FORMULA 1 ROLEX AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2024 - Melbourne....Qualifying.... ▄▀▄▀▄▀ SPOILERS ▄▀▄▀▄▀

True yet they actively pursued him at the highest levels. LH is savvy and he knows he needs to have a good season this year overall. Yet Carlos is performing, makes fewer mistakes for half the absurd salary paid to playboy Charles. Strange logic.

Perez seems to be a little closer to Max today. Sensing that a few more good results and RedBull will be keeping him. Yuki and Daniel are not in the frame I think to move up.

 

Yes not completely shocked to see Max P1 to start. They had to work a bit to get his set up sorted but job done for the race. MaxBull have good race pace overall and he must be favored to win.

 

If I'm in Sainz shoes, I'd consider taking a sabbatical. Mercedes is a mess, McLaren is meh, and Red Bull are in a civil war. I also don't see him going to Sauber with what a dumpster fire Audi have been before even getting to the grid.

Wait and see if Ferrari come crawling back to him if Hamilton turns into a disaster.

Or, he could replace Lance Stroll at Aston.

 

That might be a the smart move. 2026 is what matters. 25 is a write-off after about race 5 or 6 for that generation of platform. Carlos is a clear match for most on the grid and I sense he will have offers. Bearman and Antonelli have hype but no real long term results in F1 to view yet but they will possibly impact what seats are available.

 

Same for Ham, this will be his easiest season in F1 bar none.

 

If the performance marks of Sainz and Hamilton stay where they are by midseason, Ferrari would be wise to do as Jenson Buttondid when he realized he was making about to make a terrible mistake, and negotiate a way to back out of their contract with Hamilton, then apologize to Sainz and get him to stay - if he will.

People have second thoughts in motorsports all the time.

 

These first three race weekends have proven that without at least two months of preseason open testing, the early races are shams. Expensive shams. If Hamilton isn't fighting for P2 by the end of the season, Ferrari will know they made a stupid decission in hiring him. Mercedes may find itself wandering in the wilderness this season...and even next. Max would be a fool to go there. He'll stay where he is. I still think Sainz's smartest move is to go to Audi in 2025 and have them build the team and the 2026 car around him. Alpine and Williams are actually making Haas look good. All they all do is clutter the track in FP and Q1.

 

Audi are not going to be fast for a long, long time. That's assuming they commit to more than a few years before corporate demands the plug be pulled if they're backmakrers after season 4.

Sainz has a few options. He could go to Aston Martin and not be totally miserable, along with a good paycheck.

BUT, if I were Sainz, I wouldn't do that. I'd wait to see how Perez continues to do at Red Bull, and Hamilton does at Ferrari. If either of those teams have a falling out with those two drivers, I'd Sainz would be at the top of the list to replace them. If that means taking a year off to do rally or hypercar, fine. His stock won't fall any after one year away.

 

Sure, but those teams have previous histories of glory and respectability.

It seems just like yesterday Renault and Alonso defeated the giant that was Ferrari in those days. Now it's just sad to watch both of them.

 

Perez handed Australia F1 grid drop for impeding Hulkenberg
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez has been handed a three-place grid drop for impeding Nico Hulkenberg in qualifying for Formula 1's Australian Grand Prix.

 

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The lewis purchase is looking dumber and dumber as every week passes.

Lets hope the dummies that made this contract have a solid exit clause.

Excellent job from Sainz, just back from surgery and 3 tenths up on the quali God teammate. Impressive to say the least. Fanclub quiet though atm...

 

New top 10 grid for start: Penalty applied for Checo.

Australian GP grid: Revised top 10
1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull

2. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari

3. Lando Norris, McLaren

4. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

5. Oscar Piastri, McLaren

6. Sergio Perez, Red Bull

7. George Russell, Mercedes

8. Yuki Tsunoda, RB

9. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin

10. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin

 

I wonder if one of the reasons for signing Hamilton was for his interest in fashion, and that maybe the reason the stock price is well over $400/share?


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat

 

I'm not complaining....lol... about the stock price...not the fashion part...I'll definitely complain about that...

sjd

 

stock price went up because of the incredible financial results they had, not because he dresses like a lunatic.

 

It has to be asked: How much has Sainz’s appendix been weighing him down throughout his career??? Seriously though, stellar result!

 

I think Singapore last year was a big psychological boost to him.

that plus needing to audition for next year

 

Yeah, great job sacking the guy who qualified second for the guy who couldn’t make it into Q3, Ferrari.

 

yep. 0-3 in quali and 0-2 in the races so far this season.

 

I have a feeling Sainz ends up at Mercedes

I'd take him over Alonso right now (especially on a multi year deal)

Antonelli is really struggling so far in F2, I don't see him being ready next year

Ferrari might regret this move at least in terms of on track performance. Sainz tends to whine less, too