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Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 15 Apr 2018 08:24
by Transportman
Gasly went from hero to zero in one week, Verstappen made 2 completely unnecessary mistakes which have cost him (and Vettel) dearly, but a very interesting race today.

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 15 Apr 2018 09:01
by Chrill
Indeed. A really boring first half of the race turned mega with Gasly hitting his team mate. Verstappen then claimed the Torpedo moniker as his own. My ratings for the drivers are:
[+] Spoiler
Mercedes:
Lewis Hamilton - 6/10 (Just not impressive. Qualified behind Bottas, and had no chance to match him in the race. Weak.)
Valtteri Bottas - 8/10 (A lot more impressive than his team mate, and made a really good start after the safety car. Could not prevent Ricciardo but gave him a good run for it. Perfect amount of aggression, without going overboard. Nice one)

Ferrari:
Sebastian Vettel - 7/10 (Kept it together nicely until the safety car, had a really bad getaway after the SC ended and then burned his tyres up completely when driving away from the Verstappen crash. Had he been more careful there, I think he could have challenged for P4 with Hamilton)
Kimi Raikkonen - 8/10 (Very evenly matched with Vettel, got his strategy compromised by Bottas surprisingly jumping Vettel in the pits. Recoved to P3 which is absolutely a decent result)

Red Bull:
Daniel Ricciardo - 10/10 (Wow. What else can I say? Such an impressive race. The Red Bull mechanics replaced the engine with 30 seconds to spare in Q1, and that ended up taking him to sixth on the grid. Overtook literally everyone in the big 3 to win this. 10/10 doesn't do justice. Might be the drive of his career so far)
Max Verstappen - 1/10 (I've complained that he makes rookie errors. Well, this was just a blatant failure. Unacceptable to launch like that when we're this high up the grid. 10 second penalty is way too little. A drive through is what he should have gotten, plus 3 points to his license)

Force India:
Sergio Perez - 7/10 (Force India looked better today, was once more extremely equal to his team mate in pace)
Esteban Ocon - 7/10 (Force India looked better today, was once more extremely equal to his team mate in pace)

Williams:
Lance Stroll - 7/10 (Actually not too bad for once. Beat both Saubers, both Toro Rossos (obviously...) and a Haas. Plus his team mate. Acceptable)
Sergey Sirotkin - 6/10 (Also not too bad. Stroll had a much better start but Sirotkin fought back and probably drove a better race than Stroll. Ended up just behind though)

Renault:
Carlos Sainz Jr - 7/10 (Not too bad, hauled 2 points and almost had a go at Vettel at the end too. Must be encouraging to chase a Ferrari even though it's a stricken one)
Nico Hulkenberg - 9/10 (P6, best of the rest. He was my third driver for the weekend too, so I'm happy. Nice pass on Vettel, kept himself close to Hamilton too at the end. Impressive stuff)

Toro Rosso:
Pierre Gasly - 2/10 (What on Earth was that? Crazy manoeuvre on your own team mate. Not acceptable. Talk about a return to reality after Bahrain)
Brendon Hartley - 6/10 (Can't really be blamed for the crash, but was not running impressively high up the grid before it either. Poor strategy left him at the back, could not have done much more)

Haas:
Romain Grosjean - 3/10 (Continues to be outpaced by Magnussen. Sure, made Q3 could not convert it. Messy race, like usual this season, sees him finish behind Williams and even one Sauber car)
Kevin Magnussen - 8/10 (Keeps putting in strong races. Had to surrender to Renault today, but still scored a point. What a strong start to his season)

McLaren:
Fernando Alonso - 7/10 (Drove a good race, but was extremely brutal in pushing Vettel off the track when overtaking. Deducting one point for that unnecessary move)
Stoffel Vandoorne - 6/10 (Was matching Alonso for a long while but somehow lost out after the safety car. Probably could not get heat into his tyres and just fell back. Mediocre at best)

Sauber:
Marcus Ericsson - 6/10 (Up to P17 from 20th on the grid, but then lost it all before the first lap was over. I still don't know what happened to him, but I'm guessing he locked up into turn 14. Still, managed to recover and beat his team mate again. 2-0 race record over Leclerc isn't too bad)
Charles Leclerc - 6/10 (Had a decent start, but somehow lost out to Ericsson near the end anyway. It seems apparent he has not yet figured out how to keep his tyres alive like some of the more experienced drivers. Suffers from lack of race pace)
And the ratings document:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing

If anyone wants to join, feel free to rate the drivers and I'll add you to that there document.

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 28 May 2018 08:22
by Chrill
Well, we are now a couple races into the season. Silly Season is beginning to pick up, so here's a collection of rumours.

Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport:
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
31. Esteban Ocon (link)
44. Lewis Hamilton (link)
77. Valtteri Bottas (link)

Scuderia Ferrari:
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
7. Kimi Raikkonen (link)

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing:
33. Max Verstappen (link)
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
55. Carlos Sainz (link)

Sahara Force India F1 Team:
?.
?.

