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

El_Duderino 09 · 04-07-2021 11:33AM

MadYaker wrote: »

Yeah it is odd that he can't seem to get to grips with the car, I think they will give him next year as well to be honest, I don't think he's suddenly lost the ability to drive.

Yeah I don't think anyone suggests he's lost his ability to drive but if he's getting results like he is currently getting and Lando can get the results he's currently getting, then they're wasting huge potential (and wages) on Ric. He just doesn't seem to be able to get the pace from that car. He was 3 hundredths od a second from going out in q1 yesterday.

Ric has been a great driver but that knowledge is of little use to mclaren if he can't drive their car. But with the regulations changes next year they'll surely give him another year. Whatever makes it hard for him to drive might not be in next year's car.

Must be a big knock to Ric to go from being regarded amongst the top drivers, to being unable to get the pace from the Mclaren and being hammered by Norris.

Andrew76 · 04-07-2021 05:22PM

I wouldn't fancy Bottas to do any better than Ricciardo tbh - that would be a step backwards. They'll give him another year I reckon.

El_Duderino 09 · 04-07-2021 05:31PM

Andrew76 wrote: »

I wouldn't fancy Bottas to do any better than Ricciardo tbh - that would be a step backwards. They'll give him another year I reckon.

Not if they're both firing on all cylinders, but Ric is definitely not firing on all cylinders in the mclaren. If bottas was getting his best out of the car, it would almost certainly be better than how much ric is getting out of it - even though ric surely has more potential in general than Bottas. Plus bottas is cheaper than Ric. But I suppose Bottas is coming on the market this year and Ric isn't likely to be fired this year, so it doesn't really matter.

quokula · 04-07-2021 05:53PM

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Not if they're both firing on all cylinders, but Ric is definitely not firing on all cylinders in the mclaren. If bottas was getting his best out of the car, it would almost certainly be better than how much ric is getting out of it - even though ric surely has more potential in general than Bottas. Plus bottas is cheaper than Ric. But I suppose Bottas is coming on the market this year and Ric isn't likely to be fired this year, so it doesn't really matter.

If McLaren want to replace Ricciardo they’d surely want someone of his calibre, very hard to imagine them wanting someone like Bottas who would most likely do worse.

The only driver I can think of right now who’s potentially a free agent and would fit the bill is Gasly, or otherwise they could take a punt on a younger driver with potential like Schumacher.

flazio · 04-07-2021 05:57PM

Do McLaren still have a young driver programme? It's where we got Hamilton and Button from.

El_Duderino 09 · 04-07-2021 06:01PM

flazio wrote: »

Do McLaren still have a young driver programme? It's where we got Hamilton and Button from.

Norris is a mclaren young driver.
I thought Button was a pay driver. Didn't he make his debut with BAR ? Or was it Williams?

Jordan 199 · 04-07-2021 06:02PM

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Norris is a mclaren young driver.
I thought Button was a pay driver. Didn't he make his debut with BAR ? Or was it Williams?

Button made his debut with Williams in 2000.

flazio · 04-07-2021 06:44PM

Oh yeah, my bad. Question remains though. Are McLaren involved in bringing any young talent up?

afatbollix · 04-07-2021 06:47PM

Yes, Hamilton was signed up from about the age of 8!

Lando was also part of it.

They have long had a driver program.

pjohnson · 04-07-2021 06:54PM

Button did test for McLaren (and Prost) in 1999 before joining Williams iirc.

skipper_G · 04-07-2021 06:59PM

flazio wrote: »

Oh yeah, my bad. Question remains though. Are McLaren involved in bringing any young talent up?

As of now they have only 1 driver active in their programme, a young American lad still in karting

El_Duderino 09 · 04-07-2021 07:38PM

flazio wrote: »

Oh yeah, my bad. Question remains though. Are McLaren involved in bringing any young talent up?

https://www.mclaren.com/racing/team/young-driver-programme/

Seems they have a few drivers in the programme at the moment.

the_pen_turner · 04-07-2021 07:42PM

ocon having a bad run of races. this week was a disaster

skipper_G · 04-07-2021 08:10PM

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

https://www.mclaren.com/racing/team/young-driver-programme/

Seems they have a few drivers in the programme at the moment.

