2019 Australian Grand Prix - Melbourne, March 15-17

[zeph]

2012 best season ever with 7 different race-winners in the first 7 races.

But that was because of the tires.

I thought 2010 was the best season in recent memory, when Alonso, Webber, Vettel and Hamilton all still had a shot at the WDC in the final race.

[PlatinumZealot]

Whelp.. Looks like the Renault move was a bad choice for Ricciardo. At least he gets more money.

[Mansell89]

Whelp.. Looks like the Renault move was a bad choice for Ricciardo. At least he gets more money.

Let’s just hold that thought for a second- the dust isn’t even up in the air yet let alone settled!

Renault is very much the 2021 bet- Danny knows that and gets two years (and as you rightly point out, plenty of Aussie dollars) to get an idea of just how well Renault are moving in that direction.

To my untrained eye their car doesn’t look heavily evolved from last year and I suspect their development plan this year is a little more aggressive. Key thing first is the PU gains- we will see whether they can do some overtaking tomorrow.

Red Bull might not necessarily be in the title hunt either, though Melbourne never sees their car to best effect and they’ll come alive on some other circuits I’m sure.

Fascinating to watch.

[Jambier]

RIC will never be champion with Renault.
But I think it was not an option either with RB.

Ferrari should have take him in Vettel replacement.
Maybe later.

Renault is midfield team with low budget.
He is wasting his career here, and HUL will hurt him

[Ringleheim]

Whelp.. Looks like the Renault move was a bad choice for Ricciardo. At least he gets more money.

Let’s just hold that thought for a second- the dust isn’t even up in the air yet let alone settled!

Renault is very much the 2021 bet- Danny knows that and gets two years (and as you rightly point out, plenty of Aussie dollars) to get an idea of just how well Renault are moving in that direction.

To my untrained eye their car doesn’t look heavily evolved from last year and I suspect their development plan this year is a little more aggressive. Key thing first is the PU gains- we will see whether they can do some overtaking tomorrow.

Red Bull might not necessarily be in the title hunt either, though Melbourne never sees their car to best effect and they’ll come alive on some other circuits I’m sure.

Fascinating to watch.

Danny Ric's success at Renault, and that of the team itself, is going to be directly tied to the level of commitment within Renault.

In the past, that has been outstanding, with them producing "The" engine to have in all of F1.

But in other years the level of commitment/effort coming from them has been woefully bad.

I assume Ricciardo was given a sales pitch and convinced that Renault is prepared to pour it on and commit to being at the front of the grid. That is an awesome task in front of them, especially with Mercedes already occupying that real estate themselves.

If I had to bet, I'd say it won't work out in Danny Ric's favor, but I can understand why he wanted to get away from Red Bull. The team is too focused on Max and that is going to be his team for a long time. Some might even argue Ricciardo had to leave the team.

I'm a Ferrari fan; I'd love to see Ricciardo at Ferrari some day!

[Ringleheim]

Another boring season? After 6 years i'm pretty tired. Twitter's comments are most the same, nobody wants an uncompetitive championship with a mercenary mercedes' second driver

And whose fault is that?
Mercedes for doing their job?
Or the incompetent Ferrari team with their high budget?

Please. Ferrari is "incompetent" huh? Then what is everyone else besides Mercedes? Criminally inept?

I can't remember a time in F1 when 1 team was not dominant for a certain duration of time. When this happens, it is on the other teams to raise their game and bring the challenge to the dominant team.

[the EDGE]

Whelp.. Looks like the Renault move was a bad choice for Ricciardo. At least he gets more money.

Let’s just hold that thought for a second- the dust isn’t even up in the air yet let alone settled!

Renault is very much the 2021 bet- Danny knows that and gets two years (and as you rightly point out, plenty of Aussie dollars) to get an idea of just how well Renault are moving in that direction.

To my untrained eye their car doesn’t look heavily evolved from last year and I suspect their development plan this year is a little more aggressive. Key thing first is the PU gains- we will see whether they can do some overtaking tomorrow.

Red Bull might not necessarily be in the title hunt either, though Melbourne never sees their car to best effect and they’ll come alive on some other circuits I’m sure.

