Advan046
Advan046 UberDork
7/29/24 9:43 p.m.

In reply to kevlarcorolla :

Hmmm...yes I can agree that maybe if another top tier driver (Hamilton/Alonso) got into the RBR they could be closer to Max. But definitely don't think tossing Tsunoda/Ricciardo/Lawson will mean instantly 0.3 closer to Max. 

trigun7469
trigun7469 UltraDork
7/30/24 10:14 a.m.

In reply to alfadriver :

Of course Perez is staying, Danric hasn't showed much of anything, and RB do not value Tsuoundo or Liam. Drivers part of RB developmental are not the next Vettal or Max, or even close. I think Karma has finally got to RB.

Advan046
Advan046 UberDork
7/30/24 2:58 p.m.

Like MB with Lewis. RBR has to eventually think about After Max era. Vettel left thus saving them the headache of replacing him. If Max sticks around for 3 more years eventually they have to start finding someone. 

CrashDummy
CrashDummy Reader
7/30/24 3:16 p.m.
Advan046 said:

Like MB with Lewis. RBR has to eventually think about After Max era. Vettel left thus saving them the headache of replacing him. If Max sticks around for 3 more years eventually they have to start finding someone. 

Max is only 26. He could easily drive at an eliete level for 10 more years at RBR if they keep him happy and don't infringe too much on his iRacing time. 

loosecannon
loosecannon UltraDork
7/30/24 10:12 p.m.
CrashDummy said:
Advan046 said:

Like MB with Lewis. RBR has to eventually think about After Max era. Vettel left thus saving them the headache of replacing him. If Max sticks around for 3 more years eventually they have to start finding someone. 

Max is only 26. He could easily drive at an eliete level for 10 more years at RBR if they keep him happy and don't infringe too much on his iRacing time. 

Funny how drivers at the top of their game are suddenly nowhere because of rule or team changes. Chances are that Max's time at the top will end sooner rather than later

kevlarcorolla
kevlarcorolla Dork
7/31/24 5:50 a.m.

I don't get the feeling Max will stick around long and continue to play the circus monkey.

Streetwiseguy
Streetwiseguy MegaDork
7/31/24 7:48 a.m.

Max could race until he's 44, or quit in 2 years, and neither would surprise me.  He seems happier now that he has some competition occasionally.  I really find him hard to read, like he is part Finnish.  He has the potential to take most of Lewis's records, but does he care to?  

I sure do wonder whether Carlos is doing the right move.  Williams... I like to think they are about to do a McLaren and jump to the front of the pack, but I'm not confident.

kevlarcorolla
kevlarcorolla Dork
7/31/24 7:57 a.m.

I don't think Max sounds happy at all the last 4 races he's not won.

 I think Ferrari let the wrong guy go,would've been happy to see Carlos at Mercedes.

Williams could go either way for sure.

trigun7469
trigun7469 UltraDork
7/31/24 8:06 a.m.

In reply to Streetwiseguy :

Good point at times, he comes off as young version of Mika Hakkinen. I agree that he could retire early, take a sabbatical and comeback, or race for 10 or more years. If the rumors are true and he did not want Carlos as a teammate and wants a Checo/Barrichello/Bottas style teammate I wonder how that is going to effect the identity of RB jr./AT/CashApp... team. I didn't think Vettel was going to leave RB, but he wasn't happy with the car and I don't think he was keen on Danric as a teammate. 

With Sainz already committed to Williams I am wondering why Kimi hasn't been announced at Merc.

kevlarcorolla
kevlarcorolla Dork
7/31/24 8:31 a.m.

Bottas back to merc to run block for Georgie boy?

alfadriver
alfadriver MegaDork
7/31/24 8:44 a.m.
Streetwiseguy said:

Max could race until he's 44, or quit in 2 years, and neither would surprise me.  He seems happier now that he has some competition occasionally.  I really find him hard to read, like he is part Finnish.  He has the potential to take most of Lewis's records, but does he care to?  

I sure do wonder whether Carlos is doing the right move.  Williams... I like to think they are about to do a McLaren and jump to the front of the pack, but I'm not confident.

As part Finnish, max is way, way, way to emotional to be Soumi.  I do think he's on the verge of massive burn out, given that his dad is still driving the boat.  Maybe things are better, but generally in those situations, the kid will explode with so much pressure from dad being a failure and exploiting his kid.

Carlos made an interesting choice.  And given the news around Audi/Sauber, Renault/Alpine, and the rest of the choices- I do think he made the right choice.  Renault is like fusion- always 5 years out.  And they are constantly resetting the game because they can't make progress.  Audi is really messing with Sauber in this transition- and I still think this was a forced marriage as F1 wanted Audi more than Audi want's F1.  I personally think VW wanted Porsche to be their representative, but RBR's move made F1 scramble to keep VW in the game.....  And being honest, I don't think RBR will be much with their own power unit with the rest of the hybrid system coming from my former employer.  Whereas Williams have made real strides, especially being pretty open about the core issues with the team that kept them 10 years behind everyone else.