Their website isn't quite up to date, Sergio Sette Camara left the programme last season to rejoin Red Bull as a development driver and De Vries is a Mercedes development driver and in the Merc formula e works team

Jordan 199 · 04-07-2021 08:25PM

the_pen_turner wrote: »

ocon having a bad run of races. this week was a disaster

He had a right stinker of a weekend. Considering he just signed a new contract with Alpine recently, you'd expect him to perform beter.

Jordan 199 · 05-07-2021 03:13AM

Does anyone know if the British Grand Prix will be live on C4 this year?

El_Duderino 09 · 05-07-2021 06:59AM

Jordan 199 wrote: »

Does anyone know if the British Grand Prix will be live on C4 this year?

https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a30456848/f1-tv-uk-schedule-sky-channel-4/

Here says C4 has it every year.

Top Dog · 05-07-2021 08:12AM

Anyone think that if Mercedes re-sign Bottas to get another 1 year extension they run the risk of losing Russell to a rival?

LollipopJimmy · 05-07-2021 08:29AM

Top Dog wrote: »

Anyone think that if Mercedes re-sign Bottas to get another 1 year extension they run the risk of losing Russell to a rival?

Where does he go though?

I cant see him going second fiddle to Norris, Ferrari are set for the next 2/3 years, AT will want their own young drivers in. Aston are set until Seb retires, Seb has no real options left and stroll isn't going anywhere.

Alfa and Haas aren't a step up.

Realistically for a better car that leaves Red Bull and Alpine. Red bull, maybe... but for Alpine he'd probably wait for the Merc seat.

Also I don't think Lewis would want him as a team mate however over the season Bottas needs to beat Perez to keep that seat.

klose · 05-07-2021 09:09AM

Top Dog wrote: »

Anyone think that if Mercedes re-sign Bottas to get another 1 year extension they run the risk of losing Russell to a rival?

I'd say its at the back if their mind but thr driver market doesn't have much room for moves this summer. The big if next season is how the new regulations may shake up the field. I think Russell would be happy with another season at Williams if they're somewhat competitive for points next season.

duploelabs · 05-07-2021 09:12AM

Top Dog wrote: »

Anyone think that if Mercedes re-sign Bottas to get another 1 year extension they run the risk of losing Russell to a rival?

Where will Russell go other than Merc?

All the top tier teams have their young gun in place, Norris at McLaren, The Clerc at Ferrari, Max at RBR, Stroll at AM. The only team that would be on for him would be Merc

Joeface · 05-07-2021 09:21AM

Thought it was already public that Lewis wanted Bottas , so one more year long contract for him . New cars same drivers means consistency Mercedes to see where they lie next year.

Speaking of Bottas , 2 stable weekends in a Row for him (dodged a penalty on Saturday ). Podium both times and has closed in on both Lando and Perez for third in the Table . he didn't light up the track or anything was just clean and did pretty much everything that was asked of him .

El_Duderino 09 · 05-07-2021 09:36AM

It's an interesting hypothetical question but I really think all the signs suggest he's going to Mercedes next year. I agree the other options are not great. And certainly not good enough to move to a different yeam. It would be a serious slap in the face in the face for Russell, so I wonder if he would move for spite, but he'd probably want to suck it up and wait for the Mercedes drive in the future.

Is he free to move to another team? If he's contracted to Mercedes, he might not have to option to move. It would be so cowardly by Lewis and Mercedes of they don't promote him next year. I presumed they needed to sign Hamilton first and then sign Russell. Silverstone would be the ideal place to announce it so I'm optimistic for an announcement in the days before Silverstone

quokula · 05-07-2021 10:00AM

Top Dog wrote: »

Anyone think that if Mercedes re-sign Bottas to get another 1 year extension they run the risk of losing Russell to a rival?

Right now they only have one rival, and both their seats are tied up. In any case Hamilton is signed up for two more years and at that point if Russell was not available then there are plenty of young drivers who have been performing as well if not better that they could look at such as Norris, Sainz, Gasly or even Verstappen.

ELM327 · 05-07-2021 10:06AM

Joeface wrote: »

Thought it was already public that Lewis wanted Bottas , so one more year long contract for him . New cars same drivers means consistency Mercedes to see where they lie next year.

Speaking of Bottas , 2 stable weekends in a Row for him (dodged a penalty on Saturday ). Podium both times and has closed in on both Lando and Perez for third in the Table . he didn't light up the track or anything was just clean and did pretty much everything that was asked of him .

In the best car in the field he should be comfortably ahead of all bar lewis and max. The fact that lando in a mclaren and a journeyman like Perez in his first year at RB are beating him or even close to to third is laughable.

At this stage I wouldnt give Bottas a taxi let alone an F1 car

05-07-2021 10:08AM

https://www.reddit.com/r/formuladank/comments/odf04x/its_raceday/

quokula · 05-07-2021 10:16AM

ELM327 wrote: »

In the best car in the field he should be comfortably ahead of all bar lewis and max. The fact that lando in a mclaren and a journeyman like Perez in his first year at RB are beating him or even close to to third is laughable.

At this stage I wouldnt give Bottas a taxi let alone an F1 car

But that's precisely why they'll keep him.

Hamilton claimed "the truth will come out in his book" as he spread conspiracy theories and continually tried to drag Mercedes name through the mud when Rosberg was beating him.

Hamilton leaked valuable team secrets when his teammate Button was beating him.

So it's unsurprising that Toto Wolff has vowed never to have another team-mate rivalry

I would be utterly shocked if a driver other than Bottas ever sits in that seat before Hamilton retires.

Joeface · 05-07-2021 10:17AM

ELM327 wrote: »

In the best car in the field he should be comfortably ahead of all bar lewis and max. The fact that lando in a mclaren and a journeyman like Perez in his first year at RB are beating him or even close to to third is laughable.

At this stage I wouldnt give Bottas a taxi let alone an F1 car

yeah he has been poor but one race he was taken clean out of it , shouldn't have been that low down but still points scoring position and Mercedes did sacrifice him completely in Baku and messed up the pits in Monaco so three races out of his control he would already be ahead of Perez and Lando . I think over the next 2 to 3 races he will probably get ahead of them. Bar a tire failure at Silverstone .

ELM327 · 05-07-2021 10:30AM

quokula wrote: »

But that's precisely why they'll keep him.

Hamilton claimed "the truth will come out in his book" as he spread conspiracy theories and continually tried to drag Mercedes name through the mud when Rosberg was beating him.

Hamilton leaked valuable team secrets when his teammate Button was beating him.

So it's unsurprising that Toto Wolff has vowed never to have another team-mate rivalry

I would be utterly shocked if a driver other than Bottas ever sits in that seat before Hamilton retires.

Even if it costs them the constructors?

They clearly still have a better car than RB, except the RB being better suited to the RB Ring. With two competent drivers they should be able to beat RB - who arguably are only where they are because Max is outdriving the car. Much as I dislike lewis as a person you can't claim he's not a good driver, but Bottas is so below par that he'd struggle to get a williams seat on merit right now.

quokula · 05-07-2021 10:39AM

ELM327 wrote: »

Even if it costs them the constructors?

They clearly still have a better car than RB, except the RB being better suited to the RB Ring. With two competent drivers they should be able to beat RB - who arguably are only where they are because Max is outdriving the car. Much as I dislike lewis as a person you can't claim he's not a good driver, but Bottas is so below par that he'd struggle to get a williams seat on merit right now.

Bottas isn't doing anything to cost them the constructors. If you look at recent races:

Right behind Lewis in Austria and beat him by not making any mistakes while Lewis broke his car. He's lucky Norris was there, or they'd have stuck to their original instruction of not allowing him to overtake Hamilton.

Outqualified Hamilton for Styrian GP, but had to start behind due to the silly mistake in the pitlane while the team were using him as a test mule for new launch procedures.

Was right on Hamilton's tail in France but the team sacrificed him and refused him the correct pit strategy as they wanted to use him as a mobile roadblock for Verstappen.

Was nowhere in Azerbaijan after the team fit him with a massive wing in qualifying to maximise the tow he would give Hamilton, and he got no qualifying lap himself due to red flags. He still beat Lewis in the race thanks to making no mistakes, unlike his teammate.

Was by far the better Mercedes driver at Monaco, and the team couldn't sacrifice him with any team tactics because there were too many drivers between him and Lewis, but ultimately they cost him the result by messing up the pitstop and retiring him.

He was on the podium for the previous two races too. He'd be comfortably ahead of Perez in the championship if he was allowed to regularly run his own race in the way that Sergio is.

Pretty much any other driver on the grid would do equally well in that car of course, but few of them would be so willing to throw themselves on every grenade for the sake of the number one driver.

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

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