Good point, better treatment to Alonso. Hamilton beats him in the face of adversity!? Difference was no team orders at Indy. Alonso was unhappy because Hamilton wasn't told to move over when he thought he should have been. 2007 wasn't Alonso's greatest chapter in his F1 career.
That has to be one of the worst advertisements for F1 - absolute farce! Mercedes are not at fault here but the fundamental structure of F1 is. Given that this years rules have technically only evolved, how is it possible that we end up with teams unable to test, and race with such pessimism that their packages are unable to compete. I have expressed on previous threads my concerns over Manor. A team that goes bust owing millions, doesn't complete the season and doesn't turn a wheel in pre season is then allowed to turn up as entrant for the race is morally and professionally wrong. Everyone talks about the costs of testing, but at the leading edge of motorsport it is absolutely laughable that testing and effectively perperation is so limited. The sport (IMO) is falling over its own feet and is a laughing stock - that wasn't a race - it was a very expensive filming and test day that fans and advertisers had forked out millions to see!
Only read a few recent comments. Will try to get up to speed later. Totally understand Smithers' post (above). As an entity in its own right, F1's seemingly determined efforts to shoot itself in both feet now leave it haemorrhaging from multiple injuries. Any further amputation – as now threatened by Ferrari copy-cats, Red Bull – will leave it without a leg to stand on. (Is there a thread on this story yet? I've not had a look around). Ignoring the Ferrari Indianapolis farce of a decade ago, 15 starters is the lowest number of cars to begin a race since something like 1969. (Happy to be corrected. It may be 1968). Worse still, F1's collective (colluded?) efforts to pander to a seriously misjudged audience, whilst hiking ticket prices and attempting to exploit TV viewers, and at the same time continuing to serve up a very non-level playing field (and when eventually found out, claiming it is justified in doing so), could only be made worse by a season-opening race with a big performance gap in those who finally got to the grid. All this is without mentioning the despicable situation of Sauber's multiple drivers, racing cars present but never intended to be raced, Alonso's mysterious absence, FIA's ungrateful kick in the teeth to Honda with an eleventh hour loophole 'discovery', and a drinks company that wants to usurp its car-making role-model or run away! Hmm… – And here I was, just wanting to reflect upon the track action…
I think it was Edwards who recalled the breakaway series of the 1980s... it feels like a long time ago we last had the teams talking about it - do they need to seriously consider it again..?
Yes. Well, kind of. There are so many interconnected problems that it's difficult to know where to start. But since it's all we seem to have left, here's some idealism… F1 needs to get radical. For a start, how about we kick Red Bull out for its attempt to hold the sport to ransom? Years ago, I mentioned back in BBC606 that this time would come. Red Bull have always used Ferrari's tactics as a model. This needs strong leadership within the FIA; not a red Toadt which has faded to a brown camouflage like last year's rotting leaves. Then it needs to address the age-old Ferrari problem of inequality which provided the ground for Red Bull to want a similarly large piece of pie in the first place. Tell the red team its a level playing field or go; and if they do not like it, I will personally hold the rhetorical door open for them… Then get serious with fraudsters and the 'black-market' feel of what goes on behind the scenes, which should see most of its dirty laundry finally reach the washing machine. Invite the audience back with a clean sheet and do not profiteer from or unreasonably exploit them. Make efforts to put live coverage of F1 back into the homes of everyone; not just those who have signed up to pay through the nose. Enough. I have other things to be getting on with and want to see what else is being publicly discussed.
Ferrari’s team principal Arrivabene said yesterday. “Our job is to attack Mercedes on track”, observed Arrivabene, “not to change the rules”. You know what, he might just make Ferrari likeable again. Let Red Bull be the underhand unliked team. Vettel is also playing his cards very smartly helping the team with its new image.
