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Post by clarki on Dec 1, 2020 13:31:47 GMT
Was Vandoorne not at McLaren for a few years with Alonso??
I guess it'll depend a lot on who is actually where in the world. Can't just hop on a plane these days.
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Post by philip42h on Dec 1, 2020 18:25:55 GMT
Was Vandoorne not at McLaren for a few years with Alonso?? I guess it'll depend a lot on who is actually where in the world. Can't just hop on a plane these days. As I understand, Vandoorne is due to fly out to Bahrain tomorrow (Tuesday) as that was the existing plan anyway. And, as the "reserve driver", it would seem to make sense that he gets the drive (or drives). But I'm not sure that it really matters that much who gets the drive - Hamilton has already won the drivers championship; Mercedes have already won the constructors championship; and Covid is going to bring an end to Lewis' hope of breaking more records this season ... It will be interesting though to see how Valtteri Bottas responds ... in a Mercedes he is pretty much as fast as Lewis (in qualifying at least) but really hasn't done too well in recent races. I suspect that Mercedes would like to secure a driver one, two in the championship but as things have been going it seems likely that Max will spoil that - he will, at least, do his best. So, what Mercedes probably need is a rear gunner to support Valtteri ... ? |
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Post by Hoovie on Dec 2, 2020 8:34:22 GMT
So .. Russell will drive the Mercedes next weekend - www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/55152354I bet Bottas is not that happy about it  Stoffel Van Dorne was always a middling driver and I don't think would have posed any threat, but George Russell I think is a better driver than Bottas and could well embarrass him and make next year Bottas' last season at Mercedes and in F1 (he's a nice enough guy but most of the grid could have done the same job as him in that car). Will be very interesting to see how Russell does. Will be watching the Practice sessions on Friday with interest, especially as even though the race is in Bahrain again, it is a new layout that no one has driven before so that will even things out a little between the newbies and old hands. And something that will also be interesting to see ... will there be any team orders? Mercedes may have sewn up both Championships, but they would want #1 AND #2 positions in the Drivers standings. Bottas's grip on the #2 position with Hamilton out is tenuous as Verstappen could easily get the wins over him - Bottas would need 2nd place at the next two races at a minimum PLUS fastest lap in both races in order to keep 2nd in the listing. Would Russell yield if he were ahead to allow that to happen? |
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Post by clarki on Dec 2, 2020 10:35:52 GMT
Great news. Russell deserves the drive tbh. Hope he does well.
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Post by unclebob on Dec 2, 2020 11:10:48 GMT
So .. Russell will drive the Mercedes next weekend - www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/55152354I bet Bottas is not that happy about it  Stoffel Van Dorne was always a middling driver and I don't think would have posed any threat, but George Russell I think is a better driver than Bottas and could well embarrass him and make next year Bottas' last season at Mercedes and in F1 (he's a nice enough guy but most of the grid could have done the same job as him in that car). Will be very interesting to see how Russell does. Will be watching the Practice sessions on Friday with interest, especially as even though the race is in Bahrain again, it is a new layout that no one has driven before so that will even things out a little between the newbies and old hands. And something that will also be interesting to see ... will there be any team orders? Mercedes may have sewn up both Championships, but they would want #1 AND #2 positions in the Drivers standings. Bottas's grip on the #2 position with Hamilton out is tenuous as Verstappen could easily get the wins over him - Bottas would need 2nd place at the next two races at a minimum PLUS fastest lap in both races in order to keep 2nd in the listing. Would Russell yield if he were ahead to allow that to happen? That is excellent news and what I wanted to see ....guess I’ll have to bit the bullet and pay the Now TV month’s subscription now 🙄👍🏻 |
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Post by Hoovie on Dec 2, 2020 11:53:47 GMT
Great news. Russell deserves the drive tbh. Hope he does well. Let's hope he stakes his claim firmly with the better car showing what he is capable of. On a similar front, Mick Shumacher has been confirmed for F1 next year. That is the good news (he is a great driver to watch racing) but the bad news is he will be racing driving for HAAS, which really are Donkeys of Racing Cars, so a bit like George Russel - can he really show an impact stuck at the back fighting to avoid the wooden spoon? It is reported as a "multi-year" contract with HAAS, but surely have to assume there will be a release clause if Ferrari want to chose him for the main team? |
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Post by phaeton on Dec 2, 2020 12:27:15 GMT
Stoffel Van Dorne was always a middling driver and I don't think would have posed any threat,
This is quite strange, he was a true rising star, he won every championship he entered prior to F1, then just plateau'd & should have been better than the Maclaren at that time, was it an Alonso effect? Only seen glimpses of him in Formula E & he was struggling there as well.
