2019 Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai, April 12-14

[Vasconia]

2 races finalized, and everyone is already raving on how bad Vettel is.... The Mercedes media team is doing a good job on putting pressure on Vettel, that is for sure. I wonder where those articles were on Bottas destroying Hamilton after the first race. Oops, they weren't there. ..
The guy is a 4 time WDC, he has his flaws, like every driver, but it would be wrong to underestimate him.

If Vettel can solve hi problems and have the usualy pace he has, why not?. Normally after he overtook Leclerc he should have won the race but for some reason he had no pace.

[SiLo]

Hamilton is pretty good round here so hopefully we get a Merc vs Ferrari fight for the win. I doubt Mercedes can make up the power deficit enough to battle for pole.

[djos]

Leclerc was so on fire last race, I suspect we may see the same in China. He's tasted blood now. He wants #1 status. I think he's only going to get stronger all season.

Ferrari will work out their problems. Too many resources to keep failing.

I agree, he'll do what Danny Ric did to Vettel at RedBull!

let me have a piece of that nice crystall ball you seem to possess.

I don't don't have a crystal ball, however imo there's a distinct trend forming that when having to actually race for a win, Vettel is quite mistake prone.

[Jambier]

Is it power deficit ? Or aero ?

Or just Mercedes doing usual stuff: Very cautious with engine to begin the season, then they will unleash power.

[Bill_Kar]

2 races finalized, and everyone is already raving on how bad Vettel is.... The Mercedes media team is doing a good job on putting pressure on Vettel, that is for sure. I wonder where those articles were on Bottas destroying Hamilton after the first race. Oops, they weren't there. ..
The guy is a 4 time WDC, he has his flaws, like every driver, but it would be wrong to underestimate him.

Umm.. What do you mean? I vividly remember all media promoting the "new Bottas" and how he changed his mentality etc. Of course everybody was talking about it.

But despite the not-so-accurate comparison with Hamilton (whose name must be mentioned every single time for some reason), why do you think Vettel shouldn't be criticised?
I absolutely agree that he is an incredible driver and deservedly 4x world champion but he keeps making mistakes and he was clearly outpaced by the newcomer in his second race with Ferrari. That being said, I still think he will beat leclerc this year.
And one last thing; it is the Italian media who bear the cross of heavy criticism. I don't agree with them, but when you sign up to drive for Ferrari you should be mentally prepared for this. These guys are cannibals.

[Jambier]

If Vettel beat Leclerc that will be very bad for Leclerc future.
He has a 4 years contract with Ferrari, he is supposed to be a future star, like Verstappen.

Beating Vettel is the first step. I think Vettel is a good benchmark and Ferrari know it.
Not a carreer destroyer like an Alonso or an Hamilton, but not too slow either.

He was a good benchmark as well for Ricciardo, even if back then that was not supposed to happen

[Gothrek]

Umm.. What do you mean? I vividly remember all media promoting the "new Bottas" and how he changed his mentality etc. Of course everybody was talking about it.

But despite the not-so-accurate comparison with Hamilton (whose name must be mentioned every single time for some reason), why do you think Vettel shouldn't be criticised?
I absolutely agree that he is an incredible driver and deservedly 4x world champion but he keeps making mistakes and he was clearly outpaced by the newcomer in his second race with Ferrari. That being said, I still think he will beat leclerc this year.
And one last thing; it is the Italian media who bear the cross of heavy criticism. I don't agree with them, but when you sign up to drive for Ferrari you should be mentally prepared for this. These guys are cannibals.

All drivers should be criticized, I am not saying Vettel is a saint who we should worship. However, when it comes to Mercedes, all hail Bottas for a good drive. When it is Ferrari, it is immediately: is Vettel is trouble? Will Vettel leave at the end of the year? Let's do team mate comparisons after 2 races, etc. Toto saying things to put pressure on the Ferrari team and taking pressure of his team. Just tired of this UK dominated press BS, race 3 hasn't even started...
Show me a driver who hasn't made mistakes? Yes, Vettel made a mistake. Was it his own? Heavy wind that threw the car off balance? Car problem somewhere? We don't know...
When Hamilton has a spin or an error, it is the car, when Vettel makes a mistake all hell needs to break loose on the guy.

Anyway, China should be interesting.

