F1 2021 Round 7 : French GP (Paul Ricard)

It's clear Mercedes are willing to push Bottas under a bus. Will it be George Russell taking over next year?

Who said it better?
David Croft
https://twitter.com/F1/status/1406635160104321032?s=19

Ben Edwards
https://twitter.com/FormulaPolls/status/1406643373637836803?s=19

R00ster wrote: »

Yeah, GSTQ was played at Spa 98, much to EJ's chagrin.
They had the right one in France and Italy in 1999.
Of course, it wasn't played at Interlagos in 2003 because the win was initially given to Raikkonen.
Wonder if we'll ever hear Amhrán na bhFiann played at a GP again...

Verty hard to see where an Irish team or driver would be on the grid at the moment. Never say never, but no sign of one on the horizon at the moment.

Maybe Google or Apple would buy a team and since they're headquartered in Ireland, would register the team in Ireland. Not likely (or particularly desirable).

We had the RTE director of sport talk to us in school and he said he was in the car on the way to a GP and was travelling with Eddie Irvine's dad in Eddie's Ferrari days. He got a call from someone claiming to be from one of the loyalist terrorist groups, telling him that Eddie better fly the Union Jack if he gets on the podium this weekend.

jv2000 wrote: »

I really enjoyed that race but was officially worried when Hamilton did his usual "these tyres are almost gone" routine. I thought he was definitely going to win when he said that. Still don't know why they didn't pit Bottas for a shot at fastest lap. It is now very clear Mercedes have no respect for Bottas, they hav have completely given up hiding it.

They're treating him as a real No.2. Must be hard to take if he wasn't signed to be a no.2. He kept telling his engineer that his tyres were gone and the engineer sounded embarrassed telling him he understood. But the team were just leaving him out to slow down Max.

Bottas might be happier at Williams where he would be treated as a normal driver.

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

They're treating him as a real No.2. Must be hard to take if he wasn't signed to be a no.2. He kept telling his engineer that his tyres were gone and the engineer sounded embarrassed telling him he understood. But the team were just leaving him out to slow down Max.

Bottas might be happier at Williams where he would be treated as a normal driver.

He’s an average driver so he would suit that team alright.

George looks like he could give Hamilton a run for his money but they don’t want Rosberg V2 or worse, as in George could be better than Rosberg.

It’s a shame cause I’d love to see Hamilton actually pushed to see how he’d hold up to actual in team competition. Right now it’s his team and until he leaves Bottas is the ideal 2nd driver.

Perez was a fantastic get for RB and I reckon he could step up to Max in time. Already showing promise. Bottas will never get to that level.

I’m also impressed at how delusional Bottas is in thinking he can compete in the Merc. He’s shown time and time again he is good in qualy but just bottles it come race day.

Edit.. today may not have been his fault but that’s one in how many drives over his time in a Merc.

All that said I’m sure he sleeps well at night on a bed of money.

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

That's what Toto said to Sky after the race anyway.

That's bollox they left him out to try and slow down verstappen at the expense of his own race, he should have told them he was pitting for new tyres and fc*k what his engineer was saying.

jv2000 wrote: »

I really enjoyed that race but was officially worried when Hamilton did his usual "these tyres are almost gone" routine. I thought he was definitely going to win when he said that. Still don't know why they didn't pit Bottas for a shot at fastest lap. It is now very clear Mercedes have no respect for Bottas, they hav have completely given up hiding it.

Thought the same re Lewis. Delighted Max did the job, relatively easy at that.

Also was wondering about Bottas not coming in for fastest lap - in my head I thought the team wanted him in but he stayed out as a f*** you back to them!

jv2000 wrote: »

I really enjoyed that race but was officially worried when Hamilton did his usual "these tyres are almost gone" routine. I thought he was definitely going to win when he said that. Still don't know why they didn't pit Bottas for a shot at fastest lap. It is now very clear Mercedes have no respect for Bottas, they hav have completely given up hiding it.

Bottas doesn’t deserve any respect, every time a driver comes up behind him he makes a mistake within a few seconds and the other car overtakes.
He’s been stealing a good living at Mercedes for years.
If i was him i’d keep my mouth shut and realize how lucky i was to be in that car.

ednwireland wrote: »

bottas made himself no 2

From various radio messages and interviews it would appear that he doesn’t consider himself a number 2 which is a bit odd

Well that was a mostly boring race with not a whole lot happening anywhere. Delighted that Mercedes fecked up there Stategy do and that Red Bul got there right and Max won. So well done to Red Bull and to Max the Dominator.

MadYaker wrote: »

From various radio messages and interviews it would appear that he doesn’t consider himself a number 2 which is a bit odd

If his contract doesn't say he's a no.2 then he's dead right to object to being treated as a no.2. But of course it makes sense for Mercedes to use him as a no.2.

Also, Ben Edwards is a really good commentator. He comes a cross as a sound man and has a really easy way about him, while also being so enthusiastic about the racing. He was excellent on the radio today.

tanko wrote: »

Bottas doesn’t deserve any respect, every time a driver comes up behind him he makes a mistake within a few seconds and the other car overtakes.
He’s been stealing a good living at Mercedes for years.
If i was him i’d keep my mouth shut and realize how lucky i was to be in that car.

The exact same mistake that Lewis did too today.

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

what mistake was that?

When max passed him straight away. No defence was put up by Lewis either. You can argue that Max would have passed both of them without delay anyway.

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

The money will help after he retires or moves to another team.

Really doubt aperwz will step up to Max. But with that said, Bottas has beaten Lewis in straight fights a few times and as you say, he's average. So maybe an average driver like Perez could beat Max a few times a season too.

He's shown no signs of beating Max so far this season. Been miles off in quali. Baku was the first time he was only marginally slower than Max. Maybe in time he will be faster than Max a couple of times a season. But I'm sure you'll agree that, like Bottas beating Lewis a couple of times a season, that wouldn't make him more than average.

Average deiver Perez made a one stop strategy, work today. Only 6 seconds behind 7 time world champ on the same strategy

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Really doubt aperwz will step up to Max. But with that said, Bottas has beaten Lewis in straight fights a few times and as you say, he's average. So maybe an average driver like Perez could beat Max a few times a season too.

He's shown no signs of beating Max so far this season. Been miles off in quali. Baku was the first time he was only marginally slower than Max. Maybe in time he will be faster than Max a couple of times a season. But I'm sure you'll agree that, like Bottas beating Lewis a couple of times a season, that wouldn't make him more than average.

Someone please make it stop?

Don't think I've ever put someone on ignore before, but I just can't cope anymore :eek: