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

quokula wrote: »

Given that the Australian GP slot is right before Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, it would surely make sense to go to Bahrain and use the outer circuit again. The Bahrainis don't seem to have covid concerns and were happy to host an extra race last year.

Or come back for a 3rd race in the A1 Ring... Pirelli just need to get working on developing a snow tyre.

Frank Bullitt wrote: »

If they are waiting for retirements for that...can't say that is a very clever strategy.

There is also the limit of their car philosophies that are in play here too. Merc are so close to the absolute max of the car, that any upgrades probably are minimal over time. RB reworked the rear of the car more and their high rake car has way more potential around the diffuser and bargeboard area, hence why we see so many parts around that area of their car.

RB are probably sacrificing a lot for next year, but can they really pass up on a championship?

Frank Bullitt wrote: »

I can't say I agree with any of this at all.

Last year they had DAS and a very optimised floor to run with their low rake concept. This worked wonders for them with set up, tire deg and getting the car into the window for performance.

Merc aren't struggling for answers, they know how they lack pace and where. RB's concept and the floor changes have played better for them, they knew this and spent their tokens redesigning their rear suspension to plant the rear of the car. The RB16 had an unstable rear, the RB16B is the opposite.

If Merc were sitting and waiting for better tracks, then that is a huge mistake on their part. RB have thrown a lot at this car already and have beaten them at each race in the past 5, the gap getting more and more stable at each race. France was to be a Merc stomping ground, and they came up short there.

There is also a theory that RB can run at a lower engine mode on Fridays now and ramp it up for when it matters, just like Merc last year.

I just don't see this "potential" that Merc have in reserve, and why they wouldn't be using it right now, when it matters.

klose wrote: »

Toto alluded in France to what their train of thought is for the rest of year, you either put all your resources into next seasons regulations and be up and running there and then or keep some focus on this season aswell as next but risk starting on the backfoot. I think Mercedes will be happy to "punt" this season if it means they can start the new regulations top of the pile.

I think he's trying to force Mercedes' hand on next season. Red Bull should absolutely go for Russell if possible -- he is likely an upgrade on Perez, and will be a thumb in the eye to their biggest rival. It also makes Mercedes' quest to replace Hamilton much more difficult -- I can't see them getting Max or Leclerc, which would realistically leave Norris or Ricciardo? Ocon won't cut it.

I don't see why George Russell would get a Red Bull seat over any other young driver, I know Marko said some things but I think that was just game playing in the media to cause some friction at Mercedes.

Drivers don't normally jump from one of the bottom teams on the grid to the top team on the grid - he's linked to Mercedes because he's a Mercedes youth driver. Red Bull have Gasly performing brilliantly in their own junior program, and there are other drivers like Norris and Sainz proving themselves at the top of the midfield who would surely be more natural choices if they were looking outside their own camp (ignoring the fact that they've already got arguably the strongest driver partnership on the grid and Perez still has a lot of years in him)

Russell's team-mate is a pay driver who doesn't look like F1 material. Williams have had an injection of money and development funds that coincided with Russell starting to get close to the back end of the points. Every time he's near the points it gets tons of media coverage because he's British and because of his Mercedes links. But Giovannizi has scored a point this season for example with zero fanfare, while Russell hasn't despite all the hype. And I don't think I could state convincingly that the Alfa Romeo is definitely better than the Williams this year - Latifi has outqualified them a number of times after all.

Russell is clearly a good driver but I think he'd need to prove himself at a team like Renault or McLaren before a top team who he isn't already contracted to would be interested.

Watch that. Its very good and explains the thinking and research behind the new cars.

Yeah, was going to ask how will it work if those very important aero bits get absolutely ripped off the car.

Also, they dragged the hole out of unveiling the new design on Sky.

Red Bull could only hire him if he was out of his Merc contract, in which case he'd be available to McLaren / Alpine / whoever at the same time.

I disagree that he'd be a step up from Perez, we just haven't seen enough evidence to demonstrate that. Perez is a proven race winner and has a history of continually getting great results in midfield teams. Russell still has a lot to prove, I do think he's been flattered recently by Williams making a step forward with their new funding injection, combined with Latifi not really being F1 material. As I said, Giovanizzi has scored a point and Russell hasn't, and Latifi has been outqualifying Alfa Romeos recently so I don't think you could say for certain that the Williams is clearly a worse car.

And yes, teams do have junior driver programs and feeder teams. Which is why it makes sense for Russell to step up to Mercedes, but makes no sense for him to suddenly step up from Williams to Red Bull even though they have their own junior program and their own feeder team - like I said, if they were going to take a driver outside their own stable they'd take someone who's proven himself at the sharp end, like Perez had, like drivers such as Norris and Sainz are currently doing, like Russell has yet to do.

Regarding Latifi, he finished 2nd to a driver who never made it to F1. It took him multiple seasons to get up to second having done much worse previously (most drivers move on from F2 much earlier than that so those years of experience are a big boost), and his whole career is just a litany of losses to people who never got close to F1.

Russell beat Bottas in one race, yes, but at least 90% of the grid could beat Bottas and remember that Russell has extensive experience in the Mercedes simulator, he was used to racing a Mercedes engine with all of its settings and quirks week in week out, it wasn't like Hulkenberg jumping in at almost zero notice without having driven all year, or Ricciardo getting to know a completely unfamiliar team of people and set up (and it's not like Ricciardo's current performance is the bar to be comparing against).

I'm not saying Russell isn't a good driver, he clearly is. But I just find it crazy to suggest that Red Bull would ignore all of their own in house talent and ignore the drivers who are currently doing the business scoring podiums and big results at midfield teams, just to jump at the chance to hire someone who's outperforming a pay driver teammate and not quite scoring points in a car that's had a big development push and is not looking particularly slower than the Alpine or Aston Martin at this point.

You're suggesting Bottas is in the bottom 10% of drivers... that's how far you need to go to make this point. Christ almighty.

Let's assume Latiffi and Mazepine are behind bottas, are you seriously saying that he likes of Schumacher, Giovanazzi, Kimi, and Tsunoda are all better than Bottas? Wild suggestions altogether. Veering that far from reality to make a point, renders the point pretty useless.

Ugh, as if the Bonesawco ads littering the tracks weren't obnoxious enough.

Proof the English football fans are just the worst fan,

Terrible that happened to him. I hope whoever mugged him gets caught.