Bahrain Grand Prix (Outer Loop) | December 4-6, 2020

I just wish he could keep up that flawless streak during qualifying.

After all, he can always go back to his other specialty: an equally perfect run of races where he finishes without a single point.

Russell overtakes Bottas 😁 again

Kenneth Cruz67 said:I was recently catching up on a documentary about how Mercedes-Benz handles their marketing and team finances, specifically diving into some of those clever financial maneuvers Toto Wolff pulls off.

Watching the coverage on Sky just now actually reminded me that we’re looking at a budget cap of $145 million next year.

So, I guess if you take all that math, add it all up, and then factor in Lewis Hamilton's salary, next season might just turn into an absolute bloodbath.🥱

Driver salaries don't count toward the cap.

bluepuma9 said:Rosberg, Button, Alonso. Where'd I miss the mark?

http://www.f1-facts.com/stats/teammates/L.Hamilton

Well, here are the stats on his teammates, broken down and totaled up for you.

I suppose Alonso was marginally better during that first and only year they shared a garage.

As for Rosberg, he managed to be the stronger driver in 2016, but I guess he was trailing behind in all the other years.

And then there's Button, who seemed to be the slower one throughout their time together.

So, looking at the big picture, he wasn't necessarily better than Alonso—though it was a tiny margin—and since they only overlapped for that very first year of Hamilton's career, it's a bit lopsided, but technically speaking, I think you might have been a little off there.

Things could go south fast here...
And honestly, Lewis Hamilton sitting this one out might be the turning point for several F1 careers...

First off, Valtteri Bottas could lose his seat if George Russell proves he's actually better—and given Bottas' recent form, that’s not even a crazy thought...
I mean, Russell isn't exactly a stranger to the Mercedes setup or the car...
If that happens, Mercedes wouldn't have much of a dilemma. They're already grooming Russell for the seat anyway, and he's got enough F1 experience under his belt...
So, I wouldn't be shocked if Russell pulls off a stellar result and instantly snags that 2021 Mercedes seat, regardless of whatever contract Bottas currently holds...

Secondly, since Russell is basically pulling a Hulk situation where he can't seem to grab a single point, this could be a massive setback. He might even start looking at an exit from F1 altogether...
It would be pretty brutal if he fails to bag that famous first point even while driving a Mercedes. It gets even worse if Jack Aitken (who's subbing for him) manages to snatch a point for Williams this season... 🤦
And it's totally possible, because Williams could actually show some life on this outer lap 😳
What kind of message does that send about Russell and Nicholas Latifi constantly failing to score? You've got Russell failing even in a Mercedes, while Aitken jumps in and grabs a point on a whim 🤦

So, basically the team that supposedly never misses a beat somehow trips up the second they put a driver behind the wheel who’s proven the whole GOAT label is just a total scam

Honestly, this is even more soul-crushing than Singapore 2008

Kenneth Cruz67 said:It seems like McLaren managed to clinch third place in the championship through no fault of their own, which is actually quite a lovely result if you think about it! 🤣

this aged well 😬

Kenneth Cruz67 said:http://www.f1-facts.com/stats/teammates/L.Hamilton

Well, here are the stats on his teammates, broken down and totaled up for you.

I suppose Alonso was marginally better during that first and only year they shared a garage.

As for Rosberg, he managed to be the stronger driver in 2016, but I guess he was trailing behind in all the other years.

And then there's Button, who seemed to be the slower one throughout their time together.

So, looking at the big picture, he wasn't necessarily better than Alonso—though it was a tiny margin—and since they only overlapped for that very first year of Hamilton's career, it's a bit lopsided, but technically speaking, I think you might have been a little off there.

How on earth could you claim that Button was inferior in 2011? What kind of nonsense is that?

stormybadger8 said:When it comes to Max, I’d bet my life savings on him...
As for the guy in the Mercedes, I'm pretty sure he won't just miss the podium—he might not even finish the race.
The guy is in a totally unfamiliar car and a completely new environment. He's a wild driver who pushes things to the absolute limit constantly... honestly, it's a recipe for disaster.

Anyway, regarding Fisichella, he's a perfect example of what I mean. ☕
Fisichella was on the podium just one race before moving over to Ferrari...
And he didn't just make the podium; he was actually fighting for the win against Ferrari, but lost because the Ferrari was simply a better car...
And then, oh look at that, the very next race he jumps into that superior Ferrari and barely scrapes into the top 10. Not making the points at all is a massive step down from where he was.

Regardless of my own take on Max Verstappen, I honestly don't know what all this chatter is about.

Besides, Max was in a similar spot before. He didn't crash; instead, he pulled off the win—his very first one, too. So you can't say the pressure wasn't massive.

stormybadger8 said:When it comes to Max, I’d bet my life savings on him...
As for the guy in the Mercedes, I'm pretty sure he won't just miss the podium—he might not even finish the race.
The guy is in a totally unfamiliar car and a completely new environment. He's a wild driver who pushes things to the absolute limit constantly... honestly, it's a recipe for disaster.

Anyway, regarding Fisichella, he's a perfect example of what I mean. ☕
Fisichella was on the podium just one race before moving over to Ferrari...
And he didn't just make the podium; he was actually fighting for the win against Ferrari, but lost because the Ferrari was simply a better car...
And then, oh look at that, the very next race he jumps into that superior Ferrari and barely scrapes into the top 10. Not making the points at all is a massive step down from where he was.

Let’s not beat around the bush—do you actually think Fisichella is a top-tier driver?

