George Russell
Discussion
StevieBee said:
GingerMunky said:
C70R said:
Instead, he thought he'd go enjoy life with his family.
Love this about Nico, left at the top, nothing more to prove, went to enjoy life with his family. And enjoyed the whole year as World Champ without having to spend it in a car. Legend.But retiring having won a championship is seen dimly by those within the sport - both a mark of weakness in choosing not to defend your title (I recall reading someone who likened it to having a game of football, scoring a goal and then going home with the ball), and commercially in the team not being able to fully capitalise upon that championship.
StevieBee said:
GingerMunky said:
C70R said:
Instead, he thought he'd go enjoy life with his family.
Love this about Nico, left at the top, nothing more to prove, went to enjoy life with his family. And enjoyed the whole year as World Champ without having to spend it in a car. Legend.But retiring having won a championship is seen dimly by those within the sport - both a mark of weakness in choosing not to defend your title (I recall reading someone who likened it to having a game of football, scoring a goal and then going home with the ball), and commercially in the team not being able to fully capitalise upon that championship.
He came into F1, did what he wanted to do, then retired. He never made any claims to do anything more.
It was a surprise, because he didn't give any warnings of it, but the only person perhaps a little peeved by it was Hamilton himself, who would have wanted to beat him again to get his title back.
StevieBee said:
But retiring having won a championship is seen dimly by those within the sport - both a mark of weakness in choosing not to defend your title (I recall reading someone who likened it to having a game of football, scoring a goal and then going home with the ball), and commercially in the team not being able to fully capitalise upon that championship.
Citation needed. StevieBee said:
GingerMunky said:
C70R said:
Instead, he thought he'd go enjoy life with his family.
Love this about Nico, left at the top, nothing more to prove, went to enjoy life with his family. And enjoyed the whole year as World Champ without having to spend it in a car. Legend.But retiring having won a championship is seen dimly by those within the sport - both a mark of weakness in choosing not to defend your title (I recall reading someone who likened it to having a game of football, scoring a goal and then going home with the ball), and commercially in the team not being able to fully capitalise upon that championship.
The fact that Nico decided to leave on his own terms and enjoy it in his own way speaks volumes more about his character than any supposed "dim view" taken by "those within the sport".
HustleRussell said:
StevieBee said:
But retiring having won a championship is seen dimly by those within the sport - both a mark of weakness in choosing not to defend your title (I recall reading someone who likened it to having a game of football, scoring a goal and then going home with the ball), and commercially in the team not being able to fully capitalise upon that championship.
Citation needed. C70R said:
HustleRussell said:
StevieBee said:
But retiring having won a championship is seen dimly by those within the sport - both a mark of weakness in choosing not to defend your title (I recall reading someone who likened it to having a game of football, scoring a goal and then going home with the ball), and commercially in the team not being able to fully capitalise upon that championship.
Citation needed. I'm not going trawl through past copies of Motor Sport but IIRC, Mark Hughes was writing of a discussion with various team people who'd expressed less than sympathetic views as to Rosberg's decision.
C70R said:
As said previously, the sport (all sport) attracts people with huge egos.
The fact that Nico decided to leave on his own terms and enjoy it in his own way speaks volumes more about his character than any supposed "dim view" taken by "those within the sport".
Enzo Ferrari noticed that having a young family & wife slows most drivers down.The fact that Nico decided to leave on his own terms and enjoy it in his own way speaks volumes more about his character than any supposed "dim view" taken by "those within the sport".
Motorsport is dangerous.
Rosberg achieved his ambition and returned to his family while fit and healthy.
Smart guy.
Bo_apex said:
C70R said:
As said previously, the sport (all sport) attracts people with huge egos.
The fact that Nico decided to leave on his own terms and enjoy it in his own way speaks volumes more about his character than any supposed "dim view" taken by "those within the sport".
Enzo Ferrari noticed that having a young family & wife slows most drivers down.The fact that Nico decided to leave on his own terms and enjoy it in his own way speaks volumes more about his character than any supposed "dim view" taken by "those within the sport".
Motorsport is dangerous.
Rosberg achieved his ambition and returned to his family while fit and healthy.
Smart guy.
C70R said:
As said previously, the sport (all sport) attracts people with huge egos.
The fact that Nico decided to leave on his own terms and enjoy it in his own way speaks volumes more about his character than any supposed "dim view" taken by "those within the sport".
From what I recall Niki Lauda was pretty unhappy about it. The same Niki who quit a championship on his own terms and upset Enzo. The fact that Nico decided to leave on his own terms and enjoy it in his own way speaks volumes more about his character than any supposed "dim view" taken by "those within the sport".
I'm sure Nico cries every night into his millions at the dim view taken of him by some. Then hugs his wife and jumps into his 300SL for a trip to the shops worrying about it all the while.
C70R said:
CoolHands said:
C70R said:
kambites said:
glazbagun said:
Has anyone else thought that Georges defending has been surprisingly weak at times thus season? He's held off Perez doggedly at times, but at Monza and Zandvoort when Max was coming through it felt that he was picking a poor line.
I think it was simply mature driving - he knows that he can't hope to compete with Verstappen in that Redbull so he chooses not to lose time to the drivers he can complete with trying to hold Max behind. He's just getting on and concentrating on his own race.
Plus, he's a LONG way slower than Max at the moment.
I used to watch a lot of V8 Supercars. Doing the commentey would be Neil Compton and Mark Skaife, both ex-ATCC / V8 Supercar Drivers.
Whilst Compton was half decent, Mark Skaife is undoubtedly one of the greatest touring car drivers ever to have lived, (and one of the most successful team owners).
In the ultra close racing of V8 Supercars, both have commented about how it’s best not to waste energy / tyres / time defending against people faster than you or on a different strategy than you.