Vettel is also playing his cards very smartly helping the team with its (HIS) new image... And rattling Rosberg in the process...lol
It seems as though all the big teams disagree with Horner about penalising Mercedes for doing their homework correctly. By the way Bernie is agreeing with Horner... well well well. I think he need to go retire with some girls and rest his brain. I think he is getting tired. Should Mercedes just take off two wheels or start races after the first lap just because they are faster than everyone else? So Usain Bolt is faster than everybody...should they put extra weight on his back so the other runners can catch up? I am sure most race fan aren't happy that mercedes are s far ahead but the question is..Why are the other teams doing about it? What is find is that Horner is very dishonest in his utterings. Maybe he should have had that bright spark of a brainwave when he was winning all the championships. And Bernie? GO RETIRE!!! http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/518617/Rivals_hit_back_at_Red_Bull_engine_fury/ Rivals hit back at Red Bull engine fury Red Bull’s Formula 1 rivals have hit back at claims that the FIA should equalise the performance of power units following Mercedes’ domination of the Australian Grand Prix. The Silver Arrows obliterated the F1 field in the season opener with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg more than half a minute clear of their nearest rivals in Sunday’s race. Mercedes’ advantage at Albert Park prompted Red Bull boss Christian Horner to call on the FIA to introduce a parity mechanism on power units, after his team were rendered uncompetitive by a lacklustre Renault engine. The vocal team principal of the Milton Keynes squad also aired fears that Mercedes’ supremacy would risk F1 losing its appeal. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has responded to the claims by telling his rivals to “work harder” to redress the balance. “If you come into Formula 1 and you try to eat each other, or perform on the highest level, and equalisation is what you need after the first race… it’s not how we’ve done things in the past and not how we’ve moaned,” Wolff said. “I think just get your head down and work hard and try to sort it out.” One team opening up a huge advantage over the rest is nothing out of the ordinary for F1, with several squads enjoying periods of dominance, similar to Mercedes’ current form, in the past. Williams performance chief Rob Smedley believes Mercedes’ impressive start to the 2015 campaign should be seen as a benchmark for the rest of the teams to follow. The former Ferrari engineer holds the view it shouldn’t be seen as negative factor for the sport, while also echoing Wolff’s response to rivals. The Williams team is a Mercedes engine customer; benefitting greatly from the German marque’s mastery of the current 1.6 litre turbo engine formula since switching to the brand last season. “I don’t think it is bad for the sport at all,” said Smedley following the AGP. “I think Formula 1 is about levels of excellence. I think they (Mercedes) are now the absolute benchmark, the levels of excellence that they have attained in the whole operation is outstanding, and I take my hat off to them. “They have done an absolutely fantastic job I’m not going to bitch and moan that they are quicker than us. “I’ve been in situations in a team where we have been dominant and now I’m in a team where there is another team which is dominant. “If you work hard enough and you do everything right then there are rewards and they have worked hard. “I think it is good for the sport because it shows how hard everyone is pushing. It shows they are pushing really hard and the sport should be about technical excellence. “We at Williams shouldn’t be waiting for them (Mercedes) to drop the ball we should be looking to try an obtain and surpass what they are doing.”
Vettel probably thought Ferrari wouldn't be this good so soon and his jump was proven to be a right cracking one considering Toro Rosso and Sauber have both made a better car than RBR and that the Ferrari power unit is clear 2nd best to mercedes. Force India and Lotus might as well overtake them in the next few races if Renault and RBR don't buckle down asap. This was probably Ferrari's goal for next year being best of the rest, they were in a real state last season but it's looking like they really got their **** together in this short span of time which I just have to tip my hat off to them for turning around so quickly. Forget Mercedes and **** RBR, Ferrari Vs Williams will be 'the fight' everyone will be watching. The only other interesting thing will be Vettel mind ****ing with Rosberg. I hope he camps out his side of the garage come Malaysia with a camera and a tape recorder for kicks just so he gets in his head a little further on the subject of getting in. All itches will eventually be scratched and Vettel intends to be that itch on Rosberg's back.
