I think bottas was used as a sacrifice to aid Hamiltons race, hold up vettel and Raikkonen as long as possible and get Hamilton 2nd.
I think Mercedes need to fire their strategist. They keep losing races because they don't pit for tyres under safety car conditions. Unless it's Monaco they should always do that, the car was faster than the Ferrari, but not when the Ferrari has brand new tyres and the Mercedes doesn't. Berks.
Track position counted for a lot more especially with the wake of dirty air making passing impossible without a massive performance difference. As the teams are much closer, no impacted to the same extent as merc In dirty air and Merc are no longer the best team or engine this is no longer true.
https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-to-deal-with-ferrucci-this-week/ Gunter Steiner wins the 'most menacing man in motor racing for ever and all eternity' award for statement that he's going to 'deal with it,' said in the kind of tone normally used in Martin Scorsese films. Time to say goodbye to that racing career young man.
I thought they had already terminated his contract. From the sound of other reports both him and his father have been abusive for some time. Looking at the standings his teammate has outclassed him all season. I guess daddies money doesn't buy you everything.
So Aldo Costa will be semi-retiring from Mercedes at the end of the year, having been lead designer of every Merc since 2013. I wonder where this will leave the 2019/2020 cars, I also wonder why this guy isn't more well known, he was responsible for the Ferraris from 2005-2011 and the Mercs from 2012 to now (and ten years worth of Minardis), every post Minardi car he's built has been there or there abouts in the championsip. You'd think he'd be brought up alongside names like Newey and Byrne, but apparently not.
Will be a big loss for the team tho I'm sure they will poach someone. Wonder if this is a semi retirement like Newey a few years ago.
I totally agree. In this instance, they may not have had tyres for both cars, but they did in other races that they dropped the bollock in. I applaud him for shouldering the blame over team radio the other week; however, it's happened far too many times this season, let alone the last few seasons too. If you've got a free pit stop, you absolutely have to take it. Leaving a car out, even with tyres that are only a few laps old, when you've got fresh tyres in the garage and a window to fit them.. well, its just lunacy. Red Bull have got their strategy spot on time and time again. It's a shame they don't quite have the car under them just yet to show the big two how it's meant to be done - and I'm a Mercedes fan! I'm glad there's competition this year. Merc have been resting on their laurels for far too long. Pit strategy and time in the pits can win or lose you a race far more frequently than reliability. They need a wake up call.
But they didnt make the wrong call. They made the right call to take control and go for the race win. Even ignoring the fact they didn't have fresh soft tyres pitting would mean they would be behind the Ferrari's who where faster so pitting would definitely put them behind. History has taught Merc that they wont be able to follow and overtake another car so track position has gotten more value the previous years. This has changed to an extent but Merc behind a faster or closely matched car and they definitely wouldn't win. Worn tires heat up quicker so again by staying out they could try and build a lead to defend. Yes pitting would of given them more to fight with but the battle would be over when they ran home to equip their weapons as pitting would have handed the race to Ferrari. By at least staying out they rolled the dice, took control and let their drivers fight for the win.
Got to agree with Javaman here. They made the right call in this case. Track position was more important in this case, and they were playing to win, not to settle.
Hamilton signs up for 2 years at Merc, Bottas gets 1 year with "an option for 2020" - which I read as "if you help Lewis out against Seb, we can talk". Now we just need to see what Ferrari do with Leclerc, I'm not entirely convinced he is going straight into the red car though. Grosjean's poor form is perfect timing for a year in a proper mid-field car (Leclerc, I mean), which will help HAAS quite a bit, too. Kimi hasn't been as disappointing this year as the past couple, on Sunday's at least, so I suspect he'll get a final year as a wing man while they evaluate Charles against a considerably better team mate.
In my eyes it would make sense, maybe even leaving Leclerc at Sauber to help the "brand image" of Alfa/Sauber as he is putting in some amazing drives. The move to HAAS your right will help them improve no end, hes already proven hes a genuine talent not just another rookie whos taken too big a step into the top tier so I dobt he will nose dive next season regardless where he is.
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-to-race-18-inch-wheels-from-2021/ Big changes coming to F1, I wonder how this will affect the look of a Formula 1 car.
