Abu Dhabi GP Chat & Predictions

How did Bottas manage to be even slower than Ricciardo on newer faster tyres? Unless he has a problem, which the team obviously didn't think he did as they only changed the tyres because of the collision with Max then he needs to be very embarrassed at his performance today

 

He must have had issues. He was slower on new softer tyres than Hamilton on his ancient tyres.

 

The Stewards are a yoke... a yoke!

 

I think for the entire second half of the season there's been a big issue with the fleshy component behind the steering wheel.

First time a Mercedes driver fails to win a race since Schumacher in 2012...

 

Side note. Even though there's two more races now, it's still absolutely mental to me that Hamiltons just beaten the number of points Vettel scored in 2013. Even at the peak of Mercedes dominance, they didn't achieve that.

 

Hamilton got 45 points more than last year. Vettel got 2 more. Bottas got over 50 less? Looks like when Bottas missed out this season it was Hamilton picking it up, not Seb.

Then again Kimi got 45ish more this season as well.

 

It eould have bern absolutely amazing to see Hamilton is that mercedes go up against a 100 percent mobile Kubica in Vettel's Ferarri. I think they would wipe the floor with the rest of the grid. Yes, Max included. I think he would hve given Hamiltpn a really hard fight. Onlt thing.is he would have to constantly outqualify Hamilton and that is where the difference would be.

 

Vettel had Webber. Hamilton had a lap dog

 

Roll on 2019!

 

Must admit even I think Bottas head has gone . Where , why and for how long is anyone's guess

 

Mercedes lowest points haul of the hybrid era apparently. Hope Bottas comes back strong next season, both for his sake and so it's not a wasted top seat.

 

It's a wasted seat. Even as a number 2, he's not taking sufficient points off the opposition.

 

yeah, but Vettel only dominated after the tyres exploded at Silverstone, before that I think there had been 5 different winners in 10 races.

 

....I'm still waiting for Bottas to be given a pointless 5 sec penalty... where is it?

 

The turning point was when he had to give up first place to Lewis. I am sure Lewis would have gifted him it back in a later race but Bottas never got into a strong enough position to enable that. His head is screwed up, maybe the break will bring him back because he isn't this bad. He has lost his mojo IMHO.

 

Possibly playing the number 2 has demotivated him, but his number is all but up at Merc, so he might as well say "eff it" and just go for it. Playing the number 2 and totally stinking the place out is potentially F1 career ending.

 

I agree .

I rate him , but something broke between the ears .

I hope he can fix it , or he won’t see next season out , and will be out of F1 .

 

One could say the same about Vettel. He has publicly admitted he screwed up and needs time to recover. Lewis destroyed both Bottas and Vettel emotionally this season. They both have come to the realisation he has got the better of them.

 

I think Bottas ended up in that position because he was too many points behind his teammate early on. Once you give up so many points to your teammate in a tight battle between two teams then you will end up as the No.2. I think Bottas needs to stamp his authority by putting a lot of points on the board early, then Mercedes would be forced to let both drivers race for wins. When you drop so many points to your teammate in a two team championship fight then you start to play second fiddle. It is totally different if the battle was between him and his teammate, like it was with Rosberg. Bottas will bounce back. Rosberg ran because the pressure was too much for him, hopefully Bottas will man up and fight back.

 

Or he's employed to be number 2?

When Rosberg left I doubt they wanted to stress the team again with an equal status driver. Bottas seems like the kind of driver who would be happy with only a few wins. So fits the bill.

But I think this will be a mistake with Ferrari fielding 2 strong drivers and will get the WCC at least next year.