Mercedes GP - Inauguration and 1st season

[segedunum]

As Andrew said, drivers want to race. And as 747 rightly says which "frontline driver" wants to go to Mercedes?

Sutil for one. He will probably find the Mercedes backing more firm and reassuring than the Force India one, but he probably shouldn't.

Certainly, a guy who is already driving for a team is not talking to Mercedes about a reserve driver seat unless he's driving for HRT or something.

[marcush.]

that was the guy who bragged about how easily he could overtake the old man in Spa and
was sure to leave the mercs behind for the rest of the season... where´s the logic behind that? Does Sutil think he´s on one level with Hamilton, perhaps?

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

that was the guy who bragged about how easily he could overtake the old man in Spa and
was sure to leave the mercs behind for the rest of the season... where´s the logic behind that? Does Sutil think he´s on one level with Hamilton, perhaps?

Sutil is well versed in losing fronts wings. His own and others around him. Also if the rumours of Shumachers demise are to be true, then he is due to be the manager of the Mercedes team. I dont see him hiring a guy who gloated about how easy it was breezing past Schumacher, given that the W01 was always going to be a sitting duck through eau rouge and the prevailing straight.
Not the automatic choice some would think he is IMO

[segedunum]

This is very interesting, most team principals usually sandbags around their new creation, saying like; "This one will be an honest piece of rubbish" or, "I seriously doubt if this ugly thing will cut it", why I'm sure RB is onto something here!

It depends. If you're a cocky so and so like Newey then I suppose you'll want to appear to sandbag. Red Bull have made a real tactic of it this season. However, in Merc's case they're talking not just to the media and the rest of the world but their paymasters, so there is method there.

It's a real baptism of fire to be thrown in as a manager in that place!

[lebesset]

if you think back to last season RB said that they were so far ahead at mid season that they turned all development towards 2010 ; thereafter the brawn ended up as 3rd best car at best .... fortunately button had the maturity to ignore the ...win in style ....brigade and just picked up points taking no risks [ ok , not at brazil but there the odds were different ]

now RB is saying that they put so much into the 2009 car that they lacked resources for the 2010 car

now I may be a great believer in RB's abilities , but it seems to me that he is being economical with the truth here [ how polite is that ! ] ; as I remember it big staff cuts were made early last season ...is it not more likely that they just lack the numbers to compete with the big 3 ? is the parent company expecting the team to make bricks without straw ?

in which case why should it be different in 2011 ?

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Lebesset

You make a valid point on numbers, it mirrors what I think the problem is. Mercedes have already said they will not allocate huge funds, the team will need to sustain itself to an extent. Mercedes and Brawn have one eye on the resource restriction, but I want to see exactly how the FIA enforces it because I see the rules being bent to breaking point with this.

[xpensive]

@lebesset;
There is little in this world I find more tireing than xcuses, of which we have heard an endless stream of from Brackley since the Honda days. Facts are that the team messesd up completely for the 2010 season, despite having the best engine, an aerodynamic head-start on everyone, the most xperienced development driver in history and a canonized team principal.

Now I here the latter is blaming the team's owners? I think both MS and RB were flattered to no end by the resources,
testing facilities and shameless FIA-support when at Ferrari. Before that, there was two years of cheating with Briatore.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

@lebesset;
the most xperienced development driver in history

How does this help when you can test in season?

[xpensive]

@lebesset;
the most xperienced development driver in history

How does this help when you can test in season?

Which seems to be one of their problems, guess the geezer didn't know about that?

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

I see potential, and maybe next year these "xciting developments" Brawn speaks of will actually be xciting!!!!!

I see the homolgation rules being part of the problem. I mean if you make a mistake in terms of design in F1, before you could make "b-spec" cars. Now you sit and suffer.

As in the engine freeze where Renault and Ferrari could demonstrate faults, could it be that if there is a chassis or aero flaw that cannot be changed under the rules, can the team go cap in hand to the FIA to make a change?]
Or should they just grin and bear it as Mercedes have done this year?

[marcush.]

Most interestingly the german press is not jumping on the Schumachers retirement bandwagon until now...WHY?
Normally all gossip is sold here as realitity ...even Stefanovic gets coverage...and silly season stuff about 2011 is cooking up ..but not with Michael or Brawn...

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Most interestingly the german press is not jumping on the Schumachers retirement bandwagon until now...WHY?
Normally all gossip is sold here as realitity ...even Stefanovic gets coverage...and silly season stuff about 2011 is cooking up ..but not with Michael or Brawn...

British media shenanigans?

Thing is alot of their reporting is held in high esteem. Due to the amount of "scoops" they tend to uncover. But I wonder how many other stories they get wrong?
Look at the back pages of the sun Newspaper and there are 100 stories about players moving teams. Eventually you will get it right. Just fling enough mud.....

[xpensive]

I see potential, and maybe next year these "xciting developments" Brawn speaks of will actually be xciting!!!!!

With the current regulations, the "xciting" part will probably be an even more outrageous front wing, which folds like
a road-map on the straights but curls up as an air-brake through the bends, while it stays solid as a rock in the pits.

The latter will be cherfully demonstrated by Norbert Haug, with posing for the photographers sitting on it.

[marcush.]

Brawn has officially admitted in german press that they realised now that RedBull are indeed twist their wing only when the wing gets bend backwards by drag by means of clever fibre orientation....hmpf...aaaah.
BUT ...they are not in a position to implement this technique immediatedly....errrm ..but next year.
so the question was can the other teams close the gap to RedBull this season?
Mercedes certainly NOT .

[xpensive]

Brawn has officially admitted in german press that they realised now that RedBull are indeed twist their wing only when the wing gets bend backwards by drag by means of clever fibre orientation....hmpf...aaaah.
...

Who could have guessed marcush, perhaps "Man hätte auf den Schweden hören sollen"?