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Post by Dirty Epic on Apr 18, 2018 19:01:35 GMT
Will try and do a proper post on the season so far but nice one Danny Ricciardo for a good win and making things interesting in China too.
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Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Apr 18, 2018 22:55:14 GMT
Read a report today that Alonso is coveting a return to Ferrari and that Kimi is rumored to retire at the end of the season.
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Post by Dirty Epic on Apr 20, 2018 9:23:02 GMT
It's been an interesting season so far.
The big talking point has been Hamilton and Mercedes apparently being off pace/not doing well but for me don’t quite see it that way. Yes they (Mercedes) threw away a decent victory in Melbourne but haven’t really seen anything to suggest Lewis isn’t on it nor lost his way at the moment. Yes and I’ve seen it in Singapore when Lewis isn’t on it he’s no more special than anyone else out there and perhaps some of the early season misfortune hasn’t done much for his confidence. However if he gets a few wins in the next races and say Vettel/Ferrari mess up or have some scruffy races then he’s back in the hunt. Having said this is all well between Hamilton and Mercedes at the moment? Interesting he’s not committed to a new contract and the Ferrari/retirement rumours seemed to have gathered pace so who knows something else could be going on (behind the scenes) here.
Not a bad start for Ferrari and particularly Vettel but I think they could have done better still. Melbourne was a lucky break for Vettel and dominated quali in Bahrain. However Ferrari should have controlled the race in Bahrain better than they did and the tyre gamble with Vettel could have easily gone pear shaped if Bottas has have got more racey with him. The pit stop mess up for Kimi also shows some of Ferrari’s erratic/slap dash ethos within the team post Schumacher is still there and they need to get more on top of their game if they are to beat the Mercs (and Red Bull) this year. Also they blew a decent opportunity in China too and added to Vettel and Verstappen’s tangle shows things aren’t all plain sailing for the Prancing Horse.
Red Bull are a bit as expected but could be a fly in the ointment for Mercedes and Ferrari this year. Good win for Ricciardo in China… luck again playing a part but the chance has to be taken. As for Max Verstappen hmm great talent and potential but has to iron out these stupid and erratic errors like the tangles with Lewis and Vettel this year and past incidents. Yes take the risks if you’re dicing for a championship but in the earlier half of the season play it smarter and think your strategy a bit better. Mind you every driver has been involved in dubious incidents.. some like Senna and Schumacher downright dirty, so hopefully Max will iron this aspect of his style out. If not he’ll end up a midfield team journeyman like Perez or Hulkenberg for example – not bad drivers but not WDC potential either. Are things at the end of the road for Danny Ricciardo and Red Bull? Hard to say if they can produce a car this and next season which is around the same level as Mercedes and Ferrari he should really stay for a season or two. If not it’s Catch 22. Vertsappen has got the ear of the top brass (Helmut Marko particularly) within Red Bull so in effect is defacto number 1 there a bit like the Webber/Vettel days a few seasons ago. But if Ricciardo moves on he’ll most likely be a number two unless say Hamilton leaves Mercedes? Can’t see him teaming up with Vettel at Ferrari either – don’t think they’ve got a issue with each other more to do with Vettel being defacto number 1. Still if Kimi leaves Ferrari at the end of the season it’s possible and like with Lewis at McLaren in 2012 perhaps the reasons for leaving could give Danny a fresh lease of life. Hope so.
The midfield and the Renault runners in particular is a bit as expected. McLaren aren’t really as good as they talked themselves up to be when they ditched Honda last season. Yes they’ve had to redesign things a bit hurriedly around the Renault engine/built around the Honda but lets say their divorce from Honda was well known even before the 2017 season started so they should have had a more coherent plan for 2018 and got Renault on board much earlier than they did. Quali has been dire for them but again due to some good luck they’ve come away from the races so far with a good haul of points which is flattering their true performance. Zak Brown/Eric Bouiller says the ‘true’ car will emerge in Spain but if it doesn’t think they have to look again at how things are being managed and run their. Like him or late him at least Ron Dennis got on top of things which I think they’re not doing at the moment. Also interesting that the Honda partnership seemed to be at it’s best in 2016 when Dennis briefly returned to the team. Still they could be much, much worse at the moment like Williams!
Renault not really progressed/the same as they were in 2017 although they now have two consistent drivers and point scorers in Hulkenberg and Sainz. Did think they’d be a bit more in the mix and interesting that their customers Red Bull and McLaren are ahead of them in the WCC. Haas have done okay but blew a very good chance of good points in Melbourne… and there’s some question marks over whether the car is a clone of Ferrari’s 2017 machine. Alright driver line up in Grosjean and Magnussen but nothing spectacular and may need someone with a something more than this if they want to move up and challenge the top teams. Force India have gone a bit backwards since a fair few seasons of being best of the rest. Again perhaps luck and poor competition helped them over the last few years and their current position is where they really should have been. Be interesting if they keep hold of Ocon after this season too who may be Mercedes/Ferrari bound again like Hass Perez is a bit of a journeyman but can turn in a good result when he’s on it be interesting to see how their season pans out.