Williams Martini Racing:
?. Robert Kubica (link)
?.

Renault Sport Formula One Team:
55. Carlos Sainz (link)
?.

Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda:
94. Pascal Wehrlein (link)
?. Felix Rosenqvist (link) (Dutch)

Haas F1 Team:
20. Kevin Magnussen (link)
?. Pietro Fittipaldi (link)

McLaren F1 Team:
77. Valtteri Bottas (link)
?. Lando Norris (link)
?. Nyck de Vries (link)

Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team:
?.
?.

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 03 Aug 2018 12:29
by Chrill
Have you heard the latest? Ricciardo to Renault alongside Hulkenberg. That's unexpected.


Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport:
44. Lewis Hamilton (link)
77. Valtteri Bottas (link)

Scuderia Ferrari:
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)
7. Kimi Raikkonen (link)
14. Fernando Alonso (link)
16. Charlec Leclerc (link)

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Honda:
33. Max Verstappen (link)
55. Carlos Sainz (link)

Renault Sport Formula One Team:
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
27. Nico Hulkenberg (link)

Haas F1 Team:
20. Kevin Magnussen (link)
?. Pietro Fittipaldi (link)
?. Robert Kubica (link)

Sahara Force India F1 Team:
18. Lance Stroll (link)
31. Esteban Ocon (link)
?. Nicholas Latifi (link)

McLaren F1 Team:
7. Kimi Raikkonen (link)
14. Fernando Alonso (link)
?. Lando Norris (link)
?. Nyck de Vries (link)

Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda:
94. Pascal Wehrlein (link)
?. Dan Ticktum (link)
?. Felix Rosenqvist (link) (Dutch)
?. Robert Kubica (link)

Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team:
2. Stoffel Vandoorne (link)
7. Kimi Raikkonen (link)
9. Marcus Ericsson (link)
16. Charles Leclerc (link)
?. Antonio Giovinazzi (link)

Williams Martini Racing:
18. Lance Stroll (link)
35. Sergey Sirotkin (link)
?. Oliver Rowland (link)
?. Robert Kubica (link)

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 03 Aug 2018 13:26
by Pyoro
Chrill wrote:Have you heard the latest? Ricciardo to Renault alongside Hulkenberg. That's unexpected.
Well, I won't say it was expected, but:
a) RB going for Honda and RIC not convinced
b) RB blatantly favoring VER in terms of money and what they say, despite RIC outscoring him
c) Renault the only factory team with a seat available
So, it's a gamble, but not a big one for the next two years, I think.

HUL vs RIC will be nice, I hope. Maybe the best driver lineup on the grid now, thanks to the other teams preferring more imbalanced pairings?


Also, looking at your list - obv. Sainz is a RB junior driver, but he's probably not going to drive alongside VER, as they hate each other. And his contract only is valid for the rest of the season and then only if he goes to RB (not TR). So a move of his to McLaren wouldn't be a surprise (talked about ie here http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/ ... ver-choice ). I think RB is more likely to go for Gasly ... or someone.

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 04 Aug 2018 10:09
by Chrill
Gasly is my bet too. I'd say Alonso will be angling for a move to Red Bull, but it isn't their style to sign old drivers. It is, however, their style to promote kids too soon. See Kvyat for example.

It would leave a hole at Toro Rosso. Hartley is improving, but is he doing it fast enough to remain? Even if he does, there is no Red Bull junior with enough points to secure licence to race in F1. They'd have to draft someone in from outside the team. Lando Norris in exchange for James Key perhaps.

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 07 Aug 2018 19:58
by Pyoro
Force India got bought by Stroll & Friends, so we can be reasonably sure where a certain L. Stroll is driving next season :)

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 08 Aug 2018 12:03
by Chrill
Perhaps as soon as Spa.

This also means I am now very worried about Williams F1. They will lose Martini for 2019, and obviously also Stroll's money. Where else can they secure the funding to continue? I am worried we'll lose them at the end of this season.

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 14 Aug 2018 16:57
by Pyoro
Alonso to retire after the season from F1. He'll probably go after the Triple Crown, so I'd expect him to do Indy500. And he left the door open to return, but who knows - he's 37 now. Not too old certainly, but not getting younger (well, that's such a wise observation ^^).

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 14 Aug 2018 19:21
by Chrill
Schumacher ended up finally retiring after the 2012 season, at which point he was 43. Mind you, he set the fastest time in qualifying at Monaco that very season. Still had it in him.

So yeah, Alonso could return for 2020 if a seat is available closer to the front of the pack. I doubt it. McLaren drivers have a tendency to take sabbaticals. Hakkinen, Button, and now Alonso have all done it.

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 16 Aug 2018 17:40
by NoMorePacers
So McLaren continue their Spanish fever, as Fernando Alonso has been replaced with Carlos Sainz.

Well, Sainz does seem to be the only decent option that McLaren could use, although he's frankly been unimpressive against Hulkenberg at Renault this year, so it doesn't seem like he was in particularly high demand.

This also means that Pierre Gasly is pretty much confirmed for the Red Bull seat alongside Verstappen now.

