Formula 1, Moto GP, WSB, 2021 Season

[Dryce]

If Albon is really going to be the reserve driver for Red Bull, then hopefully he will replace Perez if this driver does not perform.

Are we already making excuses for Perez if he fails to give Verstappen a run for his money?

No excuses - just expectations.

Where SP has always been strong has been over a race distance. He can manage his car and his pace over a race and exploit strategy. I don't think Red Bull are expecting him to match MV in raw speed. And I don't think that's what they need. I think he's been hired to fit the team. A team after the championship against a close rival wants three things from its driver:

- wins
- if not wins then following home their other driver in 2nd
- if not 2nd then being able to neutralise / box in the rivals via strategy

The problem with Albon was that he got boxed out of all three of those. Showed signs of speed - but not consistency or resilience. To a lesser degree Mercedes have a similar problem with VB.

The major question mark is whether Perez adapts to the car.

 

[Stratman]

Will Perez be allowed to give Verstappen a 'run for his money', or will his job be to act as a more effective road block behind him?

 

[Dryce]

Will Perez be allowed to give Verstappen a 'run for his money', or will his job be to act as a more effective road block behind him?

If he is genuinely faster ... they why not.

or will his job be to act as a more effective road block behind him?

Red Bull need a combination of points and they need to take places from their rivals.

What Albon hasn't managed to do is race the Mercedes.

So Red Bull need a drive who can take points and places from Mercedes. And if Ferrari or McLaren are fast then take points and places from them as well.

We may get a surprise next year - but I would assume that Red Bull are not expecting to have any significant advantage over Mercedes. And there's a risk that they have little car advantage over an improved Ferrari and evolved McLaren. So that means they need both drivers to get points on a bad day as well as on a good day.

 

[GeeJayW]

So what's your stance on the beer swilling, fag smoking, womanising legend that is Hunt the Shunt?

You can't have old fashioned views but change them to suit the current climate.

I watch them as racers, thats all.

And how come everyone loves politically incorrect Kimi

One 5 second muted mobile phone clip does not tell a lifestory.

All the comments are along the lines of "spoilt little rich kid" " Daddys money " "nasty piece of work" " end his career INSTANTLY"

Really?

I think its all a tad harsh.

James Hunt’s era was very very different from today. F1 was a relatively esoteric sport back then with piddlingly small budgets compared to today. Just one of the top teams probably have as many people as the whole paddock did back then, when it was Ok for teams to be sponsored by tobacco companies. In fact, hardly anyone was interested in F1 and it was on the brink of disappearing, and would have but for a certain B. Ecclestone.

As for Kimi, he definitely ploughs his own furrow but he never comes across as entitled or uncouth.

 

[Dryce]

James Hunt’s era was very very different from today.

Just look at the care safety, track safety, and marshalls ....

I would disagree with you about F1 being on the brink of disappearing. It was more a case of the awareness of media rights and value were emerging across sport. As an example English football hadn't reorganised itself and the likes of Rugby Union and athletics were caught up with the issue of amateur vs professional. Satellite TV started becoming a force from the late 80s which had an impact on compertition and value of media rights for sports. So change was happening and the likes of Mr Ecclestone were positioned in the right place at the right time to apply their abilities and talents to a greater extent than might otherwise have been the case..

 

[GeeJayW]

Just look at the care safety, track safety, and marshalls ....

I would disagree with you about F1 being on the brink of disappearing. It was more a case of the awareness of media rights and value were emerging across sport. As an example English football hadn't reorganised itself and the likes of Rugby Union and athletics were caught up with the issue of amateur vs professional. Satellite TV started becoming a force from the late 80s which had an impact on compertition and value of media rights for sports.

No worries, we can agree to differ.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

But James hunt still punched a competitor.
Just because it was a different era, is it still acceptable to applaud him and keep him in the legendary status he has?( and deserves)

A lot of double standards being posted.

I just think that this mazepan or whatever his name is character is getting a VERY rough ride due a 5 second video clip.

The rest of his driving is typical of some drivers, maybe not ideal but nothing that we haven't seen before.

Some of the comments are actually more disgusting than his 5 second video.

Im not condoning his actions in the video, I've said my piece elsewhere about that.

Why not let him drive the car in the first race before everyone crucifies him?

 

[GeeJayW]

But James hunt still punched a competitor.
Just because it was a different era, is it still acceptable to applaud him and keep him in the legendary status he has?( and deserves)

A lot of double standards being posted.

I just think that this mazepan or whatever his name is character is getting a VERY rough ride due a 5 second video clip.

The rest of his driving is typical of some drivers, maybe not ideal but nothing that we haven't seen before.

Some of the comments are actually more disgusting than his 5 second video.

Im not condoning his actions in the video, I've said my piece elsewhere about that.

Why not let him drive the car in the first race before everyone crucifies him?

My comments are not just based on the boob-grab video (which was apparently actually posted by the girl using his insta account...).

Have you actually watched him driving a race car? I don’t like the way he drives. I don’t like that he has an F1 drive because Daddy has deep pockets any more than I like that Baby Stroll has a drive, though of course that is a reality of motorsport in general and always has been to some extent.