[QUOTE="51LV3R8RR04, post: 7722664] This was probably Ferrari's goal for next year being best of the rest, they were in a real state last season but it's looking like they really got their **** together in this short span of time which I just have to tip my hat off to them for turning around so quickly. [/QUOTE] My hat is firmly tipped to the forgotten man in all this, Marco Mattiaci. He showed some amount of balls to go in there and pretty much tear everything he saw as a possible problem out regardless of ego's and reputations. This car was developed with the team and structure HE set about to put in place. He ruffled the feathers that needed ruffling. Just ruffled too many and ended up being sacked before anyone had a chance to see the fruits of his labour. Now Arrivabiene has come in and looks great for all his hard work beforehand.
The more I think about Vettels mind games the more they seem clever. Rosberg seems fragile and the far more likely to do something silly to take both Mercedes out to gift Vettel a shot at a win. The other option is that Rosberg will crack and just mess up his own race. All this will be inflating Hamiltons ego that he's not seen as fragile, which may just may make him to blasé and lose concentration all on his own. Time will tell what the outcome will be, it's also possible that it'll all backfire on Vettel
That is coming regardless of mind games. There has been a lot of talk that Rosberg hasn't overtaken Hamilton and made it stick. All the talk from him over winter has been of him trying this, that and the next thing to get an edge. He will feel that if Hamilton is in front, the game is over for him barring mechanical issues. You just know if he gets a sniff at a pass at Hamilton, no matter how unlikely it is to stick he's running it up the inside out of desperation.
Should Bottas be unfit to race in Malaysia, has anything been said about who might replace him, as Williams have ruled out Wolff? They don't have another driver on their books, do they?
It's down to the doctors I think. He didn't fail the extraction test, but was in significant pain in doing so and doctors were afraid racing would exacerbate the damage. If it isn't fully healed by Malaysia, I doubt they'd risk it. Lynn surely isn't experienced enough? Wehrlein could be loaned out again?
I'm really glad you've pointed this out. I said earlier that I've been unexpected impressed by Arrivabene, and I have: for his criticism of Bernie's policy of shutting everyone out of the paddock; for his kind reaction to the Kimi wheel incident; and for his assertion that Ferrari need to improve themselves to challenge Mercedes, in contrast to the snide Red Bull fix-the-rules-or-we'll-leave approach - the old Ferrari technique, ironically. BUT, is he sincere or this just all so much PR? Somewhere in the back of my mind I remember a story about the reasons for his appointment to the Ferrari position. I can't remember the exact wording but it was something like 'to promote and increase Ferrari's influence with the FIA and Bernie using his excellent connections'. I seem to remember that it was TomTom who posted this story so maybe he can remember exactly what it was. I've found this article from Autosport but I think TomTom's article (if it was him) was better on this. Does it matter much? I suppose it's only to be expected that Ferrari would wish to maximise their influence but I thought it bears repeating as perhaps we shouldn't just take everything at face value.
When I saw the interviews on BBC before the race weekend had started Rosberg looked dishevelled and tired! Where as Hamilton looked fresh and ready to race. It was almost like Rosberg was beaten before he got in the car.
If he does that Rosberg is toast.. Already Rosberg seems rattled and he doesn't seem to come back with much of fight once he gets shaken. Hey...maybe Vettel has a get out clause and is looking for Rosberg's seat, who knows..lol. It would be fun though to have Vettel and Hamilton in the same car.
But Rosberg has to get within half second of Hamilton first...The closest he was to Hamilton was 1.5 seconds. and Hamilton was toying with him.. Letting Rosberg use up his tyres getting within 2 seconds but not near enough for DRS then pulling out another gap. I am wondering if the reason Hamilton didn't rule P1 and P2 was because he didnt want Rosberg to use his data by driving in a way not to give away his hand? I think Rosberg was a bit ruffled even before the press conference - he just couldn't find the secret of getting close to his team mate. He is starting to talk too much and making some nonsense statements without the help of anybody. By the way though...Newey and Horner and the other big wigs at Red Bull are blaming Renault - but if Red Bull troubles are down to the Renault engine alone how come the sister team did so well in Qualifying? Just asking.
