George Russell's teammate for 2025?
Discussion
shirt said:
Albon v Russell
I was in the Williams garage in 2019, Russell’s first season race with the team. He was present for much of the weekend looking at data, talking to the engineers and mechanics. Each time he got out of the car they would be gathered round the screens for a debrief. Quite the contrast to Kubica who would appear a few minutes before he had to get in the car and disappear equally quickly.
Same team same race last season. Albon barely present and when he was it was more like he was a hanger on or part of a driver’s entourage. He hung at the back of any group, very little engagement.
In terms of leading a team, quite the contrast there.
The tech debrief work is done out of sight in the tech units, when they are in the garage going through data in an intense way thats usually a sign they are in deap sI was in the Williams garage in 2019, Russell’s first season race with the team. He was present for much of the weekend looking at data, talking to the engineers and mechanics. Each time he got out of the car they would be gathered round the screens for a debrief. Quite the contrast to Kubica who would appear a few minutes before he had to get in the car and disappear equally quickly.
Same team same race last season. Albon barely present and when he was it was more like he was a hanger on or part of a driver’s entourage. He hung at the back of any group, very little engagement.
In terms of leading a team, quite the contrast there.
t.520TORQUES said:
I rate Alex, in the right team with the experience he now has he would do very well. The 2nd RB seat is toxic for most drivers.
It'll take a lot to persuade me that Albon can perform well under pressure; I still recall the slightly pathetic "they race me so hard". Well, yes, they're trying to beat you just as they're trying to beat everyone else.He needs to prove he's toughened up, IMO, and performing better than the slowest guy in F1 at Williams is a bit too much of an easy ride. I still have doubts. And I've said before, I don't think the Williams is as bad as many make out. It's really hard to say with confidence that he's significantly outperforming the car.
spikyone said:
It'll take a lot to persuade me that Albon can perform well under pressure; I still recall the slightly pathetic "they race me so hard". Well, yes, they're trying to beat you just as they're trying to beat everyone else.
He needs to prove he's toughened up, IMO, and performing better than the slowest guy in F1 at Williams is a bit too much of an easy ride. I still have doubts. And I've said before, I don't think the Williams is as bad as many make out. It's really hard to say with confidence that he's significantly outperforming the car.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur41dZ0v_uAHe needs to prove he's toughened up, IMO, and performing better than the slowest guy in F1 at Williams is a bit too much of an easy ride. I still have doubts. And I've said before, I don't think the Williams is as bad as many make out. It's really hard to say with confidence that he's significantly outperforming the car.
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single...
spikyone said:
It'll take a lot to persuade me that Albon can perform well under pressure; I still recall the slightly pathetic "they race me so hard". Well, yes, they're trying to beat you just as they're trying to beat everyone else.
He needs to prove he's toughened up, IMO, and performing better than the slowest guy in F1 at Williams is a bit too much of an easy ride. I still have doubts. And I've said before, I don't think the Williams is as bad as many make out. It's really hard to say with confidence that he's significantly outperforming the car.
No driver outperforms their car, the best they can do is achieve its peak performance consistently. He needs to prove he's toughened up, IMO, and performing better than the slowest guy in F1 at Williams is a bit too much of an easy ride. I still have doubts. And I've said before, I don't think the Williams is as bad as many make out. It's really hard to say with confidence that he's significantly outperforming the car.
spikyone said:
520TORQUES said:
I rate Alex, in the right team with the experience he now has he would do very well. The 2nd RB seat is toxic for most drivers.
It'll take a lot to persuade me that Albon can perform well under pressure; I still recall the slightly pathetic "they race me so hard". Well, yes, they're trying to beat you just as they're trying to beat everyone else.He needs to prove he's toughened up, IMO, and performing better than the slowest guy in F1 at Williams is a bit too much of an easy ride. I still have doubts. And I've said before, I don't think the Williams is as bad as many make out. It's really hard to say with confidence that he's significantly outperforming the car.
Although his time in red bull was too far too soon especially as he had had just been lobed into the Toronto rossi on short notice that season.
vaud said:
I know contracts can be bought out, etc but I think Zak has said Lando is super-locked in.
Sainz... not sure. Albon makes sense. Left field Kevin Magnussen or Nico Hulkenberg as interim drivers.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli but not for 2025, too much of a risk that he doesn't get the super licence points in 2024.
Uncle Joe Saward featured on lastnight's Missed Apex YouTube.Sainz... not sure. Albon makes sense. Left field Kevin Magnussen or Nico Hulkenberg as interim drivers.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli but not for 2025, too much of a risk that he doesn't get the super licence points in 2024.
Antonelli was mentioned in the last fifth of it.
carinaman said:
vaud said:
I know contracts can be bought out, etc but I think Zak has said Lando is super-locked in.
