F1 F1 2024 thread

[Black_White]

The back story here is Hamilton's judgement that Merc will not be competitive in 2024 or 2025.
Being in the inner sanctum, and with his years of experience, you would think he has seen something not quite right there.
Also means we won't see a serious challenge to RB from the three pointed star.

 

[Barrybran]

I don't really understand this from Ferrari.

Sainz is a good driver. One who can win races with the right car.

Hamilton is not an upgrade..and even if he was, it's not going to be the difference between them winning and losing.

I'm with you. I think Leclerc has amazing potential but Sainz has quietly been the better driver over the past 12 months (I'm aware that Leclerc finished with more points).

 

[Iceman!]

I don't really understand this from Ferrari.

Sainz is a good driver. One who can win races with the right car.

Hamilton is not an upgrade..and even if he was, it's not going to be the difference between them winning and losing.

A) He clearly is an upgrade

B) The biggest brand in the sport by a Country mile signing probably the second biggest star the sport has ever seen makes sense to me. $$$

 

[Jatz]

Hamilton has always been on record as saying he wanted to drive for Ferrari.

There's been rumblings forever that he's not happy with the direction they've taken this car in.

Truthfully don't think there's much more in it than he's always wanted to be a Ferrari driver and doesn't think he's any more likely to have success at Mercedes than he would at Ferrari.

 

[Jatz]

I think it's absolutely fantastic for the sport. Lot of the young stars are locked away with their teams for multi years. This throws the cat amongst the pigeons somewhat.

Sky Sports were suggesting Alonso might start angling for the Merc seat.

 

[skam85]

"Copy, we are checking"

"Ricci my tyres are gone"

 

[skam85]

So who gets the Merc seat. Could it be a swap with Sainz ?

I'd like to see Albon get another chance at a top seat, and he's now in the Mercedes family of sorts at Williams.

This has Alonso to Merc written alllll over it

 

[smish]

I think it's absolutely fantastic for the sport. Lot of the young stars are locked away with their teams for multi years. This throws the cat amongst the pigeons somewhat.

Sky Sports were suggesting Alonso might start angling for the Merc seat.

Have to agree. Shakes things up.

Possibly a PR related move by LH to boost his popularity in his legacy? As a Max nuffie I've historically not been a fan, but leaving Ferrari I imagine will reduce some of that animosity from the 2021 season. The largest fanbase in the sport too will now likely go from disliking him to loving him.

 

[Macca19]

I'm with you. I think Leclerc has amazing potential but Sainz has quietly been the better driver over the past 12 months (I'm aware that Leclerc finished with more points).

Hmm. Not sure i agree. Leclerc seems to cop the brunt of the Ferrari strategic ****wittery compared to Sainz, which works against him a lot

 

[Macca19]

Its great for the sport imo

 

[Barrybran]

Hmm. Not sure i agree. Leclerc seems to cop the brunt of the Ferrari strategic *******tery compared to Sainz, which works against him a lot

Maybe so but I still think Sainz performed better in 2023 while Leclerc has the higher ceiling of the two

 

[FR0GGY]

Do Ferrari realize you can’t run 3 cars?
Have they got a handle on the driver strategy?

 

[royboy2]

Sombody check on Galaxie, he may not be ok

 

[happy_eagle]

The back story here is Hamilton's judgement that Merc will not be competitive in 2024 or 2025.
Being in the inner sanctum, and with his years of experience, you would think he has seen something not quite right there.
Also means we won't see a serious challenge to RB from the three pointed star.

Yep was just about to make this point.

Clearly whatever talk that Mercedes have been making about their 2024 car returning to the front row is just talk that Lewis is not buying into.

Would be awkward though if they did produce a car to challenge Red Bull and then Lewis has to walk away from that. I know plenty on here would be amused by that.

 

[Festerz]

 

[gaskin]

I saw somewhere he is going to be getting 75m a year. The number is probably bullshit but he would be getting a bucket load to move.

 

[Neale4brownlow]

I'm not sure what universe we're living in when a seven time WDC who was clearly the best of the rest last year and dragged a shitbox to six podiums is not considered an 'upgrade' on someone who only won their first F1 race two years ago when their teammate was winning plenty and the car was considered competitive.



"But he'll be 40 when he joins Ferrari!" Fernando Alonso is competing for race wins and podiums at 42. Nowadays age matters less as long as you have the right machinery.

Let me rephrase then.
I don't see any upside in Hamilton over Sainz at Ferrari. Yes perhaps at the moment side by side in the same car, Hamilton wins every time.

But I don't see Hamilton being the difference between Ferrari winning an losing a championship right now. That comes down to their car.

With a better car, Leclerc is more than capable of bringing home a championsihp, and Sainz would be an excellent "Perez".

The only upside I really see is it takes their main competitor in Ham/Merc away. Which may secure Ferrari a more comfotable 2nd in the championship? Thats not to say whoever Merc fill the seat with wont do better than Ham though...
But I guess F1 is more than simply winning, its about branding and income. They'll sell more hats and more t-shirts. That is perhaps all they see in the deal.

The only driver Ferrari could grab right now that makes them closer to contention without needing to make big leaps in the car is Verstappen. And only because it breaks the unbeatable combo of top driver/top car. And it just assumes they can't just chuck danny ric or sainz in that vacant seat and continue dominating anyway.

 

[DamoESP]

 

[DamoESP]

So is this now proof that Toto isn't as great of a team principle as he is made out to be?

Majority of his success had come from the ground work that Brawn and Schumacher made at Merc when the hybrid regs were introduced and he swooped in last minute and got all the credit for the years of domination, but the last few years we've seen a car that's fully been designed under Toto and its shown to be a slow shitbox and they've now lost the driver who many consider to be the GOAT to one of their biggest rivals.

 

[Vader]

In completely unrelated news...

The new season of F1: Drive to Survive has a release date - Friday 23rd February (US time).

 

[Forward Press]

So is this now proof that Toto isn't as great of a team principle as he is made out to be?

Majority of his success had come from the ground work that Brawn and Schumacher made at Merc when the hybrid regs were introduced and he swooped in last minute and got all the credit for the years of domination, but the last few years we've seen a car that's fully been designed under Toto and its shown to be a slow shitbox and they've now lost the driver who many consider to be the GOAT to one of their biggest rivals.

Not really. Team principals are just that - they don't drive, design or change the tyres of the car. Would Toto Wolff or Christian Horner have turned things around at Haas instead of Gunther Steiner?

The biggest determinant of success if you want to boil it down to individuals is whether you have Adrian Newey or not (imo).

 

[Not Important]

always thought hamilton would finish his career with benz. i guess sainz has something to prove this year. we live in interesting times.

Sainz says goodbye to Ferrari: 'News of my future to follow'

Lewis Hamilton's arrival at Ferrari automatically means Carlos Sainz's departure from the Scuderia. Via his social media channels, the Spaniard reacts to the departure.

www.gpblog.com

 

[Iceman!]

So is this now proof that Toto isn't as great of a team principle as he is made out to be?

Majority of his success had come from the ground work that Brawn and Schumacher made at Merc when the hybrid regs were introduced and he swooped in last minute and got all the credit for the years of domination, but the last few years we've seen a car that's fully been designed under Toto and its shown to be a slow shitbox and they've now lost the driver who many consider to be the GOAT to one of their biggest rivals.

I think that’s harsh I don’t think you can diminish his involvement in a team that dominated for a decade and also try to heap the blame on him for the current issues.

At the very least he deserves to be afforded the time to prove he can rebuild the team.

 

[Jatz]

So is this now proof that Toto isn't as great of a team principle as he is made out to be?

Majority of his success had come from the ground work that Brawn and Schumacher made at Merc when the hybrid regs were introduced and he swooped in last minute and got all the credit for the years of domination, but the last few years we've seen a car that's fully been designed under Toto and its shown to be a slow shitbox and they've now lost the driver who many consider to be the GOAT to one of their biggest rivals.

Don't think this is on him or that it proves anything at all.

I also think while the ground work came from Brawn and Schumacher, Toto was still there to make sure it ran smoothly through an extended period of success.

 

[gaskin]

Would Toto Wolff or Christian Horner have turned things around at Haas instead of Gunther Steiner?

No because they would be hamstrung by Gene. No TP can turn Haas around when they have such a cheap and apathetic owner.