2024 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[denyall]

Bottas is living his best life, he's an adopted Aussie Gin enthusiast with a cycling problem.

He's a multiple GP winner!

He left Mercedes on good terms, and going back to be a placeholder and fill in for media day sounds like a downgrade to me.

Mercedes needs to play aggressive and go with Kimi. No point in delay, he's either WDC material or he isn't but the slow role approach isn't viable when your the fourth best team. Lock him up in a contract or get the Piastru Prize.

[Jurgen von Diaz]

Too much is too much too soon. If it fails straight away at the Merc, it could mean the end of the career, like Vandoorne, who were super talented. Williams would be safe bet for Antonelli.

[denyall]

Too much is too much too soon. If it fails straight away at the Merc, it could mean the end of the career, like Vandoorne, who were super talented. Williams would be safe bet for Antonelli.

If Kimi is a talent, putting him at Williams puts Merc at a disadvantage, as all the other teams will see for themselves and it'll be open season to sign him.

[Jurgen von Diaz]

Too much is too much too soon. If it fails straight away at the Merc, it could mean the end of the career, like Vandoorne, who were super talented. Williams would be safe bet for Antonelli.

If Kimi is a talent, putting him at Williams puts Merc at a disadvantage, as all the other teams will see for themselves and it'll be open season to sign him.

Top teams got their seats filled. Pérez's seat would be the only one that could be possible for 2026. Does Merc have some strings in their hands that Antonelli couldn't lose to others just like that? They did put Russell in the shitbox Williams for three years, and nobody tried to steal him.

[denyall]

Too much is too much too soon. If it fails straight away at the Merc, it could mean the end of the career, like Vandoorne, who were super talented. Williams would be safe bet for Antonelli.

If Kimi is a talent, putting him at Williams puts Merc at a disadvantage, as all the other teams will see for themselves and it'll be open season to sign him.

Top teams got their seats filled. Pérez's seat would be the only one that could be possible for 2026. Does Merc have some strings in their hands that Antonelli couldn't lose to others just like that? They did put Russell in the shitbox Williams for three years, and nobody tried to steal him.

Three things:

Any team has the ability to buy out a driver in favor of another. No seat is safe, no contract is unchangeable. If Kimi proves to be the 2nd coming, some team that may very well be doing better than Merc may move mountains to get a talent like that locked up.

The GR and Merc situation was unique in that GR really really wanted to go to the top dominant team and Merc was at the time unbeatable year after year. I believe GR had other offers but held out for the Merc seat.

With Vowels growing Williams and moving out of Mercs shadow, I don't even know if Kimi to Williams is a viable option. Williams may very well announce Sainz/Albon and then what?

[Jurgen von Diaz]

If Kimi is a talent, putting him at Williams puts Merc at a disadvantage, as all the other teams will see for themselves and it'll be open season to sign him.

Top teams got their seats filled. Pérez's seat would be the only one that could be possible for 2026. Does Merc have some strings in their hands that Antonelli couldn't lose to others just like that? They did put Russell in the shitbox Williams for three years, and nobody tried to steal him.

Three things:

Any team has the ability to buy out a driver in favor of another. No seat is safe, no contract is unchangeable. If Kimi proves to be the 2nd coming, some team that may very well be doing better than Merc may move mountains to get a talent like that locked up.

The GR and Merc situation was unique in that GR really really wanted to go to the top dominant team and Merc was at the time unbeatable year after year. I believe GR had other offers but held out for the Merc seat.

With Vowels growing Williams and moving out of Mercs shadow, I don't even know if Kimi to Williams is a viable option. Williams may very well announce Sainz/Albon and then what?

If Sainz goes to Williams, then they have no choice but to take the risk with Antonelli and put him in the Mercedes. Clearly, Mercedes isn't sure about this move because they haven't sealed the deal yet. Bearman will drive for Haas in FP this season, but no FP yet for Antonelli in Mercedes or Williams. Why not?

[Matt2725]

Russell and Bottas. Mediocrity at its core

The same Russell who's junior career is only matched by Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri in recent times? The guy is far from mediocre, and to compare him to Bottas shows a level of ignorance or hate for the guy for no apparent reason that I can see.

[organic]

Russell and Bottas. Mediocrity at its core

The same Russell who's junior career is only matched by Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri in recent times? The guy is far from mediocre, and to compare him to Bottas shows a level of ignorance or hate for the guy for no apparent reason that I can see.

Ah yes F2 and F3.. the famously flawless predictors of F1 success and ability. Anyway..

I said a lineup of Russell and Bottas would be mediocre - I did not call Russell mediocre nor compare him to Bottas. Because however good Russell may be, that won't be enough to make up for the far over-the-hill Bottas who can't race wheel to wheel to save his life, especially with car performance as close as it is. This iteration of Mercedes haven't been in F1 without a world champion in their lineup so far. To go from that to Bottas/Russell would be a major fall

[Cs98]

Russell and Bottas. Mediocrity at its core

The same Russell who's junior career is only matched by Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri in recent times? The guy is far from mediocre, and to compare him to Bottas shows a level of ignorance or hate for the guy for no apparent reason that I can see.

Ah yes F2 and F3.. the famously flawless predictors of F1 success and ability. Anyway..

I said a lineup of Russell and Bottas would be mediocre - I did not call Russell mediocre nor compare him to Bottas. Because however good Russell may be, that won't be enough to make up for the far over-the-hill Bottas who can't race wheel to wheel to save his life, especially with car performance as close as it is. This iteration of Mercedes haven't been in F1 without a world champion in their lineup so far. To go from that to Bottas/Russell would be a major fall

Judging by his performance relative to the most successful driver of all time I'd say it has been a pretty good predictor of success and ability. Bottas is mediocre, agreed, Russell is far from it.

[ringo]

For those watching F1 long enough. Bottas is not mediocre. He has his weaknesses. But he is very fast over a lap. His Q3 record in a q3 capable car is probably in the top 3 on the grid.
His stint at Williams was very good against a driver like Massa. Getting 10 wins in mercedes proved that once he was on the front row , he can win if Lewis was having a bad day.
I wouldnt call that mediocre. He's better than Perez for sure, and more useful than Sainz.
After leaving Mercedes Bottas didnt get a good enough car to do well and even then he was not beaten by Zhou. So i think he still has a good reputation.
Let's see if Sainz announces this weekend. When he does, then that will trigger the other moves.

[Luscion]

James Allision interview on Merc's progress so far and other topics for those interested, its a long one. James saying they had a "how could we have been so dumb moment" is interesting

[Formula 1 fan]

Will Mercedes bring some other upgrades to Spain race exept new floor?

[Luscion]

Will Mercedes bring some other upgrades to Spain race exept new floor?

Only the floor upgrade has been talked about

[Luscion]

James Allison on Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying: “Lewis has not by accident been the best qualifier in the history of the sport because I think he's been the best driver in the sport. But he's struggling to make it stick this year by fine margins.”

“And I think to a degree, I was speculating this in an email I sent to the factory yesterday, that the current car tyre combo, not just us, across the pit lane, it doesn't like being hustled.”

“You almost get the best lap times when you're not trying. And you see every weekend, you'll see someone pop a lap time in free practice or in qualifying, in some session or other, you'll see some car and you think, well, how did that get there? And then they don't do it again.”

https://xcom/fiagirly/status/1803433416341258626

[Formula 1 fan]

Will Mercedes bring some other upgrades to Spain race exept new floor?

Only the floor upgrade has been talked about

Okay, thank you for information.