He may prove to be very competent and quick and put the other stuff behind him. I hope that is the case.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

He must have an A1 license?
He must be half capable.

There must be hundreds of poor people who are better drivers, which is the way you're coming across.

I wish my parents were billionaires so I could party my life away, touching boobs and racing fast cars.

But they aren't, and I'm not bitter towards them who have been born in to money. I find that a bit pathetic if I'm honest.

Everyone makes mistakes, be it large or small, but to berate folk for having rich parents above everything else? Lost for words.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

But saying all that, by judging the book by its cover(which is what I'm trying not to do), he does come across like a spoilt brat who doesn't deserve the drive

 

[GeeJayW]

He must have an A1 license?
He must be half capable.

There must be hundreds of poor people who are better drivers, which is the way you're coming across.

I wish my parents were billionaires so I could party my life away, touching boobs and racing fast cars.

But they aren't, and I'm not bitter towards them who have been born in to money. I find that a bit pathetic if I'm honest.

Everyone makes mistakes, be it large or small, but to berate folk for having rich parents above everything else? Lost for words.

You’re clearly not lost for words...

I‘m not at all bitter that his parents have money. Good luck to them if it was obtained legally etc..
I do not like that he comes across as an entitled individual.
I do not like that his parents money effectively buys him a place in F1.
I do not like that he is over aggressive/dangerous when in a racing car.
I did not like the manner in which he groped a girl friend (not girlfriend), whilst filming on his phone. Even though it was the girl that then posted it.

All of this is my opinion, which you clearly don’t agree with. That’s fine, we don’t have to agree on anything.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

I think we will end up agreeing later next year that you were right .

But I like to give them a chance in the car first.

Everyone criticised Max going Red Bull but that worked.

 

[GeeJayW]

I think we will end up agreeing later next year that you were right .

But I like to give them a chance in the car first.

Everyone criticised Max going Red Bull but that worked.

I sincerely hope he proves me wrong.

 

[Mondayo]

I think most people (me included) consider Max to have outstanding (potential championship winning) driving talent. His driving is maturing and with a more support from a stronger team-mate on strategy, Max and RBR might well have more chance of getting good results next year.

Perez is an excellent driver, especially over a race distance, where typically he shows good pace, an ability to stay out of trouble and manage his tyres. In terms of outright pace, we don't yet know how he'll compare to Max and it will be interesting to see how that works out. My expectation is that he is a better bet than Alex (who I really like) over a race weekend/season, but again we'll see. I do think that the Red Bull is a tricky car to drive, so for sure it's going to be interesting.

Russell has definitely set the bar for what is expected of any F1 driver in a top car. However, we shouldn't forget that George is a very talented, well rated driver who just happens to be more regularly strapped into an uncompetitive car. That of course might be said of any of them (though I'm very much not a fan of Mazepin who I don't think should be there in 21), there are only 20 seats after all. Hard to know if Albon, Perez, Sainz, Gasly, Norris et al would have done the same in the Mercedes, but maybe they would've.

I think it'll be very interesting to see how goes for Perez. He's had a cracking couple of years, but he also went a bit mental when Ocon had him under the cosh.... although it's possible they were as bad as each other for taking the other out.
I like Albon and think he's had a tough year...but ultimately to be half a second on average compared to your team mate (in qualifying) sounds pretty bad.
Bottas can give Lewis a good run for his money in qualifying on his day.
I'm guessing with ego's like Max and Lewis is finding the right team mate...pushing them and supporting them but usually a tenth or two behind.

Maybe?!

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Spyshot revealed of Lewis Hamilton’s new MB suit.

 

[PhantomF4]

Spyshot revealed of Lewis Hamilton’s new MB suit.
View attachment 106363

He never fails to amaze....

 

[bob6600]

 

[PhantomF4]

Given the very public nature of F1 and high profile mean that behaviours from the driver wether on track, in the paddock or the high street all have an impact on the F1 brand. This in turn impacts on revenue coming into the sport.

I’m not currently seeing anything from Mazepin that improves the profile of the F1 brand and I’m less than comfortable with some of the stuff Hamilton is up to, especially his inconsistency of message.

I seem to recall David Coulthard telling Murray Walker that he saw his real job at McLaren Mercedes as always being professional when he represented the company doing the PR, factory tours, interviews and public speaking in order to promote the company who paid his wages. He said the reward for doing all that was getting to race at the weekends!

 

[Essexbob]

So 7 times world champ and SPOTY ... can/will this happen again in F1 Schumi & Ham have had fate, luck, good fortune as well as skill on their side. Will be hard to shine in the mid field in 2021 as cars likely to be similar to 2020 and financial pressure higher to break into top 3. I'm predicting major fireworks ver vs ric vs lec vs bot, maz vs alo and anyone else unfortunate enough to get in his way. As ham chills in best car/team combo again .. just my two pennyworth.

 

[Essexbob]

Have to say apart from his honesty in the 'netfix' documentary 'drive to survive' ( very good if not seen ) I actually don't have a lot of faith in Steiner as a team manager, If pappa Mazepin does buy the HAAS team I'm thinking Steiner will be replaced.