Motors The Bit-Tech F1 2015 Thread - Season Complete

I bet Verstappen replaces either Raikonnen or Rosberg in 2017, much to Grosjean, Hulkenberg, Perez etc frustration.


That was a great race, Button sixth! So much for the new and improved Honda lump, officially slightly lumpier than the old.

Lewis is now the UK's most successful F1 driver, second triple champ and the first to defend his title. Not bad a drive in a hurricane.

 

Unless Gutiérrez scews up his future Haas job, he is Kimi's replacement in training.

 

Utterly, utterly amazing race. As much as I don't want to say it, Lewis really has the measure of the field this year. Imperious, I believe, is the word.

I would have preferred a closer, more dramatic WDC battle through the season, but if it has to be decided early, it's awesome that it should happen with such an awesome race. Also, full marks to the American F1 fans - this weekend saw levels of enthusiasm and commitment that rival those of the most loony European motorsport enthusiasts. I'm glad F1 is back to stay in the USA.

Don't be too sure. Merc and Ferrari are not too likely to poach from a rival young driver development programme when they have their own. If Verstappen does move outside the Red Bull family, it will be after he gets his promotion to RBR, as Vettel did. When it comes to poaching, teams like Ferrari and Merc are not interested in picking up promising midfield talent, they're interested in paying top dollar for proven frontrunners.

Alonso had reliability issues. When the engine was working, it seemed to be working quite well - he battled his way pretty high into the points from being a lap behind after his Lap 1 shunt. That's incredibly encouraging for a car that could have been outrun by a lawnmower earlier this season.

I'm not entirely sure... Gutierrez has a year to prove himself in a Haas, which is a car we know nothing about performance-wise. Meanwhile, there are loads of talented race-and-podium winners out there waiting to be snatched up - Grosjean (who could outdo Gutierrez at Haas and nick his hypothetical Ferrari seat), Bottas, Ricciardo etc. I would have put Hulk in that list but...

... yep. Perez has come a long way, but Hulk doesn't seem to have improved much since his early "quick but lacking polish" days. I think he will be one of the enduring 'could have beens' of the sport, because I'm not sure any of the top teams is interested in taking him on.

Ha! Harsh but more or less true.

He did get a bit feisty when Lewis tossed the podium ceremony cap at him tho. Not all "nice guy"

 

What surprises me is the constant belief that they are rolling out tangible updates, when everyone knows the fundamental problem cannot be addressed in-season. Still, it was nice to seen Button grab a bunch of points, and for both cars to complete a race distance. On the downside, Alonso's willingness to box the car before the race was over had a distinct whiff of Princess Stompyfoot about it - I was rather hoping he had exorcised that demon.

I think Grosjean has improved massively in the last couple of seasons - I'd like to see how he does in a competitive car.

I honestly believe this was Hulk's last year in which to prove himself, lest he underline his journeyman status. Another Nick Heidfeld if you will.

Rosberg isn't a bad driver as such, he's just Hamilton's Webber, only with less personality.

 

Nico seemed to go "full emo" through the race.
First he complained about Kvyat rejoining. Then he had a hissy cap-throwing fit. Then he complained about Lewis' Lap 1 aggression.
All of that while he arguably cost himself the win (which he "can't understand").

Lewis was simply the class of the field for most of the season (obviously underscored by Merc dominance), and the results reflect this.

That said: Lewis wasn't having an amazing race allt he time. His struggles on the warm inters were very real (much more so than the Ferraris and RBRs had, for sure). He struggled making turn 1 for a good few laps.

Vettel looked fighty and was driving really damn well throughout the race.
Verstappen was mad fun to watch.
Sainz was impresisve too (though I think most teams would pick the younger teammate over him).

The only real shame (and I know this is wrong of me) is that Alex Rossi didn't score points. At the end of the race the tussle just ahead of him looked like that may happen.

 

I'm not sure anyone believes that anymore - not even McHonda themselves. As for the potential retirement - c'mon do you blame the guy? He's tired of trundling around in that shitbox, and I would be two. And given how the damn thing seems to be made from glass, maybe he's being cautious rather than petulant.

Indeed, which is why the Haas thing excites me. Lotus becoming a Renault works team is good for Renault (well, better than the crap they're currently in with Horner pitching a fit) but hardly good for any drivers unfortunate enough to be along for the ride. Crashtor knows nobody else will have him and Lotus-Renault will happily take his money, but that's about it.

Heidfeld is the perfect comparison. He bounced around a bit before settling down and ending his run with a midfield-ish outfit. Looks like Hulk is set do finish up at Force India as well, without much to show for his F1 stint.

Rosberg isn't a bad driver as such, he's just Hamilton's Webber, only with less personality.[/QUOTE]

You just described Barrichello

 

I blame #HatGate on Lewis. Tossing it at Rosberg like that? I would have been pissed off even if I hadn't just been beaten at the end of a 2-hour grand prix. There wasn't so much as a "Heads up!" or "Oi Nico, here's your hat" before the throw. He just casually lobbed it at him.

No, I'm firmly on Nico's side in that exchange.

As for the race itself, I agree with your asessment of HAM's struggles. Rosberg had some bad luck with the safety car(s) wiping out his lead and sure, the error that handed Hamilton P1 was unforced, but you have to admit Nico was doing a better job overall than his teammate until that moment.

Ferrari is keeping Merc honest this year, which I think bodes well for next year and onward, where only a few months ago the sport seemed in danger of turning into a snoozefest like the Ferrari or Red bull domination years.

Now if only McHonda stop sucking so bad...

 

Formula 1 has always had a dominant team. Till Vettel and Hamilton are both in the same car comparisons are pretty meaningless and expecting Ferrari to find the second or so they are behind in race pace is not likely to happen.

As Brundle and Benson have both said Merc need to screw up to give anyone a fighting chance. And with full engine development likely to continue Merc could be further ahead than they are now.

Even if it had a Ferrari engine it would still be ahead of them as the chassis and aero is better. Ferrari have not had a good chassis since Shumacher was employed.

Honda need to fix the ERS once they do that they can find out how far behind they really are. There ICU is Ment to be ahead of Renault in pure BHP.

Nico will be lucky to keep his drive beyond 2016 if Merc are still well ahead and Hamilton destroys him there will be people asking why Merc persist with him. More so if he fails to secure second in championship. Can't see Lewis helping him achieve that this year.

Hulk will likely leave to another Motorsport.

More drivers available than seats be interesting to see who gets a seat and who does not in these coming weeks.

 

I can see both sides.
I don't think that this was "ill spirited" by Lewis. I believe he handed Seb his cap as well. It wasn't him going "sit down, nuymber 2".
that said - it was perhaps a bit tactless, emphasised by Nico being a bit sulky.
HatGate... All gates should sod off...

 

If Hamilton handed Seb a hat, he should have handed it to Nico as well, instead of tossing it.

Maybe it's just a cultural thing, because where I'm from that's plain rude. The moment it happened on TV, I was like "WTF is this guy thinking?" and when Nico Thug Life'd it right back, I thought "Yep, fair, I would have done [at least] the same thing."

I certainly noticed Nico getting more flak for the toss on Western media, whereas in my (predominantly Indian) facebook/twitter/whatsapp F1 discussions everyone's excoriating Lewis for what looks like incredible lack of grace as a winner.

 

My god he tossed it in his lap, its a big fuss about nothing in my eyes.

If it had happened at any other race where the title hadn't just been decided nothing would be said about it.

The way Nico hurled it back at Hamilton was far more in appropriate but still big whoop about nothing,

 

I do blame the guy - he's being paid MILLIONS to trundle around in that sh!tbox, allowing them to gather data and assess component reliability. This year is nothing more than a fact finding mission for next year - he knows that and claims to be fully committed.

Barrichello's outbursts were oft explained away as "latin passion", if you believe that kind of dross, but he was generally a friendly enough and happy chappie around the paddock.

Rosberg's more affable moments always seem like a PR stunt, to gloss over the Germanic dourness.

 

Maldonado was to far back to intervene.

But yes great race shame the merc drivers had the little podium tantrum #hatgate and handy paddy the champagne which sulking on the sidelines shows he is either a sore loser or really does not like Hamilton. To be fair ifs likely to be a mix of the two.

Great mid field action today, good to see RBR annoying people as well, Saintz and Verstappen were brilliant to watch probably one of the best races of the last couple of years plenty of action no big big smashes.
Also impressed with Perez he has really settled down past few races hes shown much more maturity and is getting better and better at keeping tyres and not being stupid.

 

I think it's more the frustration of someone who is trying their absolute hardest, but still getting beaten.

Nobody in Merc (or Williams) ever has anything bad to say about Rosberg, but he looked exhausted and gutted at the end of the race, Lewis being the ever gracious winner and flinging a hat at him was exactly what he didn't need at that moment.

 

It must always hurt Rosberg that Hamilton has always been the better driver of the two and always the winner, even when they were kids.

 

Fancy watching the Mexican Grand Prix from Silverstone Wing?

 

Quelle Surprise - Engine Penalties for McHonda

 

Rumours are already in over drive that Nico will struggle to keep his drive for 2017 onwards if he cant at least maintain 2nd place in drivers championship.

The general feeling is at least in Lewis hands the Merc car is at least 1 second a lap faster this season in race pace. Nico needs to generate more pace in the car, he does not have to beat Hamilton but he does have to beat Vettel on a consistant basis.

Verstappen is pretty heavy fav for the drive if he does get the boot.

 

That's hugely unfair on Rosberg.

Nico only fell behind Vettel because his Merc broke twice in five races, Vettel coming in second both times. He's only been beaten on track by Vettel three times this year, the same number as Lewis.

As for his pace, the difference between Lewis and Nico is more in the region of 1-2 tenth per lap. At Sochi and CotA Rosberg was actually faster, but at Sochi his car blew up and on Sunday the safety car gifted Lewis a brand new set of tyres with ten laps to go, Merc elected to leave Rosberg out.

He's been first or second nine times this year, he's not as good as Lewis or Vettel, but he's doing his job extremely well. I think any questions over his position are media poo stirring.

 

....I feel verstappen is better and won't whinge and moan as much.

I really liked Rosberg to start with but he really is a poor loser, Webber had far more thrown in his face and didn't moan as much.

I feel for him always being in Hamilton's footsteps but he really needs to grow up. I like Hamilton winning purely because he is flying the British flag but I do wish he'd stop trying so hard to speak the local language cos it makes him look like a try hard but I also believe he's the best of the best at the moment.

If Rosberg wants to keep his job he needs to hold his lip, the hat thing was comical at best.