As for Ferrari and Lewis...  remember Prost, Mansell, Alonso, & Vettel- all greats that were just signed, some near the end of their career.  Right or wrong, for both Ferrari and Hamilton, they had no real choice but to make it work.  And I think Lewis and Newey will right the ship enough.  Mind you, if Carlos stayed, they would not have gotten Adrian to work for them.

Just my opinions.

alfadriver
alfadriver MegaDork
7/31/24 9:04 a.m.

Am watching the race debrief from Mercedes- George and Lewis' cars started the race at the exact same weight.  George car wore more- plank, tires, and even George.  According to Mercedes, at least.

trigun7469
trigun7469 UltraDork
7/31/24 9:33 a.m.

In reply to alfadriver :

George wasn't the only one stopper, Alonso,Stroll, and Tsuondo all did a one stopper (Alonso scoring points) and all made weight.

alfadriver
alfadriver MegaDork
7/31/24 9:40 a.m.

In reply to trigun7469 :

Mercedes played it too close. At least that's what they are telling us. 

Streetwiseguy
Streetwiseguy MegaDork
7/31/24 2:45 p.m.

You would have to be a moron to intentionally finish underweight, so it's a mistake, or underestimation somewhere.  

The only possible conspiracy would be to get Lewis the win, but I don't think anybody, anywhere, thought that was going to happen, until about lap 20.

ptvans
ptvans New Reader
7/31/24 4:57 p.m.

Did the other drivers go around for a cool down lap to pick up marbles? or did everyone come directly into the pits?

z31maniac
z31maniac MegaDork
7/31/24 5:31 p.m.
ptvans said:

Did the other drivers go around for a cool down lap to pick up marbles? or did everyone come directly into the pits?

They don't do a full cool down lap at Spa due to the length, they go around Turn 1 then enter pit exit. 

Advan046
Advan046 UberDork
8/1/24 5:53 a.m.

Carlos to Williams makes sense after listening to some podcasts and reading reports. I think Williams may not be a factory team but neither is RBR. They have stable money and now a good marketing vibe. So that will hopefully take them a long way. 

It seems the Audi project is having leadership issues like Alpine. Or the former Ford/Jaguar team etc. 

Antonelli I guess is getting a second look such that his performance in F2 has been iffy even with the win in Belgium. He just may not be ready. Imagine if Liam Lawson could get out of his Redbull development contract and go to MB....

I am beginning to wonder if Newey is actually going to any team or just going to do other things with his life. 

jmabarone
jmabarone HalfDork
8/1/24 6:11 a.m.
Advan046 said:

I am beginning to wonder if Newey is actually going to any team or just going to do other things with his life. 

I thought part of the reason he hadn't announced anything yet was because he specifically stated that he wanted to do other things for a while.  

NY Nick
NY Nick SuperDork
8/1/24 8:36 a.m.

This is an interesting one. It was a couple of years ago that Horner was gloating about all of the Mercedes powertrain people that he was hiring at Red Bull Racing Engines. Funny how these things shift over time. 

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/breaking-sporting-director-jonathan-wheatley-to-leave-red-bull-and-become.feT0DXuwT7dQFR6meVwdd

alfadriver
alfadriver MegaDork
8/1/24 8:49 a.m.

In reply to NY Nick :

So we should expect horner to whine about audi poaching people just like he did from other teams.

MiniDave
MiniDave HalfDork
8/1/24 1:11 p.m.

Even Kimi said he didn't think he was ready to make the jump to F1

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner MegaDork
8/1/24 1:46 p.m.
alfadriver said:

In reply to NY Nick :

So we should expect horner to whine.

Fixed that for you.

alfadriver
alfadriver MegaDork
8/1/24 2:04 p.m.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Speaking of Horner whining, just saw a vlog that the FIA changed the rules- being very specific about eliminating brake biasing on one axle. The vlog speculated that it was directed at RBR, and the recent downturn of theirs is the result of removing hardware that they were using at previous events. Now that directive is hard coded in the rules. 

crankwalk (Forum Supporter)
crankwalk (Forum Supporter) UltraDork
8/1/24 2:43 p.m.
kevlarcorolla said:

I think Ferrari let the wrong guy go,would've been happy to see Carlos at Mercedes.

What makes you say that beside just personality preference?

Leclerc has more wins, podiums, poles (by a long shot), points per race, fastest laps...... all in 3 fewer seasons.  I really enjoy Carlos but given the opportunity to put Hamilton in a Ferrari and pick between those two, it's Leclerc all day.

 

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