That lawyer sees a conspiracy in everything, what an idiot.

I can’t quite recall the last time Mercedes handed themselves such a massive blunder on a silver platter, and honestly, it's a bit suspicious how this mess unfolded right when Lewis Hamilton wasn't even around, isn't it? 😁 I still have that mental image from earlier in the season—you know, that wild moment where he somehow limped across the finish line on three wheels just to edge out Max Verstappen... At the end of the day, Lewis Hamilton is an undeniably brilliant driver, even if his personality drives me absolutely nuts, and I find myself increasingly irritated by this strange streak of "sporting luck" that seems to follow him everywhere he goes.. 🙂

It’s a shame for George Russell, but I have to say, I’m genuinely thrilled for Sergio Perez finally grabbing that first win. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him landing a seat over at Red Bull Racing next year.

Nicholas Newman2 said:Regardless of my own take on Max Verstappen, I honestly don't know what all this chatter is about.

Besides, Max was in a similar spot before. He didn't crash; instead, he pulled off the win—his very first one, too. So you can't say the pressure wasn't massive.

Let’s not beat around the bush—do you actually think Fisichella is a top-tier driver?

Carlos Sainz is basically on Valtteri Bottas' level...
Take that how you want.

As for Max, I don't see any comparison between him moving from STR to Red Bull Racing and some hypothetical scenario where he jumps from Red Bull Racing straight into a Mercedes...
I honestly don't see the connection.🤔

Red Bull Racing and STR are essentially the same organization. They’re structured identically, the cars are incredibly similar, and they probably even use the same procedures...
At the end of the day, you've got the same kid driving one or the other; the only difference is the raw power and quality of the car.
Everything regarding the actual driving—setup and all that jazz—is almost certainly identical.
Ultimately, Red Bull Racing was designed as a training ground for their drivers, so it makes perfect sense that everything is set up the exact same way... it would be weird if it wasn't.

Dana Murphy4 said:I guess Mercedes-Benz never makes a mistake? Let's go, Sergio

Not when Lewis Hamilton is behind the wheel, of course. Isn't it just so incredibly transparent, yet somehow played off with such subtle acting that you almost have to admire it?

Sent from my iPhone

graniteharbor502 said:How on earth could you claim that Button was inferior in 2011? What kind of nonsense is that?

Honestly, I find it a little bit baffling that it’s actually this difficult for some people to just click a link and see what's going on. I mean, really, the link is right there along with a description of the content, and we're all following the forum rules perfectly fine, so I suppose I shouldn't necessarily have to provide a detailed diagram explaining every single thing just because someone might be feeling a bit too lazy to spend thirty seconds glancing at it themselves, don't you think?

stormybadger8 said:Carlos Sainz is basically on Valtteri Bottas' level...
Take that how you want.

As for Max, I don't see any comparison between him moving from STR to Red Bull Racing and some hypothetical scenario where he jumps from Red Bull Racing straight into a Mercedes...
I honestly don't see the connection.🤔

Red Bull Racing and STR are essentially the same organization. They’re structured identically, the cars are incredibly similar, and they probably even use the same procedures...
At the end of the day, you've got the same kid driving one or the other; the only difference is the raw power and quality of the car.
Everything regarding the actual driving—setup and all that jazz—is almost certainly identical.
Ultimately, Red Bull Racing was designed as a training ground for their drivers, so it makes perfect sense that everything is set up the exact same way... it would be weird if it wasn't.

What kind of standard are you even using? Because you specifically said that tier.🤔

I guess we just have set standards for every other debate, right?😁

You jump in with a claim, but when I ask you directly and clearly what you mean, you just deflect back to Bottas and act like I'm the one who needs to define things. Real classy.

Deflecting or switching arguments doesn't work here.👎

stormybadger8 said:Carlos Sainz is basically on Valtteri Bottas' level...
Take that how you want.

As for Max, I don't see any comparison between him moving from STR to Red Bull Racing and some hypothetical scenario where he jumps from Red Bull Racing straight into a Mercedes...
I honestly don't see the connection.🤔

Red Bull Racing and STR are essentially the same organization. They’re structured identically, the cars are incredibly similar, and they probably even use the same procedures...
At the end of the day, you've got the same kid driving one or the other; the only difference is the raw power and quality of the car.
Everything regarding the actual driving—setup and all that jazz—is almost certainly identical.
Ultimately, Red Bull Racing was designed as a training ground for their drivers, so it makes perfect sense that everything is set up the exact same way... it would be weird if it wasn't.

So, Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon basically just proved you wrong.🤦

Just how much does the GOAT matter to Mercedes? 🙏🙏🙏

bluepuma9 said:Rosberg, Button, Alonso. Where'd I miss the mark?

Out of those three, one beat someone while being the reigning world champion.
Another did it as a two-time world champion.

G.
O.
A.
T.

fadedwalker18 said:It seems the GOAT "caught" COVID-19 from being too intimidated by the metal safety barriers at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

That joke was about as successful as Grožan's attempt at an overtake.

Russell, go get 'em

silverviper44 said:That’s only half the story. A great driver will always extract more from a mediocre car than an average one; there are plenty of examples like that in F1 history.

The influencer might be a talented driver, but he isn't nearly the superstar people make him out to be. The reality is he won everything because he was in the most dominant car ever built. We saw proof of that today when a driver who hasn't scored a single point was right on the verge of winning—he probably would have taken it if Mercedes hadn't botched that tire change.

Haha, George Russell has three titles under his belt already—but yeah, he’s definitely never been truly close to them!