|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
29 Jan 2021, 19:23 (Ref:4031913) | #176 | |||
Race Official
Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 15,907
|
Quote:
I would venture that if it is Hamilton and not the team that is delaying agreement because of certain stipulations whether it be money vs contract length (or wanting more non-racing 'requirements' be permitted into his deal) another 'general' view might be that he is being very naive in the current climate and arguably misguided. Not sure how it could be the team that is the problem. They have budgets to work to and plans for the next 2-5 years. If one driver cannot fit into the plan, then they are under no obligation to compromise and they have to seek a new driver? Maybe we are looking at a supersub 1 year deal for someone whilst Hamilton and Merc sort it all out. One way or another! I can't help but think that if Hamilton was truly happy about carrying on doing what he loves doing, or had the deal he thinks he needs, it would have been announced yonks ago. |
|||
__________________
"Double Kidney Guv'nah?" "No thanks George they're still wavin a white flag!" |
29 Jan 2021, 20:42 (Ref:4031930) | #177 | ||
Team Crouton
20KPINAL
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 39,934
|
OK. I just wonder then if this is the crux of it. I just don't see it being money, or primarily money, could it be that he wants something more from Mercedes to highlight his cause that Mercedes aren't prepared to give him?
|
||
__________________
280 days...... |
29 Jan 2021, 21:18 (Ref:4031936) | #178 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,909
|
Quote:
As I said above, it’s beneficial for both parties to continue |
|||
|
30 Jan 2021, 05:09 (Ref:4031964) | #179 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 6,401
|
All I know is im getting bored rigid over the whole process. Sign something already.
Or disappear into the sunset and record music. I care not which. F1 will recover fine without him. The same as it did when all the previous GOATs during my being an F1 fan departed. (which takes us back to Clark) |
||
|
30 Jan 2021, 05:29 (Ref:4031965) | #180 | |||
Rookie
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 69
|
Quote:
|
|||
__________________
The user previously known as AMoffat. |
30 Jan 2021, 06:33 (Ref:4031971) | #181 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,731
|
I still think the end game for Mercedes is to have Lewis off contract at the same time as Max.That way they can either decide on generational change or sign whichever of the 2 is cheapest.That’s why they may only be offering him a 1 year deal.
If Lewis walks away now 2021 with a Bottas/Russell line up would be a transitional year for the team. If you think they would want to be without 1 of the 3 best drivers-Hamilton,Verstappen,Leclerc-in the long run you are not thinking as clearly as Toto would be. |
||
|
30 Jan 2021, 10:06 (Ref:4031982) | #182 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,909
|
Quote:
Yes the car is damn good, but you can’t just rely on engineers to do that, you require feedback from great drivers to help develop cars, win in them so funds can get put back into the team. Let’s not forget we are going into a new rule set next year, in the short term could Russell jump in and win races? Probably, with Lewis in the other car? Possibly....with the 2022 car? Who knows! It would be a massive risk for Mercedes to drop the most successful and one of the most experienced drivers on the grid going into a whole new rule set for a young driver with very little experience within a top team. Tbh, I think this all goes back to Williams forcing Russell to stay. If that didn’t happen, it would be likely Russell was in the car against Lewis this year. |
|||
|
30 Jan 2021, 10:12 (Ref:4031985) | #183 | |||
Team Crouton
20KPINAL
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 39,934
|
Quote:
|
|||
__________________
280 days...... |
30 Jan 2021, 10:12 (Ref:4031986) | #184 | |
Racer
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 344
|
I think it is very sad that Lewis does not seem to have anything else in his life. Most drivers of his age have wives and kids and a normal life outside of racing. He's not had a partner since the former pussycat and he seems to float about the world like a lost soul. Perhaps racing is all he really knows and that what keeps him there? he does not need the money and could retire and take up his "cause." Everyone would then be happy.
|
|
|
30 Jan 2021, 10:15 (Ref:4031987) | #185 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,909
|
Quote:
Everyone would be happy if he retired? I wouldn’t be....it would be a sad day when the most successful f1 driver of all time retires. He’s still the benchmark, whether you like it or not. |
|||
|
30 Jan 2021, 10:41 (Ref:4031996) | #186 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 18,692
|
I'm sure Lewis will have plenty to do when he retires. As you say he has things like his fashion, so I'm sure he won't be at a lose end when he calls it a day
|
|
__________________
He who dares wins! He who hesitates is lost! |
30 Jan 2021, 11:17 (Ref:4032014) | #187 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,731
|
Quote:
I agree that Bottas is expendable and that he is only there because it suits Lewis.He doesn’t want another Rosberg situation in “his” team. However it is not “his” team and he is at an age where the team should start to position itself for succession planning.It would be good to see him continue but it may not be exactly on his terms. |
|||
|
30 Jan 2021, 11:24 (Ref:4032017) | #188 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,909
|
Quote:
I’d say it suits Mercedes more than Lewis to have a defecto number 2 rather than 2 drivers taking points off each other. I do agree they need to start looking at succession, however as Lewis proved several times this year for instance Austria qualifying, Spain, Hungary, Turkey, he is still a cut above the rest and his talent isn’t dwindling. The younger generation are starting to nip at the heals, but I’ve yet to see one who could mount a title challenge and handle the pressure without making mistakes like Lewis has shown |
|||
|
30 Jan 2021, 11:35 (Ref:4032019) | #189 | |||
Team Crouton
20KPINAL
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 39,934
|
Quote:
|
|||
__________________
280 days...... |
30 Jan 2021, 11:39 (Ref:4032021) | #190 | ||
Race Official
Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 15,907
|
I would actually like to see, relish even how Bottas would go 'if he was let off the leash so to speak.
AFAIAC he has been employed as no.2 at the team with few occasions where he has been able to truly show his worth on his terms. When he has, he has looked very strong indeed, Unfortunately those who take results and championship position at face value see an inferior driver who just gets whipped every year. The nadir was his 'Turkey' weekend when for a variety of reasons he ended up looking like one. Then there was the Russell match up in Bahrain where he was perceived to have come out second best. Whilst I have little doubt Russell is definitely a future serial winner, I am quite confident that if Bottas was given the target of 'one year to do it or you're out' I reckon he would surprise a lot of his detractors. Trouble is he may not get that chance. Whilst I don't think he is at Lewis's level, he is a lot better than perceived. |
||
__________________
"Double Kidney Guv'nah?" "No thanks George they're still wavin a white flag!" |
30 Jan 2021, 11:51 (Ref:4032023) | #191 | |||
Team Crouton
20KPINAL
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 39,934
|
Quote:
|
|||
__________________
280 days...... |
30 Jan 2021, 12:07 (Ref:4032030) | #192 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,909
|
Quote:
Multiple times over the last few years we have seen both Mercedes drivers allowed to race, allowed to challenge each other in qualifying and sometimes Bottas comes out on top. If Mercedes have him on a leash, they aren’t doing a very good job. A leash is what Ferrari and Schumacher had over his teammates..... |
|||
|
30 Jan 2021, 12:21 (Ref:4032031) | #193 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 6,137
|
I think Bottas was beaten by a better driver, not necessarily hold back by Merdedes.
