The Official 2017 F1 Pre-Season Thread
Discussion
Vaud said:
Europa1 said:
Interesting - no mention of Singapore or Baku, which arguably were also damaging (although not as damaging as the Malaysia non-finish).
I think he was talking more about where the team let him down. Versus, say, Baku where Lewis didn't show up.
ThunderGuts said:
With the calendar now being 'ratified' by the FIA or whatever, do we think it's locked in? (about to book flights etc!)
The December update is final in terms of dates (but races can still drop-off). Goodwood have just announced the FoS has changed dates to reflect the new F1 calendar. Vaud said:
It is a tricky one with all other top drivers signed up...
Do you take a risk with someone like Ocon who you can probably get out of the contract?
Do you take a lower risk from a speed perspective (but more costly) and buy out Alonso/Vettel?
Well Bottas is the obvious safe pair of hands and low ego choice. Pascal or Ocon if they want to take a gamble on a youngster. I just don't see Alonso happening really, not after this year and McLaren's 2007.... Mercedes really don't need the potential ego issues. Do you take a risk with someone like Ocon who you can probably get out of the contract?
Do you take a lower risk from a speed perspective (but more costly) and buy out Alonso/Vettel?
How about one of the Red Bull boys goes to Mercedes and Vettel heads back to Red Bull? Clearly all is not well between Vettel and Ferrari so if he has a get out clause I'm sure he will be desperate to activate it now if he can get back to a more competitive team. Kimi ain't doing a bad job he could certainly lead Ferrari for a year or two alongside Perez or Grosjean perhaps.
Contracts can be re-written, and with agreement drivers can be 'borrowed'.
There can be no Ocon or Wherlein (sp?), no Button and ffs definitely no Bottas! Mercedes owes it to everyone to see that a top driver gets that seat and we have to have another year of Mercedes sportsmanship.
If the other teams don't shape up f1 2017 could be a disaster and Lewis's 2017 championship not worth much - plus, I'm not sure Lewis can deliver that dependably unless he's under pressure.
Merc, you've been a terrific asset to F1 these recent years, but please, please, please do the right thing and make sure you have another top driver in Nico's place. It has to be a Max, Dan, Nando, Seb or such like, otherwise there's just too great a danger 2017 will be a total snoozefest.
There can be no Ocon or Wherlein (sp?), no Button and ffs definitely no Bottas! Mercedes owes it to everyone to see that a top driver gets that seat and we have to have another year of Mercedes sportsmanship.
If the other teams don't shape up f1 2017 could be a disaster and Lewis's 2017 championship not worth much - plus, I'm not sure Lewis can deliver that dependably unless he's under pressure.
Merc, you've been a terrific asset to F1 these recent years, but please, please, please do the right thing and make sure you have another top driver in Nico's place. It has to be a Max, Dan, Nando, Seb or such like, otherwise there's just too great a danger 2017 will be a total snoozefest.
If one of the 4 big players as I see it (Alonso, Vettel, Ricciardo and Verstappen) can get out of their contract and go to Mercedes then this basically reignites the whole of silly season because that would then create a vacancy at McLaren, Red Bull or Ferrari.... several mid field drivers would kill to get into one of those teams.
I think a Vettel vs Hamilton line up would be good as I get the feeling there is no love lost there and it would be interesting to see how Vettel really stacks up against another WDC at his peak. Then again would Vettel really want to face Lewis given how hard he has had to work to beat OAP Kimi this year?
Thinking about it I do think Mercedes kind of owe it to the fans to put a serious contender in that seat. If they have a dominant car again next year and Lewis has a rookie team mate then the championship basically becomes a joke.
I think a Vettel vs Hamilton line up would be good as I get the feeling there is no love lost there and it would be interesting to see how Vettel really stacks up against another WDC at his peak. Then again would Vettel really want to face Lewis given how hard he has had to work to beat OAP Kimi this year?
Thinking about it I do think Mercedes kind of owe it to the fans to put a serious contender in that seat. If they have a dominant car again next year and Lewis has a rookie team mate then the championship basically becomes a joke.
Edited by VolvoT5 on Friday 2nd December 17:31
VolvoT5 said:
Thinking about it I do think Mercedes kind of owe it to the fans to put a serious contender in that seat. If they have a dominant car again next year and Lewis has a rookie team mate then the championship basically becomes a joke.
In a season with another shift in the regulations, Mercedes owe it to Mercedes to make sure they win. The can't count on another season of dominance....yet. With a works Renault team, revitalised Red Bull team, McLaren sooner or later have to get something right and Ferrari will eventually come on song, Merc winning has to be the priority.Edited by VolvoT5 on Friday 2nd December 17:31
- In theory between; Vettel, Riccardo, Verstappen, Alonso, Hamilton (and maybe) Hulkenberg there could be 6 drivers across 5 teams that could be winning. If anything, (and after the headaches of the past 3 years ,especially past 2), why not have a clear 1 & 2 - throw the team behind a clear number 1 while bringing on a number 2.
Personally I'd like either Wehrlein or Sainz in the 2nd car - give them a go. Sainz held his own against Verstappen, so would be a great one to try.
Pleeeease be Alonso Hamilton mk 2!
Although I can't imagine McLaren letting him go, he's the last world class thing left in their team.
I reckon they'll hire a safe pair of hands like Ferrari do. TBH I think that was who Rosberg was supposed to be, back when noone expected him to spank Schumacher or give Hamilton a run for his money.
Although I can't imagine McLaren letting him go, he's the last world class thing left in their team.
I reckon they'll hire a safe pair of hands like Ferrari do. TBH I think that was who Rosberg was supposed to be, back when noone expected him to spank Schumacher or give Hamilton a run for his money.
swisstoni said:
No1 and 2 drivers makes an awful lot of sense for a team. Not so much for spectators.
Imagine if Merc had been doing it for the last few years? F1 would be dead.
If nothing else is on the table, people like to see teammates battling in identical cars.
Agreed. However, Toto and Lauda have long mooted a change in their strategy to manage inter-team tensions and the advantage they have enjoyed in the past three seasons is far from assured for 2017. It would appear to be a favourable time to quietly implement the safest strategy which is most likely to secure them another constructors championship- which is their number one aim even if it comes at the expense of the sporting team's popularity or the 'spectacle' of the sport.Imagine if Merc had been doing it for the last few years? F1 would be dead.
If nothing else is on the table, people like to see teammates battling in identical cars.
I hope I'm wrong but TBH I'll tune in anyway and the 2017 season can't start soon enough.
Hamilton doesn't strike me as the type of guy to want a clear #1 driver status. I've always got the impression he enjoys the purity of a good hard fought win over anything else (he's been visibly disappointed in situations where he's just been handed a win for whatever reason before). I would have thought genuine parity with his team mate is all he is after.
HustleRussell said:
It'll be Wehrlein. Mercedes will take the opportunity to adopt a 1 & 2 driver policy. It's their best chance to seal a fourth constructors championship.
The big issue is risk.If the no 2 takes out the no 1 a few times .. and does not deliver strong points scoring they risk not getting the contrructors. Even assuming they still have the best car next year.
This makes interesting reading:
http://www.nicerodds.co.uk/formula-one-constructor...
They have Mercedes as clear favourites, Red Bull a close second, Ferrari a distant third but amazingly McLaren 4th followed by Renallt and then Force India.
Those last couple look like poor predictions .. might be worth a early flutter betting on final team position.
What do you all thing ?
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