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 20 Aug 2018 19:40
by NoMorePacers

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 03 Sep 2018 11:54
by Pyoro
Vandoorne to be replaced by Norris, so McLaren seats are sorted out.

Bad luck for Grosjean as he got DQ't; but this means that every(!) driver this season has scored points.
Good race overall, shame for Ferrari though. I really thought they'd have it covered, but with the way the race was set up with it's super long DRS zones there was no way for Kimi to gain some time on Hamilton. Frankly a bit ridiculous ^^;

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 03 Sep 2018 12:44
by piratescooby
Anything happens in Grand Prix racing, and it usually does.
I would have loved if Murry was the commentator this wkend . What a race ,squabbling over places up and down the field. Hats off to Bottas great job this wkend .Lets have another nail biting race at Singapore .

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 03 Sep 2018 13:28
by Chrill
This race proved three things:

1) Raikkonen lacks killer instinct
2) Hamilton lacks ability to lose
3) Vettel lacks ability to keep cool under pressure

This is why Vettel-Leclerc should be the pairing at Ferrari in 2019, and why Hamilton will win the championship this year despite having perhaps the second best car.

EDIT: And with Norris confirmed alongside Sainz, we have an all-new McLaren lineup for next season together with a bye bye for Vandoorne.

Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport:
44. Lewis Hamilton (link)
77. Valtteri Bottas (link)

Scuderia Ferrari:
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)
7. Kimi Raikkonen (link)
16. Charlec Leclerc (link)

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Honda:
33. Max Verstappen (link)
10. Pierre Gasly (link)

Renault Sport Formula One Team:
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
27. Nico Hulkenberg (link)

Haas F1 Team:
20. Kevin Magnussen (link)
?. Pietro Fittipaldi (link)
?. Robert Kubica (link)

McLaren F1 Team:
55. Carlos Sainz (link)
?. Lando Norris (link)

Racing Point Force India F1 Team:
11. Sergio Perez (link)
18. Lance Stroll (link)
31. Esteban Ocon (link)
?. Nicholas Latifi (link)

Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda:
25. Jean-Eric Vergne (link)
26. Daniil Kvyat (link)
94. Pascal Wehrlein (link)
?. Alexander Albon (link)
?. Antonio Giovinazzi (link)
?. Dan Ticktum (link)
?. Robert Kubica (link)

Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team:
7. Kimi Raikkonen (link)
9. Marcus Ericsson (link)
16. Charles Leclerc (link)
?. Antonio Giovinazzi (link)
2. Stoffel Vandoorne (link)

Williams Martini Racing:
18. Lance Stroll (link)
35. Sergey Sirotkin (link)
?. Artem Markelov (link)
?. Nikita Mazepin (link)
?. Oliver Rowland (link)
?. Robert Kubica (link)

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 11 Sep 2018 09:13
by Pilot
For some reason, Kimi to Sauber feels like an April Fools Day joke, but it's been confirmed, with Leclerc taking his seat at Ferrari.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/45477134

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 11 Sep 2018 09:47
by Chrill
Quite. The old switcheroo. Kimi returns to his maiden F1 team, Leclerc takes his spot at Ferrari.

I'm Swedish, I want Ericsson in F1 and I want him at Sauber, but honestly a Kimi-Giovinazzi pairing seems sexier than Kimi-Marcus.

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 12 Sep 2018 07:09
by Pyoro
There's some speculation that Kimi bought or gets some Sauber stocks, so him going back to them makes a little more sense; if he later plans on doing something within their management or something ... maybe?

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 12 Sep 2018 10:16
by Chrill
While those rumours are out and about, and have been for a while, I'm puzzled by why he'd be interested in that. After leaving F1, I'd picture Kimi getting himself a drive in rallycross or something else less... grand. Rallycross is a great dirty little sport and I have no doubt Kimi would be great at it. Running or at least part-owning an F1 team, however. I mean, perhaps he's into helping young talent find a path into F1, but then why would he take a drivers seat for 2 years? He'll be 41 at the end of the 2020 season, which will inevitably keep someone like Giovinazzi or the next Ferrari kid out of F1.

Then again, he did run Double R Racing in the mid-2000s. They raced in, among other series, the British F3 championship. Drivers include Valtteri Bottas, Bruno Senna, Marcus Ericsson, and more recently Antonio Giovinazzi and Roberto Merhi. Today, they run Swedish driver Linus Lundqvist who is domating the British F3 this season, but I think Kimi is no longer part of that team.

I mean, there's a lot of Sauber ties already. Ericsson, Giovinazzi, Raikkonen. I wouldn't mind replacing Ericsson with Linus Lunqvist in 2-3 years, although admittedly Giovinazzi should be the one replacing Ericsson as soon as 2019. :P

Re: The Formula One Topic

Posted: 24 Sep 2018 17:10
by Chrill
I mean, yay for the Schumacher name living on (and most likely moving to Formula 2 in 2019) but this does look shady, does it not? I mean, that is an immense upturn in form.