2021 AMG Mercedes F1 Team

[zibby43]

Don’t think it mattered with the pace RBR and Verstappen had today.

[Morteza]

Mercedes are lucky Hamilton held on to that 2nd place. Bottas was a joke today

[ringo]

All they had to do was both move to the side that Verstappen went for the overtake. Instead bottas the Moron left the door wide open. for verstappen around the outside. Had they both moved to one side Verstappen would have been screwed and would have had to back out.

Seemed deliberate on Bottas' part. He made a crappy start, initially moved the cover then randomly moved toward lewis and opened the door to Max completely around the outside.

i agree. Bottas is a sneaky little snake.
He seemed to want to pressure lewis more than Max, without realizing that Max is in the better car so pressuring lewis does not give him a better chance to win.
I cannot wait till he leaves. He is not a bad driver but he has a penchant to race his teammates harder than his opponents and he used to do that with Massa if i remember correctly.

[JordanMugen]

Bottas was a joke today

Bottas is a sneaky little snake.

Wolff had the chance to buy out Russell's Williams contract for '21 as Bottas was out-of-contract, but choose not to and rather to renew Bottas. A most curious decision!

Given that decision to put Bottas in the car again, it would be illogical for Wolff to now be cross with Bottas.

It's a shame really, as while it is nice that the Williams is much more competitive this season, it would have been nice to see Russell battling with Verstappen, Perez and Hamilton week-in and week-out. Some think Russell is a bit of an ace and potentially could've outperformed Bottas over the season - although others think otherwise and that the proven Bottas is a superior performer and choice to Russell.

[dans79]

Given that decision to put Bottas in the car again, it would be illogical for Wolff to now be cross with Bottas.

At pretty much any company, when you repeatedly show you can't do your job properly you get fired/replaced!

[AMG.Tzan]

All they had to do was both move to the side that Verstappen went for the overtake. Instead bottas the Moron left the door wide open. for verstappen around the outside. Had they both moved to one side Verstappen would have been screwed and would have had to back out.

Seemed deliberate on Bottas' part. He made a crappy start, initially moved the cover then randomly moved toward lewis and opened the door to Max completely around the outside.

i agree. Bottas is a sneaky little snake.
He seemed to want to pressure lewis more than Max, without realizing that Max is in the better car so pressuring lewis does not give him a better chance to win.
I cannot wait till he leaves. He is not a bad driver but he has a penchant to race his teammates harder than his opponents and he used to do that with Massa if i remember correctly.

He's left the door wide open for Max many times this year! He fought Lewis harder in Spain than he ever has fought Verstapen this year! He is a joke...

Never really understood why after Bahrain 2020 Mercedes didn't put Russell in the car for 2021! Yes Bottas had just signed a contract but George destroyed him without even fitting in the car!

It would have been a totally different championship if George was in the car...for sure the WCC would have been ours! Anyway...the championship was lost after Mercedes and Lewis messed up Spa, Monza and Austin!

To be fair, Red Bull have maximized every single race they were favorites! Mercedes and Hamilton haven't...

[Big Tea]

All they had to do was both move to the side that Verstappen went for the overtake. Instead bottas the Moron left the door wide open. for verstappen around the outside. Had they both moved to one side Verstappen would have been screwed and would have had to back out.

Seemed deliberate on Bottas' part. He made a crappy start, initially moved the cover then randomly moved toward lewis and opened the door to Max completely around the outside.

i agree. Bottas is a sneaky little snake.
He seemed to want to pressure lewis more than Max, without realizing that Max is in the better car so pressuring lewis does not give him a better chance to win.
I cannot wait till he leaves. He is not a bad driver but he has a penchant to race his teammates harder than his opponents and he used to do that with Massa if i remember correctly.

He's left the door wide open for Max many times this year! He fought Lewis harder in Spain than he ever has fought Verstapen this year! He is a joke...

Never really understood why after Bahrain 2020 Mercedes didn't put Russell in the car for 2021! Yes Bottas had just signed a contract but George destroyed him without even fitting in the car!

It would have been a totally different championship if George was in the car...for sure the WCC would have been ours! Anyway...the championship was lost after Mercedes and Lewis messed up Spa, Monza and Austin!

To be fair, Red Bull have maximized every single race they were favorites! Mercedes and Hamilton haven't...

I think as much for Russell's benefit as anything. He has had a good development year at Williams this year

[RonMexico]

Given that decision to put Bottas in the car again, it would be illogical for Wolff to now be cross with Bottas.

At pretty much any company, when you repeatedly show you can't do your job properly you get fired/replaced!

Is he employed to be a slave for Lewis?

Why should he help Hamilton all the time anyway?

He still went out there and played whatever games Mercedes were trying at the end and then did the fastest lap.

I think the real answer here is he is just a second rate racer who is a strong qualifier. If this was a sudden change in performance then you might be onto something but this is the Driver he has been at Mercedes for the most part

[JordanMugen]

Given that decision to put Bottas in the car again, it would be illogical for Wolff to now be cross with Bottas.

At pretty much any company, when you repeatedly show you can't do your job properly you get fired/replaced!

Putting Russell in the car would've been a big risk as he could have done a Gasly and been way off the pace I suppose. Better to stick with the fast pole-winning Finn, instead of a potentially sluggish "junior" British driver?

Mercedes will monitor Russell's performance closely in '22 I suppose -- there's still a risk of Russell being too far off the pace. If Russell can match or outscore Hamilton on points, I guess Mercedes will be thrilled and delighted and the risk of taking a junior will have paid off?

