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

bluepuma9 said:I'm not taking anything away from Alonso's title. I'm just saying the McLaren was a more reliable machine back in 2005, and Raikkonen—who was likely at his absolute peak then—could have just as easily been the champion.

By that logic, Vettel could have been champion in 2017 and 2018 too, but he wasn't. Everything else is just mindless chatter.

Regarding that driver with four consecutive championships:
Just an average driver. He's only winning titles because he happens to be sitting in the greatest car ever built. Is it really that simple?

Same story, just two posts later, and now we're talking about a different driver who pulled off four consecutive titles:
It wasn't just a stroke of luck with a single win or one title. Four in a row? That's pure skill.

Hahahahah.

mellowtiger83 said:By that logic, Vettel could have been champion in 2017 and 2018 too, but he wasn't. Everything else is just mindless chatter.

It’s always "if this" or "if that," or "if he had done this."

Remove one tiny piece of a puzzle and the entire future shifts, creating a new reality where history looks diametrically opposed.

Some people, for instance, refuse to believe Jesus Christ is God because they haven't seen him personally, despite the fact that our very time and calendars are aligned based on his birth—pardon me, his incarnation.

Strange things live inside people's heads; there is no "what if" and there is no "could have been."
What happened, happened, and it remains so forever.

silverviper44 said:Look, Sebastian Vettel isn't Pastor Maldonado; he didn't just stumble into a win or a title. Winning four championships in a row takes actual talent.

In 2010, he beat out Fernando Alonso right when everyone assumed Alonso would cruise to the title without breaking a sweat. That proves his skill, and no amount of armchair expert chatter is going to change that reality.

The Mercedes-Benz was easily the best car of the hybrid era. Ferrari got close, sure, but they were never actually better. Vettel never stood a chance with them, not to mention those questionable FIA decisions that seemed to always disadvantage Ferrari while favoring Mercedes-Benz.

It's no secret that Vettel was driving a massively dominant car back then, and we'll see the reality of that next year. At the time, Ferrari offered Adrian Newey whatever price he wanted. Apparently, moving to America wasn't on the table for Adrian (rumor has it he just couldn't find a reason to relocate, but whatever).

mellowtiger83 said:By that logic, Vettel could have been champion in 2017 and 2018 too, but he wasn't. Everything else is just mindless chatter.

Honestly, it’s probably for the best. Given all the drama surrounding Ferrari's engine, those titles would have been tainted by controversy anyway. They’d just be remembered as a stain on those seasons, assuming they even kept them.

I guess Valtteri Bottas seems pretty frustrated, so maybe we'll see anything can happen during qualifying 😁

bluepuma9 said:Honestly, it’s probably for the best. Given all the drama surrounding Ferrari's engine, those titles would have been tainted by controversy anyway. They’d just be remembered as a stain on those seasons, assuming they even kept them.

Excuse me? What on earth are you talking about?

Mercedes-Benz isn't a disgrace. I mean, surely you understand why the Mercedes-Benz engine was untouchable for all those years?

I'll tell you exactly why. They basically tailored the regulations to suit them before the rules were even officially finalized.

Jason Campbell70 said:Regarding that driver with four consecutive championships:
Just an average driver. He's only winning titles because he happens to be sitting in the greatest car ever built. Is it really that simple?

Same story, just two posts later, and now we're talking about a different driver who pulled off four consecutive titles:
It wasn't just a stroke of luck with a single win or one title. Four in a row? That's pure skill.

Hahahahah.

😂
Just beating a dead horse here. Give it a rest, man.

Max is clearly showing he has the pace in that Red Bull Racing car. It could get interesting—expect some chaos on track.

They're swapping out Vettel's engine just an hour before qualifying...

mellowtiger83 said:Excuse me? What on earth are you talking about?

Mercedes-Benz isn't a disgrace. I mean, surely you understand why the Mercedes-Benz engine was untouchable for all those years?

I'll tell you exactly why. They basically tailored the regulations to suit them before the rules were even officially finalized.

That doesn't make the engine illegal.🤷
We're going into the eighth year under these regulations—ten if you count when they actually finalized everything—and Ferrari still can't put together an engine that's both legal and competitive. Sorry, not sorry.😁

Dana Murphy4 said:I guess Valtteri Bottas seems pretty frustrated, so maybe we'll see anything can happen during qualifying 😁

Hahahahah, I actually remember this from three years ago... 🤣
Even if he does lead, he'll just end up messing things up with the pit crew... "Valtteri... just get it together one more time..."

bluepuma9 said:That doesn't make the engine illegal.🤷
We're going into the eighth year under these regulations—ten if you count when they actually finalized everything—and Ferrari still can't put together an engine that's both legal and competitive. Sorry, not sorry.😁

Ever since Bernie made those accusations back in Germany and things went south, Mercedes has essentially enjoyed total FIA protection. Even if they were running something illegal, nobody would ever know. Look at Lewis Hamilton’s private tests with that improper helmet, and it just keeps going.

Then there was the matter of letting them race with the DAS system, even though they declared it illegal just a year later. It seems they aren't just being protected; people are simply looking the other way. Who knows how much more dirty laundry is tucked away in those drawers.

Beyond that, Ferrari wasn't declared illegal. Instead, a deal was struck with Ferrari: from 2022 onwards, they get to be the number one priority. In exchange, let Mercedes dominate for a little while longer and keep your mouths shut.
A deal was made.

So, starting in 2022, you can expect the reds to dominate.

Hey, does anyone have a decent stream link?

It isn’t just my suspicion; Mercedes-Benz is essentially mocking the competition. I am convinced they are orchestrating the championship, driving only as much as necessary and occasionally allowing someone else a victory just to keep the spectacle alive.

Take yesterday's conclusion, for instance. It was hardly accidental, and the payoff was substantial. Interest in Formula 1 has surged, stock prices have climbed, and there is this unprecedented craze for chaotic racing. It is the classic case of the wolf leading the flock.

NASCAR might have some idiotic rules, but at least they actually race—plus a few other things!

Consider WRC, where the driver is everything; the driver makes the difference. Meanwhile, yesterday proved that a rookie, stepping into a car for the first time and barely knowing which button controls the brake, can make a mockery of the entire field.

Do you see the distinction between genuine racing and a scripted performance?

Dana Murphy4 said:I guess Valtteri Bottas seems pretty frustrated, so maybe we'll see anything can happen during qualifying 😁

This season, Lewis Hamilton is the only one who actually grabbed pole after crushing Free Practice 2. Every other driver who topped the times in Free Practice 2 failed to pull it off. But here we are, already acting like George Russell has this race in the bag...

mellowtiger83 said:It isn’t just my suspicion; Mercedes-Benz is essentially mocking the competition. I am convinced they are orchestrating the championship, driving only as much as necessary and occasionally allowing someone else a victory just to keep the spectacle alive.

Take yesterday's conclusion, for instance. It was hardly accidental, and the payoff was substantial. Interest in Formula 1 has surged, stock prices have climbed, and there is this unprecedented craze for chaotic racing. It is the classic case of the wolf leading the flock.

NASCAR might have some idiotic rules, but at least they actually race—plus a few other things!

Consider WRC, where the driver is everything; the driver makes the difference. Meanwhile, yesterday proved that a rookie, stepping into a car for the first time and barely knowing which button controls the brake, can make a mockery of the entire field.

Do you see the distinction between genuine racing and a scripted performance?

Interesting. But if it's his first time and he doesn't even know where the buttons are, how did he manage to follow instructions from engineers in the middle of a race when engine power issues popped up?

Either he was in that car long enough that the button settings are second nature to him.
Or maybe Russell is just a natural talent.
Or perhaps everything regarding driving these cars nowadays is just piece of cake.

I guess the biggest headache during qualifying will definitely be all the traffic, since we've seen a few times during Free Practice how just having another car near that final corner can totally mess up a driver's flying lap

All in all, yesterday really showed us what Formula 1 would look like without Lewis Hamilton...

wiredfalcon2 said:This season, Lewis Hamilton is the only one who actually grabbed pole after crushing Free Practice 2. Every other driver who topped the times in Free Practice 2 failed to pull it off. But here we are, already acting like George Russell has this race in the bag...

Someone in the Mecca is reading Forum HR. Beat Russell.😁

Third practice is wrapped up.
1-Verstappen
2-Bottas
3
4
5-Russell🤔

Not only that, but they act like they're huge F1 experts. When you disagree, they just try to label you as superficial.😂😂 🥱

Gary Palmer8 said:All in all, yesterday really showed us what Formula 1 would look like without Lewis Hamilton...

The dominance remains identical; the only difference is that instead of Hamilton, we’d be looking at multiple championships for Russell.

Everything stays the same.

Look, most of you guys seriously need to sit down and have a heart-to-heart with yourselves first. You gotta decide if Valtteri Bottas is actually a total dud of a driver, or if he’s actually got massive potential that just keeps getting crushed because he's being bullied by the team—you know, all that "Valtteri... get your act together..." nonsense, haha. I mean, honestly, half of you can't even make up your minds! One minute you're posting one thing, then the very next post you're saying the exact opposite. Pick a side already! 🙄

Nicholas Newman2 said:Someone in the Mecca is reading Forum HR. Beat Russell.😁

Third practice is wrapped up.
1-Verstappen
2-Bottas
3
4
5-Russell🤔

Not only that, but they act like they're huge F1 experts. When you disagree, they just try to label you as superficial.😂😂 🥱

Look, I’m just saying—Toto Wolff finally stepped in and put a stop to the absolute demolition of Lewis Hamilton's legacy. Seriously. Honestly? Seeing him pull off two P1 finishes in Free Practice is worth way more to me than all those titles and wins Lewis racked up for Mercedes-Benz. It's about the respect, man. Just feels right.