Fascinating to watch.

Are you suggesting Renault are favourites for 2021?

Do you know something the rest of us don’t?

The only reason RIC is there is to escape the way he was treated at RB, and he’s only marking time before Lewis or Seb move on

[ispano6]

You forgot one other thing... He also outqualified Kimi... Lol


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

And Max outqualified Leclerc. Your point is?

My point is simply that qualifying results are not reflective of true or outright pace (whatever that means to you) but the result of a driver putting together a sufficient time at an opportune moment when it matters. In that regard Norris as a driver/car combination delivered where as RBR Gasly laid an egg. Will we consistently see Norris ahead of Gasly? Time will tell.

He was making the point that, you say Alfa is a better car and Norris out did Giovinazzi. When Norris out did both Alfa drivers, so that points more towards the Mclaren being better than the Alfa. You make a point in that Giovinazzi messed up and couldn't put together the good enough sectors when it counted. When it was both drivers than were beat by Norris.

Sainz unlucky not to progress because of Kubica's puncture. Norris has clear runs and best both Alfas.

If Kimi had a clear run too. Some driver's Q2 times were slower than their Q1, which could indicate they may have been held up.

[NL_Fer]

RIC will never be champion with Renault.
But I think it was not an option either with RB.

Ferrari should have take him in Vettel replacement.
Maybe later.

Renault is midfield team with low budget.
He is wasting his career here, and HUL will hurt him

Yes i believe he is hunting for Vettels seat. But next to Verstappen, he may look bad. So beter to take some money, try to look faster than Hulk en be there, when Vettel is leaving for a new adventure.

[zeph]

I assume Ricciardo was given a sales pitch and convinced that Renault is prepared to pour it on and commit to being at the front of the grid.

Indeed, but the Carlos Ghosn situation may directly affect Renault's commitment to F1.

Either way, RIC got a cool $26 million and I suppose there is some kind of performance clause in his contract that will allow him to leave if the team doesn't meet a certain target. That way he'll be free to move to Mercedes or Ferrari, assuming they want him.

[bdr529]

Whelp.. Looks like the Renault move was a bad choice for Ricciardo. At least he gets more money.

Don't forget the company car he gets, a shinny new Twingo

[TAG]

Either way, RIC got a cool $26 million and I suppose there is some kind of performance clause in his contract that will allow him to leave if the team doesn't meet a certain target. That way he'll be free to move to Mercedes or Ferrari, assuming they want him.

Let's not put the cart before the horse. Ricciardo has to defeat the Hulk before he does anything else. I'm thinking Saturdays are going to go to Hulkenberg and Sundays to Ricciardo.

[Capharol]

Either way, RIC got a cool $26 million and I suppose there is some kind of performance clause in his contract that will allow him to leave if the team doesn't meet a certain target. That way he'll be free to move to Mercedes or Ferrari, assuming they want him.

Let's not put the cart before the horse. Ricciardo has to defeat the Hulk before he does anything else. I'm thinking Saturdays are going to go to Hulkenberg and Sundays to Ricciardo.

well Hulk was the best of the rest at the end of last season, so he aint one to beat easily

[Big Tea]

Whelp.. Looks like the Renault move was a bad choice for Ricciardo. At least he gets more money.

I think he just sees it as a seat while the music has stopped. When it plays again he will feel no family to Renault and take what ever is the best looking job. Had he stayed at RBR, he probably would have had a stressful season and possibly a damaged reputation. Where he is now, he would have to try real hard to make himself look a worse package to be picked up than he would had he stayed at RBR, and as noted, he gets a few more piles in the bank.

The split was coming and it would be noted who fell on Renault side and who fell on RedBull side. By making a move as he did, he should not get crossed off either teams list permanently and he may well need the other option later in his career.

[dans79]

Another boring season? After 6 years i'm pretty tired. Twitter's comments are most the same, nobody wants an uncompetitive championship with a mercenary mercedes' second driver

Or the incompetent Ferrari team with their high budget?

Please. Ferrari is "incompetent" huh?

I suggest you read the whole sentence in context!