Whilst I can understand the PoV about defending a position at all costs, I’ll take the opinion of those who’ve done this for a living at the very highest levels over those of us who are no more than armchair enthusiasts.
Some might consider GRs lack of robust defending at weakness. Pros would consider it to be smart driving.
105.4 said:
A bit of a tangent, but bare with me….
I used to watch a lot of V8 Supercars. Doing the commentey would be Neil Compton and Mark Skaife, both ex-ATCC / V8 Supercar Drivers.
Whilst Compton was half decent, Mark Skaife is undoubtedly one of the greatest touring car drivers ever to have lived, (and one of the most successful team owners).
In the ultra close racing of V8 Supercars, both have commented about how it’s best not to waste energy / tyres / time defending against people faster than you or on a different strategy than you.
Whilst I can understand the PoV about defending a position at all costs, I’ll take the opinion of those who’ve done this for a living at the very highest levels over those of us who are no more than armchair enthusiasts.
Some might consider GRs lack of robust defending at weakness. Pros would consider it to be smart driving.
I used to watch a lot of V8 Supercars. Doing the commentey would be Neil Compton and Mark Skaife, both ex-ATCC / V8 Supercar Drivers.
Whilst Compton was half decent, Mark Skaife is undoubtedly one of the greatest touring car drivers ever to have lived, (and one of the most successful team owners).
In the ultra close racing of V8 Supercars, both have commented about how it’s best not to waste energy / tyres / time defending against people faster than you or on a different strategy than you.
Whilst I can understand the PoV about defending a position at all costs, I’ll take the opinion of those who’ve done this for a living at the very highest levels over those of us who are no more than armchair enthusiasts.
Some might consider GRs lack of robust defending at weakness. Pros would consider it to be smart driving.
He's had a long wait for the Mercedes seat, and then when he gets it the car is not what he (and Mercedes) were hoping for. Must be immensely frustrating to go from thinking at the start of the season that you've got a real shot at picking up a few wins, maybe even a shot at the title, to knowing that you have "only" the third best car on the grid (and even that looked in doubt earlier in the season), and that barring incidents further up the field the best you can realistically hope for is a podium finish.
That's what he's achieving. Keeping his head, and his consistency, proving to the team that they made the right call to give him the seat. If/when they get the car sorted then I'm sure he'll be challenging for wins, and that will be the time (and test) of his wheel to wheel racing.
vaud said:
Bo_apex said:
Enzo Ferrari noticed that having a young family & wife slows most drivers down.
Motorsport is dangerous.
Rosberg achieved his ambition and returned to his family while fit and healthy.
Smart guy.
Quite.Motorsport is dangerous.
Rosberg achieved his ambition and returned to his family while fit and healthy.
Smart guy.
paulguitar said:
vaud said:
Bo_apex said:
Enzo Ferrari noticed that having a young family & wife slows most drivers down.
Motorsport is dangerous.
Rosberg achieved his ambition and returned to his family while fit and healthy.
Smart guy.
Quite.Motorsport is dangerous.
Rosberg achieved his ambition and returned to his family while fit and healthy.
Smart guy.
Eclipsed Schumacher in every measurable area over three seasons
Beat Lewis. Something he knew was a virtual impossibility since childhood.
His timing to leave coincided with a height he was unlikely to achieve again, despite his immense talent.
paulguitar said:
Yeah, it was a wise decision. Sure, it did come across as 'running away' to some extent, but Nico knew he'd pushed himself to the absolute limit and finally realised his life ambition. The chances of beating Hamilton again were remote. It was a pretty sensible way to go out, really.
When Nico retired, he talked about the sacrifices that one has to make to become world champion, which everyone interpreted as referring to the time away from home, the training, dieting, etc. However, I suspect that Nico was also thinking about the negative emotional impact of the mind games in his battle with Lewis, and the fact that their championship battles destroyed their friendship.
I reckon the first corner at Austin in 2015 was the point at which Nico realised that his and Lewis's ideas of sportsmanship and what's acceptable in terms of gamesmanship were fundamentally different. While Nico adapted (e.g. Spain 2016), I wouldn't be surprised if he found the whole experience distasteful and decided, in the end, that if that's what it took to win, he wasn't interested in playing that game, so he walked away, and fair play to him.
Muzzer79 said:
StevieBee said:
GingerMunky said:
C70R said:
Instead, he thought he'd go enjoy life with his family.
Love this about Nico, left at the top, nothing more to prove, went to enjoy life with his family. And enjoyed the whole year as World Champ without having to spend it in a car. Legend.But retiring having won a championship is seen dimly by those within the sport - both a mark of weakness in choosing not to defend your title (I recall reading someone who likened it to having a game of football, scoring a goal and then going home with the ball), and commercially in the team not being able to fully capitalise upon that championship.
He came into F1, did what he wanted to do, then retired. He never made any claims to do anything more.
It was a surprise, because he didn't give any warnings of it, but the only person perhaps a little peeved by it was Hamilton himself, who would have wanted to beat him again to get his title back.
oyster said:
I've often wondered whether Rosberg's retirement actually assisted Lewis winning titles in 2017 and 2018. Had Nico and Lewis split their wins and points more evenly than Lewis and Bottas did, would that have let Vettel in to take both (or one) of those titles?
Possibly... but then Nico would have taken points off Seb too. Might have been an interesting 3 horse race though.MadCaptainJack said:
I reckon the first corner at Austin in 2015 was the point at which Nico realised that his and Lewis's ideas of sportsmanship and what's acceptable in terms of gamesmanship were fundamentally different.
Nope, I should think it was Rosberg parking his car in Monaco in 2014 that started that off. And the reverse of what you're thinking. Gassing Station | Formula 1 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff