PG
Established Member
Unfortunately, the rest of the team don't get a say in who drives.
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D365
Veteran Member
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This is more-or-less correct, although I believe Mercedes HPP (its trading name) has been wholly owned since ~2003..?
Doctor Pepper
Member
What the hell was going on with Checo's start? Christian Horner summed it up well, "But when the light goes out, you're supposed to go". LOL! 
I'll very amazed if he's in the car next year, contract or not.
I'll very amazed if he's in the car next year, contract or not.
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
Surprised Vercrashen only got a one place penalty for impeding... I suppose the feeble excuse for that is that Russell wasn't on a flying lap?
Hamilton is leaving Mercedes so has been shut out of development. Everything is directed towards the way Russell wants to drive the car, (braking early, turning in late as opposed to Hamilton’s preferred braking late and turning in early) You can see the same thing at Alpine, Gasly isn’t 0.5 sec faster than Ocon, it’s just that the team isn’t wasting time developing the car towards Ocon and providing him with upgrades.
Hamilton has to attend press sessions so there’s only so many ways he can answer the same question without laying in to the team. I’m surprised he isn’t complaining more, I’m sure Max wouldn’t be as magnanimous. Mercedes seem to be aware that Hamilton is taking one for the team, Wolff’s more recent comments and Russells offer to give Hamilton a tow yesterday which is fairly unusual unless the team demands it.
If in 2025 Hamilton is 0.5 off Leclerc by mid season then it’ll be time to ask more questions. It is no secret that Hamilton’s favoured aggressive late braking style doesn’t really fit with these ground effect cars. However he is still fast in certain corners, S1 yesterday, he just needs to find a solution that works in more corners and feels right for him.
DelW
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Apart from the justice or otherwise of the penalty, I'm beginning to think that there should be a ban on drivers using the radio to whine about / grass on their rivals, and a ban for anything along the lines of "but he made me do it".
It's embarrassing, it's like listening to a class of 8 year olds, not supposedly grown up guys. Just get on with driving your own race not whinging about everyone else.
Max Verstappen has won the Qatar Grand Prix from Charles Leclerc with Oscar Piastri in third.
A number of incidents happened including:
Lewis Hamilton drive through for pit lane speeding.
Lando Norris penalty, from watching analysis after the race he didn’t slow for double yellows when the rule says slow down & prepare to stop.
Strange to see how the Albon mirror was left on the track & not removed under a VSC or a safety car rather than waiting for Bottas to run over it which was a possible cause of the Sainz & Hamilton punctures. Another part of this is the recent race director & stewards changes at the FIA.
The safety car lights seemed to have issues going off which nearly caused Lando to have a chance to overtake Max.
One good part was Zhou Guanyou finishing 8th for Sauber gaining his & the team’s first points of the season & also getting the driver of the day at the same time.
A number of incidents happened including:
Lewis Hamilton drive through for pit lane speeding.
Lando Norris penalty, from watching analysis after the race he didn’t slow for double yellows when the rule says slow down & prepare to stop.
Strange to see how the Albon mirror was left on the track & not removed under a VSC or a safety car rather than waiting for Bottas to run over it which was a possible cause of the Sainz & Hamilton punctures. Another part of this is the recent race director & stewards changes at the FIA.
The safety car lights seemed to have issues going off which nearly caused Lando to have a chance to overtake Max.
One good part was Zhou Guanyou finishing 8th for Sauber gaining his & the team’s first points of the season & also getting the driver of the day at the same time.
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Nicholas Lewis
On Moderation
It was double yellows and on the replay there was no sign of a lift from the engine note so thats what the rule book says. An unfortunate slip as like to see McLaren take the constructors cup.
To be fair, its not the drivers who choose which of the radio messages get broadcast and which (most of them) don't.
DarloRich
Veteran Member
Alpine have confirmed Doohan will replace Ocon for the final race. This is, apparently, to allow Ocon to be released to Haas to take part in the end of season tire test with his new team: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/c8xjl1y40r5o
Hamilton is also not going to be in on development and improvements to the car and the focus will be on Russell, what he wants and how he drives.
Although to be fair to the stewards ( and I never like to be fair to a referee) it was a complete whacky races job. Bernd Mayländer certainly earnt his appearance fee this weekend!
As for Verstappen: no one likes a grass.
I guess you have never changed jobs and just go to the point that you cant be bothered anymore. He should have been sent on gardening leave really!
Hamilton is also not going to be in on development and improvements to the car and the focus will be on Russell, what he wants and how he drives.
It was but the stewards seemed to lose the plot a bit. I note they missed that Verstappen was very tight on his yellow starting marker and open to being penalised like one of the other drivers in a recent race. Also the safety car for cleaning the track and then not, erm, cleaning the problematic part of the track was a bit odd!
Although to be fair to the stewards ( and I never like to be fair to a referee) it was a complete whacky races job. Bernd Mayländer certainly earnt his appearance fee this weekend!
