2019 Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team

[wunderkind]

Another WDC and WCC. 2020 will be the same. And then they'll have another rocket in 2021, I'm sure.

Congrats.

I see this winning run continuing for Mercedes until Hamilton retires.

[Jolle]

Another WDC and WCC. 2020 will be the same. And then they'll have another rocket in 2021, I'm sure.

Congrats.

I see this winning run continuing for Mercedes until Hamilton retires.

And if Hamilton retires after 2020, there are a lot of drivers out of contract who would love to take his seat...

[Capharol]

And i know for 80% sure who will get that seat then

[NathanOlder]

And i know for 80% sure who will get that seat then

Please do tell.... As Ocon and Russell will be in the mix,

Also if the car is still fighting for titles, I can't see Lewis walking away.

[Capharol]

And i know for 80% sure who will get that seat then

Please do tell.... As Ocon and Russell will be in the mix,

Also if the car is still fighting for titles, I can't see Lewis walking away.

forgot this smiley behind the text (but if you wanna know what my guess is..... starts with a V, stops with an n)

[Capharol]

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said his drivers and their engineers defied his instruction not to chase the bonus point for fastest lap in the Australian Grand Prix.......

However Wolff said he’d forbidden his team from risking a push for fastest lap if they were running at the front.
“Today in the morning meeting when we talked about strategy I forbade [them] to go for the fastest lap if we are running one, two or three,” he said. “They ignored me. All of them........

“At the end I’m very happy. Collecting that extra point I think it’s good, it’s entertaining, it’s a great new part of the spectacle.
“I believe that it’s taking risks, especially when you’re in for the big points, should you go for the fastest lap? But then maybe my reference point in being in control of a car is my own driving and not the level of the Formula 1 drivers.”

[GPR-A]

And i know for 80% sure who will get that seat then

Please do tell.... As Ocon and Russell will be in the mix,

Also if the car is still fighting for titles, I can't see Lewis walking away.

I don't see Lewis walking away either, definitely not when there is an all time glory that is achievable, in front of him. No matter how he talks about his retirement and keeps the media guessing, there is a certain lure for statistically being the GOAT. 2021 regulations appears to be another exciting challenge to undertake and his relationship with Toto seems to be in good place to continue the journey.

[Capharol]

complete Team radio of Hamilton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmp2Cyp ... e=youtu.be

at 5:30 Hamilton asks "what target did I hit" coukd that be related to the bargeboard?

[Capharol]

https://soundcloud.com/franciscus-paarh ... ourne-2019

Team radio Bottas after winning Melbourne

[Jolle]

And i know for 80% sure who will get that seat then

Please do tell.... As Ocon and Russell will be in the mix,

Also if the car is still fighting for titles, I can't see Lewis walking away.

forgot this smiley behind the text (but if you wanna know what my guess is..... starts with a V, stops with an n)

prob off topic on this thread, but this guy, V something, if he has two steady seasons with some growth in speed and maturity could play all the three big players against each other, with Vettel and Hamilton getting older. Especially (if Hamilton breaks the records) as a non world champion.

If STR was his Toleman, and RedBull his Lotus, will Mercedes be his McLaren and Hamilton his Prost?

[Phil]

Many are praising Bottas for his perfect execution in Melbourne and hailing him as "new Bottas". Yes, he did a marvelous job and made no mistake for which he deserves all the credit he is receiving. The only thing however that won him the race (fair and square, mind you) was on the first 100m of the Melbourne race. Not more, not less.

I'm not trying to make excuses for Hamilton or trying to belittle Bottas weekend though. Perhaps what I wanted to point out, was that many had openly criticized Bottas for his under-achieving these last 2 seasons (especially last) and suggested Mercedes should replace him with Ocon. I think Melbourne illustrated quite nicely what happens to your race when you're not in the lead; You don't get preferred pit-stop calls, you are mostly in wake of other cars and you are also a lot more vulnerable to what is happening behind. This happened exactly to Hamilton. He was doing well behind Bottas, the gap only increasing ever so slightly (which can be explained by pacing, wake and perhaps that floor damage) until Vettel pitted and Mercedes had to react with Hamilton. This compromised his entire race from then on, which is what exaggerated the large gap to Bottas after the full race.

My point being; Bottas looked worse than he was these last two seasons because more often than not, he was in exactly the same situation as Hamilton was in Melbourne. Reacting through strategy what others around him were doing, sometimes even playing the necessary 'pawn', the wing-man which set him up on less favorable strategies and exaggerated his 'under-achieving'.

I'm not sure Bottas will be able to beat Hamilton often enough that he will not be put back into these situations again, but IMO his performance these last 2 seasons have been good enough to warrant his place in the team. He certainly showed that in qualifying on Saturday (more so than what he achieved on Sunday) by being that close to Hamilton. I'd also point out that last season, Bottas was extremely strong too and had he won that race in Baku (which to be fair, he only got into contention through some good fortune), he'd have been leading the championship for Mercedes at that point. So yeah, don't underestimate Valtteri.

[Capharol]

Many are praising Bottas for his perfect execution in Melbourne and hailing him as "new Bottas". Yes, he did a marvelous job and made no mistake for which he deserves all the credit he is receiving. The only thing however that won him the race (fair and square, mind you) was on the first 100m of the Melbourne race. Not more, not less.

I'm not trying to make excuses for Hamilton or trying to belittle Bottas weekend though. Perhaps what I wanted to point out, was that many had openly criticized Bottas for his under-achieving these last 2 seasons (especially last) and suggested Mercedes should replace him with Ocon. I think Melbourne illustrated quite nicely what happens to your race when you're not in the lead; You don't get preferred pit-stop calls, you are mostly in wake of other cars and you are also a lot more vulnerable to what is happening behind. This happened exactly to Hamilton. He was doing well behind Bottas, the gap only increasing ever so slightly (which can be explained by pacing, wake and perhaps that floor damage) until Vettel pitted and Mercedes had to react with Hamilton. This compromised his entire race from then on, which is what exaggerated the large gap to Bottas after the full race.

My point being; Bottas looked worse than he was these last two seasons because more often than not, he was in exactly the same situation as Hamilton was in Melbourne. Reacting through strategy what others around him were doing, sometimes even playing the necessary 'pawn', the wing-man which set him up on less favorable strategies and exaggerated his 'under-achieving'.

I'm not sure Bottas will be able to beat Hamilton often enough that he will not be put back into these situations again, but IMO his performance these last 2 seasons have been good enough to warrant his place in the team. He certainly showed that in qualifying on Saturday (more so than what he achieved on Sunday) by being that close to Hamilton. I'd also point out that last season, Bottas was extremely strong too and had he won that race in Baku (which to be fair, he only got into contention through some good fortune), he'd have been leading the championship for Mercedes at that point. So yeah, don't underestimate Valtteri.

i agree completly, and keep in mind Hamilton acknowledge that he let the gap grow this big, probably to cover off Bottas, if he had to pit again, so a Verstappen or Vettel couldn't overtake Bottas.
I guess as soon Hamilton understood he couldn't pass Bottas because of his problem, the tactic changed to hold off the others, this would be a good explanation to the question he became if he could hold Verstappen off, which he answered with yes

[Just_a_fan]

I agree, Phil. Seems like a very reasonable way of looking at Bottas's situation and performance.

[Mattchu]

One thing I thought the Mercedes car looked better at than the rest of the field was direction change. Sure the car seemed a little bouncy but boy when the driver turned the wheel the car zipped across the track almost instantly.
The front end looked super strong even with older tyres on. There was a point where Verstappen came up behind Hamilton [just before going on the grass] and you could see the difference, albeit this may have something to do with being in turbulent air!

I don`t think even Mercedes themselves thought they`d be where they are...

[Sieper]

Many are praising Bottas for his perfect execution in Melbourne and hailing him as "new Bottas". Yes, he did a marvelous job and made no mistake for which he deserves all the credit he is receiving. The only thing however that won him the race (fair and square, mind you) was on the first 100m of the Melbourne race. Not more, not less.

I'm not trying to make excuses for Hamilton or trying to belittle Bottas weekend though. Perhaps what I wanted to point out, was that many had openly criticized Bottas for his under-achieving these last 2 seasons (especially last) and suggested Mercedes should replace him with Ocon. I think Melbourne illustrated quite nicely what happens to your race when you're not in the lead; You don't get preferred pit-stop calls, you are mostly in wake of other cars and you are also a lot more vulnerable to what is happening behind. This happened exactly to Hamilton. He was doing well behind Bottas, the gap only increasing ever so slightly (which can be explained by pacing, wake and perhaps that floor damage) until Vettel pitted and Mercedes had to react with Hamilton. This compromised his entire race from then on, which is what exaggerated the large gap to Bottas after the full race.

My point being; Bottas looked worse than he was these last two seasons because more often than not, he was in exactly the same situation as Hamilton was in Melbourne. Reacting through strategy what others around him were doing, sometimes even playing the necessary 'pawn', the wing-man which set him up on less favorable strategies and exaggerated his 'under-achieving'.

I'm not sure Bottas will be able to beat Hamilton often enough that he will not be put back into these situations again, but IMO his performance these last 2 seasons have been good enough to warrant his place in the team. He certainly showed that in qualifying on Saturday (more so than what he achieved on Sunday) by being that close to Hamilton. I'd also point out that last season, Bottas was extremely strong too and had he won that race in Baku (which to be fair, he only got into contention through some good fortune), he'd have been leading the championship for Mercedes at that point. So yeah, don't underestimate Valtteri.

Very solid post, I am not allowed to plus you as agreement plusses are not allowed but I feel this is some very good and fair assessment.

However! I'd like to add something. Bottas wanted that 26th point (and he successfully achieved it) but I thought that that was very (too) risky. Not because I don't trust him as a driver but just as Toto had already spoken against it and the situation Bottas is in (the loud critique from all the people that should go f... ourselves ) imagine if he crashed during that lap. Ocon would have had a field day. The FOM was showing him at least thrice already during the race.

But then again, maybe Bottas should show that he is up for a fight. Or perhaps that is the stupidest thing he could do, especially when he does (if he should) make a mistake.

To be totally honoust, my personal opinion. I think Hamilton is a very special driver, Bottas is "just" solid. He can have top level pace but in duels he is not on Hamiltons level and I suspect he cannot reach it (I am clearly on of the go f... ourselves brigade). I think Nico was closer. But perhaps I am mistaken and Bottas is now really stepping up his game. Mercedes always said they encourage that.