The Azerbaijan GP Chat & Predictions thread

There's only one solution... Couple of sacks of cement on the rear wing of the Merc.

I'm a Hamelot, and even I'm bored ****less by the sport atm. It's not just the dominance either, it's the same issues that have been around for years!

 

There are different types of domination i suppose. There have definitely been more dominant teams in individual races and Merc probably won't top the '88 Mclaren for most dominant season. I think it is unique and worse than it's ever been as far as the dominance of the sport across an era. McLaren may have been two seconds a lap up in 1988 but by 1992 they were the ones being dominated. Dominance is fine in short bursts, Mercedes was actually once a breath of fresh air back in 2014.

This year will be 6 straight dominant seasons. The closest comparison is Schumacher's Ferrari as DHC says, but there was a serious title battle in 1999, 2000 and 2003.

I just had a quick count for how often two teams have still been in contention for the driver's title in the penultimate race (since if you drop out with three races to go you really can't claim to have been anywhere near), This is likely to be the 7th year in a row of that not happening. Before that (i counted back to 1990) the highest streak of no competition is two years in a row. The best stint being decent battles 5 years in a row between 2006 and 2010.

The FIA really cant afford to sit and hope it fixes itself. Interest is dwindling for many. I'd be lying if i said i know how to fix it though. Here's hoping Ross can be the savior.

 

If Mercedes left the sport, would I really miss them?

 

I think I'd agree that this current dominance is the worst to date in F1. It's not that Mercedes are light years ahead, it's just the reliability means no one has a chance, ever.

Maybe it's time Ferrari tried Mercedes low rake design.

 

The distribution of prize money is still the single biggest problem.

Ferrari ought to have been dominating the sport for the past 40+ years; but despite vastly disproportionate funding over the years totalling billions in their favour, the current (in-house politics) mess they are in, along with trying to favour one driver, is typical. They got it all together when the FIA and Bernie colluded during the Schumacher years when the distribution of cash was even more weighted in their favour and Max Mosley (like Bernie, a self-confessed Ferrari fan) dictated with a punitive fist in a manner his father would have admired and applauded. The current Ferrari outfit is failing - and thereby allowing Mercedes to dominate - only because it is incompetent. With all the extra cash, year on year on year, they have no excuse whatever. And neither does Vettel.

Red Bull and Mercedes are also getting a lot more cash than (Ferrari excepted) their competitors.

Level the playing field (absolute equality MUST be the ultimate target) and we'll see less predictability and a lot more competition - and a far healthier, more interesting sport as a result.

 

If Ferrari actually put a whole weekend together, and stopped cocking about with CLC, they’d actually have a half decent chance. It’s as much their hopelessness as Mercedes’ brilliance.

 

Absolutely.

 

Ferrari get paid more but spend less than Mercedes. Surely they should spend more to beat Mercedes by the money logic?

 

It seems to me that ferrari are a team on the cusp of tearing itself apart in infighting.

Merc looks like everything is all lined up for an amazing season and they just need to balance the two drivers who should be at each others throats anyway.

Ferrari however could well start infighting if they've not done so already. They seem to be reactive not strategic, seem to be backing yesterday's man not both drivers and have managed to **** up at every race now.

1. Australia. Were well off pace, high downforce track but were nowhere and max walked past.
2. Bahrain. Should have dominated it. vettel spun and le clerc lost power. had a 1-2 in quali and ended up 3rd and 5th
3. china. were miles off. ****ed up leclerc by ordering him to let vettel past and ended up losing 4th to verstappen. 4th and 5th
4. Baku... Le clerc planks it in qauli after being dominant but vettel is nowhere close to his team mate. a quali 1-2 was turned into 3rd and 10th. Then get race wrong as well. vettel is nowhere again and ended up 3rd while le clerc drove well on mediums but then was **** on softs after waiting too long to change. 3rd and 5th


They should have had 3rd and 4th first race, a 1/2 in bahrain, 3rd and 4th in china and 1/2 in baku.... by rights...

However mercedes look better in the race in all phases. Pit stops are better, faster, clearner and better times. The dirvers are making errors, the team is messing with driver order. And reliability is in question.

AND AND none of that gives any credit to the job mercedes is doing.

 

Ferrari were awful before Schumacher went there and almost as soon as he left then they been pretty poor since to, Alonso made the car look then it was to

 

I agree- I think Fernando gets a rough ride sometimes when actually he dragged that Ferrari into some title fights.

 

I think Alonso is an amazing driver, he seems to be able to wrestle the car round a lap faster than is possible, he drives round issues. My problem with him is his personality, unfortunately he seems almost Toxic. Since the his Renault days each team he has gone to has not progressed up the team standings despite his great driving. So I can only surmise that he doesn't pull the team together, he creates an adversarial battle between the 2 team mates groups.

Merc as they say ' have all their ducks in a row' and Ferrari can't seem to get everything right at the same time. I don't know if its leadership or just infighting. Hopefully they will sort themselves out very soon and we can have a few battles as the car does look like it can challenge the Mercs.

 

I don't disagree with the observation (particularly about Ferrari's failings and mistake in favouring a No1 driver) but the solution implementation is complicated. The problems are not insurmountable but need to be recognised to ensure they are addressed. These include, Ferrari objection, time for the implementation of a solution to have an effect and therefore how to handle the transition to keep the fan base and Corpoates happy.
The other question is what is the objective, two groups of cars, each vying to win within their group or realistically target a competition were any team could have a serious shot at the title. It also has to distinguish itself from the other series that are out there, so can't be bland.
I am sure these questions have been asked within the sport. The current stalemate in adopting a solution is a bit like Brexit! (sorry, have we got a swear box?). Does over regulation stifle innovation? It is not just big teams who can innovate, example HAAS last year, Brawn's own team a few years back.
There are some good young drivers coming through too. As this forum indicates, everyone is keen to see these given a chance to challenge the established drivers, e.g. Le Clerc. It is not only about the car, the sub stories matter too. Let us hope the competition improves from here on.
I am unconvinced about Liberty and whether they have the vision. At the moment they are tinkering to justify their investment, i.e. 25 vs 21 races a year. I think quality, not volume.

 

I watched a race from the late 90s the other day- watching an overtake without DRS was an absolute joy, I have to say.

I think it needs to be banned - these press button overtakes are like watching computer simulation now, horrible.

 

No problem at all with Alonso as a driver , but he has this knack of pissing teams off ...