Sainz... not sure. Albon makes sense. Left field Kevin Magnussen or Nico Hulkenberg as interim drivers.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli but not for 2025, too much of a risk that he doesn't get the super licence points in 2024.
Uncle Joe Saward featured on lastnight's Missed Apex YouTube.Sainz... not sure. Albon makes sense. Left field Kevin Magnussen or Nico Hulkenberg as interim drivers.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli but not for 2025, too much of a risk that he doesn't get the super licence points in 2024.
Antonelli was mentioned in the last fifth of it.
The way Merc are looking at the moment it doesn't matter who they put in the car they're not going to win a championship this year so their approach might as well be longer term.
Sainz is the most logical choice for the medium term, he's good enough to challenge the top guys, has enough experience now but still young enough to have a good few years ahead of him. But to be honest I still don't think he'll ever win a WDC & neither will George. I think this season will be Carlo's best but he's not going to usurp Max, he's on a mission to prove a point though and beat Leclerc
I don't think there's anyone further down the grid that can take the team forward, I'm just not seeing any potential brilliance there and that's what Merc will be looking for.
Alonso, as good as he can be, isn't the future for any team so I can't see the benefit of Mercedes going for him.
The best of their jnr drivers is Antonelli so if they want to play a much longer game they could bring him in.
On a side note I love a stat and Ferrari have won a constructors or drivers championship every decade since the 1950's apart from the 2010's. They're well overdue and seem to be building so maybe Lewis made the right move!
Sainz is the most logical choice for the medium term, he's good enough to challenge the top guys, has enough experience now but still young enough to have a good few years ahead of him. But to be honest I still don't think he'll ever win a WDC & neither will George. I think this season will be Carlo's best but he's not going to usurp Max, he's on a mission to prove a point though and beat Leclerc
I don't think there's anyone further down the grid that can take the team forward, I'm just not seeing any potential brilliance there and that's what Merc will be looking for.
Alonso, as good as he can be, isn't the future for any team so I can't see the benefit of Mercedes going for him.
The best of their jnr drivers is Antonelli so if they want to play a much longer game they could bring him in.
On a side note I love a stat and Ferrari have won a constructors or drivers championship every decade since the 1950's apart from the 2010's. They're well overdue and seem to be building so maybe Lewis made the right move!
Merc will make the mistake in pairing GR and Antonelli or Sainz when what they need is a WDC in the second car. Put a rookie in the car and it’ll be a regressive step because you’ll have drivers that have never competed for an F1 wdc - they won’t know what to do, how to handle the pressure or when to play the long game .
Based on what has gone before, an inexperienced pairing will only hasten their decline, but it’s tempting and makes sense on paper.
My choice would be one of the relatively young retired wdc’s in Rosberg or Vettel.
Based on what has gone before, an inexperienced pairing will only hasten their decline, but it’s tempting and makes sense on paper.
My choice would be one of the relatively young retired wdc’s in Rosberg or Vettel.
Edited by maz8062 on Thursday 11th April 14:58
Edited by maz8062 on Thursday 11th April 14:59
I get the point about the inexperienced driver but they're not going to win anything with a retired or shortly to retire WDC either.
Seb last won a race in 2018 and Alonso 2012. They're not going to be a magic bullet for them and there's no future in them.
Whilst they would possibly bring experience in developing a car Merc do have George who's on his 6th season in F1 so hardly inexperienced. A new kid at least allows them to build a car with the driver into something competitive.
They need to play a longer game as I don't think grabbing at an older driver is going to get them back to the top. It's not going to happen instantly with a young gun either (I can't think of anyone apart from Lewis & Villeneuve who made such an impact in their first season) but if they can build it over a couple of seasons it might get them back fighting at the top.
Seb last won a race in 2018 and Alonso 2012. They're not going to be a magic bullet for them and there's no future in them.
Whilst they would possibly bring experience in developing a car Merc do have George who's on his 6th season in F1 so hardly inexperienced. A new kid at least allows them to build a car with the driver into something competitive.
They need to play a longer game as I don't think grabbing at an older driver is going to get them back to the top. It's not going to happen instantly with a young gun either (I can't think of anyone apart from Lewis & Villeneuve who made such an impact in their first season) but if they can build it over a couple of seasons it might get them back fighting at the top.
maz8062 said:
[…]
My choice would be one of the relatively young retired wdc’s in Rosberg or Vettel.
There's no chance Nico is coming back, and I'd be surprised if Vettel ever drives an F1 car competitively again.My choice would be one of the relatively young retired wdc’s in Rosberg or Vettel.
Edited by maz8062 on Thursday 11th April 14:58
Edited by maz8062 on Thursday 11th April 14:59
I can’t see past Carlos, he seems the perfect candidate to me.
Gassing Station | Formula 1 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff