2023 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[Venturiation]

Merc mastered in V6 era so they know in and out and more successful team in v6 era for 8 years. I bet it is matter of time to bounce back with proper Aero concept. They will be very close to RB or equal to RB but 100% top of Ferrari. This year it is going to be Merc VS RB. The new Team principle in Ferrari can take some time to adopt in the team.

Don't be so sure of that. So often we see a Ferrari 'disarmed' my human mistakes. The car usually seems to be there-about even in the poor years. Time after time the human has prevented a win or podium, so lets hope 'Fred V' gets his whiphand out and see what happens

People forget too fast, at the start of the season , the Ferrari car was the fastest in 2018 and 2019 until the second half at least

[Stu]

…

…

…
These events are not happening in isolation. It's not "nothing". Personnel will be feeling like the "Dream team" is coming to an end, piece by piece. Cowell gone. Vowles gone. Soon Hamilton and Toto. The team has to be planning for a post Wolff-Hamilton future.

The most likely future would be sale of the team, rather than any succession plan (imo); they are now very consciously NOT Mercedes, but Petronas AMG Ineos.
Toto & Mr Ineos are now the largest shareholders, Daimler (Mercedes) are down to around 30%), once it suits Daimler (and their product marketing), they will either scale back further or withdraw (and that will depend on future production and its compatibility with F1 power train direction (so, post 2030ish).

Just how I see things going…

[RonMexico]

Merc mastered in V6 era so they know in and out and more successful team in v6 era for 8 years. I bet it is matter of time to bounce back with proper Aero concept. They will be very close to RB or equal to RB but 100% top of Ferrari. This year it is going to be Merc VS RB. The new Team principle in Ferrari can take some time to adopt in the team.

Don't be so sure of that. So often we see a Ferrari 'disarmed' my human mistakes. The car usually seems to be there-about even in the poor years. Time after time the human has prevented a win or podium, so lets hope 'Fred V' gets his whiphand out and see what happens

People forget too fast, at the start of the season , the Ferrari car was the fastest in 2018 and 2019 until the second half at least

It arguably was faster here and there in 2018 but not universally and probably not faster than the Mercedes over the season. The 2019 car was a meme machine and only the fastest race car once that season, in Russia where tyre wear wasn't a consideration. Potentially Mexico but they messed that one up. The Mercedes was miles faster at the start of the season, absolutely miles faster

[organic]

Merc mastered in V6 era so they know in and out and more successful team in v6 era for 8 years. I bet it is matter of time to bounce back with proper Aero concept. They will be very close to RB or equal to RB but 100% top of Ferrari. This year it is going to be Merc VS RB. The new Team principle in Ferrari can take some time to adopt in the team.

Don't be so sure of that. So often we see a Ferrari 'disarmed' my human mistakes. The car usually seems to be there-about even in the poor years. Time after time the human has prevented a win or podium, so lets hope 'Fred V' gets his whiphand out and see what happens

People forget too fast, at the start of the season , the Ferrari car was the fastest in 2018 and 2019 until the second half at least

Did you watch 2019?

[Venturiation]

One thing that intrigues me is how the car can reach the 2 competitors when we know that it was heavily downgraded to stop the porpoising and bouncing

The engine was tuned down
The floor downforce had to be reduced
They had to use Bigger rear wing so more drag
The higher ride height adds even more drag
The suspension was awful
And the setup window was the smallest

How did this car compete with top teams in some races ? There has to be an explanation
And why the midfield didn’t beat them when they had so many problems?

[pursue_one's]

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell back on track this week

Mercedes will call upon their race drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell for their two Pirelli tyre tests in February.

All teams are invited through the year to conduct development tests for Pirelli using the previous season’s cars, and most of the tests focused on the 2023-spec tyres will be done before the season starts.

Mercedes will be trialling slick tyres on 1st-2nd February at Paul Ricard with Hamilton and Russell, before AlphaTauri then do two days on grooved tyres for wet conditions in the two days after that.

