2021 Silly Season

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by Theunser

While for Tsunoda, a bad season can ruin his F1 career. He is talented, but I doubt he is ready.

Drivers used to go to F1 from Formula Renault or Formula Ford, Mr. Raikkonen and Mr. Button for instance. As a top 3 finisher in Formula 2, surely Tsunoda is more than ready?

While Mazepin is ready as long as his chequebook is!

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

Drivers used to go to F1 from Formula Renault or Formula Ford, Mr. Raikkonen and Mr. Button for instance.

I think the difference there is that those drivers had multiple tests in an F1 car prior to a team committing to sign them. At those tests, they showed their ability.

In the case of Tsunoda, it seems like the deicsion has already been made before anyone has seen how quick he can be in F1 machinery.

We've gone from - show your racecraft in a lower fomula, show your speed in an F1 car, sign for an F1 drive.
To - show your racecraft in a lower formula, sign for an F1 drive, hope that you can be fast in F1......

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

Drivers used to go to F1 from Formula Renault or Formula Ford, Mr. Raikkonen and Mr. Button for instance.

Err, no.

Button went to F1 from top-level F3.

Same as Hakkinen, Senna, Bottas, Kvyat, Brundle, M Verstappen, J Verstappen, J Magnussen, Stroll, and many more.

[V8 Fireworks]

My bad.

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I think the difference there is that those drivers had multiple tests in an F1 car prior to a team committing to sign them. At those tests, they showed their ability.

Testing with a current car is not allowed anymore, so what can you do?

Tsunoda has already done a private test in the 2018 Toro Rosso.

Meanwhile in the 2020 car test, experienced Buemi put the RB the wall, while Tsunoda kept the AT on the track! So that's promising so far.

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

In the case of Tsunoda, it seems like the deicsion has already been made before anyone has seen how quick he can be in F1 machinery.

Of course. Honda are keen, it will be important for the arrangements of Red Bull taking over the Honda F1 factory at Milton-Keynes, and Tsunoda is not a no-hoper by any means... So what else is there to discuss?

[Richard C]

Honda is also fully committed next year (even if it is their last). I fully expect them to bring more power unit developments. I believe they had some that considered bringing this year, but decided to hold off to next.

So they need to keep Honda happy. Also Tsunoda at AT next year, may be the outcome of prior arrangements that RBR may feel are unwise to undo at this point. And to be honest, why not put him in place of Kvyat?

Richard

[Pandamasque]

Any laptimes yet?

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

Meanwhile in the 2020 car test, experienced Buemi put the RB the wall, while Tsunoda kept the AT on the track! So that's promising so far.

He's just trying too hard to pretend he's a young driver.

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by Theunser

My personal opinion is that for Tsunoda and Mazepin (maybe even for Mick) it's too early to make their debuts.
Haas would have needed an experienced driver, because that car is just not okay, according to what Grosjean said, and two rookies will have no idea what to do with it.
While for Tsunoda, a bad season can ruin his F1 career. He is talented, but I doubt he is ready. Both Kvyat and Albon would be a better choice(of course Tsunoda isn't confirmed, but it's just a matter of time)

Haas have had experienced drivers for their entire time in F1, and they've been going backwards for a while now.
Of course, by 'experienced drivers' only the right experienced drivers matter, the rest it seems to make no difference whether you have the wrong experienced driver or a rookie, in developmental terms.

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Yes I think so too.

The only reasons Tsunoda would get that drive must be either financially or technically motivated in terms of Honda.

Some rave about him but he is not F1 material yet on ability afaiac.

Of course, the fact that he's finished 3rd in the premier feeder series is irrelevant

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

Of course, the fact that he's finished 3rd in the premier feeder series is irrelevant

3rd in his first season, best rookie and just 2 points from second

Yeah, totaly irrelevant

[krzysiek_aleks]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

Honda is also fully committed next year (even if it is their last). I fully expect them to bring more power unit developments. I believe they had some that considered bringing this year, but decided to hold off to next.

So they need to keep Honda happy. Also Tsunoda at AT next year, may be the outcome of prior arrangements that RBR may feel are unwise to undo at this point. And to be honest, why not put him in place of Kvyat?

I know I will repeat others, but, yeah, 3rd in F2 ain't nothing. Yes, this will keep Honda happy and possibly help to find some "partner" (akhem Mugen akhem) to keep their engines in the future. But Tsunoda looks like a real deal. 3rd in his debut season (Schumacher and Ilott were in there 2nd). I wasn't sure he'll be able to fight for something bigger (Carlin + not so many seasons in formulas aren't greatest combination), but he did surprisingly good. I'm sad that Kvyat will be gone, but that's just Red Bull and Helmut Marko, baby.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

Of course, the fact that he's finished 3rd in the premier feeder series is irrelevant

Worse drivers have won it in the past Hawks!

[steve nielsen]

so It's now official: Tuki Tsnunoda replacing Kvyat

https://www.scuderiaalphatauri.com/e...phatauri-2021/

also confirmed with Kvyat beeing replaced again: Max Verstappen will be winning the next race

[S griffin]

I wish him best of luck. Been a while since we've had a Japanese driver in the series, last of course was Kobayashi in 2014, although Naoki Yamamoto did take part in last year's Japanese GP FP. Kvyat has done alright this year, but has more than enough chances. Let's see what Naoki can bring to the table, he's looked quite handy in F2

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Worse drivers have won it in the past Hawks!

That is undeniably true, although those sort of drivers haven't tended to have a rookie campaign anywhere near as good as Tsunoda's.

He's clearly talented and on a great run of form, and as the other two drivers who could have the seat (Albon and Kvyat) are either in bad form or have proven to be average, why not roll the dice?
It he's not good enough, there are other drivers who can be slotted in (the two above, or one or two other RB juniors who may have the licence points by the end of 2021), so I don't see that RB has anything to lose really by promoting Tsunoda.

[S griffin]

I agree it’s worth taking a chance, especially as it keeps both Red Bull and Honda happy. Maybe he won’t set the world on fire, but I don’t expect him to be anything less than decent

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

Meanwhile in the 2020 car test, experienced Buemi put the RB the wall, while Tsunoda kept the AT on the track! So that's promising so far.

I think that's just more evidence that this years Red Bull was a very 'snappy' car - that looked very similar to the way the car behaved for Max and Alex at times this season. It seemed to go from "all ok" to "lost the back end and flying off the circuit" very quickly with no chance to catch it. If anything that accident probably helps Albon.

[Pandamasque]

I agree. In onboards Mercedes, even at very similar lap time, looks like it's on rails in comparison.

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

I think that's just more evidence that this years Red Bull was a very 'snappy' car - that looked very similar to the way the car behaved for Max and Alex at times this season. It seemed to go from "all ok" to "lost the back end and flying off the circuit" very quickly with no chance to catch it. If anything that accident probably helps Albon.

Juri Vips did not have those problems

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by steve nielsen

Juri Vips did not have those problems

No but would he have been driving it on the edge to try and get the best out of it like the regular pair?

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by chunterer

No but would he have been driving it on the edge to try and get the best out of it like the regular pair?

Vips was 5 tenths faster than Buemi

[E.B]

Originally Posted by steve nielsen

Vips was 5 tenths faster than Buemi

but still 1.5secs off the pace.

and over 2 secs off Albons fastest lap of the weekend.

[Pandamasque]

Did they use 2021 tires or 2020?

Either way we don't really know the compounds, fuel load and other details of the testing programme. This is not a hotlap competition. You don't expect Alonso to blitz the whole field with a Renault next year, do you?

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by E.B

but still 1.5secs off the pace.

and over 2 secs off Albons fastest lap of the weekend.

you are missing the point to this reaction, it was about if Buemi was pushing harder than Vips

[steve_r]

Roll on next season. Analysing pre-season testing is difficult enough, but post-season analysis is pretty much impossible.

[wnut]

I see Louie Camilleri left Ferrari just before Abu Dahbi, I think this this will have serious implications to Binotto and the team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNfBIw40ats

Doubt if whoever follows him will be quite as complacent with the constant failure.