The Official F1 2021 silly season *contains speculation*
Discussion
DanielSan said:
vaud said:
With Mercedes saying "we are struggling with correlation"... and then annihilating everyone in the first race.
They did a 'we are struggling' statement for something a couple of weeks ago, they're even ahead of the game in that now! Yeah Righto.
You had someone in the team going " You know, Marussia might have had something when they went down this avenue" in the aero meeting and everyone else nodding?
I'm wondering if they keep the engines turned down - to what they think is quali lap half a second faster than the rest jus in case and benefit from the extra reliablility they're buying with this. OK a couple of races they'll get it wrong with tyres, but heyho. don't want to make it too one sided do we?
C Lee Farquar said:
Only a few days to go until all posts are prefixed with
'It's only testing and means nothing, but...'
There's a thread for that --> https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...'It's only testing and means nothing, but...'
talksthetorque said:
Think I saw the "If we get it wrong we could end up as the 7th or 8th fastest team" quote.
Yeah Righto.
You had someone in the team going " You know, Marussia might have had something when they went down this avenue" in the aero meeting and everyone else nodding?
I'm wondering if they keep the engines turned down - to what they think is quali lap half a second faster than the rest jus in case and benefit from the extra reliablility they're buying with this. OK a couple of races they'll get it wrong with tyres, but heyho. don't want to make it too one sided do we?
We know that Mercedes threw massive amounts of time and money at the PU development for 2020, after Ferrari started winning in the second half of ‘19 - with what we now know to be a somewhat less than legal configuration. Yeah Righto.
You had someone in the team going " You know, Marussia might have had something when they went down this avenue" in the aero meeting and everyone else nodding?
I'm wondering if they keep the engines turned down - to what they think is quali lap half a second faster than the rest jus in case and benefit from the extra reliablility they're buying with this. OK a couple of races they'll get it wrong with tyres, but heyho. don't want to make it too one sided do we?
Alongside the rule change on mode use mid-season, I’m not sure we ever saw last year’s Mercedes PU turned right up as far as it would go.
Mercedes team stopped aero development half way through last season too, and turned their focus to the ‘21 car and technical rule changes. I’ll guess the new one will be almost dead on arrival at the first race as well, they’ll want to have as many people as possible working on the more extensive ‘22 rule changes as quickly as they can.
The reliability of these hybrid PUs is astonishing though. With just three engines allowed for a 23-race season, each can expect to go something like 5,000km between rebuilds!
talksthetorque said:
DanielSan said:
They did a 'we are struggling' statement for something a couple of weeks ago, they're even ahead of the game in that now!
Think I saw the "If we get it wrong we could end up as the 7th or 8th fastest team" quote.Yeah Righto.
You had someone in the team going " You know, Marussia might have had something when they went down this avenue" in the aero meeting and everyone else nodding?
Anyway, I am sure all teams are looking for new innovations from all teams up and down the grid. Mercedes is exactly the team which leaves ‘no stone unturned’ and is open minded enough to pay attention to all other team’s solutions.
HAAS have been dog s
t for a couple of years now but still everyone has ended up with their rear wing end plate. 
ajprice said:
Turkey replaces Canada as round 7, June 11-13
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.turkey-...
interesting, given the covid stats in Turkey right now..https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.turkey-...
RonaldMcDonaldAteMyCat said:
Smollet said:
Teddy Lop said:
interesting, given the covid stats in Turkey right now..
Have they got the triple ninja mutant Ottoman variety? https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/artic...
Yes I know it's the Daily Mail, an unnamed source at Mercedes has said what everyone else is thinking.
Yes I know it's the Daily Mail, an unnamed source at Mercedes has said what everyone else is thinking.
LaurasOtherHalf said:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/artic...
Yes I know it's the Daily Mail, an unnamed source at Mercedes has said what everyone else is thinking.
Seems rather unlikely to me. They knew what they were getting with Bottas and that's exactly what they have got. Why would they change their minds now? I don't think he'll be in that seat next year, but I don't see them swapping drivers mid-season; the benefits just don't seem to match the costs. Yes I know it's the Daily Mail, an unnamed source at Mercedes has said what everyone else is thinking.
Plus the fact it's in the Daily Mail does make it, on average, slightly less likely to be true than if no-one had reported it at all.
kambites said:
LaurasOtherHalf said:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/artic...
Yes I know it's the Daily Mail, an unnamed source at Mercedes has said what everyone else is thinking.
Seems rather unlikely to me. They knew what they were getting with Bottas and that's exactly what they have got. Why would they change their minds now? I don't think he'll be in that seat next year, but I don't see them swapping drivers mid-season; the benefits just don't seem to match the costs. Yes I know it's the Daily Mail, an unnamed source at Mercedes has said what everyone else is thinking.
Plus the fact it's in the Daily Mail does make it, on average, slightly less likely to be true than if no-one had reported it at all.
We would need to be later in the season with Bottas completely failing to score good points for this to happen.
There may be some truth in them wanting him to gee it up a bit - they know they need him to take points off Verstappen - but talk of replacing him is pretty thin IMO.
Muzzer79 said:
kambites said:
LaurasOtherHalf said:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/artic...
Yes I know it's the Daily Mail, an unnamed source at Mercedes has said what everyone else is thinking.
Seems rather unlikely to me. They knew what they were getting with Bottas and that's exactly what they have got. Why would they change their minds now? I don't think he'll be in that seat next year, but I don't see them swapping drivers mid-season; the benefits just don't seem to match the costs. Yes I know it's the Daily Mail, an unnamed source at Mercedes has said what everyone else is thinking.
Plus the fact it's in the Daily Mail does make it, on average, slightly less likely to be true than if no-one had reported it at all.
We would need to be later in the season with Bottas completely failing to score good points for this to happen.
There may be some truth in them wanting him to gee it up a bit - they know they need him to take points off Verstappen - but talk of replacing him is pretty thin IMO.
Muzzer79 said:
kambites said:
LaurasOtherHalf said:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/artic...
Yes I know it's the Daily Mail, an unnamed source at Mercedes has said what everyone else is thinking.
Seems rather unlikely to me. They knew what they were getting with Bottas and that's exactly what they have got. Why would they change their minds now? I don't think he'll be in that seat next year, but I don't see them swapping drivers mid-season; the benefits just don't seem to match the costs. Yes I know it's the Daily Mail, an unnamed source at Mercedes has said what everyone else is thinking.
Plus the fact it's in the Daily Mail does make it, on average, slightly less likely to be true than if no-one had reported it at all.
We would need to be later in the season with Bottas completely failing to score good points for this to happen.
There may be some truth in them wanting him to gee it up a bit - they know they need him to take points off Verstappen - but talk of replacing him is pretty thin IMO.
Even red bulls approach wouldn't give bottas the chop mid season for his current performance.
thegreenhell said:
It is not remotely Mercedes' or Toto's style to replace him during the season. They'll wait as long as possible before announcing that he won't be renewed for next year, and give him a cuddle and a nice soft landing somewhere else, possibly outside F1 completely.
But this might be Mercedes only opportunity to have Hamilton win the all time record 8th WDC driving a Mercedes - that's a massive publicity coup which can be used for years to come. At the moment they can't wait until next year as Hamilton isn't a Mercedes driver so they desperately need Bottas to be a disruptive factor that can be used to trip Verstappen up & ensure Hamilton wins the WDC.If he can't do it then Mercedes might need to take urgent action for the second half of the season especially if Perez starts to come good.
thegreenhell said:
It is not remotely Mercedes' or Toto's style to replace him during the season. They'll wait as long as possible before announcing that he won't be renewed for next year, and give him a cuddle and a nice soft landing somewhere else, possibly outside F1 completely.
Probably DTM or formula-eeeeeeee.The Mrs was knocking him last night, kind of who-does-he-think-he-is-says-he-can-beat-lewis-lol, but I don't blame him, I think that self belief is utterly necessary and when you lose it you're done, and that's an ugly yet fascinating thing to see, like rubbernecking a car crash, we saw it with rosberg and I think bottas isn't far off.
Mr Pointy said:
thegreenhell said:
It is not remotely Mercedes' or Toto's style to replace him during the season. They'll wait as long as possible before announcing that he won't be renewed for next year, and give him a cuddle and a nice soft landing somewhere else, possibly outside F1 completely.
But this might be Mercedes only opportunity to have Hamilton win the all time record 8th WDC driving a Mercedes - that's a massive publicity coup which can be used for years to come. At the moment they can't wait until next year as Hamilton isn't a Mercedes driver so they desperately need Bottas to be a disruptive factor that can be used to trip Verstappen up & ensure Hamilton wins the WDC.If he can't do it then Mercedes might need to take urgent action for the second half of the season especially if Perez starts to come good.
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