watched the video of a lap around the track earlier. The best way to describe the track was boring, add in the fact that it’s Jeddah Saudi Arabia ( a real ****ehole) and it’ll be a one season wonder. Which month is it being held? If it’s near the summer they’ll have to do something about the wind so the smell from ****t lake doesn’t overcome you. https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp....ronment/sewage-lake-threatens-jeddah-1.553828
The rumour mill is rumbling. Allegedly a source at Mercedes suggesting Bottas won’t last the year, or at least that’s what some in team would like. https://apple.news/ATuLS_vJdSfao8UlAwSDz_Q
A driver swap makes sense for Russell, Mercedes and Williams, who will get a bit of experience to help car development. Dunno if Bottas will be too happy about it though.
I'm not sure Toto works that way. He does seem to somehow keep most of the team together, so maybe it's loyalty. I guess that cuts both ways? I think George needs a bit more time to mature and hone his skills. If Perez was closer to Max on race day then maybe Merc would have a harder time for constructors and consider a swap. Maybe the summer break will be the deciding factor for Merc?
Toto does seem to honour his commitments, even to the detriment of his team, so you're probably right. He's even giving Grosjean a run in the Merc at the French GP so his crash isn't his last experience in an F1 car, nice touch. There's no guarantee that Romain won't bin it though.
Is it wrong that I'm disappointed Grosjean will finish his F1 experience like this? That crash last year was his magnum opus.
If I were Merc... I'd want Russell in that car solely in a number 2 role to Hamilton with the purpose of him learning what he can from Hamilton and prepping him for the big takeover. Sooner they can do that the better. Not sure that will happen though, but I'm pretty confident Russell could take more points from Max than Bottas is right now.
I think I have said before that Bottas is lucky Toto is boss as he does seem loyal . With that in mind , I still have this feeling Bottas won’t last the season in the merc . If he is dropped I think he will walk .
Maybe a swap between Valtteri and George - Merc and Williams. Although how motivated would Valtteri be in a Williams??? Second thoughts I'm not sure a swap would work. Williams do still have Jack Aitken who stood in for George last year, I think he did OK and made it to the end. But Williams have a good chance of getting some points on the board this year. So losing George could jeopardise that? Can't remember but think it's just constructors position that gives money, plus if they get a single point Bernie used to fly kit round for 'free'. So getting points and beating Haas could give them some decent money. Then again Merc have big pockets - or do the new budget caps apply to buying drivers etc? It's certainly shaping up to be a good season.
I just don’t think Valtteri will want to step backwards . I don’t think driver salaries etc are included in the budget cap yet .
I think you are right about Valtteri. Drivers salaries aren't covered in cap but they would have to buy George out of his contract. Not sure that is covered? Don't think they can reduce PU price either as that must be covered in cap somehow as otherwise the PU manufacturers would just set up another company and 'sell' PU at virtually zero costs to team. I think getting George out of his contract is do-able maybe more technology exchange, although I would have thought that was in cap somehow to stop 'partner' teams absorbing some of the parent teams costs.
Bottas seems pretty confident in his position this season. According to the Beeb... https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/57014572 And to back up his claims that he can stick it to Red Bull...
Interesting debate above, against the article that Eddie pointed us too in the comments someone made observation at the slowness of the Mercedes pit stops. It is a good point, Merc are rarely on it vs their competitors, Redbull in particular. if Max and Redbull are really threatening this year Merc need to get some practise in. There was a serious flaw last year with wrong tyres, this year are already slow. The pit team are half asleep and need a wake up call, too much complacency has crept in.
It is pretty crazy - when you look at the championship he is only a couple of points ahead of Norris and Le Clerc, both of whom don’t have a regular podium contending car. He will last the season, no doubt about that. He will probably win in somewhere like Sochi. As people have said- the big and obvious difference is how he can’t overtake for ****. Hamilton waltzed past Verstappen yesterday - his arch rival and arguably next best driver- where’s Bottas had a similar pace advantage over the Ferrari of Le Clerc and couldn’t find the answer. Difference between a World Champ and not, right there.
The return of the flexi-wing, this time it's the rear. nicked from the BBC Formula 1's governing body has launched a clampdown on flexible rear wings amid suspicions teams are bending the rules. The move comes after Lewis Hamilton claimed Red Bull used a "bendy" wing, increasing straight-line speed. The governing body has written to teams saying it had "become aware" some rear wings passed tests but had "excessive deflections while cars are in motion". The FIA has told teams it will introduce new load-deflection tests from 15 June.