Will Lewis quit & who is available to replace him ?

Lets not forget that Red Bull wasn't the only team interested...Mercedes was as well. However Mercedes wanted Max to take the traditional route of F3 > F2 then F1. Red Bull saw the opportunity and upped the ante with the Toro Rosso drive. A few days after Max's 17th Birthday they shoved him into an F1 car at the Japanese GP and told him to drive. And a few months later he took his very first F1 start. Quite amazing really. Kimi had even fewer races (23 vs 33), but was a bit older. Both have gone on to make impressive F1 careers.

Max's 2nd outing (his 2nd practice session) in an F1 car showed impressive car control; Vergne's reaction is quite telling:

Verstappen's drifting skillz | F1 Brazil 2014 [HD] - YouTube

 

Just remembered something else. I can guarantee he didn’t know he’d be going to Watkins that year, it was a surprise from Uncle Ken as he didn’t have his US documents in order and had to visit the consulate . I’m guessing Ken felt a little guilty because he had to give up his car to a Tyrrell regular in Canada after a first lap red flag and decided to give him another shot at the end of the season. MT was very kind and down to earth. A Sweetie in retrospect. .

 

He may have been enjoying it at the end when he had the better car but that finale must have been like a kick in the stomach and surely took a lot out of him.

At that age I'm not sure he will or can recover from this, he's finally found someone who is his superior, it had to happen at some point.

I just don't think can't see him mounting a monumental challenge like this ever again, I hope I'm wrong but I won't be holding my breath.

 

Starting in Brazil with that rocket engine in the back. I would still like to see an explanation of what exactly that motor was/is and how did it have that insane power advantage over every other car in the race? Have yet to see any credible explanation of this in the motoring press--other than Lewis is brilliant?

 

Don't agree with the superior part.

 

That car was crazy fast. 47 kmph faster. With an active rear suspension. Benz had bent the rules all season. Masi knew it as well as the rest. Max had it in the bag at Bakou if that tire didn't give out.

 

he had a rocket in Brazil with the new engine…similar to the upgrade Max had in France with a new PU. In actuality, it didn’t even have the top speed in Brazil (I believe that honor went to Ferrari), but it was a critical step for Merc to keep the WDC alive against RBR and it’s “more experienced” PU.

between the new PU, the suspension changes as the alleged “wing activity”, there was a critical boost when it was needed most.

 

The upgrade RBR had in france vs the rocket engine are 2 vastly different things; Red Bull spend their final token on upgrading their 2020 battery as was allowed. The Mercedes engine on the other hand was suddenly MILES faster than their previous unit; Mercedes claimed a ''reliability upgrade'' yet even they said it would reduce engine life, so it goes completely against the spirit of the rules. It's irrelevant now as Max won anyways but I found it very suspicious how such an enormous power upgrade was possible with not even a hint that they where going to investigate what went on there, given the FIA's history of investigating non-Mercedes powered cars who suddenly found a lot of power. Lewis had 2nd highest top speed, but did so with their highest downforce package with ferrari on a low-med package...

What I also can't understand is, how can they circumvent the cost cap rules by giving endless engines to Bottas especially (as their resident guinea pig); unless engines are exempt?

The lowering suspension of Mercedes was another interesting point that we never heard anything about after a quick statement of ''all cars lower themselves at speed, it's natural''. Whilst that statement is true, no car lowers itself in quite such a fashion, as if a switch is hit. It really moves down rapidly, whereas others move down gradually (as makes sense, higher speed, higher downforce = more spring compression).

Finally the "drs Bendy wing'' Mercedes had was also swept under the rug by the FIA, not that I think anything would come from it in time, as only 3 races, all back to back, where going to be held at this point, but again, no public statement.

If we look at how quickly the FIA acted on the legal bendy wings from Red Bull, and then the bizarre pit regulation change, banning the safest pit system (that happened to be the fastest) on ''safety'' grounds, despite the system having been in used for several seasons...(the reality is with pit equipment homologated, Mercedes couldn't copy the system for this season), it's just bizarre to me.

 

Really, what makes you say that?

He's been superior relative to his teammate and has made less mistakes.

 

Max has been the better driver in the beginning of the season. Hamilton made some mistakes indeed, Imola being the most egregious.

Hamilton has been the better driver at the end of the season though.

Overall it’s a toss up.

