The Official F1 2020 silly season *contains speculation*
Discussion
Teddy Lop said:
it'd be great to see, but with lec "almost there" I can't see ferrari employing a top dick driver and risk upsetting their happy little house. More likely call up kimi or go after someone they see as quick and consistent enough but not too dangerous, such as bottas. Or maybe Perez; would be funny if they employed someone like Perez but underestimated what he might do given the chance.
I don't think a team like Ferrari cares about playing 'happy little house'. They care about winning.It would be a brave move for them to put all their eggs in the LEC basket. He's still only 21 years old, with only a season and a half of experience and no wins to his name. They need a proven winner in the other car to push the team in the right way while he learns his craft.
Teddy Lop said:
it'd be great to see, but with lec "almost there" I can't see ferrari employing a top dick driver and risk upsetting their happy little house. More likely call up kimi or go after someone they see as quick and consistent enough but not too dangerous, such as bottas. Or maybe Perez; would be funny if they employed someone like Perez but underestimated what he might do given the chance.
What I don't know is how ready LeClerc is to be number 1 and how good he could be at car development, which Ferrari need. My left field thinking is that the possibility of a Vacant seat at Ferrari will get Bottas contract renewed. He would not be a terrible fit alongside LeClerc and knows where the bodies are buried.
janesmith1950 said:
Not sure I rate Ricciardo as highly as some (or himself). He's a bit of no man's land for me, if I were a top team. He's not a superstar at the level of Vettel or Hamilton, but he's not as young or cheap as a Leclerc or Russell.
Plus when he wins he drinks out of his shoe. Come on...
How is he not at the level of Vettel? He did a season head to head with Vettel and made him look average at best at some points. I honestly think if he was in that Mercedes this year he'd either be ahead of or within a few points of Hamilton, not well over a race win behind and looking at being 50 points behind going into the summer break. Plus when he wins he drinks out of his shoe. Come on...
I'm not sure one season in the ascendency proves a point. I remember Button outscoring Hamilton at McLaren, however it's a tall order to claim Button was of the same calibre. Same applies to Rosberg.
Ricciardo has moments of great racing, however I don't think he is of the week-in-week-out domination mould of the top drivers.
Like a
holes, we all also have opinions! The ones who count are the ones who hire the drivers...
Ricciardo has moments of great racing, however I don't think he is of the week-in-week-out domination mould of the top drivers.
Like a
holes, we all also have opinions! The ones who count are the ones who hire the drivers...janesmith1950 said:
Ricciardo has moments of great racing, however I don't think he is of the week-in-week-out domination mould of the top drivers.
Agree with that point, he's good, very good and I think a better driver and better mentally than Vettel but I don't think he'd be the one to bring championships to Ferrari, but I think he'd do a better job than Vettel.As much as everyone likes to bash him, currently I don't believe there is anyone one out there who is as complete as Hamilton, Verstappen is close, LeClerc could be and Norris also.
I agree with JaneSmith on RIC, I really don't put him in the top drawer. He's still good mind you and his talent on the brakes is up there with the best.
It shouldn't come into it but I also think he comes across as a total twerp at times too, with the sense of humour of a twelve year old.
It shouldn't come into it but I also think he comes across as a total twerp at times too, with the sense of humour of a twelve year old.
HTP99 said:
Agree with that point, he's good, very good and I think a better driver and better mentally than Vettel but I don't think he'd be the one to bring championships to Ferrari, but I think he'd do a better job than Vettel.
As much as everyone likes to bash him, currently I don't believe there is anyone one out there who is as complete as Hamilton, Verstappen is close, LeClerc could be and Norris also.
I'd say Verstappen is a much better driver than Hamilton was at the same stage of his career, both quicker and since the Monaco shunt last year a lot more calculating. With a bit more of the maturity that comes with age he's going to be pretty much unstoppable if he's in a car that can consistently challenge for wins week in week out.As much as everyone likes to bash him, currently I don't believe there is anyone one out there who is as complete as Hamilton, Verstappen is close, LeClerc could be and Norris also.
DanielSan said:
I'd say Verstappen is a much better driver than Hamilton was at the same stage of his career, both quicker and since the Monaco shunt last year a lot more calculating. With a bit more of the maturity that comes with age he's going to be pretty much unstoppable if he's in a car that can consistently challenge for wins week in week out.