On 7th-8th February, the Mercedes drivers return to action to do further slick tyre testing at Jerez alongside Aston Martin and their race drivers. While other teams have done private testing with older cars, the Pirelli development days will mark Hamilton and Russell’s first on-track outings of 2023.

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/25/rac ... p-25-01-5/

[ab_f1]

For those saying Toto only knew about JV leaving 1 month before seem to think 1 month notice applies at that level. Either it's a planned move to bring williams back to the fold or this was in planning most of last year.
Otherwise there would have been gardening leave.

[f1jcw]

For those saying Toto only knew about JV leaving 1 month before seem to think 1 month notice applies at that level. Either it's a planned move to bring williams back to the fold or this was in planning most of last year.
Otherwise there would have been gardening leave.

You are correct, 1 months notice seems short anyway, especially for a person in his position.

My own notice period which is just as a general pleb is 3 months (thats not to say I would have to work it, its at the companies discretion)

I was on the side of it being planned, but he may have given one months notice, but if he did, then he was certainly only allowed to join Williams because either Mercedes so no benefit to him being put on gardening leave, or they saw an advantage to him leaving.

[wogx]

Is he now the first choice as a reserve driver? Will we see "M. Schumacher" winning one more time?

[ringo]

If Lewis gets sick and he fills in ans beats George and the other young guns like Max and LeClerc.

[AR3-GP]

If Lewis gets sick and he fills in ans beats George and the other young guns like Max and LeClerc.

Are you suggesting Mercedes would want to replace Hamilton with Mick?

[Sevach]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fn1D9tFWAAE ... =4096x4096

Is he now the first choice as a reserve driver? Will we see "M. Schumacher" winning one more time?

Probably(the first reserve part), he's the reserve with more relevant experience now.
And you can be certain Alpha Tauri won't be as accommodating with De Vries as Williams was with George.

The second part, if the stars align...

[AR3-GP]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fn1D9tFWAAE ... =4096x4096

Is he now the first choice as a reserve driver? Will we see "M. Schumacher" winning one more time?

Probably(the first reserve part), he's the reserve with more relevant experience now.
And you can be certain Alpha Tauri won't be as accommodating with De Vries as Williams was with George.

The second part, if the stars align...

De Vries isn't a Mercedes reserve driver. What exactly would his role be here?

[Sevach]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fn1D9tFWAAE ... =4096x4096

Is he now the first choice as a reserve driver? Will we see "M. Schumacher" winning one more time?

Probably(the first reserve part), he's the reserve with more relevant experience now.
And you can be certain Alpha Tauri won't be as accommodating with De Vries as Williams was with George.

The second part, if the stars align...

De Vries isn't a Mercedes reserve driver. What exactly would his role be here?

Last time Mercedes needed a reserve they ditched their actual reserve and went for Russell, regular Williams racer at the time, but with Mercedes connections.
Situation is drastically different this time, while De Vries has Mercedes experience he's not being eyed as the next in line, and AT wouldn't go for it anyway.

[AR3-GP]

Probably(the first reserve part), he's the reserve with more relevant experience now.
And you can be certain Alpha Tauri won't be as accommodating with De Vries as Williams was with George.

The second part, if the stars align...

De Vries isn't a Mercedes reserve driver. What exactly would his role be here?

Last time Mercedes needed a reserve they ditched their actual reserve and went for Russell, regular Williams racer at the time, but with Mercedes connections.
Situation is drastically different this time, while De Vries has Mercedes experience he's not being eyed as the next in line, and AT wouldn't go for it anyway.

I was unsure what "accommodations" Alpha Tauri and their driver should be making to support Mercedes. You expressed concern that they wouldn't be as accomodating as Williams was with GR .

Well I wouldn't think they would be. You have the same odds of seeing Verstappen on loan to Mercedes