If I’d have to choose I’d say Ham is better. I’ve rewatched the season, and one thing I noticed (especially near the end of the season) was Hamilton would try different things much more often when driving. Verstappen’s style really didn’t change at all, he relied to much on the fact that others would hesitate to race him wheel to wheel, especially Hamilton. He’s more of a reactionary driver rather than a proactive one.

You can easily see this on any of the races where Hamilton has to hunt down max, look at the tracking shots of the corner entries where it shows both cars following in close formation. Hamilton would ever so subtly change approach each time. Alonso had the same type of race craft, I would kill to see him in a better car.

 

+1

 

He has never been the better driver it's just the Mercedes pulled clear in the closing stages.

Max has superior car control especially on full tanks.

 

Not even close. Lewis won a race that Max started from pole. The cars were very evenly matched. And he even won with an old engine. Hamilton simply stepped up his game with the last 4 races. It’s a clear difference from his perform from the first half of the season. Similar to past seasons, he turns it on after the break.

Again rewatch the later races, it’s easy to see.

 

Max’s catch in the wet at Interlagos (2016) really shows he has the instinct (not to mention his amazing race through the field there) but he and Lewis have different styles. Can’t really objectively compare them. Both are in a league of their own, don’t think you can pick a “better” driver in such a binary way.

Any driver that excels in the wet compared to the rest of them has that extra feel to make them something special (Schumacher, Senna, Hunt, Button, Hamilton and Verstappen spring to mind).

As for Max I think he’s amazing but don’t really like his driving and overtaking “style”. Too lungey and aggressive.


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I don't think Lewis wants to risk being beaten by Max (specifically) again. He lost this year because he didn't have a dominent car. And there is no guarantee he will have one next year. He had a great partnership with McLaren...but he left to go with Mercedes. He's had a great run with Mercedes, but that ended this year. Getting his 8th WDC may not be enough to also risk not getting it with Toto and company. But he might risk it by jumping to Ferrari. If he could win there, it could give him his 8th...and with a 3rd team. That would push him to be GOAT on almost everyone's list. How does he get out of his Mercedes contract and go with Ferrari? Pull an Alonzo. He retires. He spends the year off, studying Ferrari (and Ferrari spends the year deciding who to keep of their current line up). Lewis joins them the following year and steps into a team ready to give him what he wants. And he comes back to face his old rival, but with his defeat old news and already in the past.

 

With Ferrari about to sign Sainz for a longer contract and Leclerc already signed on till 2025...AND Ferrari not going to want their very good drivers with great longevity for an aging driver who might call it quits the day after winning #8, at a significant extra cost over their current drivers, I really, really can't see that happen.

Technically Mclaren was the Mercedes works team, so Lewis just switched sides when Mercedes decided Mclaren wasn't going to be their works team any longer

 

A dream scenario indeed, but likely not reality unfortunately.

 

Good points. But Ferrari isn't immune from making stupid decisions.

 

In all truth, Hamilton lost the championship early in the season, by lack of focus compared to previous years.

The blunder at the restart at Azerbijan was indicative of that; a missed opportunity on a day where Verstappen was plagued with tyre failure.

Hamilton is getting older too, and I cannot see him repeating his domination in the seasons to come.

I doubt if he will be WDC again. He may still have some spirited drives at time, but never again the same streak of wins.

But we don't know yet what kind of cars the top teams will deliver in 2022.

 

I get that his season wasn't perfect but neither was Verstappen's even though he didn't make a mistake as costly as Hamilton did when he knocked the brake magic switch.

I just feel that Verstappen puts the frighteners on him and that makes him subdued, I mean he should have defended like his life depended on it on that final lap but he just rolled over in defeat.

 

Verstappen tends to trust his crew more than Hamilton who questions any instructions.

I don't think it's about fright, rather lapse in concentration. The pressure of staying at the top is mentaly exhausting and is finally taking its toll.

Hamilton has been there for many years now, and he is losing his sharpness, IMO.

 

+44

As I said myself on here: He lost the title not in the last lap of Abu Dhabi but much earlier in the season.

 

True. Then again he knew that Max was willing to take both of them out as he would still have won the title. Lewis fought with his back to the wall.

 

Lewis would not have stood a chance had it not been for the new Pirellis at Silverstone.

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/94507/mercedes-given-unfair-advantage-by-pirelli-had-little-effect-on-red-bull.html

I hope Lewis sticks around.. will be interesting with him and a new team mate.

 

And fought with one arm tied behind his back on that final lap due to the massive tire disparity.