Motors Bit-Tech F1 2017 thread - Season Complete

Well, least Hamilton did the honourable thing and gave his place back, even though it hurt his championship.

 

The issue is with tracks designed for cars from the 1950's, cars were always going to evolve but the track design hasn't.

 

Alonso stealing the show at the end, brilliant

 

I'm half expecting a news story about Alonso getting caught trying to hide the Merc engine he was secretly using today

 

Hulkenberg to K-Mag "You are the most un-sporting driver on the grid,"
K-Mag to Hulkenberg "Suck my balls,"

I like K-Mag a little more today.

Alonso's beach mural under the podium and his placard were priceless, happy summer break Fernando!

 

When did this happen?

 

During the post race interviews, right in front of all the press, it should surely be on Youtube by now.

 

Oh lord, I'm dead. What a hoot!

 

It's about time K-Mag showed some personality - he's been turning steadily beige since he joined F1, and was in real danger of becoming another Hulkenberg. This is because he rode him out wide when he tried to take him on the outside? Don't be a whiny little bitch.

He's still got it too - some nice racing today - I'd love to see him back in a competitive car.

 

There were some good moments in that race.
Loads of emotion in there as well.
Verstappen taking out DanRic, and Daniel's response to that.
Kimi playing the team game there (in spite of repeatedly asking for Seb to speed up a lot), and Lewis and Bottas cooperating was great.
K-Mag telling Hulk to suck his testes is one of those things that was funny at the time, but I'd also not be surprised if someone is going to have words with him about that. He did push Hulk wide (disagreeing with a rule does not make it apply any less), and he did get the penalty for it. His words after were somewhat inappropriate considering the circumstance... but hey - it was funny, and it did make Magnussen less beige (and Hulk maybe a bit more so).

Alonso on Sainz was great to watch as well.
Alonso snatching the fastest lap at then end and then sitting on his mural was GREAT.

 

Marchionne: Sauber Engine deal will create a Ferrari junior team...

...meanwhile Haas are going 'seriously? wtf guys... I thought that was meant to be us?' [would also explain why they've stuck with RoGro and KMag for next year]

 

Supposedly Di Resta in the running for Massa's seat next year

In season testing was interesting:

• Kubica looks good. Slower than Palymer on fast runs on a warmer (Slower conditions) rubbered in circuit (Faster conditions) so hard to read anything into the time. Race pace looked better than Hulkenberg's tho again hard to read into it. Fuel loads and parts on the car are unknown
• Leclerc impressed at Farrari, Lando Norris for McLaren being compared to Button and described as a wonderkid

We all know that three into two Sauber seats doesn't go as kaltengone failed to realise. Seems Wherlin is fighting rumours he's for Formula e next year. I could see him in Merc's FE team but with the withdrawal of Merc from DTM, there are a lot of good drivers potentially on the market looking for seats in rival series. Engel, Auer, di Resta, Paffett come to mind.

 

Well for 2018 I reckon:

Merc, Ferrari, RBR, Haas and Force Whatever remain unchanged, mainly as iirc all 5 have confirmed as much already.

McPotentially-no-engine: 'nando or Lando [if they can't convince Alonso to stay] and Woffle. Though the thought of 'Nando and Lando' as a possibility makes me smile.

Sauber: Leclerc and Ericsson, Leclerc and Giovinazzi if they're going for the full on STR to Ferrari's Red Bull

Williams: Stroll and DiResta

Renault: Hulkensulk and, i'm gonna go out on a limb and say Sainz.

STR: Gasly and and either Niko Kari or Sean Geleal. Possibly both if Gasly decides to stay in F-e. None of the other RB Young drivers are old enough. Even with some Verstappen-level rules fudging i don;t think they'd be able to get Verschoor a super license.

 

I can't see Lando getting a seat as quick as that. It looks like ar least 1 more season before they run him, possibly a test driver stint in between. If Alonso quits I could still see McLaren chasing Sainz, Ericsson, Giovinazzi or even more likely Wherlin for a season, especially if an engine is needed.
Ericsson/Giovinazzi will be a toss up. I reckon Ericsson will keep it based on funding.
Vettel contract isn't secure yet tho it's like watching the worse poker game in history.

 

I can see Mercedes making it worth Williams' while to put Werhlein in the other Williams.

With Bottas doing so well there is no space for him at Merc, FI have their pick of the drivers and Sauber are now Ferrari team-B, leaving Werhlein at a bit of an impasse. He's outperformed everyone he's been paired with, scored points in a Manor and this year's Sauber, he's clearly got plenty of talent so Merc will wan to keep him somewhere in F1 if they can.

If they can't then Williams can do a lot worse than Paul the less-grumpy-than-he-used-to-be.

 

What the hell would McLaren want with Ericsson?! They don't need a pay driver, so why would they consider a known underperformer?

I think Alonso will stay though.

 

IMO if that was likely then he'd have been in this year's Williams instead of Massa, 'we need an experienced driver' be damned.

 

Their sponsors needed someone who could actually drink their product.
McLaren did give kovalainen a drive. They also dumped Perez. I could see a similar deprived oxygen state landing Ericsson there as Alonso waited till the first race before leaving.

 

Silly season has begun with Stroll to FI