[digitalrurouni]

The reason people harp on Vettel more than Hamilton (Possibly) when their teammates beat them is simply in the manner of how their teammates beat them. Vettel has cracked under pressure quite a few times. He has barged his car in to his opponents as well like in Baku. Hamilton has moaned on the radio and has his off track antics but on track if I recall he's not really cracked per se. That's probably why people keep harping on Vettel...every time he has come up against Hamilton he has spun. Or he has slid off the track in changing conditions etc. As a result to outsiders seems like he cracks under pressure.

[SiLo]

The reason people harp on Vettel more than Hamilton (Possibly) when their teammates beat them is simply in the manner of how their teammates beat them. Vettel has cracked under pressure quite a few times. He has barged his car in to his opponents as well like in Baku. Hamilton has moaned on the radio and has his off track antics but on track if I recall he's not really cracked per se. That's probably why people keep harping on Vettel...every time he has come up against Hamilton he has spun. Or he has slid off the track in changing conditions etc. As a result to outsiders seems like he cracks under pressure.

When was the last time Hamilton made a mistake whilst under pressure like Vettel?

[digitalrurouni]

The reason people harp on Vettel more than Hamilton (Possibly) when their teammates beat them is simply in the manner of how their teammates beat them. Vettel has cracked under pressure quite a few times. He has barged his car in to his opponents as well like in Baku. Hamilton has moaned on the radio and has his off track antics but on track if I recall he's not really cracked per se. That's probably why people keep harping on Vettel...every time he has come up against Hamilton he has spun. Or he has slid off the track in changing conditions etc. As a result to outsiders seems like he cracks under pressure.

When was the last time Hamilton made a mistake whilst under pressure like Vettel?

Exactly. I can't remember.

[LM10]

The reason people harp on Vettel more than Hamilton (Possibly) when their teammates beat them is simply in the manner of how their teammates beat them. Vettel has cracked under pressure quite a few times. He has barged his car in to his opponents as well like in Baku. Hamilton has moaned on the radio and has his off track antics but on track if I recall he's not really cracked per se. That's probably why people keep harping on Vettel...every time he has come up against Hamilton he has spun. Or he has slid off the track in changing conditions etc. As a result to outsiders seems like he cracks under pressure.

When was the last time Hamilton made a mistake whilst under pressure like Vettel?

When was the last time Hamilton was under same amount of pressure like Vettel? Was this even the case at any time in his career? I doubt it.

Not saying he would crack. But this Vettel bashing is quite tiring already and we’re just 2 races into the season.

[Bill_Kar]

To Gothrek

I get what you re saying, I just want to stress that it's a bit misleading to accuse the "media" or that some sort of immunity exists for other drivers.
Vettel is constantly cracking under pressure while Hamilton has been beaten because of a bad start. Remember Hamilton's antics when he was younger? If yes, you would clearly remember how the media was treating him. When you don't live up to the expectations because of your own bad driving, you will be treated accordingly.
As I said though, media are sometimes too harsh. But it isn't because they follow a certain agenda, it's because they want impressive and dramatic headlines.

[Bill_Kar]

On another matter. Something that was puzzling me.
Weather says that most probably it will rain on Sunday morning which means we will have a green track. Can that give an advantage to a certain team? What characteristics should a team pose in order to have an advantage when there is less rubber on the surface?
I can recall discussions from a couple of years ago that Mercedes was better at such conditions

[SmallSoldier]

I agree, he'll do what Danny Ric did to Vettel at RedBull!

let me have a piece of that nice crystall ball you seem to possess.

I don't don't have a crystal ball, however imo there's a distinct trend forming that when having to actually race for a win, Vettel is quite mistake prone.

A “distinct trend” based on your “ample sized sample”... It has been 2 races, one of which (Melbourne) isn’t representative of a season and suddenly there is a “distinct trend”... Wow.


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[Partymood]

The reason people harp on Vettel more than Hamilton (Possibly) when their teammates beat them is simply in the manner of how their teammates beat them. Vettel has cracked under pressure quite a few times. He has barged his car in to his opponents as well like in Baku. Hamilton has moaned on the radio and has his off track antics but on track if I recall he's not really cracked per se. That's probably why people keep harping on Vettel...every time he has come up against Hamilton he has spun. Or he has slid off the track in changing conditions etc. As a result to outsiders seems like he cracks under pressure.

When was the last time Hamilton made a mistake whilst under pressure like Vettel?

Exactly. I can't remember.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83FrJdDAhyU