Yes so not that many guys are still relevant that late in their careers and it would appear that nowadays you got be in better shape than before to drive those things so that’s pretty good Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I think Mercedes can still win it but I’m seeing the disgruntled bottas situation as a potential cancer eating the team from within if they don’t solve it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Mercedes still has a great car. It didn't work so well on street tracks but clearly that engine/car is more than a match for anyone on the straights. Baku S1/2 is composed almost entirely of low speed 90 degree turns and the red bull had great traction, that's where it won it's time. When we go back to more conventional tracks I'd be highly surprised to see Red Bull would be a clearly quicker car (something that wasn't even that true for Baku). Neither Merc nor RBR is the clear ''better'' car so far, on single lap pace they're pretty even (with Max anyways). Race pace the Mercedes is much easier on it's tyres. Will be interesting to see how it develops further with the budget cap, actual pressures and whatnot.
I think the whole Mercedes team is losing touch this year, not only Bottas, although he will probably be the scapegoat. They have lost the cohesion they had in previous year, and I can see many signs of that. - With Niki Lauda gone, MB has lost a calming influence. - The new MB CEO is not a F1 fan like his predecessor and has reduced the company's share in the team. - At the end of last year, Toto indicated that he hesitated about continuing with the team. - Hamilton couldn't make up his mind until the begining of this year before signing a new contract. - Several technical staff have left MB within a short time to join the opposition, RB. - The new tech rules have disturbed the aero, and the car is unstable this year. Both drivers are struggling with it. - Bottas is not fulfilling his role as expected, and looks adrift this season. - Contrary to MB usual efficiency, there have been strategy errors and bad calls this year. - The budget cap affects Mercedes more than they will admit. It has reduced their margin of manoeuvre considerably. The cumulation of all these factors makes me believe that they are losing their domination
Mercedes struggles with heating the tyres (hence they had DAS in addition to ''brake magic'') compared to Red Bull. Once it's all up to temperature they are indeed good.
in the age of cost cutting, look at all the expensive technology deployed to get tires in optimal working range. these systems will never be installed on a street car. let the teams choose from six tire choices and find what works best with their chassis. also, teams still have to run two different compounds during the race.
I agree with letting them run any from the crrent 6 compounds at the very least. But right from there I would allow them to run whatever tyre they want for as long as they want, no need to use 2 compounds. A team could do a no stop for all I care on a hard or do a 4 stopper on ultrasoft, whatever they believe works best for them.
yes fully agree. I really miss the refueling. It got a bad rap for being against on track overtakes. Whilst strategic pitlane overtakes did happen, it also provided great racing IMO. A lighter car was often constantly nipping at the heels of a heavier fueled car, sometimes the lighter car actually being as good a car either. It brought close racing.
Works good on paper and less will on the tire truck. You see, F1 tires have a shelf like of several weeks, so the tire manufacture can't just load up the truck with all the tires any team could want, the hardest tires on a track that likes soft tires would sit unused and have to be shredded before the next race, dramatically increasing costs to the tire manufacture.
Agreed. I liked the tactical aspect of teams trying to judge how much fuel to carry through Q3 into the race. Do you want pole or do you want to go longer in your first stint? Or do you have such a pace advantage that you can get pole with more fuel than the competition and, if so, how much fuel can you add without losing pole? It was an interesting dynamic. All the best, Andrew.
I hated it because that had nothing to do with driving skills. Races were determined by boffins on computers crunching numbers to determine what was the best fuel strategy.
The driver still had to do the perfect lap, or it'd throw out the boffin's number crunching and they'd lose pole. All the best, Andrew.
For me, there is nothing better than the old format (60s and 70s). One set of tyres and one tankful for the whole race. No strategy dicted to the driver from the pit; he had to find his pace.
The driver raced. Now they pace, preserve and save. We have had 2 laps of racing this season. The last 2 laps of Baku.
Order them in advance. Right now teams tell pirelli which tyre allocation they want several weeks before the GP in question. They can do exactly the same now just with more compounds. Still take the same amount of tyres to the track.
Says more about what's wrong with the current system rather than inventing gimmicks to try and keep interest. Engine saving. Tyre saving. Hybrid management. Fuel management. And so on.
+1 Racing at it's purest form. I would go further and just have pit boards. No radio advice. Allow the drivers to think for themselves and improvise.
Going back on the Hamilton topic , this edited, albeit true extractor his does give valid points and perspective on what his detractors do not like about him Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk