The Official F1 2020 silly season *contains speculation*

[HustleRussell]

Fire99 said:

I'm curious about Bottas. You could say that yesterday's performance may see him out of Mercedes at the end of the year but...... He's 2nd in the driver standings, has had 9 podiums this year and 2 race wins! You'd need to change your prescription if you stated that was a poor performance..

Are there quicker drivers available than Bottas? Mercedes seem to accept the possibility that there are. Mercedes haven't got into the position they're in by being complacent and leaving opportunities on the table.

Bottas just looks too beatable on Sundays. Doesn't defend like a world champion, doesn't pass like a world champion.

[anonymous-user]

No doubt he's quick on a Saturday, but he can't keep it up through a full GP on a Sunday. I thought he might be growing some balls when he got racy in the Williams against KR a while ago, but it petered out to nothing. A bit like a lot of his races.

[thegreenhell]

HustleRussell said:

Are there quicker drivers available than Bottas? Mercedes seem to accept the possibility that there are. Mercedes haven't got into the position they're in by being complacent and leaving opportunities on the table.

Bottas just looks too beatable on Sundays. Doesn't defend like a world champion, doesn't pass like a world champion.

Do they want another world champion in the other car? It's a fine line between finding someone faster than Bottas and having two drivers taking points off each other.

This year they will do the double again - WCC and WDC - which is all that really matters. If they're not in danger of losing that position then I don't see why they'd risk upsetting that equilibrium they have within the team.

[tankplanker]

thegreenhell said:

Do they want another world champion in the other car? It's a fine line between finding someone faster than Bottas and having two drivers taking points off each other.

This year they will do the double again - WCC and WDC - which is all that really matters. If they're not in danger of losing that position then I don't see why they'd risk upsetting that equilibrium they have within the team.

They have to be thinking about Lewis retiring at some point in the near future, why replace him with somebody only a little younger when they could use one of their own from their junior driver program? Particularly as it seems Bottas won't be capable of leading the team to WDCs/WCCs so they need a proper world beater in the team.

If they leave Ocon or Russell hanging too long without a top drive then there is also the risk that they get fed up and move somewhere else. No point having an expensive junior driver program if you aren't going to use them.

Obviously when to replace Bottas with either Ocon or Russell is a very difficult decision, balancing potential results, potential intra team conflict and keeping Ocon/Russell happy. I'm glad I'm not having to make the call, but if I had to I would push to get Russell and Ocon into the Williams for a season with the winner getting the Merc drive the year after.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

I'm going to say it simply because I've been thinking it for a while, I don't want to see OCO in with HAM as I think he'll simply cause too many crashes with his teammate.

We've seen what he was like with PER, trying to get his elbows out and beat him and he was just poor. Not that PER was defenceless in a lot of those incidents mind you but I think you could argue both of them drove like pricks.

HAM and BOT can race fairly together and in a car with the performance advantage that's hugely important. 1st lap Baku, first dozen of laps at Silverstone, even first corner yesterday HAM and BOT gave each other fair room (yes I know there was a brush yesterday but I don't think it was intentional and was equally caused by BOT braking too deep) and fought cleanly.

Does anyone really expect OCO to do the same?

[Fire99]

It's definitely interesting with regards to Bottas and I agree with comments that he's fast on a Saturday but seems to lack (most of the time) that final 10th in his game to push at the top. That said is he not similar to Barrichello and Rosberg, with Rosberg ending up with a title? But the buck stops that his consistent level is a few degrees from the top.

What I will say, I found some of the TV coverage at the start of the season, cringeworthy and patronising. This "New aggressive Valtteri" nonsense. Perhaps it just highlights different personalities. If I were him I'd be telling the TV presenters to b*gger off!

[Poppiecock]

I think Bottas will still be there next season.

With Red Bull closing the gap, you don't want your no. 2 to be fighting your no. 1 (and despite all the claims otherwise, Bottas was only ever brought in as a solid no. 2) for wins and points. We know that Hamilton can get distracted and paranoid if he has a truly competitive team-mate alongside, too. Mercedes won't want to risk that.

They're best sticking with what they know - Hamilton knows he mostly has the measure of Bottas, so he's happy, the team keep winning and they don't do what Williams did in 1986, and McLaren in 2007 - losing the title because of internal battles on and off the track.

[mattdavies]

Bottas is a great number two if Mercedes are clearly faster then the rest, but as time has gone on this season VER in the Red Bull is getting amongst them, Bottas doesn't have the skill to pass people and get himself through the field.

I think Mercedes need to take a gamble on someone else instead of Bottas, I am not convinced Ocon is the one to replace him. Someone young may be respectful of the opportunity to race at Mercedes and not challenge too much (HAM Vs ROS)

If the other teams catch up to Mercedes and they have to compete weekend in and weekend out for wins and positions I am not sure Bottas is the guy to beat the Ferraris and Redbulls when he struggle to pass a midfield team.

[HustleRussell]

To all those saying Ocon might crash into Hamilton- I agree that there's a chance, although I'm not certain that Ocon caused most of the collisions with Perez, I remember it being pretty 50 / 50.

If Ocon goes to Mercedes I suppose we'll find out how smart he is. Mercedes are the kingmakers at the moment and Hamilton won't be there forever...

[Jinba Ittai]

I posted this on the Bottas/Ocon thread.

Bottas knows his days numbered -

Ocon to Mercedes
Vettel retires
Bottas to Ferrari
Hulkenberg to Haas
Gasly to Renault
Kvyat to Red Bull

2021
Hamilton Retires
Russell to Mercedes


Mercedes are in a dilemma between keeping a harmonious team and happy teammates, or looking long term to cover off if/when Hamilton decides to retire.

I think they need to put Ocon in, give him a year or two in the top seat to get up to speed, whilst Russell is honing his craft (and impressing) at Williams.

Ocon and Russell are Mercedes' medium term future.

[kambites]

Assuming Mercedes are still at the top next year I don't think we'll see Hamilton retire in 2021; I think he'll at least stick around long enough to see if the 2021 Mercedes is still class-leading.

[anonymous-user]

Jinba Ittai said:

I posted this on the Bottas/Ocon thread.

Bottas knows his days numbered -

Ocon to Mercedes
Vettel retires
Bottas to Ferrari
Hulkenberg to Haas
Gasly to Renault
Kvyat to Red Bull

2021
Hamilton Retires
Russell to Mercedes


Mercedes are in a dilemma between keeping a harmonious team and happy teammates, or looking long term to cover off if/when Hamilton decides to retire.

I think they need to put Ocon in, give him a year or two in the top seat to get up to speed, whilst Russell is honing his craft (and impressing) at Williams.

Ocon and Russell are Mercedes' medium term future.

Ocon to Mercedes - Bottas will stay.
Vettel retires - He will stay for his final year but should retire.
Bottas to Ferrari - As above
Hulkenberg to Haas - Can't see it.
Gasly to Renault - Why would Renault want him? Gasly to Toro Rosso. Ocon might replace Hulkenberg.
Kvyat to Red Bull - Had his chance. Albon or what about Hulkenberg as a very solid number two to Verstappen.

[Muzzer79]

Jinba Ittai said:

I posted this on the Bottas/Ocon thread.

Bottas knows his days numbered -

Ocon to Mercedes
Vettel retires
Bottas to Ferrari
Hulkenberg to Haas
Gasly to Renault
Kvyat to Red Bull

2021
Hamilton Retires
Russell to Mercedes


Mercedes are in a dilemma between keeping a harmonious team and happy teammates, or looking long term to cover off if/when Hamilton decides to retire.

I think they need to put Ocon in, give him a year or two in the top seat to get up to speed, whilst Russell is honing his craft (and impressing) at Williams.

Ocon and Russell are Mercedes' medium term future.

I think Ferrari would rather take Ricciardo than Bottas and that's assuming Vettel retires, which is a huge If.

I'm also not so sure that Hamilton will retire in 2021. He'll only be 36 and given how long Alonso, Button and Raikkonen have given it, it's not unfeasible to see him pushing 40 on the grid if he's still successful.

[ajprice]

A bit of post race banter between Max, Lewis and Seb https://wtf1.com/post/the-top-three-had-some-great...

[Poppiecock]

ELUSIVEJIM said:

Ocon to Mercedes - Bottas will stay.
Vettel retires - He will stay for his final year but should retire.
Bottas to Ferrari - As above
Hulkenberg to Haas - Can't see it.
Gasly to Renault - Why would Renault want him? Gasly to Toro Rosso. Ocon might replace Hulkenberg.
Kvyat to Red Bull - Had his chance. Albon or what about Hulkenberg as a very solid number two to Verstappen.

Not sure why people think Vettel will retire - he's 2 years younger than Hamilton and may well hang around if he thinks Ferrari have the edge under the new regulations. With the way the 2019 car is performing, it wouldn't surprise me if they take a bad year on the chin next year and throw everything into 2021. Wouldn't be the first time a team has done that and got the jump on everyone else.

I think Vettel is guilty of over-driving a Ferrari that has never really had a clear advantage over the Mercedes, that's when the mistakes creep in. Even the best do it.

[Fire99]

I think both Vettel and Hamilton will race at least into 2021. I'd consider both 'racers' at heart and will want to have a stab at a formula with significant regulation changes from what we have now..
Unless something terrible happens or the 2021 cars are confirmed to be awful in advance, I'd expect both Hamilton and Vettel to be around till the start of 2022.

I've no idea where I see Bottas ending up. Possibly a mid-field position, but there's stiff competition there with some young upcoming drivers starting to populate the field..

[ajprice]

Mr and Mrs Vettel have a third kid on the way. 23:07 to 23:45 into this video if it doesn't jump to that time in the link https://youtu.be/UMUafFVj7bk. Lewis and Max didn't know, Seb didn't want to talk about his private life.

[bobbo89]

Retirement must be on Vettel's mind, with Ferrari going backwards again, LeClerc being in the other car and him having an increasingly larger family he's got to be on his way soon. If not this year it'll be next year surely?

Once he does go I'd love to see him stick about and do a bit of punditry, presenting or commentary as he's actually a really funny bloke!

Oh, and I'd also love to see Hamilton give it a craic in a Ferrari, just seems right that he should go there for at least a couple of years to try and get at least one last WDC in a red car!

[kambites]

bobbo89 said:

Once he does go I'd love to see him stick about and do a bit of punditry, presenting or commentary as he's actually a really funny bloke!

I think he'd make a great presenter.

I think he'll stick around as a driver until at least 2021 to see if Ferrari can get on top of the new rules, though.

[Poppiecock]

I don’t think Hamilton and Ferrari would work.

I’ve done some stuff with Ferrari, it’s very corporate and a good Ferrari driver has to do lots of hosting and presentations as well as be quick in the car.

Hamilton just wouldn’t fit with what is expected.