Outside of the top 3, what is the teams mindset going into the season?

[Moneyseeker]

The Bottas/Williams position, got me thinking about what is the mindset of the team outside of the top 3, who we imagine have different goals and objectives

Imagine you are a competitive organisation, about to spend tens of millions of dollars just to go racing, at the tail end of the grid with the likelihood that you may not achieve anything, no points, nothing to show for all the blood sweat, tears and money.

Or you are a Williams, once a great force but gradually slipping down the order or hoping to move up a place. About to spend north of 100 million dollars to put two cars out that in all probability and unless others falter, that you will not win a race with or might scrape a podium.

Even in premier league football, although it is largely one of a handfull of teams that will win the Championship, there is always the opportunity for a lower table team to beat them on a bad day, or that they might trip over a lower league team in a cup competition and be knocked out.

How do the mid/lower grid teams approach a year of competition that they know in their hearts and minds may/will achieve very little other than they survive in business for an other year?

[chillibowl]

great question!

specifically though, are you asking about the approach the 'team' applies as an overall unit, or the approach of team owners, or the approach the employees (engineers to drivers to PR/sponsor relations to trainers etc) apply when working for a team with limited funds and/or options?

to be honest, which ever angle you look at it, i think this is a really difficult question to answer.

im not even sure where to begin.

to start things off, i suppose i could say that everyone is there for the love of the sport and a desire to compete so they pick their targets and try to do the best they can with the resources they have available. doesnt matter how they will finish but rather its how well they run the race.

thats no doubt on the naive side of things though.

[Nicholosophy]

Whether you're a Formula 1 team or an amateur racing in a local championship your goals will be based on the situation at hand. Based on budget, talent, equipment, previous results, etc. a team can set realistic goals for the year. It's like any competitive endeavour. You want to be the best and to get there you have to dream big.

If you asked a Perez or Hulkenberg if they wanted to win the 2016 WDC they would say yes as would any driver! If you asked them what they were aiming to achieve you would get a different answer (beat my teammate, get a few podiums, etc). Same with Williams, Force India, Sauber or Manor.

In 2017 my guess is that Williams will be aiming for 4th again, and perhaps 3rd if Redbull or Ferrari falter with the new regulations. FI will be happy to keep in front of Williams and probably have a goal of more points and/or more podiums. Manor will be aiming to race at all and to try and get the all important 10th position in the WCC. Sauber will be aiming to start moving up a bit higher now they have more investment. Just like any organisation (or even individual) each team will have other goals they will be wanting to achieve and they will depend on where the team is at.

[JABWOA]

Great answers by both.
I've been involved in grass roots motorsport as an official and constantly saw (even made a few) dreams squashed. I would ask the question - why? The ones who got back up where those who had a personal goal or objective to achieve. Some were small and others dreamed big.

[steve_r]

Renault & McLaren - Will be looking to build themselves back up into a race and ultimately championship winning team again, although this is of course still some way off being reality for both.

Williams - Can challenge the 3 top teams on their day, and surely have realistic chances of race wins if they can nail these new regulations.

Force India - Despite their lofty WCC finish last year, I think they see themselves as a small team and a podium finish is like a race win to them.

Torro Rosso - Being a junior team, I cannot quite get my head around what their mindset is. Beating their big brothers at RBR from time to time, and nurturing their next generation of drivers must surely give the team some drive.

Sauber - I regret to say that I see this as a team that is in decline. This once giant -killing team only just beat Manor. Lack of funds means that at the moment just picking up the odd point or two would be a success.

Manor - Talk themselves up as racers. The David vs Goliath mindset - trying to compete with and beat big budget teams on a relative shoestring. If a point is like a podium to Sauber, then a point is like a Championship win to these guys.

I've left Haas to last - not sure whether they are going to turn into a Ferrari B team or not.

[old man]

I suppose these teams are there because they simply enjoy the whole game and want to set what we can call "personal best" results, a positive mind set is essential.

There are teams like this in all branches of our sport, unkindly often referred to as "grid fillers" but absolutely essential at all levels.

If Liberty really want to be seen to make a difference helping these teams by changing the reward structure would be the best move IMO

[canamman]

Oh well - so much for emotional goodbyes.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ma...n-2017-860616/

[F1Pete]

This question immediately reminded me of Gilles Villeneuve when he won Eagle River World Snowmobile Championship Derby. He was his own driver/mechanic/innovator etc. and beat the factory teams Ski-doo, Polaris, Arctic Cat etc. It was a big blow for the factories.

Bottom line is the passion for racing is what drives all teams regardless where in the grid you are situated. We are always reminded of how important it is for a bottom team to score a point so I guess the goal starts there.

You never know the outcome of any race. Remember Minardi's strong performance finishing 4th and 5th at the USGP in 2005?


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[Mike Harte]

All teams live in hope; much the same as every driver in every class of racing, really.

And one day, the magic dust is scattered on top of a surprising winner, such as Olivier Panis in the Ligier at the 1996 Monaco race; started in 14th place on a track that is so difficult to pass on, but he won due to the high attrition rate. I am sure that he would have preferred to have won on pure merit, but a win is a win regardless.

[F1Pete]

Didn't Maldonado win on merit?


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[S griffin]

Maldonado did win on merit, soaking up pressure from a certain double world champion

[Nicholosophy]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Maldonado did win on merit, soaking up pressure from a certain double world champion

It wasn't that Maldonado couldn't drive fast. He just had a habit of driving fast into walls or other competitors.

[S griffin]

Yes Crashtor was just de Crasheris. Talent with the dosh, but too much of a loose cannon