But great news for Russell lets hope he grabs it with both hands & doesn't overcook it, I suggested this on another forum yesterday & glad it's come true, I wonder if my other prediction of Hamilton & Wolff existing F1 at the end of next season comes true as well.
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Post by three5 on Dec 2, 2020 12:34:21 GMT
Stoffel Van Dorne was always a middling driver and I don't think would have posed any threat,
This is quite strange, he was a true rising star, he won every championship he entered prior to F1, then just plateau'd & should have been better than the Maclaren at that time, was it an Alonso effect? Only seen glimpses of him in Formula E & he was struggling there as well.
But great news for Russell lets hope he grabs it with both hands & doesn't overcook it, I suggested this on another forum yesterday & glad it's come true, I wonder if my other prediction of Hamilton & Wolff existing F1 at the end of next season comes true as well.
You could well be right about your last prediction! The writing is on the wall for F1 in it's current format now we are to have no more IC engined cars after 2030 and I suspect that Wolff and Hamilton will find other interests. With Wolff buying into Aston Martin, he must be able to see a return on that investment coming from somewhere. |
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Post by Hoovie on Dec 2, 2020 19:12:14 GMT
This is quite strange, he was a true rising star, he won every championship he entered prior to F1, then just plateau'd & should have been better than the Maclaren at that time, was it an Alonso effect? Only seen glimpses of him in Formula E & he was struggling there as well.
But great news for Russell lets hope he grabs it with both hands & doesn't overcook it, I suggested this on another forum yesterday & glad it's come true, I wonder if my other prediction of Hamilton & Wolff existing F1 at the end of next season comes true as well.
You could well be right about your last prediction! The writing is on the wall for F1 in it's current format now we are to have no more IC engined cars after 2030 and I suspect that Wolff and Hamilton will find other interests. With Wolff buying into Aston Martin, he must be able to see a return on that investment coming from somewhere. Lewis has his X44 Extreme E Team which is starting next year. Electric SUV off-roading. I don't think any ban on Petrol or Diesel cars will effect Motor Racing directly (as in banning race cars). Diesel Vans and Lorries will still be built. |
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Post by firemac on Dec 2, 2020 20:07:22 GMT
You could well be right about your last prediction! The writing is on the wall for F1 in it's current format now we are to have no more IC engined cars after 2030 and I suspect that Wolff and Hamilton will find other interests. With Wolff buying into Aston Martin, he must be able to see a return on that investment coming from somewhere. Lewis has his X44 Extreme E Team which is starting next year. Electric SUV off-roading. I don't think any ban on Petrol or Diesel cars will effect Motor Racing directly (as in banning race cars). Diesel Vans and Lorries will still be built. Truck racing may well become mainstream! 😂 |
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Post by Hoovie on Dec 3, 2020 22:05:13 GMT
Great news. Russell deserves the drive tbh. Hope he does well. This is interesting (and very plausible I reckon)
Lando Norris knows George Russell better than most, having finished runner-up to his fellow Briton in the Formula 2 championship in 2018. And ahead of Russell’s debut appearance for Mercedes at the Sakhir Grand Prix, Norris said that Russell had the talent to take pole and victory in his very first outing in top machinery in Formula 1 – a view that was cautiously shared by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Could be a big ask in a car he is not familiar with - but .... remember Max Verstappen took his first F1 win in his first Drive in the Red Bull after getting switched mid-season (although in that case, IIRC he had a little bit of help from Hamilton and Rosberh playing silly buggers?)
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Post by clarki on Dec 4, 2020 9:12:39 GMT
I'd just love to see him beat Bottas tbh. Think Max will be hard to beat with Lewis out the equation, but you never know!!
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Post by jasehutch on Dec 4, 2020 13:11:14 GMT
It's certainly got to be one to watch.
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Post by unclebob on Dec 4, 2020 15:07:29 GMT
George is top of the times sheets for Friday practice 1 so far 👏🏻👏🏻
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Post by clarki on Dec 4, 2020 19:47:27 GMT
George is top of the times sheets for Friday practice 1 so far 👏🏻👏🏻 Yup, fastest in FP1 :TU: |
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Stoffel Van Dorne was always a middling driver and I don't think would have posed any threat, but George Russell I think is a better driver than Bottas and could well embarrass him and make next year Bottas' last season at Mercedes and in F1 (he's a nice enough guy but most of the grid could have done the same job as him in that car).