I think as much for Russell's benefit as anything. He has had a good development year at Williams this year

Precisely. I guess you viewed the risk of Russell being way off the pace in a 2021 Mercedes as too great?

[Big Tea]

Given that decision to put Bottas in the car again, it would be illogical for Wolff to now be cross with Bottas.

At pretty much any company, when you repeatedly show you can't do your job properly you get fired/replaced!

Is he employed to be a slave for Lewis?

Why should he help Hamilton all the time anyway?

He still went out there and played whatever games Mercedes were trying at the end and then did the fastest lap.

I think the real answer here is he is just a second rate racer who is a strong qualifier. If this was a sudden change in performance then you might be onto something but this is the Driver he has been at Mercedes for the most part

I think he is a fast driver, but not the sharpest tool in the box. He can drive the wheels of, as long as it goes according to the script.

[Tizz]

Given that decision to put Bottas in the car again, it would be illogical for Wolff to now be cross with Bottas.

At pretty much any company, when you repeatedly show you can't do your job properly you get fired/replaced!

Is he employed to be a slave for Lewis?

Why should he help Hamilton all the time anyway?

He still went out there and played whatever games Mercedes were trying at the end and then did the fastest lap.

I think the real answer here is he is just a second rate racer who is a strong qualifier. If this was a sudden change in performance then you might be onto something but this is the Driver he has been at Mercedes for the most part

Toto screwed him over a couple of times too many and now Bottas decided to administer a taste of his own medicin. He should have done that in his second year and then maybe he would have been racing for the title now. I'm sure Toto is realizing now how expensive these teamorders are.

[Sieper]

At pretty much any company, when you repeatedly show you can't do your job properly you get fired/replaced!

Is he employed to be a slave for Lewis?

Why should he help Hamilton all the time anyway?

He still went out there and played whatever games Mercedes were trying at the end and then did the fastest lap.

I think the real answer here is he is just a second rate racer who is a strong qualifier. If this was a sudden change in performance then you might be onto something but this is the Driver he has been at Mercedes for the most part

Toto screwed him over a couple of times too many and now Bottas decided to administer a taste of his own medicin. He should have done that in his second year and then maybe he would have been racing for the title now. I'm sure Toto is realizing now how expensive these teamorders are.

Russell will receive them too. Certainly in 22 (should it be needed at all). Maybe in the years following the playfield will be more open. Imho Russell is outstanding, but Hamilton is in that small class of all time great.

[Gillian]

I don't know how close it will be between Russell and Hamilton. I'm not convinced it even will be that exciting. Russel has shown he can drive sure, but for me it's hard to determine how good he actually is. But maybe I'm just a bit slow in getting it or something. I just never had those doubts about Hamilton and Verstappen. So to me it's a bit premature to think Russell is on that level.

[Tizz]

I don't know how close it will be between Russell and Hamilton. I'm not convinced it even will be that exciting. Russel has shown he can drive sure, but for me it's hard to determine how good he actually is. But maybe I'm just a bit slow in getting it or something. I just never had those doubts about Hamilton and Verstappen. So to me it's a bit premature to think Russell is on that level.

Ofcourse he has a lot to prove but this stand-in drive for Hammi was deeply impressive. At least he brings a little bit more personality to the front of the grid... Looking forward to this whole new situation with a lot of excellent young drivers and totally new cars next year.

[AeroDynamic]

I really have no idea how Hamilton and Russel will compare in the new era. They’ll be driving very different cars. For all drivers it’s going to be a test to see who’s natural driving intuitions will thrive with the way these cars will want to be driven, and who will flounder. It’s a lottery. Naturally, very adaptable drivers will look good quickly, and others with a less adaptable driving ability will take time.

So in the first months that could muddle the image of Lewis and Russell. Although I expect Lewis has the opportunity of experience being an advantage to figure out the car. But only if Russell is slow at adapting to cars. Given his outing in Bahrain, he looked like he can adapt quickly. But it’s a question of how adaptable a style is the MCS car to drive? Some cars requirements will appease a broader range of drivers natural intuitive driving techniques and styles, more than other cars. (The RB being an extreme example of this)

Nothing would surprise me next year, whether that means Russell turns out to be the real deal, a generation talent, and whatever peak level Lewis enjoyed in his 20’s - that would’ve been failing off for a few years- that he can’t compensate for with experience in knowing where to find performance in a car that Russell might not, just isn’t enough to stay in front. Although if Russell struggles for consistency or naive judgement in racing scenarios, Lewis might finish ahead in the standings.

It might be the other way: Russell is very good or almost a generational great, but not quite, and maybe he will beat Hamilton sometimes but not enough. But maybe he can develop enough to beat anyone with a competitive enough car.

Whatever it is, it’s an exciting new chapter for formula one, the new guard is taking the
Torch from here on. Russell, Norris, Verstappen, Leclerc, etc are all going to be fighting for those stripes, accolodstes, and position of being the very best. When the new guard comes in, they, and their followers think beating the old master means you’re the new greatest. Not really. You’re the figure head of the new wave when you do that but to take that accolade, in terms of all time greats, you need to prove it against your own era / guard, and the next waves that will be coming throughout the 10-20 year career you hope to thrive in. The all time greats win titles, but they also dominate everyone that comes along after them. Particularly when the new waves are genuinely a strong generation of competition, (I.e. like it has been in Tennis in the past 20 years.)