If that better driver is not around anymore, Bottas could surprise us. If they wanted or would have to start with Bottas/Russell, that would also change the team dynamics and maybe that would be enough to change the end result. You can't give both drivers the optimal strategy or develop car or setup in the optimal wasy for both drivers. There will always be a bit of a compromise, or #2 will have to live with something that is very very good for him but just a bit better suited to the other one. |
||
|
30 Jan 2021, 12:28 (Ref:4032032) | #194 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,909
|
Quote:
|
|||
|
30 Jan 2021, 12:29 (Ref:4032033) | #195 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 506
|
Quote:
- The anti competitive radio messaages. - The anti competitive pit strategies. - The failure to explain Bottas use of tyres, or to do somehting to combat it (An alternative pit strategy for instance?) - MB (More of a profit corporation selling cars as opposed to a car manufacturer) even changed the paint of their cars to get behind Hamilton's political stance. And you're puzzled? Quote:
Almost the whole history of F1 has guys winning c'ships in the best car. Good luck finding a guy finishing 5th in a car outside the top 4 in the wcc. |
|||
|
30 Jan 2021, 12:31 (Ref:4032034) | #196 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 506
|
Hamilton and Bottas share a statistic in their careers.
Both have twice driven car that were 3rd in the wcc. Both finished 4th and 5th in those respective seasons. |
|
|
30 Jan 2021, 12:31 (Ref:4032035) | #197 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,258
|
On multiple occasions across multiple seasons both Mercedes drivers have moaned about some form of perceived favouritism, whether it be pit strategy, tyres, track position for qualifying or the breakfast pastry tray - that seems to me to be a team that has the balance just about right.
Referring back to Hamilton's value to the parent company: in 2014, so about a hundred years ago, I was operating the light panel on what's now Hamilton Straight at Silverstone, in front of the grandstands, opposite the bottom end of the pit lane. On the Friday during a break a group of about 15 to 20 lads, roughly 20-25 years old, stood behind me. Typical F1 fans they were not - they were from Sarf Lahndan, round Brixton/Camberwell/Peckham area, a mix of races/styles/haircuts and so on. Very much not your stereotypical F1 fan, yet very much not your stereotypical Brixtonite either. Not a gang, as such, either, despite some of the bling they had on show! They'd never been to a racing circuit before, much less F1, and they were all there for one reason: Lewis. I had a long chat with them over the course of the weekend as they kept coming back; they were genuinely blown away by the GP2 cars but the speed and handling of the F1 cars completely cooked their noggins. Two of the group had pretty decent jobs (I forget what now) and both had chosen Mercedes company cars. Because of Lewis. The rest of them hankered after Mercedes cars, for the same reason. I wonder, all these years later, whether they're still watching and more of them are driving Mercs? That's the value he brings - it's hardly a quantifiable thing to most of us, but I bet the Daimler board can write it down in €€€! |
|
__________________
Walk a mile in someone else's shoes. When they realise you have, you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes. |
30 Jan 2021, 12:43 (Ref:4032037) | #198 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,909
|
Quote:
Bottas has the same equipment, same strategy, same opportunity...it’s up to him to use it to beat Lewis, not for Mercedes to give him a leg up. They don’t care which way around it is, if they finish 1-2 it’s the same points for the manufacturer Flip it around, you’d be peeved if Hamilton was in second and given a better strategy then Bottas wouldn’t you..... This politics BS again....when is equality about politics? It’s a human right, one which we should all be getting behind,...and indeed all the teams changed their liveries to do so. Of course most of the time drivers in the best cars win....it’s always been so, but to get into the best teams you have to prove you’re the best too....they aren’t going to continually employ someone not capable of utilising the car are they.... |
|||
|
30 Jan 2021, 12:44 (Ref:4032038) | #199 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,909
|
|||
|
30 Jan 2021, 12:57 (Ref:4032040) | #200 | ||||
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 506
|
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Same points for the manufacturer, but not the same PR points. I'd be shocked because it'd be the first time it would've happened if it meant Bottas picked of a win against Hamilton. |
||||
|
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Sir Lewis Hamilton? | knighty | Formula One | 225 | 6 Nov 2017 12:00 |
Sir Jackie : Lewis Hamilton "complacent" | duke_toaster | Formula One | 45 | 20 Mar 2008 00:39 |
Sir Henry 'Tim' Birkin | Gerard | Motorsport History | 5 | 10 Jun 2000 12:52 |