of the DRS zones.

jv2000 wrote: »

I agree it wasn't a blip but with it being a new season etc I was trying (very hard) to be optimistic. It was just like last season and hopefully Leclerc is consistent enough to pick-up the pieces (unlike Kimi). Leclerc also did a great team job yesterday when being interviewed afterwards, it was clear he was disappointed but he did not lay into the team or the car. I couldn't help but wonder if that was Vettel in a similar situation, what he would have said in the post-race interviews.

Found the interview with Leclerc very interesting. Should have been the happiest moment your first podium but its rightfully going to be one that fires him up and causes disappointment.

Fair play to him supporting the team but you could see how devastated he was. Also got to hand it to Lewis who showed him massive respect afterwards.

Taking everything I read today with a grain of salt, but Alonso setting up Fernando Alonso Racing for 2021? I thought they were already at full capacity team wise.

jv2000 wrote:

So following yesterday's tough day for Ferrari I really do wonder what could happen to Vettel if the season continues as such for him (i.e. being dominated by his rookie teammate and losing his head under pressure)? Hopefully, it was just a blip because his F1 career could be in danger, no top team will want him. He could end up at Alfa with Kimi....

It's more likely he will just see out his contract and then retire. He still desperately wants to win a title with Ferrari. Given his status within the sport they are certainly never going to sack him.
He is still the heartbeat and undisputed number one of the team. Leclerc is being completely over-hyped in my view. Verstappen is a much better driver and would make a far more deserving successor to Seb.

chicorytip wrote: »

Leclerc is being completely over-hyped in my view.

Can you give us examples of how the guy who, after just one year in the sport, is out performing the 4th most successful F1 driver of all time is being over-hyped?

chicorytip wrote: »

Leclerc is being completely over-hyped in my view. Verstappen is a much better driver and would make a far more deserving successor to Seb.

Let's wait and see. LeClerc seems to be a bit more mature. And to be an F1 champ, sure you need raw speed, but you also need tenacity, a level head, and the ability to take the rough with the smooth.

Deleted User wrote: »

I must admit that I’m one of the people that finds the Leclerc hype a bit nauseating.
So far he seems like a good driver who is fortunate to be in a top 2 car.
Let’s wait and see how his season goes.

You still need to do it in the car, look at the gap between Verstappen and Gasly and also the Gap between Bottas and Hamilton. A four time world champion hasn't been able to get that same car into a top 2 position in the two races so far this year.
He has shown brilliant skills and he sure is one to watch for the future.

muckwarrior wrote:

Can you give us examples of how the guy who, after just one year in the sport, is out performing the 4th most successful F1 driver of all time is being over-hyped?

Steady on! He has one podium to his name. Vettel is a four time world champion. We know that car and driver performance can fluctuate greatly even from the previous race. After Melbourne, Bottas was being tipped for the title!!
Let's wait and see.

flazio wrote: »

Well, 2 races in. Having sampled what Sky Sports offer via Sky One for 2 races I haven't had a "oh my God, why haven't I signed up for this before, can't believe I wasted so much time with Eir Sports and Channel 4" revelation. No indication yet as to whether China is showing on Sky One. Usually someone knows by now but with it being a 7am start I think I'll just lie in and wait for Channel 4 highlights. Certainly won't be buying any Now TV passes for it. What I've seen on Sky One doesn't seem worth the €10 to €15 a race weekend to sign up to.

It is listed for Sky One.

Quali Sat 7-9.30, Race Sun 6.30-11 with replay from 11-1.

At this rate anyone who has paid for the F1 channel should be looking for a refund from them for showing the coverage on a basic channel.

Anyone else notice that the Sky F1 promo add played in one of the breaks during the C4 race coverage. Obviously good targeting from Sky but I was surprised C4 allowed it.

Sky had a making of feature about that add. They spent an absolute fortune on it, full sound stage studio shoot with scratch-built sets, unless they sell a serious amount of subs they won't even cover the cost of that never mind the F1 rights.

In a way it will be better if the demand for F1 dips and the networks that have paid high prices get burned on the contracts, it will dampen down the demand for future big money pay-tv deals.

Rossi IRL wrote: »

Watching that F1 thing on Netflix, have to say Horner and Abitobul come a across as absolute childish idiots.

Dont know if they are like that really but that's how they come across on the episode I watched.

I actually grew to like Cyril, already had a dislike towards Horner so the doc just fuelled it.

Funnily enough I used to hate Lance Stroll, decided to cut him some slack and give him the benefit of the doubt this year. After watching the doc I immediately did a 180 and am back to hating him again!