You're probably right - corporate objectives can be revised on the fly when profit margins are hit hard enough - but I remember that Mercedes-Benz returned as a constructor in order to get on terms with Ferrari in the high-end luxury car market. That's not a short-term goal and they can't advertise their way to the top: it depends on the cache that winning in F1 brings. Of course, pouring money into a bottomless pit can't be a long-term commitment either so, sooner or later, something has to give. Five years doesn't sound all that long to me to commit to something as serious as stealing Ferrari's prestige but then the world is full of five-year plans.
Oh the Irony of that team, owned by 2 of the biggest car manufacturers on the planet, multiple WCC as engine suppliers but their only success is the single year they were an underfunded privateer team with a cheapskate sponsor and 2 drivers considered journeymen.
I think that singling these two particular drivers out when there is so much more talent in the field than they is myopic. Now that Vettel no longer has the fastest car he has been shown up as a rather ordinary driver. The mistakes he has made so far this season testify to that fact. And as for Hamilton I really can't see why anyone thinks he is that special. The guy is too aggressive, makes too many mistakes, is only a tiny bit faster over one lap than his team-mate, and shreds his tyres. Whether they go in the same team, or not? I simply couldn't care less. They certainly wouldn't be both in a Red Bull, because one of the members has to be a doormat to make Vettel look good.
I wouldn't say Vettel was ordinary. I think all the top drivers at the moment LH, JB, SV, MW, MS, NR are very equal. They all have different strengths and weaknesses. Vettel for instance is not the best at driving away from the best racing line. Lewis eats his tires. The only person for me that stands out is Alonso. I think he is the class of the field, but even he (by his own admission) is not the quickest. Vettel is however very good on his tires, and very quick in quali, so last years car suited him perfectly. I think if any of the above drivers had cars that worked to their strengths that effectively would be as dominant.
I say give Vettel or Lewis another five years in F1 and then we can make a fair comparison to Alonso of today.
I think about half the grid are on a level with Hamilton and Vettel. I think they are picked out because they happen to be in good cars and are regularly hyped up by the media. It's an easy mistake to make, thinking that those drivers in the best cars are the best drivers, but it's wrong all the same.
Makes you wonder why the best teams wouldn't want the best drivers then, I'm pretty sure those in charge know what they're doing. Generally ferrari, McLaren and red bull are the top teams at the moment and I certainly feel that they have at least the top 4 drivers.
I suppose when Alonso was at Minardi you thought he wasn't a top driver, because the top drivers were at the top teams. Maybe you believe that Senna was rubbish while driving a Toleman, a bit better while at Lotus, and then brilliant when sitting in a McLaren.
By that logic then you admit you need experience to be in a top team then? Senna of 84 would of been a lesser driver than the one in 1993. Same goes for Alonso of 2001 to 2012, if these guys are good enough they'll get into the top teams soon enough. If they're also able to keep it going over a span of 15 years, well they deserve to be in that calibre of top drivers as it's normal for them.
Both Alonso and Senna were snapped up into a "big" team pretty quickly. At the moment only Perez is being talked up and he's now in his second season. I can think of a few drivers on par with the likes of Hamilton and Vettel, but not 10 or more As to the topic, although I doubt we'll see Vettel and Hamilton in the same car any time soon they both have vaguely similar styles and pretty similar builds, so the car shouldn't have to many compromises to suit the both of them.
That's like asking why Alonso does not walk into a Mclaren garage, isn't it not permitted for another teams' driver to do that?
You remind me of one of those folk that watch Eastenders, but then go on to moan about how depressing it is.
Hamilton does not equal F1. He is just a part of it. I happen not to like him at all, and I express my opinion and back it up with facts. If that reminds you of people that watch Eastenders then moan about it then fine. I don't think the comparison is warranted.