Great result for Gasly for Toro Rosso in Bahrain. Okay the Honda engine might spend more time failing and in the garage rather than turning in results for them since Toro Rosso inherited it from McLaren but they seem to be finding things from it which McLaren couldn’t/wouldn’t. Big if, if they get it to work could upset the midfield and like them to do it! Gasly seems like a someone for the future. Hope he moves up to the next level/gets a better drive although we’ve has a few of these drivers over the years who turn in a few decent results then disappear so who knows. Unsure on Brendon Hartley deserves a full season before we can see what he has to offer F1. Had a bit of bad luck too but not really done anything spectacular either. Still Hartley is miles better than Williams driver line up at the moment.
Better so far than last year for Sauber. Again a bit like Force India they’re where they should be at the moment… after a fair few seasons in the doldrums. Also like Toro Rosso they’ve got a good potential driver in Charles Leclerc who if he gets some better results may alert the top teams for 2019/20. Progress for them would be 9th or better in the WCC but that all depends on Williams – where do I begin with them.
Oh dear Williams have seriously gone backwards. Yes we all know Stroll and Sirotkin are nowhere near as good as Massa and Bottas who a couple of seasons ago. But to go from seriously challenging the dominant Merc’s in quali and races to the back of the grid is very bad for a team who along with McLaren and Ferrari are one of the elder statesmen of F1. Yes they will miss Massa and his experience but lets say they were lucky to get him back for one last season and he was the main reason they were half competitive in 2017 too! These pay drivers may be bankrolling Williams but unless they get lucky or miraculously improve (can’t see it) they’ll drag them down I’m afraid. In all honesty Pedro Diniz (and I’m being unkind to Pedro here) could do a better job than these two and when Massa wanted to retire they should’ve looked at a more experienced driver to partner Stroll. Perhaps not Kubica who’s not been in F1 for a fair few years and may have lost something since his accident but not really sure anyone else could come in and do better… maybe someone like Daniil Kvyat or Heikki Kovalainen could have been better for Williams. Again a Catch 22 for them as they really need these pay drivers to survive and the decent alternatives wouldn’t bring revenue/sponsorship to the team, have already been snapped up already with other teams and/or other ex-F1 drivers are worse than the line up they currently have. Hope they can turn it around!
A decent if perhaps not spectacular start to the F1 season so far. Maybe Baku in a week’s time will bring some spark to the action. It’s usually a good race there and for all the criticism and sceptics of F1 at the moment it’s still the best motorsport’s series around.
Here’s to Baku bring it on!
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Post by Dirty Epic on Apr 20, 2018 9:44:41 GMT
Read a report today that Alonso is coveting a return to Ferrari and that Kimi is rumored to retire at the end of the season. Yeah heard that rumour too Del.
Reckon it's a silly season one as I can't see it somehow think Fernando burnt too many bridges with the Prancing Horse... but anything's possible as who'd have thought he'd ever go back to McLaren.
Reckon he'll go to Sportscars if things work out for him there this year. Shame really as ge had at least a 1 or 2 more WDC's in him if perhaps hot headed-ness and bad decisions got the better of him.
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Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Apr 20, 2018 18:38:22 GMT
He has a good couple of years left in him as you say DE. I reckon he will go to Indycar after next season if he can't get a top F1 seat.
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Batgirl
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Post by Batgirl on Apr 22, 2018 11:43:26 GMT
It's been an interesting season so far.
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Having said this is all well between Hamilton and Mercedes at the moment? Interesting he’s not committed to a new contract and the Ferrari/retirement rumours seemed to have gathered pace so who knows something else could be going on (behind the scenes) here.
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As for Max Verstappen hmm great talent and potential but has to iron out these stupid and erratic errors like the tangles with Lewis and Vettel this year and past incidents. Yes take the risks if you’re dicing for a championship but in the earlier half of the season play it smarter and think your strategy a bit better.
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Force India have gone a bit backwards since a fair few seasons of being best of the rest. Again perhaps luck and poor competition helped them over the last few years and their current position is where they really should have been. Be interesting if they keep hold of Ocon after this season too Hartley is miles better than Williams driver line up at the moment.
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Loved your post Dirty Epic. That was a lot of writing ! Just wanted to comment on some parts of your post (as I've picked out above). Really ? Could Hamilton be unhappy at Mercedes ? Time will tell. I agree completely with your assessment of Max Verstappen. I love his guts and skills but he makes some erratic decisions. I am disappointed in Force India's start to the season as they're my second team. I think Ocon could be a talent.
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Post by Dirty Epic on Apr 27, 2018 10:31:14 GMT
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Post by Dirty Epic on Apr 27, 2018 14:34:43 GMT
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Batgirl
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Post by Batgirl on Apr 29, 2018 10:25:23 GMT
Interesting race tonight. Vettel, Hamilton, Bottas and Ricciardo in grid positions to start. I like this. I reckon Lewis would be scared if I took him out in my Cortina. Hmm I'd like to see how Lewis would drive my car though. Lewis seems to be getting some unnecessary criticism from sources lately. Lewis should ignore the critics, don't give them the satisfaction of a response. The quick judgement many jump to is uncalled for.
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Post by D.C. Burtonshaw on Apr 29, 2018 17:32:59 GMT
I got a chance to watch it today as well, Hamilton's first win at this track but ended up being a late and unexpected result due to Bottas unfortunate tyre burst and earlier crashes. Fair bit of debris to clear up too, the circuit reminds me a little of Monaco with the driving through past old buildings etc. Haven't kept up with the GP much in very recent years, but interesting to watch today!
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