Motors Bit-Tech F1 2019 thread - Season Over

I think (based on absolutely nothing except me wanting this to happen) that DanRic will be replacing Bottas.
It really should have happened this season, but Merc held on to Valtteri because he's effectively a good number 2. He'll do what the team asks, smile and say "It's a team sport".

Merc seems to be holding out trying to find "the next Lewis", which I think may be some way off (given that Ferrari has Charles, and Max is still way too hot-headed - especially considering how long he's been driving), so maybe getting a fast, aggressive driver in would be a good idea for them.

 

I think that as long as Lewis wants to race, there'll be a contract for him with Mercedes. I don't think they're looking for the next Lewis quite yet. The perfect Bottas replacement for Merc will be faster than Bottas but not as fast as Lewis, to secure the 1-2 in the Driver's Championship and that's a big ask.

I still have a feeling Lewis wants to finish his career in a red suit, though - even if it's not a championship winning car. If you look at him at Monza, how he tries so hard to gain the respect of the Tifosi, it's written all over his face.

 

I tend to agree with the sentiment that Lewis wants to finish with a red suit.
My feeling is that, if he manages another WDC (or two) with the silver team, he'll make a switch to a red team, try to win a WDC there, to go "one up" on Schumacher by adding at least a third team with whom he won WDC, even if he can't achieve 7 WDCs.

 

I think hes made it clear he would like to drive for them at some point, seems to be a pattern drivers want to drive the iconic red car and win at Monza etc etc.

 

I wonder if Ferrari's treatment of Kimi would put off potential end-of-career drivers joining them?

 

Would depend who they have currently, say for example Kimi with staying and one finger was having a tantrum an left it would be far more inviting, though I can see some sparks if Le Clerc is half as good as were led to believe.

 

I hope LeClerc is as ready as they think he is - but I don't think he is. I think the Scuderia will be spending a fortune repairing the No 2 car this year....

 

Hes raced at the sharp end in the lower formula's an hes proven his race craft is up to scratch in the Sauber. I'm expecting a couple of scrappy first races but he should settle once the first lot of flyaways are over.

 

I hope you're right. Merc need someone to take points away from Seb but regardless of how pacey and victorious drivers are in lower formulas, you often see them falter when they step up to the top tier. The extra power, extra pressure to deliver etc.

 

I think power wise it wont be a big leap, same pace wise, pressure wise it will be though. Have to wait an see wont take much if anything from testing as they always run to flatter an deceive.
Aus will be interesting for sure. as all the guys that have swapped will be wanting to prove a point.
Bar Kimi, he will just want ice cream.

 

Biggest difference is that in F1 90% of the grid is a champion from GP2, F2, WEC, Euro F3 etc before they even set foot on the grid. Couple that with the much more varied car performance compared to F2/F3 and a driver only needs to be slightly off form to get blown into the weeds where in F2 they would finish 5th that day.

 

Power wise, it's a huge leap. 500bhp > ~950bhp and that's not factoring in the torque gains over GP2.

 

I meant for LeClerc going from Sauber to Ferrari but yeah the others its quite a leap

 

I'm sure he'll be fine, after he spent the first three races using his Sauber as a drift car Leclerc drove really well last season. Even his DNFs weren't really his fault (wheel failure, suspension failure, low flying spaniard). The real question is whether Binotto has his mind on running a one car team and who that one car belongs to. I can see him declaring Leclerc the future if Vettel looks like fluffing it again.

 

Low flying Spaniard's can be problematic.

I guess Binotto is the really question mark with them this season. The car should be decent enough. I say should but we know how hit an miss Ferrari have been in the past with their cars. But all being well it should be up there. Like you said its Binotto's management style which will define the season really.

 

Ferrari have a bit of a history of falling back after a "successsful" year (in terms of car performance). With new regulations added in, I expect them to need a few races before finding a setup that really works again.

 

So Fred goes and wins the Daytona 24 hours - another tick box filled on his racing check-list.

Also, Mick Schumacher joined the Ferrari academy - the writing is indeed on the wall. How cool would it be for Lewis to partner Mick at Ferrari? The new GOAT teaching the son of the previous one what he knows, in the team that gave his dad the tools to set those records.

 

Can't see LeClerc losing his seat any time soon, regardless of what Seb does in the next few years. They've invested a lot of cash in Charles and will want the return from that. Mick may end up at a Ferrari customer team to cut his teeth before driving the red car, but Ham and Vet will have probably retired by the time he's ready for it so LeClerc and Schumacher Jr is my bet.

 

Hold on... didn't Kimi go rallying?

So he couldn't even remember Kimi?...