The Official 2018 F1 Silly Season *Contains Speculation*

[Vaud]

MissChief said:

A touring car with hand throttle and half a dozen buttons you might use ten times in total is a far cry from 15 buttons, four dials and two or three rotating switches.

If it was the limiting factor, do you not think Renault would have spotted that in the simulator time and first test?

[rdjohn]

Perhaps they did, but don’t need an extra $8million?

But on the positive side, Joe Saward has changed and now thinks that it looks like a probability. He tends not to speculate on stuff like this.

[Vaud]

rdjohn said:

Perhaps they did, but don’t need an extra $8million?

But on the positive side, Joe Saward has changed and now thinks that it looks like a probability. He tends not to speculate on stuff like this.

He tends to be more accurate and doesn't write "filler" unlike some journalists. Nice bloke as well.

[anonymous-user]

Could this be a sign that Ricciardo is signing for Ferrari??

He is 100% correct about Kimi "who should not be in a Ferrari" but he also has a little dig at Red Bull too.


Daniel Ricciardo shrugged off losing fourth in the 2017 Formula 1 championship to Kimi Raikkonen at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as he feels Raikkonen should have outscored him comfortably.

Ricciardo arrived at Yas Marina seven points ahead of Raikkonen in the F1 drivers' standings and was on course to beat him to fourth place in the race too.

But a hydraulic failure on Ricciardo's Red Bull and Raikkonen's fourth place finish meant the Ferrari driver took fourth in the championship by five points.

When asked how disappointed he was to lose fourth in the standings, Ricciardo told NBC: "If I'm brutally honest, with that car he should have been a long way in front in the championship. So, yeah, I don't think it's a big deal."

Ricciardo said his fifth retirement of the season due to mechanical failure was only more painful due to the gap before the 2018 season opener in Australia.

"This one hurts actually, probably more than the others," he added.

"Obviously I was gutted in Austin, but we had another chance in a week's time, but I don't have another chance until March now.

"It's just reliability, nothing I could have done to prevent it.

"Pretty bitter way to end the season to be honest.

"Sure, we had some highs but we finished in a bit of a trench."

[DanielSan]

Don’t know how you come to that conclusion from that comment if I’m honest.

[HustleRussell]

Kimi is signed for 2018 and Vettel is signed well beyond
There is no way Vettel would permit anybody of Ricciardo’s calibre in the other car and especially the man himself after 2014.
Ricciardo is posturing for a Mercedes drive

While he is among the best drivers out there, I thing Vettel is pretty bad for Ferrari- Questionable temperament aside, his insistence on an average team mate could scupper any chance they have at the constructors championship as long as things are close with Mercedes.

[thegreenhell]

Assuming they will have to let Kimi retire at some point, who do we think Vettel will allow to be his average teammate next? Are Ferrari just trying to use Kimi for as long as possible until one of their own young driver protégées is ready, like Leclerc?

[HustleRussell]

What are we to make of Daniel Ricciardo outscoring the wünderkind by 32 points when he only had one fewer DNF this season? I think the Verstappen hype train needs checking and Ricciardo needs to be recognised as Max’s equal.

I appreciate that Verstappen is very exciting to watch and is on another level when it’s wet but based on what I’ve seen, Ricciardo is the guy who’ll win you championships while Verstappen, from a team perspective, looks a lot like a vocal and disruptive influence. All season Verstappen has moaned about how his lack of reliability is so unfair, he had a stupid avoidable collision with Ricciardo… Horner is all over Verstappen like a creepy uncle and it’s all a bit cringe. Ricciardo would be my pick, with the added benefit of if you have Ricciardo in your garage instead of Verstappen the atmosphere will be happier, the end of season party more fun and you don’t have to have moody Jos in the garage stinking the place out and looking as though he might lamp someone at any moment.

[Vaud]

HustleRussell said:

What are we to make of Daniel Ricciardo outscoring the wünderkind by 32 points when he only had one fewer DNF this season? I think the Verstappen hype train needs checking and Ricciardo needs to be recognised as Max’s equal.

I probably go with the team principal view in this case. They have access to far more information than we do on performance, who had old/tired engines, etc.

And they have retained Max as a priority with a hefty pay rise... but allowed Ricciardo talks to stall?

Points are an indicator of performance, but I'd be reluctant to read too much into them beyond the title battle.

[HustleRussell]

thegreenhell said:

Assuming they will have to let Kimi retire at some point, who do we think Vettel will allow to be his average teammate next? Are Ferrari just trying to use Kimi for as long as possible until one of their own young driver protégées is ready, like Leclerc?

I really don't know and that is why Ferrari IMO have painted themselves into a corner retaining Vettel for so long. Whoever comes in will have to accept that they're the de facto number 2.

[Vaud]

HustleRussell said:

I really don't know and that is why Ferrari IMO have painted themselves into a corner retaining Vettel for so long. Whoever comes in will have to accept that they're the de facto number 2.

Suits some drivers though? Never really seem to have bothered Irvine for example. He was happy to be paid a lot of money to be number 2. Rubens and Felipe, ditto. It's not like it's a surprise that they run a 1/2 driver program. Ditto for Merc while Hamilton is there; there is no way they are going to risk another Rosberg/Hamilton type battle, it was too destructive.

[liner33]

Seems that many sources are reporting Kubica to Williams is a done deal , contracts signed

I think Riccardo will go to Ferrari next year, if Vettel doesnt like it he can go elsewhere, they wont bow to drivers they have showed that before.

[HustleRussell]

Vaud said:

HustleRussell said:

I really don't know and that is why Ferrari IMO have painted themselves into a corner retaining Vettel for so long. Whoever comes in will have to accept that they're the de facto number 2.

Suits some drivers though? Never really seem to have bothered Irvine for example. He was happy to be paid a lot of money to be number 2. Rubens and Felipe, ditto. It's not like it's a surprise that they run a 1/2 driver program. Ditto for Merc while Hamilton is there; there is no way they are going to risk another Rosberg/Hamilton type battle, it was too destructive.

I take your point but unless Bottas' performance at the weekend was indicative of what we can expect in 2018 I can see Mercedes having the same problem. IMO next year it could well be the second driver who makes or breaks the constructor's championship. If you are Mercedes or Ferrari you don't want your number two driver finishing 3rd of 4th, you need them finishing 2nd. Bottas and especially Kimi haven't done enough of that. Somehow Kimi was under pressure from Red Bulls yesterday!

[Vaud]

HustleRussell said:

I take your point but unless Bottas' performance at the weekend was indicative of what we can expect in 2018 I can see Mercedes having the same problem. IMO next year it could well be the second driver who makes or breaks the constructor's championship. If you are Mercedes or Ferrari you don't want your number two driver finishing 3rd of 4th, you need them finishing 2nd. Bottas and especially Kimi haven't done enough of that. Somehow Kimi was under pressure from Red Bulls yesterday!

I agree. They need a number 2 driver policy, he just needs to be a bit closer... tough though as Lewis is driving beautifully and is arguably at the top of his game.

[HustleRussell]

Vaud said:

HustleRussell said:

I take your point but unless Bottas' performance at the weekend was indicative of what we can expect in 2018 I can see Mercedes having the same problem. IMO next year it could well be the second driver who makes or breaks the constructor's championship. If you are Mercedes or Ferrari you don't want your number two driver finishing 3rd of 4th, you need them finishing 2nd. Bottas and especially Kimi haven't done enough of that. Somehow Kimi was under pressure from Red Bulls yesterday!

I agree. They need a number 2 driver policy, he just needs to be a bit closer... tough though as Lewis is driving beautifully and is arguably at the top of his game.

Yup it would appear so.

People are so critical of the sport but It's just occurred to me that I can't remember two manufacturers building such equally matched cars over a season that a number two driver who is let's say four tenths adrift is not fast enough to regularly qualify second to his number one team mate?

I can't see next year being this close, I reckon Mercedes are going to nail the three engine performance / reliability balance.

[Vaud]

HustleRussell said:

I can't see next year being this close, I reckon Mercedes are going to nail the three engine performance / reliability balance.

We'll see. Ferrari has been pretty reliable this year - and they blocked the move to allow extra engines, reportedly because of the effort they have gone to in engineering for 3 engines.

[HustleRussell]

Vaud said:

HustleRussell said:

I can't see next year being this close, I reckon Mercedes are going to nail the three engine performance / reliability balance.

We'll see. Ferrari has been pretty reliable this year - and they blocked the move to allow extra engines, reportedly because of the effort they have gone to in engineering for 3 engines.

They'd never admit it but based on zero evidence whatsoever I reckon marginal engine wear situation was a large part of the reason for Ferrari's lacklustre performance in Abu Dhabi. Vettel was such a distant 3rd but didn't care nor offer any excuses. Raikkonen has complained about the amount of 'fuel saving' he had to do. They weren't given the engine modes IMO.

Conversely Mercedes were on a complete tour de force.

[ghost83]

Tbh I think Hamilton let bottas win as he would charge upto him and just not even bother trying,

I hate this whole number 1 and number 2 driver as well I wish they were treat equally! Kimi looks and sounds like he can't be arsed at all

I see him retiring end of 2018 with ricciardo going merc and bottas possibly to Ferrari for the number 2 role or maybe hulk might be in with a shot with bottas at somewhere like renault

[hairyben]

HustleRussell said:

What are we to make of Daniel Ricciardo outscoring the wünderkind by 32 points when he only had one fewer DNF this season? I think the Verstappen hype train needs checking and Ricciardo needs to be recognised as Max’s equal.

I appreciate that Verstappen is very exciting to watch and is on another level when it’s wet but based on what I’ve seen, Ricciardo is the guy who’ll win you championships while Verstappen, from a team perspective, looks a lot like a vocal and disruptive influence. All season Verstappen has moaned about how his lack of reliability is so unfair, he had a stupid avoidable collision with Ricciardo… Horner is all over Verstappen like a creepy uncle and it’s all a bit cringe. Ricciardo would be my pick, with the added benefit of if you have Ricciardo in your garage instead of Verstappen the atmosphere will be happier, the end of season party more fun and you don’t have to have moody Jos in the garage stinking the place out and looking as though he might lamp someone at any moment.

I think RB would be extremely keen to retain ricci, if they could. But he's looking very friendly with toto and unless bottas has an incredible turn in form thats where he'll be for '19.

Jos though, I was talking only yesterday, if verstappen gets into the inevitable title-fight-teamate-feud, a la webber/vettel ham/ros etc, with all the hilarity and accusations of favouritism flying back and forth, you are NOT going to want someone like jos anywhere near your team.

[sandman77]

hairyben said:

Jos though, I was talking only yesterday, if verstappen gets into the inevitable title-fight-teamate-feud, a la webber/vettel ham/ros etc, with all the hilarity and accusations of favouritism flying back and forth, you are NOT going to want someone like jos anywhere near your team.

I was thinking along the same lines recently. I think that one day in the future having Jos around will be very costly for young Max.