I would agree with the Shuey thoughts but as its also a ‘feeder’ team to Ferrari, the experience of Kimi & Nico could be a great ‘development’ pairing to assist the main team whilst still earning good points for the Alfa team ...
F1 2019
- Thread starter Stratman
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Putting a never-did in with a has-been doesn't IMHO bring much to the Alfa Romeo team, and I like Nico and Kimi. Hulk's best chance was to displace one if the Haas drivers and from what the pundits are saying, his potential paycheck scuppered that. Looks to me like he is toast at least for 2020.
Williams may well promote Latifi, he would be cheaper than Hulk and George is pedalling well enough for them as is. If the car was more competitive, it would show and would then maybe warrant a more experienced/expensive driver. As for the criticism of Claire Williams, she may or may not be the right person to manage the team. Her brother is certainly less than happy about it, though it's anyone's guess as to how competent he would be in the role. I think a lot of their current lack of competitiveness is down to poor technical/design decisions. Not sure sorting that is (expected to be) within her skill set. Mssrs Lowe and Smedley might be able give a clearer insight into the issues, and may perhaps have contributed to them during their respective tenures with the team.
Williams may well promote Latifi, he would be cheaper than Hulk and George is pedalling well enough for them as is. If the car was more competitive, it would show and would then maybe warrant a more experienced/expensive driver. As for the criticism of Claire Williams, she may or may not be the right person to manage the team. Her brother is certainly less than happy about it, though it's anyone's guess as to how competent he would be in the role. I think a lot of their current lack of competitiveness is down to poor technical/design decisions. Not sure sorting that is (expected to be) within her skill set. Mssrs Lowe and Smedley might be able give a clearer insight into the issues, and may perhaps have contributed to them during their respective tenures with the team.
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Williams put all their faith in Lowe which should have paid off as he came from the Champions. The car was/is embarrassing when you look at the steps McLaren has made from being at the back and the fact that they have a Mercedes power unit in the back. I really hope they turn it around - paying Hulk to come on board and with his experience could pay off in the long run, but I can't seem him wanting to go there.
Nat
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What a boring race. When the driver who was 18th provisionally took the fastest lap. Why on earth do they hold events at some circuits where overtaking is near on impossible.
I turned it over and watched "A place in the sun" instead
I turned it over and watched "A place in the sun" instead
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Pre-pit stop it was a farce. Managing the pace is one thing but driving so slow that Kvyat was 2.6 seconds quicker in 2 sectors after his pit stop was a joke. Seb needed that win and I wonder if Ferrari made sure he won rather than Charles, although to his credit Seb did clear the traffic better
Chewing gum tyres, marginal on fuel, Ferrari screwing Charles over on strategy, Mercedes not awake to the undercut, a much improved Ferrari, Kvyat driving beyond his mental ability (I'll bet Kimi is well cheesed off). A dull slow race with farcical pace in the first session and too many stupid incidents and safety cars in the second. Shame, because I like Singapore.
aj_clc
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Dull - and thats with 3 DRS zones - remember when we had 1 DRS zone to "aid" overtaking, now we get as many as they can fit in a circuit to try and spice up the show - otherwise imagine what the races would be like.....
Bottas also got screwed on strategy for Hamilton, although to be honest Bottas has proven himself over the past 2 years to be a good "wingman", just what Mercedes want.....
Bottas also got screwed on strategy for Hamilton, although to be honest Bottas has proven himself over the past 2 years to be a good "wingman", just what Mercedes want.....
I'm not sure that Mercedes 'want' Valteri to be a wingman, but he hasn't really been able to out perform Lewis consistently. There are times when VB is really on it and he is a quick driver, but I'm not convinced he is as quick as Seb (when he's not making mistakes), Charles, Max, Danny Ric or Lewis. He is just a little bit too 'polite'... Nice guys rarely win. Nico didn't get to win against Lewis by being nice. Instead he had to become much more aggressive, perhaps even going too much in that direction.
I have no idea what MB were thinking of when they left Lewis out yesterday. Total eff-up by the strategy team. Had they not slowed VB down, Lewis would have ended up behind Alex in sixth. Maybe they should have just let that play out, but using the undercut on your team-mate is an unusual choice.
I think F1 should make the car systems easier to manage, take the radio out unless the car is stationary and communicate pit-stop and race strategy via the pit board. They also need to get rid of the second by second strategy analysis by hoards of backroom engineers some (most?) of which aren't even at the race venue. Constant live communication to Brackely or Maranello etc during a race is just ridiculous. I think this should be stopped after FP2. From there onwards it should be up to the pitwall and the driver to decide what happens.
Anyway...
aj_clc
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agree on Bottas - he showed promise near the start of the season, then as you say he just cannot keep it going - it makes Mercedes life easier.
wasnt there supposed to be some new rear aero changes this year that Brawn was shouting about that would enable cars to run closer in corners etc etc - not sure that ever took effect? or its had no effect!
wasnt there supposed to be some new rear aero changes this year that Brawn was shouting about that would enable cars to run closer in corners etc etc - not sure that ever took effect? or its had no effect!
Well I thought it was a great race if you are into F1 strategy. Great race for Seb, and he needed one. Ferrari now look as though then can battle with Mercedes for the rest of the season, which has got to be good. Some good points for Lando.....oh! and Lewis increased his championship lead with not that many races to the season's end.
grober
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Have Mercedes lost their Mojo a bit since they lost Nicki Lauda? I suspect Bottas would not still be around for one, and not forgetting he was instrumental in luring Lewis Hamilton away from McLaren!
Good point. Nicki would no doubt have provided some clarity of thought.
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An iteration of an F1 2021 car from its wind tunnel tests
martin-brundle-on-the-twists-and-turns-of-an-unusual-singapore-gp
Interesting to read what someone who was actually in Singapore thought of the last race.
Interesting to read what someone who was actually in Singapore thought of the last race.
Nat
MB Enthusiast
Russian GP this weekend. Fingers crossed it will be better than the last race. Maybe VB will get to keep the lead this time 
aj_clc
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So Sky have sold the highlights again to C4 for a few more years - how can this be a good business model for them considering how much they paid (and put into) F1 coverage - perhaps they are of the opinion they will "pickup" a few people on NOW TV for Sky Sports passes if the interest in the championship is broadcast to a wider audience and it goes down to the wire, or people who are just bored one weekend and have the chance to watch it live so pay for a pass, knowing they can still follow it in its entirety on C4.....
Dryce
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The hard reality for F1 is that it is struggling against a decline in audiences.
If it is lost from free-to-air the risk for F1 and also for Sky is the audience decline contines - and Sky's potential base of new subscribers dwindles with it.
So the C4 deal may not lose them audience - may actually gain them a few by acting as a feeder (or your term 'pickup'). At the same time Sky gets some money and some broadcast rights to C4 material. The C4 highlights package has also been reduced - and they mention (and therefore promote) Sky in their broadcasts.
I'm surprised that C4 do their own commentary with Ben Edwards and DC rather than just use the Sky commentary. The risk for Sky is that some of prefer the C4 team to the Sky team. If I had been Sky i would have coerced C4 to take Sky coverage and analysis with minimal C4 studio anchor. That way teh Sky copverge could ben negatively compared with the C4 coverage.
OP
OP
Stratman
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D
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Confirmed this morning. I can see Alonso back in thar car in 2021
