[Marcoose]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

I think most of us here want to see drivers (any driver) perform to the best of their abilities.

Many winning teams have had a very dominant driver, and a #2 who's under performing. It must be demoralising to see your teammate winning every weekend in a landslide. Ricciardo, hello ? But for as long as your team is winning, no need to bitch, right ?

[Marcoose]

Originally Posted by dfox

I'm a Checo supporter for sure, but he's gotta stop crashing. That's a lot of money to spend fixing his car.

It's not your money.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Marcoose

It's not your money.

I wonder what you would say if others were wasting 'YOUR money !

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

It will probably take place after all and we know Max holds nearly all the cards.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...-war/10541561/

Yeah . Hopefully it will take place . But..
From what is going on ,these days we are living in a crazy dangerous world my friend . The situation doesn't look good .

[dfox]

Originally Posted by Marcoose

It's not your money.

Repairs impact budget for car development. Teams ditch drivers because of high repair bills.

[///M Power-Belgium]

.

[Marcoose]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

I wonder what you would say if others were wasting 'YOUR money !

Obviously I would be miffed. But it’s not my money. F1 team owners are billionaires. I don’t give a rat’s arse for F1 car repairs. Neither should any reasonable person.

[Marcoose]

Originally Posted by dfox

Repairs impact budget for car development. Teams ditch drivers because of high repair bills.

RBR are filthy rich. And winning. No need to bitch.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Marcoose

Obviously I would be miffed. But it’s not my money. F1 team owners are billionaires. I don’t give a rat’s arse for F1 car repairs. Neither should any reasonable person.

Did you ever heard about the F1 budget cap regulations ?

[Marcoose]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Did you ever heard about the F1 budget cap regulations ?

Oh, so you’re beef with the ‘corrupt’ Mexican is that he’s taking money from next year’s development for the team that won the last three championships in a trough, one of which aided by budget shenanigans. But if Pérez finished 2nd in every race 20 seconds behind Verstappen, you’d be happy as a lark.

It feels like you take us all for fools.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

I wonder what you would say if others were wasting 'YOUR money !

There may be a 'poor form' clause, in fact there has to be in any contract that will let my choice of Lawson in at RBR as he is asked to be ready for 'anything', as said before and not to perform in any other motor sports.
Meanwhile former Ferrari star Berger has advised Perez to walk from RB when he can for his own good and join another team like Bottas did and look how happy and contented he is now.
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ver-reshuffle/

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Marcoose

But if Pérez finished 2nd in every race 20 seconds behind Verstappen, you’d be happy as a lark.

The consequence of the current Perez situation: reluctance at RBR to offer long term contracts to the successor of Perez for 2025 (or 2024 mid-season should the performance of Perez remain subpar during the first months of the 2024 season).

Any guess how the powers that be at Mercedes and their main sponsors would have reacted if Bottas had performed the way Perez did this Summer and Autumn ? Bottas got consecutive 1-year contracts to ensure that he'd perform in a way deemed satisfactory for Mercedes. Bottas was under permanent stress from being kept in check. And the guy did a great job in handling that pressure + proved to be very helpful for Hamilton and the Mercedes team.

Verstappen, on the other hand, is left to his own devices this season: how much significant help did he get from Perez this season during a race (wingman antics: during the Austria 2023 race Perez even required Verstappen to 'mow' some wet grass off-track) ? Anyways, judging by his consistent excellent race results, Verstappen operates on a different level - even with his team mate of arguably only little help (he also gathers data to be processed by race engineers), he still keeps dominating the whole field.

Say what you want about Verstappen, but way too often this year, he's out there fighting on his own at the front with his team mate nowhere around. A one-man band against the rest. 16 out of 19 races won. That's over 84%.

Throwback to 2006-2007-2008-2009: Verstappen (°1997) competed in karting championships in Belgium and The Netherlands. The kid annihilated the competition by winning 124 out of 130 races. That's over 95%. And do know that, except for 2006, he was competing in multiple karting championships at the same time (Belgian Championship, Dutch Championship and Benelux Karting Series). He won all 9 championships he competed in.

The kid was a war machine on karting tracks. No surprise that, with a properly performing car, he became so dominant in F1. And he's only 26.

Sure, there will be others in the future challenging him for a WDC title (keep an eye on Piastri for example), but he will remain a force to be reckoned with for the next couple of years. Wouldn't be surprised if he retires from F1 in his early 30s to go compete in other racing categories.

Let's see whether the 2026 regs will spice things, mix up the field, complicate achieving race wins for Verstappen.

[M5Rick]

I missed FP1 which was probably a yawn affair before quali in 50 minutes time, question is will rain make an appearance.

[Car-Addicted]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

I missed FP1 which was probably a yawn affair

IMO: On sprint weekends FP 1 is very interesting but often not in who is fast but more in who is holding back what tires, who has pace on long runs. Red Bull and Mclaren not running softs in very interesting.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Car-Addicted

IMO: On sprint weekends FP 1 is very interesting but often not in who is fast but more in who is holding back what tires, who has pace on long runs. Red Bull and Mclaren not running softs in very interesting.

I figured it was all about for some teams to save tyres for later with just cruising

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

I missed FP1 which was probably a yawn affair before quali in 50 minutes time, question is will rain make an appearance.

MAX got issues with his seat during FP-1 . And that took time in the pitbox ..'

[M5Rick]

I find it strange that Sao Paolo has retained running GP's until 2030 in what looked like just a formality and decided in a minute while European tracks like Spa and even Monza appearing to have had to prove themselves worthy to continue for say 2 years? before it's 'reviewed' again and Hockenheim axed for the moment. What is so special about Brazil. to go through without apparently even an eye blink..

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

I find it strange that Sao Paolo has retained running GP's until 2030 in what looked like just a formality and decided in a minute while European tracks like Spa and even Monza appearing to have had to prove themselves worthy to continue for say 2 years? before it's 'reviewed' again and Hockenheim axed for the moment. What is so special about Brazil. to go through without apparently even an eye blink..

Race control : Start of QF Delayed !

Dark clouds above the track ....' 60% rain chance !

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Race control : Start of QF Delayed !

Dark clouds above the track ....'

I heard the track is filthy and services are trying to clean it.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

I heard the track is filthy and services are trying to clean it.

Yeah . The Brazilians have just woken up

[Car-Addicted]

Interesting juxtaposition of multi million dollars teams racing million dollar cars at a track surrounded by a shanty town of third world proportions.

[///M Power-Belgium]

OK. Let's go for it...