2017 AMG Mercedes F1 Team - Mercedes

[Just_a_fan]

This made me tear up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM6OABZ0PZ4

It was a different time and they were different men back then. The friendship was real because the risks were so much greater. His story about helping Hunt to get back on his feet is beautiful. I hadn't heard that before.

Hunt asleep at the test is classic James Hunt. We moan that today's drivers are boring but let's face it - they'd be sacked for much less than that these days - so they have to be a bit boring.

[Restomaniac]

This made me tear up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM6OABZ0PZ4

It was a different time and they were different men back then. The friendship was real because the risks were so much greater. His story about helping Hunt to get back on his feet is beautiful. I hadn't heard that before.

Hunt asleep at the test is classic James Hunt. We moan that today's drivers are boring but let's face it - they'd be sacked for much less than that these days - so they have to be a bit boring.

Not just asleep though. Hung over and probably still drunk.

[adrianjordan]

This made me tear up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM6OABZ0PZ4

It was a different time and they were different men back then. The friendship was real because the risks were so much greater. His story about helping Hunt to get back on his feet is beautiful. I hadn't heard that before.

Hunt asleep at the test is classic James Hunt. We moan that today's drivers are boring but let's face it - they'd be sacked for much less than that these days - so they have to be a bit boring.

Or labelled a playboy and criticised in the media!!

[WaikeCU]

Look who we have here...



Seriously can't wait to pick up this game!

[PlatinumZealot]

Nice read on the art of qualifying:

http://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/41576209

listen to the podcast (audio)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05js67r

Lewis possibly is the greatest qualifier there has ever been. You listen and you decide!

[Fulcrum]

Certainly one of the best.

[PlatinumZealot]

I wonder if Valterri is suffering because of the attention that Lewis is taking from the engineers? Lewis is openly sharing his data now unlike when Nico was around but for some reason Valterri has not been able to take advantage of that. Is he getting equal treatment?

[Phil]

Why wouldnt he?

If anything, i would expect Valtteri to get more attention as a result of him being new and the team wanting two strong drivers because it is evidently important to Mercedes to get the WCC. Bottas is just as an investment for the team, not just someone to fill an empty seat. If he was, they wouldnt have paid Williams out to get Bottas and would have stuck Wehrlein in that car instead.

[PlatinumZealot]

I think Toto was the driver to get Bottas. Nothing else. It was a good choice in the end. He is aggressive, quick and doing the job. But i can't help but feel that Lewis is putting in extra effort that Nico is gone to emulate what Michael did and build the entire team around him and valterri being young, never in a big team, never had that political experience just doesn't have the wherewithal to mark his own teritory in the garage yet.

[Phil]

But Toto is the team. He is the one who decides how it is run, the person who sticks his neck out and the person who bangs his iron fist on the table if need be. I honestly wouldn't read much into it. Hamilton is an extraordinary driver - driving against him would take a toll on anyone. And I'm not sure that any driver driving besides Lewis has to be as good or better. Rosberg too was an exceptional driver. Perhaps not as naturally fast as Lewis, but he had the technical insight and a different approach to match him many times. The draw back was perhaps splitting the team into two halves which at some point will cause friction within the team too.

I think this year is just a great year. The team is extremely focused as one united team and even if Bottas hasn't quite challenged Hamilton to the point perhaps Rosberg would have, it has enabled the team to grow together and fight Ferrari, secure the WCC (which seems a formality). Bottas might be hard on himself, but it was always going to be a huge challenge to win the WDC in his first year, beat Lewis etc. He is doing pretty alright and next year, he will be perhaps stronger and a little closer.

Sadly, even if Bottas raises his level, I'm not sure if Mercedes will resign him, IF they can get their hands on Max or perhaps Ricciardo. I am not sure, but performance is one thing, marketability another. On some level, Mercedes is in the sport to sell cars and promote their image and win championships. If Hamilton stays, it will be a big question as to who they will stick into that second seat. If Max is available, I think they will try to get him if only to avoid him driving at another team that is capable of a championship. Better to have the talent of the next generation in your car than driving against you. Not entirely sure Dan has that kind of appeal. If RedBull hangs on to Max and are prepared to let Dan go, they may go for Ricciardo too, but on what kind of contract?

I'll openly admit I prefer Dan as a driver and persona (personal opinion), but I do think Max is the one teams will sell gold for to acquire...

[ME4ME]

He is doing pretty alright and next year, he will be perhaps stronger and a little closer.

I dont see why he would. He was solid at the start of this season, but got worse since. Anyway we'll see.

Regarding 2019, I think it makes more sense for another driver than Max Verstappen to get the seat: Esteban Ocon. Ocon is having a great season, performing well every weekend. Next year he will have another year to grow as a driver. Big manufacturers like Mercedes and Renault are all about loyalty, growing their own talent, transforming their drivers into ambassedors of the brand. If Ocon can take another step next year, he'll be the perfect fit.

[NathanOlder]

Dan will certainly help sell a shed load of Mercedes cars in Australia for sure. Likewise Ocon in France. Max would do the same in Holland but Holland is a small market in comparison to France and Australia. Something as simple as that could swing it.

[Just_a_fan]

I don't see why Mercedes would sign Max or Dan if Hamilton is in contract. It would be Hamilton/Rosberg all over again. Mercedes don't need/want that again. They want to win cleanly without the public issues they had last year. Mercedes want a title winner and a points mopping driver. That way they get both titles with minimal fallout.

[ClarkBT11]

They could also want to match/beat the DWC title record to seal there legacy into the F1 history with Lewis. I will be easier with a compliant driver, I don't see many drivers beating Lewis when he's on it.

I also could imagine Lewis wanting to win with Ferrari too. So maybe hiring Dan or Max is Lewis's replacement.

[ringo]

I dont think Ham/Rosberg can happen again. They had a special connection going back decades that feuled the rivalry.
Max is a little boy to Hamilton. Even if he comes with a backstabbing don't care attitude, Hamilton won't take it as personal as he did with Rosberg. Also Hamilton's maturity level would allow him to keep calm, while max possibly self destructs trying to keep pace with Hamilton. Maturity makes a difference, and we have seen how well Hamilton and Button carried on, even after the big crash together at Canada 2011 was it?
So i would welcome Max to Mercedes; i don't think he is a big threat at this age; he isn't wise enough to be a Rosberg. He will whine and shout from the rooftops to try and swing things his way, but he won't have the subterfuge, politics, or mind games as an older more experienced driver would. He would probably be as harmfull/less as Ocon is to Perez.
I also don't think he is fast enough to threaten Hamilton.