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

fadedwalker18 said:That is, assuming they don't end up hitting the wall like Grosjean did one day (bless his heart), or something along those lines.

Either way, someone is getting a shot at Lewis's car—it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you just can't pass up.

🍿

Grosjean didn't hit a wall—he hit the barrier.

Kenneth Cruz67 said:It’s funny, because unlike those other champions who actually earned their titles through grit and hard work—you know, things like driving tractors, riding school buses, or even hauling septic tanks—this guy apparently just had a fast machine. 🤦

Honestly, I feel like we’re going to see all sorts of wild takes on this forum lately. Someone claiming a driver only won because of his car? Goodness gracious, give me strength!

Look, Alain Prost wasn't carried to his '86 title either

And neither Schumacher 1995 both

Both those titles were won in the second best (for Schumacher) or third best (for Prost) car of the season.

wiredfalcon2 said:The perfect race for all those armchair conspiracy theorists and people who don't have a clue what they're talking about.

So, which camp are you in?

"Since that chaotic moment, Mercedes has officially confirmed that a radio malfunction was the culprit behind the mix-up, which ultimately led to Valtteri Bottas' tires being mounted on George Russell's car."

Just another day at the office.

gentlemoose57 said:We're hunting for that win.

Unlikely. Just look at Valtteri Bottas's track record over the last few races.

Trouble 🤣

Alex Barnes93 said:Look, Max is hands down the best driver on the grid right now in every single way. That whole "head through a wall" thing... I mean, maybe someone would do that in a video game, but anyone who thinks he'd actually pull that stunt in real life clearly isn't watching Formula 1.

And just to set the record straight—I'm a Mercedes fan through and through when it comes to the team. As for the drivers? Honestly, I don't care who's behind the wheel as long as Mercedes is pulling in the kind of results they usually do (though definitely not this current clown show we're seeing lately) ☕

Do you mean just until Lewis Hamilton makes his comeback? I suppose he might actually be right about that.

Dana Murphy4 said:I guess I’m just a little confused by some people claiming that Perez didn't deserve his win today. It seems a bit strange to say he was undeserving when he was sitting all the way back in 18th place after the first 😁

And who exactly is making those claims? 🤔
Probably some "expert" like Blažica or something. 🤷

shadowmarlin22 said:I honestly doubt the rules even allow for Russell. If they do, though—well, that would certainly be something to watch.

And why wouldn't they? 🤣
Anyone can drive for whoever they want...

Can't think of one off the top of my head, but I'm pretty sure there's been a case where a driver jumped to another team and then switched back...
If you want examples of drivers switching teams mid-season, there are plenty to go around.

Hahahaha, what a total sabotage of Valtteri Bottas

stormytiger4 said:So, which camp are you in?

Neither.

Jason Campbell70 said:Actually, I don't even recall you ever mentioning Alonso in any of your posts. Ever.

stormybadger8 Asks:
Am I going to mess with you now that you're pulling for Hamilton? No. There's really no point. Everything became crystal clear after today...

Honestly, I don't know how I'd handle it if you started shoving today's Mercedes performance—that eighth, or rather ninth, place finish—right in my face.

Oh, I definitely have. 😍

I just didn't shove the whole McLaren-Honda reputation meltdown down your throat...
Because honestly, I felt bad for him and his fans...
Just like I felt bad for grandpa, and damn it, I feel bad for Lewis Hamilton now too after this...

It's still not clear why Wolff did this to him.
Realistically, his reputation is going to tank, and the media is going to absolutely lose their minds over Valtteri Bottas...
Either this guy is a total jerk, or Russell is the golden boy that the F1 media (aka the British media) is going to push at Mercedes day and night...
Poor Bottas will be running through the paddock to hide from the Sky commentator, now that's a real race...

Kenneth Cruz67 said:I wonder what all you forum experts are actually expecting when it comes to Lewis's replacement?

Is everything else besides taking first place just considered a total failure in your eyes?

Honestly, none at all...
Because whoever steps in is going to be totally unprepared. Even if Sergio Perez jumped into the car right now, he’d be lost, even though he drives like a carbon copy of a Mercedes-Benz.
Cars are incredibly different regardless of how similar they look, not to mention the team procedures are night and day, and the car setups are completely different...
We're talking steering wheel buttons being in different spots, labeled differently, blah blah blah...
Look, even a basic cashier from Lidl would struggle if you dropped them at a Kroger or Nestlé register for a few days, let alone just moving them from one lane to another...
The software is different, all the codes are different, and everything is upside down...
Actually, they'd have to unlearn everything they know by muscle memory first, before they could even figure out how to scan half a loaf of bread again...
It's the exact same thing as changing brake settings on the fly while driving...

But scoring in the Top 10 is a baseline expectation, no matter who is behind the wheel...
That car is simply too much better than the competition; it should beat Alfa Romeo, Williams, and Haas easily, even with issues...

But if they end up with Valtteri Bottas, that’s basically his firing notice right there.🤦
Otherwise, Valtteri needs to win. If he loses to Max Verstappen or anyone else, Mercedes-Benz seriously needs to consider cutting him loose.
Honestly, their smartest move would be to grab Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg, or George Russell just to see if they're actually better than Valtteri Bottas. If they are—even if they're unprepared at first—then Valtteri is gone and this guy gets a contract for next season.

As for the theory that 90% of the grid could win in a Mercedes-Benz, that's nonsense. 100% of them would win at least once without hesitation.☕
The real question isn't whether they'd take a win or two—even Nico Hulkenberg, who's a total safe driver, could do that—it's how many titles they'd snatch and how badly they'd kick Valtteri Bottas.
That's the actual question.

ruggedhawk20 said:Look, Alain Prost wasn't carried to his '86 title either

And neither Schumacher 1995 both

Both those titles were won in the second best (for Schumacher) or third best (for Prost) car of the season.

Yeah, true. But if you look at the last 70 F1 seasons, the championship wasn't won by the fastest car only nine times. Just nine!

stormytiger4 said:Xenophobia? I wasn't even talking about Americans, I was talking about their NASCAR stock cars. 😳

Honestly, I think this race by Russell might actually hurt Hamilton more than it hurts Valtteri Bottas. Look, we all know Bottas isn't exactly at his peak anymore, but now it's blindingly obvious how easy it is for Hamilton to look like a record-breaker when he's sitting in a car like this.

It’s pretty clear some people just aren't catching on 😁

Sergio Perez is a hell of a driver. I’m not entirely convinced that Sebastian Vettel would be a better pick than him, but I get that there are plenty of reasons beyond just Formula 1 why he was given the edge over Perez.

vividwalker13 said:This is going to be incredibly interesting to watch. I'm curious to see if that theory holds water—whether whoever steps into the Mercedes seat ends up grabbing first or second place.

I don't think it's quite that simple, though.

This is a fundamental misunderstanding of Formula 1. Truly elementary. Whoever steps into that seat isn't going to be anywhere near Valtteri Bottas's level. Not because they lack talent, but because they are entering an entirely foreign driving environment with an unfamiliar car, new mechanics, and all that.

Relying on such theories is frankly ridiculous.

For instance, the idea that if Daniel Ricciardo from Renault replaced Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, he would just get washed out—or that if Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas took over, they’d dominate him—it ignores the reality of that first race under replacement conditions.

I think that disastrous pit stop by Valtteri Bottas just killed any chance he had at winning.

Alex Barnes93 said:If you put Max in the same car, he’d absolutely smoke Lewis. Like, total demolition. I don't care what anyone says—if you can't see that after today's race, you're just not paying attention. As for George, it's a little early to tell, but honestly? He'd probably pull off the same results. But Leclerc? Nah, man. He’s way too busy making reckless moves and playing bumper cars with everyone else on the track for the last two seasons.

True enough.

But only if you count his close encounters with the walls. 🤣

stormybadger8 said:Maybe someone should give you a bigger stick so you can actually make an impact...

What does a Mercedes engine in a McLaren from 2007-2013 have to do with the Mercedes V6 Power Unit from 2014 to now?

Who was actually behind the wheel for Mercedes in 2014? And whose Power Unit was sitting inside the McLaren 2014 car? Who was driving for Mercedes back in 2014?

And honestly, where was the Mercedes 2014?

😵