The Official 2018 F1 Silly Season *Contains Speculation*
Discussion
jsf said:
CraigyMc said:
Hulkenberg and Vettel are 30. Hammo is the 4th oldest driver on the grid, at 32.
Alonso and Massa are both 36, and Kimi's 37 - these guys form the old guard.
Damon Hill was 31 when he first sat in an F1 car and 32 when he first drove for Williams.Alonso and Massa are both 36, and Kimi's 37 - these guys form the old guard.
The current era of F1 is about youth. It's more about Verstappen's talent and Stroll's money than Alonso's talent.
ELUSIVEJIM said:
Massa has had two retirements and a withdraw due to illness. Stroll has had three retirements so both on level terms.
Throughout the rest of the season when both drivers have finished the races it is 6-3 to Massa.
Stroll is only close to Massa this season points wise due to his fortunate 3rd place at the Azerbaijan GP.
He has only proven that money gets you into F1.
I think you do Lance Stroll a disservice.Throughout the rest of the season when both drivers have finished the races it is 6-3 to Massa.
Stroll is only close to Massa this season points wise due to his fortunate 3rd place at the Azerbaijan GP.
He has only proven that money gets you into F1.
Formula 3
Stroll competing in Formula Three, 2015
2015
At the beginning of 2015, Stroll won the New Zealand-based Toyota Racing Series, recording 10 podiums – including four wins – from 16 race starts. The same year he also contested the FIA Euro F3 Series with the Italian Prema team, winning one race outright and achieving 17 top-six overall race finishes in the 33-race series driving a Dallara F312 Mercedes. Stroll finished the season, during which he drove in 50 races, at the Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix.
Stroll was part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, and the second-youngest driver to be signed to a Formula One team. On 11 November 2015, it was announced that Stroll would leave Ferrari to serve as a test driver for Williams.
2016
Stroll remained with the Prema Powerteam, for a third consecutive year, to contest the Euro F3 Series for a second year. He began 2016 by finishing 5th in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in a Ford Chip Ganassi Racing entered Ford EcoBoost Prototype to become the youngest highest-placed overall finisher in the history of the event.
In the 2016 Euro F3 series, Stroll took 11 wins and claimed the title in the second race at Imola, over 100 points clear of his main rival Maximilian Günther.
Kimi and Button both went into F1 straight from F3, both Esteban Ocon and Charles Leclerc raced in Euro F3 and won. I don't see anyone saying they're not entitled to be there so I don't see why Lance should be singled out just because his Dad has money. Sure, there were no doubt some teams that took him on purely because Dad was greasing the wheels, but to say he doesn't deserve his place in F1 is nothing but sour grapes IMO. He was CHAMPION. By over 100 points.
Lando Norris currently leads the Euro F3 standings by 72 points and everyone is raving about him being the 'real deal'. I don't get why Lance isn't seen as rightfully there.
ELUSIVEJIM said:
Massa has had two retirements and a withdraw due to illness. Stroll has had three retirements so both on level terms.
Throughout the rest of the season when both drivers have finished the races it is 6-3 to Massa.
Stroll is only close to Massa this season points wise due to his fortunate 3rd place at the Azerbaijan GP.
He has only proven that money gets you into F1.
No, he hasn't. He shows that money AND talent get you into F1. Are there more talented drivers? Yes, sure. But F1 has always been that way. Throughout the rest of the season when both drivers have finished the races it is 6-3 to Massa.
Stroll is only close to Massa this season points wise due to his fortunate 3rd place at the Azerbaijan GP.
He has only proven that money gets you into F1.
Stroll is no slouch. Is he the next Senna? Probably not. But proving to be a useful driver.
MissChief said:
I think you do Lance Stroll a disservice.
Formula 3
Stroll competing in Formula Three, 2015
2015
At the beginning of 2015, Stroll won the New Zealand-based Toyota Racing Series, recording 10 podiums – including four wins – from 16 race starts. The same year he also contested the FIA Euro F3 Series with the Italian Prema team, winning one race outright and achieving 17 top-six overall race finishes in the 33-race series driving a Dallara F312 Mercedes. Stroll finished the season, during which he drove in 50 races, at the Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix.
Stroll was part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, and the second-youngest driver to be signed to a Formula One team. On 11 November 2015, it was announced that Stroll would leave Ferrari to serve as a test driver for Williams.
2016
Stroll remained with the Prema Powerteam, for a third consecutive year, to contest the Euro F3 Series for a second year. He began 2016 by finishing 5th in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in a Ford Chip Ganassi Racing entered Ford EcoBoost Prototype to become the youngest highest-placed overall finisher in the history of the event.
In the 2016 Euro F3 series, Stroll took 11 wins and claimed the title in the second race at Imola, over 100 points clear of his main rival Maximilian Günther.
Kimi and Button both went into F1 straight from F3, both Esteban Ocon and Charles Leclerc raced in Euro F3 and won. I don't see anyone saying they're not entitled to be there so I don't see why Lance should be singled out just because his Dad has money. Sure, there were no doubt some teams that took him on purely because Dad was greasing the wheels, but to say he doesn't deserve his place in F1 is nothing but sour grapes IMO. He was CHAMPION. By over 100 points.
Lando Norris currently leads the Euro F3 standings by 72 points and everyone is raving about him being the 'real deal'. I don't get why Lance isn't seen as rightfully there.
A lot of drivers spend a lot of money, not just at the race weekends but in training and testing. Stroll takes this to another level, and then some. I'd stick my neck out and say he's the best funded driver in the history of motorsport in terms of the amount of cash which has been spent on him to get this far. Since day one he's had access to the best coaches, the most comprehensive testing programme you can imagine and anything which might help has been done. His own personal test car and team travelling the world? No problem at all!Formula 3
Stroll competing in Formula Three, 2015
2015
At the beginning of 2015, Stroll won the New Zealand-based Toyota Racing Series, recording 10 podiums – including four wins – from 16 race starts. The same year he also contested the FIA Euro F3 Series with the Italian Prema team, winning one race outright and achieving 17 top-six overall race finishes in the 33-race series driving a Dallara F312 Mercedes. Stroll finished the season, during which he drove in 50 races, at the Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix.
Stroll was part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, and the second-youngest driver to be signed to a Formula One team. On 11 November 2015, it was announced that Stroll would leave Ferrari to serve as a test driver for Williams.
2016
Stroll remained with the Prema Powerteam, for a third consecutive year, to contest the Euro F3 Series for a second year. He began 2016 by finishing 5th in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in a Ford Chip Ganassi Racing entered Ford EcoBoost Prototype to become the youngest highest-placed overall finisher in the history of the event.
In the 2016 Euro F3 series, Stroll took 11 wins and claimed the title in the second race at Imola, over 100 points clear of his main rival Maximilian Günther.
Kimi and Button both went into F1 straight from F3, both Esteban Ocon and Charles Leclerc raced in Euro F3 and won. I don't see anyone saying they're not entitled to be there so I don't see why Lance should be singled out just because his Dad has money. Sure, there were no doubt some teams that took him on purely because Dad was greasing the wheels, but to say he doesn't deserve his place in F1 is nothing but sour grapes IMO. He was CHAMPION. By over 100 points.
Lando Norris currently leads the Euro F3 standings by 72 points and everyone is raving about him being the 'real deal'. I don't get why Lance isn't seen as rightfully there.
In junior formulae this has always happened, the UK Formula Renault 2.0 drivers with big budgets would go and do the Toyota series in NZ, MRF in the Middle East, and a decent chunk of testing, but even for most of them having Dad buy you an F3 car and hire a track for private test sessions age 15 would be a bit OTT....
For sure, he has some talent, but he's only now reached the level where you can't (really) buy success as a driver. Given a limitless budget and a lack of true superstars in the field a lot of drivers can win championships - the best car, run by the best team, with the best engineers, an unlimited supply of new components and as much testing as you can possibly fit in. This is why Stroll isn't viewed the same way as Norris by most people, anyone in the industry knows that you can't just look at results, but how they were achieved.
MissChief said:
I think you do Lance a disservice
Kimi and Button both went into F1 straight from F3, both Esteban Ocon and Charles Leclerc raced in Euro F3 and won. I don't see anyone saying they're not entitled to be there so I don't see why Lance should be singled out just because his Dad has money. Sure, there were no doubt some teams that took him on purely because Dad was greasing the wheels, but to say he doesn't deserve his place in F1 is nothing but sour grapes IMO. He was CHAMPION. By over 100 points
Kimi and Button both showed the kind of talent that while you might opine on their fast-tracking, it'd be silly not to recognise why people wanted to snap them up and offer them everything - bit like young max. Lance was not snapped up by a top team worried about someone slipping through their fingers.Kimi and Button both went into F1 straight from F3, both Esteban Ocon and Charles Leclerc raced in Euro F3 and won. I don't see anyone saying they're not entitled to be there so I don't see why Lance should be singled out just because his Dad has money. Sure, there were no doubt some teams that took him on purely because Dad was greasing the wheels, but to say he doesn't deserve his place in F1 is nothing but sour grapes IMO. He was CHAMPION. By over 100 points
Lance was bought the best seat in a pretty non equal very much junior formula, Ocon went on to win the gp3 title as did leclerc who currently leads gp2 - both forumla being better indicators IMO.
Lance has had a couple of plucky drives but he still has a lot to prove.
C Lee Farquar said:
Vaud said:
Isn't it down to some of their key markets - that don't allow <25 year olds in alcohol advertising?
Have Williams ever confirmed it's in the contract, do we know?"Earlier, it was believed Mercedes-backed Wehrlein had been ruled out by Williams, as team sponsor Martini wanted at least one 2018 driver to be over the age of 25.
But Auto Bild reports that Williams has "confirmed that the use of a driver over 25 is not a contractual commitment".
The report explained that at the few countries on the F1 calendar where the legal alcohol consumption age is 25, test driver di Resta could stand in as a PR representative."
DanielSan said:
RobGT81 said:
True getting on a bit.
Although, he has never struggled with a 4 hour stint at Le Mans and these F1 cars are no tougher physically.
I think he'd manage F1 pretty easily to be honest, fitness wise there's no question and he's certainly got the speed. Although, he has never struggled with a 4 hour stint at Le Mans and these F1 cars are no tougher physically.
Vaud said:
Interesting how many ex-drivers have now said they are scared of indycar. Button, DC and Webbah have all said similar since Alonso went there.Blayney said:
Interesting how many ex-drivers have now said they are scared of indycar. Button, DC and Webbah have all said similar since Alonso went there.
I’m not surprised, since Senna’s death F1 has lost one driver to a freak accident. Indy car has had at least 3 high profile deaths, plus Zanardi losing both legs and that’s just what I can recall off the top of my head as someone who doesn’t follow it at all.LaurasOtherHalf said:
Are Williams seriously choosing between Jolyon Palmer, a bloke with one arm and Paul di Resta?!
The team is a shambles.
Massa is still an option.The team is a shambles.
They need someone over 25 for Martini promotional purposes according to most, although there have been some suggestions that this only applies for promotional purposes in some countries, but not others.
Toto Wolff is pushing to get Wehrlein in at Williams, despite him not being 25 for a good few years yet. Likely if this happens there might be some sort of discount on engines or similar which could appeal to Williams.
Palmer is out of the running according to Williams themselves, but he says there's a chance for some reason.
Apparently Kubica and Di Resta are having a 'drive off' in the next few weeks.
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