Ferrari has been criticized for it for years, have you forgotten about Schumacher and Irvine, Barrichello and Massa? Red Bull has always favored the fastest driver, but any of the two drivers has always had the chance to show they were the fastest driver. Vettel showed it when new against Webber, Ricciardo showed against Vettel and Verstappen against Ricciardo. Red Bull (Helmut Marko) love to see the drivers fight it out. Perez is more experienced and knows that there are other ways than fighting, he's been unlucky a couple of times, but he knows how to drive the car now. It is pitiful to hear Wolff make excuses for and to Hamilton this year, when Hamilton has clearly under performed (maybe understandable being a bit tired of everything last year and a non competitive car this year). Hamilton has been complaining that his car is not just cruising past everybody else, and not really showing anything great. It's like he knows he can't win so why bother? Russell has put in a real work effort and out performed Hamilton so far.
Each team looks after its own interest, I can't believe this needs to be explained either !! Why should they arrange for internal fights just for your entertainment ?
But there is nothing to see, apart from your double standard. It has be constant criticism for Mercedes, but Red Bull and Ferrari do exactly the same and favour one driver. I don't complain about it, I understand it.
I think early on this season after 2 wins, Ferrari has put their hopes on Leclerc, and made him "unofficial" team leader. Based on Charles' previous results and his undeniable talent (equal to Verstappen, IMO), I can well understand that! Sainz has been discreetly shoved to #2 status, and his win at Silverstone seemed to have been the fly in the ointment. If you read between the lines, Binotto would have prefered Leclerc to win, and Leclerc felt entitled to win too! I am not imagining this, it has been commented by better informed people than me !
Ferrari already penalized Leclerc twice against Sainz ( Monaco and Silverstone) this half season. Two wins ! Didn’t see that between Lewis and Bottas the five years they were teammates..
Well, obviously sometimes circumstances don't allow a perfect execution of the master plan. Perez didn't win at Monaco; he finished 2nd.
i think Hammy is just cruising this year. recharging his batteries for next yr or contemplating retirement. he also has a lot of outside f1 business interests he is prob focusing on.
All of Bottas 10 wins and 20 Poles were obtained at Mercedes, so were 18 of his 19 fastest laps, and 58 of his 67 podiums. I don't know many #2 who are treated so generously !! "Ah yes, but that doesn't mean anything, since Mercedes was dominating" will say the detractors.
Colton Herta is having a 2-day test at Portimao on last year McLaren to familiarise himself to a F1 car. He is doing OK and likes it apparently; for some time his name has been mooted for a seat in 2024. But with Ricciardo not performing as Zak Brown expected, things may move quicker now. Several parties are pushing for having an American driver in F1.
https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/palou-leaving-ganassi-for-mclaren-denounces-cgr-press-release/10337431/ Thus McLaren Racing would have three viable options for replacing the struggling Daniel Ricciardo at the conclusion of his contract with the F1 team in 2023 – O’Ward, Palou and Herta, who has just finished a two-day test with the McLaren F1 squad.
Vettel retirement rumours are again circulating. Wonder if Daniel could go there next year etc. Not sure if he can stay in F1 after 2023 season. McLaren appear to prepare seriously for US driver in near future
Transfers from the US series to F1 worked well in the case of Mario Andretti, Jacques Villeneuve, or JP Montoya, but not so good for Michael Andretti, Cristiano de Matta and Alex Zanardi. But that remains the only way to get an American driver in F1, since there are very few in F2. Of the 3 considered by McLaren, only Colton Herta is American though, although the 2 others are household names in Indycar.
How do you know when a driver’s stint is over with a team? They issue statements that they’re under contract and plan to fulfill that contract. https://www.planetf1.com/news/daniel-ricciardo-mclaren-future-statement/
