https://www.planetf1.com/news/sebastian-vettel-formula-1-retirement/ Seb announces retirement, not that anyone's really surprised. He's definitely had that retiring and giving no f##ks look about him this year.
And yet his supermarionation son lives on. Maybe Gerry Anderson was onto something with old Capt. Scarlett.
This is a team, who even when found to be cheating, still couldn't win anything. They never had a plot to lose.
Slowly but surely Mercedes are closing the gap, 7 seconds behind at the end today. They'll beat Ferrari in the constructors, if they keep improving like they have in the first half of the year they might be chasing RB too. Ferrari continue to be Ferrari, when the Italians are in charge, chaos reigns supreme. At least in this era the press and the pundits can see it.
It's a particularly tedious thing this year to have to think/talk about where and when the teams have spent their budget, when they can afford a bring a new pack of upgrades etc. but it does feel quite impactful - we have been through various phases of the season already that seemed to have stemmed from this.
Why would anyone join that s*** show? Yes they've been collecting "big names" like pokemon, but nothing is pointing that Asston Martin will succeed und Stroll. If anything it's repeating the mistakes of the big manufacturers in the 00's, came in full of bluster, bigged themselves up as the next great thing and became midfield also rans at best.
I have zero confidence that Stroll (senior) can run anything successfully. He comes across as a bully and petulant. Compare it to the management style of Toto and its night and day. Toto has run the most successful team in the sport since Schumacher/Ferrari and despite a weak start to this season are showing resilience in becoming competitive again. Aston Martin will burn through people at a huge rate of knots as they realise the extra money isn't worth the chaotic work environment and the risk of being fired due to a temper tantrum from the boss.
*taps sign* EDIT: So now silly season is full swing... here's how the teams look/might look... RBR - Verstappen/Perez Merc - Hamilton/Russell Ferrari - LeClerc/Sainz AlphaTauri - Gasly/Tsunoda Aston Martin - Stroll/Alonso McLaren - Norris/Ricciardo Alfa Romeo - Bottas/Zhou Haas - Magnussen/Schumacher Alpine - Ocon/Piastri Williams - Albon/Sergeant
I expect based on what is circulating that those will be the likely outcomes Based on some recent bits and pieces I do wonder a couple of things: 1. Williams will maybe take a punt on Gasly or Riccardo to give Sergeant another season 2. Red Bull, sorry, Helmut Marko loosing patience with Perez 3. The link up with Porsche having some impact on Tsunoda despite Helmut having a thing for him. 4. Haas not continuing with one or both drivers (Feel this is very very unlikely but Schumacher position is due to Ferrari) 5. Hamilton retires (Again can't see it being this season but the end surely is nigh)
Lets makes some surely to age badly predictions - More likely Mercedes hand Williams Nyck de Vries and a sack full of cash/cheaper engines [imo] Perez, Gasly, and Tsunoda are only still there [and Perez was only hired in the first place] bc RB's driver academy has got nothing and has had nothing for years. If Porch have a young driver they want to foist on RBR/AT [like Honda with Tsunoda]... bc of the Helmet factor I can see it being in place of Gasly. Like Piastri with Renault/Alpine, Ferrari/Sauber will probably want to put Pourchaire somewhere if they can. Who would get pushed out at Haas or Sauber to accommodate him, not sure. Bottas maybe? I think if Hamilton was going this year we'd have heard something by now. Not like they did a stellar job of keeping Russell's move their a secret.
I think Hamilton lasts another year on the hope that Merc can give him championship 8 next year. If they are still off the pace he will either retire or move though I don't quite imagine he would go to Ferrari and RB would never happen.