It does my head in. Just get on and beat the guy on the track. You should be good enough. You are an F1 driver ffs. If you cant overtake get out of the seat and let someone else have a go.
As for Verstappen: no one likes a grass.
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I'm boggling at today's news stories that Verstappen has "Lost all respect" for George Russell over the qualifying penalty. A stunning lack of self-awareness.
DarloRich
Veteran Member
he is just a very immature boy. Spoilt.
he is the best driver in one of the better cars and he whines on. Just beat the bloke.
Oh I have got to that point with jobs but I'm not paid millions and millions and millions of pounds per year to be a brand ambassador. If I acted like that I'd be sacked.
The FIA appear to be a on a self-destruct mission at the moment, I find it hard to believe Norris was the only one to potentially not slow down enough but the debris left on track was just dangerous
The whinging in general from drivers is just pathetic, I agree totally, just beat the car in front of you by racing them!
Seeing Verstappen say he has lost all respect for Russell is one of the funniest things I've seen for a while
DarloRich
Veteran Member
no you wouldn't. The wage doesn't matter. I have seen people paid a considerable sum ( not millions and millions but enough) simply check out when moving jobs.
Hamilton is doing is job, just not very well and in a not very motivated fashion. Same as us all!
Tetragon213
Member
Well, it looks like I was wrong; Perez's contract may well be over sooner rather than later if the rumour mill is to be believed. ESPN has been reporting that "unnamed sources" are indicating Perez's departure.
It's only the rumour mill atm, but I would be shocked if Perez didn't get the sack after this season.
DarloRich
Veteran Member
STOP PRESS - OBVIOUS HAPPENS
I told you he was finished. They just need to decide who goes in the seat. Tsunoda is the best option but I just cant see it happening
SpeedyWombat88
Member
Tsunoda not getting the seat would be absolutely ridiculous, but I doubt he’ll get it. They were talking about colapinto but I think he needs at least a full season. F2 is the obvious call but maybe they could look at trying to take Colton Herta for 26 if he can get the superlicense points? Alternatively they could try and steal Bottas from Mercedes, because he‘d be able to take them somewhere in the constructors alongside max. We’ve seen how good of a teammate he is to Lewis.STOP PRESS - OBVIOUS HAPPENS
I told you he was finished. They just need to decide who goes in the seat. Tsunoda is the best option but I just cant see it happening
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
It seems there is precedent for the Norris penalty; back in 2021 Mazepin had a 10 second stop go for an identical offence.
SpeedyWombat88
Member
Kimi got the same penalty for the same thing at Belgium in 2017 too.
Tetragon213
Member
Imagine the chaos if they managed to get Fernando Alonso in the 2nd Red Bull seat...STOP PRESS - OBVIOUS HAPPENS
I told you he was finished. They just need to decide who goes in the seat. Tsunoda is the best option but I just cant see it happening
Realistically though, I'm expecting it will be Tsunoda who gets the seat; they don't have many alternatives at this stage.
SpeedyWombat88
Member
They'll find an excuse not to honestly. Its silly and i do hope he gets in.
DarloRich
Veteran Member
Nado was getting his moan on this weekend. i said when he went Aston Martin it is all sweetness and light to start with but afte a whilem when it goes wronfor him, he will get a cob on, annoy everyone within a 300 miles radius!
It will be Lawson, even though it should be Tsunoda
PG
Established Member
Can't see Alonso jumping ship when he's lined up for a 2026 Adrian Newey car. Plus if you thought 2008 was tense when Hamilton was his teammate, can you imagine what having Verstappen as his teammate would be like
D365
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Abu Dhabi 2024 - had me on tenterhooks again. Congratulations to McLaren on a Constructors Championship long in the making. Only their second in my lifetime!
Whilst I’m not enjoying the verbal handbags, Russell is right about Verstappen being a bully. Good on Piastri for holding his ground and keeping calm. That Piastri got the exact same penalty for a completely different collision, though…
Call me a cynic, but I almost feel like the race director was keen to keep Piastri out of the way to set up a Norris vs Ferrari showdown.
Whilst I’m not enjoying the verbal handbags, Russell is right about Verstappen being a bully. Good on Piastri for holding his ground and keeping calm. That Piastri got the exact same penalty for a completely different collision, though…
Call me a cynic, but I almost feel like the race director was keen to keep Piastri out of the way to set up a Norris vs Ferrari showdown.
BingMan
Member
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- Messages
- 500
You are a cynic. And so am I.
The ten second penalty to Mad Max didn't undo the damage to Oscar's race. Perhaps instead of just giving a time penalty to the offender the offended should be awarded a time bonus.
Great race by both Hamilton and LeClerc
Doctor Pepper
Member
How would that be fair to other drivers?
75A
Established Member
Think Max would better suited to Banger racing, he's just a thug.