Rear gunner for WDC and securing WCC is where the #2 driver is supposed to come into play. Bottas hasn't accomplished the former, regardless of Verstappen's/RBR's ability to actually challenge for a title. And flipping it around, Verstappen's job in a field as unequal as the one we have currently, is to maximise every weekend, which he has done admirably. Albon's utter failure as a #2 has been meaningless thanks to Max nailing it weekend after race weekend. But if there was a more serious challenge for P2 in the WCC, I can imagine Marko & Horner would have been far more trigger happy with a shuffle or sacking. The most *effective team* on the grid is the one that takes home the WCC. WDC is prestige points. We've had situations not too long ago where the WCC team did not make the WDC. I can assure you they were quite a bit happier than the team with the WDC. Cha-ching and all that.
Constructors' title is where the money is. Be interesting to see who subs in for Hamilton... lol if it's hulkenberg, double lol if he beats Bottas.
Wonder if they just do a single car race. Its not agaist the rules and they have won everything there is to win this season
As much as I'd love it to be Hulkenburg it'll probably end up being Stoffel. For Bottas this is surely the worst pressure to be under, getting beaten consistently by Hamilton is one thing but having a substitute driver get anywhere near is just going to be embarrassing imo. I doubt that'll happen though and Bottas should have whoever gets the drive covered comfortably. The only thing Bottas has achieved for me is highlighting how much I under-appreciated Rosberg!
It actually is against the rules for the teams to run one car unless force majeure is in play. With four days to find a driver and at least two available drivers (Vandoorne, Hulk) Mercedes would have a tought time arguing it was impossible for them to field two cars this weekend. I expect them to run Stoffellupagus, but in my heart I want Hulkenberg or Russell to get the drive and smash everyone. Hulkenberg randomly winning a race would be peak 2020. Indeed, but I think Toto would be on his third heart attack by now if Nico had kept going.
Conspiracy theory time: Hamilton doesn't have Corona, but is really shook up by the grojean crash and wanted some time off to evaluate whether he really wants an 8th wdc THAT badly.
Not beyond the realms of plausibility... iirc LeClerc was shooketh by it, as was Vettel [the latter saying the constant replays of the crash were a bit much]. Also, Lewis still doesn't officially have a drive next year so he could indeed decide to bail. Being shaken by Grosjean's crash, questioning his future in F1 does not preclude him having covid though. Both could be true at oncec.
It is going to be an interesting driver line up though. Just hope the cars not a turd like this seasons.