Better? Pretty similar, I'd say. Hard to draw a direct comparison as Lewis had a potential WDC winning car earlier in his career and a WDC team mate to beat. If anything, I think Lewis matured earlier in his career before having some odd blips (2011 against Massa) and then finding a different level that is very very high.Max will be awesome. Max vs LeClerc vs Sainz vs Norris vs Russell has the potential to be very very special.
Vaud said:
DanielSan said:
I'd say Verstappen is a much better driver than Hamilton was at the same stage of his career, both quicker and since the Monaco shunt last year a lot more calculating. With a bit more of the maturity that comes with age he's going to be pretty much unstoppable if he's in a car that can consistently challenge for wins week in week out.
Better? Pretty similar, I'd say. Hard to draw a direct comparison as Lewis had a potential WDC winning car earlier in his career and a WDC team mate to beat. If anything, I think Lewis matured earlier in his career before having some odd blips (2011 against Massa) and then finding a different level that is very very high.Max will be awesome. Max vs LeClerc vs Sainz vs Norris vs Russell has the potential to be very very special.
LaurasOtherHalf said:
Just my opinion but I don't think VER has the raw speed of HAM had, nor the calculating perfection of his one lap pace. His racecraft however, incredibly special for someone so inexperienced.
But can we call him inexperienced? This is his 4th season of F1 after all.Vaud said:
LaurasOtherHalf said:
Just my opinion but I don't think VER has the raw speed of HAM had, nor the calculating perfection of his one lap pace. His racecraft however, incredibly special for someone so inexperienced.
But can we call him inexperienced? This is his 4th season of F1 after all.I wonder where HAM was in his career compared to how many Formula races VER has entered in total?
LaurasOtherHalf said:
I did think I should clarify that as I typed V, however I think we can call him inexperienced with respect to how many races he has done in his career in total-his pre-F1 experience was so short I think it's still valid.
I wonder where HAM was in his career compared to how many Formula races VER has entered in total?
Hamilton (not karting, just Formula races pre F1): 99 (2001-2006)I wonder where HAM was in his career compared to how many Formula races VER has entered in total?
Verstappen: 35 (all 2014) if you exclude the 2014 Florida Winter Series which seems to be a bit of an oddball series.
Vaud said:
LaurasOtherHalf said:
I did think I should clarify that as I typed V, however I think we can call him inexperienced with respect to how many races he has done in his career in total-his pre-F1 experience was so short I think it's still valid.
I wonder where HAM was in his career compared to how many Formula races VER has entered in total?
Hamilton (not karting, just Formula races pre F1): 99 (2001-2006)I wonder where HAM was in his career compared to how many Formula races VER has entered in total?
Verstappen: 35 (all 2014) if you exclude the 2014 Florida Winter Series which seems to be a bit of an oddball series.
LaurasOtherHalf said:
So roughly VER was on equal experience with HAM by about 2017, and is now about where Ham was in 2009? You could argue less as HAM got a lot of test miles in in 2006 I seem to remember?
I've always thought hard stats are difficult as comparisons. Different teams, appetites for risk, level of support, etc. I like watch that they are both exceptional talents. One proven, one emerging.
Helmut speaks https://jalopnik.com/helmut-marko-says-sebastian-v...
Vettel isn't past it, he's just not happy at Ferrari.
Vettel isn't past it, he's just not happy at Ferrari.
Teddy Lop said:
...would be funny if they employed someone like Perez but underestimated what he might do given the chance.
Perez had his chance at McLaren (admittedly when they had started to decline). As I recall he wasn't clearly faster than Button, made too many mistakes and when he tried to be forceful with other drivers - had a tendency to drop it.It would be unusual to get a second bite at a top team cherry.
ajprice said:
Helmut speaks https://jalopnik.com/helmut-marko-says-sebastian-v...
Vettel isn't past it, he's just not happy at Ferrari.
Obviously there's no lack of vettel~marko love given the history, but that's simply jaw droppingly hypocritical given the debris of young drivers left in the trail the red bull meat grinder.Vettel isn't past it, he's just not happy at Ferrari.
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