2019 [R09] Austrian Grand Prix, Spielberg, 28-30 June

[TAG]

Then again, Mercedes scored a double DNF here last year; Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always to be blest.

[dans79]

Then again, Mercedes scored a double DNF here last year; Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always to be blest.

The new quick change cooling set-up should negate that issue this year.

[Just_a_fan]

Of course Valtteri might pull one out for pole but otherwise...

He's beaten Lewis to pole that last two years. If he can't do it this year, I think we will start to see him really slump.

Yes the last two years isn't it, he has to hang onto that. If he can, they can't pass here so it should be his race and that should cheer him up and help him fend off Esteban for next year

Bottas doesn't need to win to keep his contract, he just needs to be either first or second with Hamilton in the other spot. Mercedes want the WCC and both drivers have to perform to get that. Only one can get the WDC so it's not an issue (for Mercedes) if he doesn't get it, so long as one of them does. I doubt that Mercedes seriously expect Bottas to beat Hamilton over a whole season. So long as he helps them get the WCC, he'll keep his seat.

[izzy]

Bottas doesn't need to win to keep his contract, he just needs to be either first or second with Hamilton in the other spot. Mercedes want the WCC and both drivers have to perform to get that. Only one can get the WDC so it's not an issue (for Mercedes) if he doesn't get it, so long as one of them does. I doubt that Mercedes seriously expect Bottas to beat Hamilton over a whole season. So long as he helps them get the WCC, he'll keep his seat.

yes so true, I suppose i'm thinking of a kind of average, over the season, with a couple of bad races but also a couple of wins. cos Valtteri had a couple of bad ones last year didn't he, and his ideal would be to look on one hand 100% compatible with Lewis and yet also on the other so good that Esteban wouldn't necessarily be an upgrade

and as @dans79 says if he doesn't get any wins his head might drop

[dans79]

He's beaten Lewis to pole that last two years. If he can't do it this year, I think we will start to see him really slump.

Yes the last two years isn't it, he has to hang onto that. If he can, they can't pass here so it should be his race and that should cheer him up and help him fend off Esteban for next year

Bottas doesn't need to win to keep his contract, he just needs to be either first or second with Hamilton in the other spot. Mercedes want the WCC and both drivers have to perform to get that. Only one can get the WDC so it's not an issue (for Mercedes) if he doesn't get it, so long as one of them does. I doubt that Mercedes seriously expect Bottas to beat Hamilton over a whole season. So long as he helps them get the WCC, he'll keep his seat.

He doesn't need to beat Lewis, but if he goes into a big slump like last year then he might loose his seat. In the second half of last year he slumped really hard with a lot of 4th and 5th place finishes. If he hadn't slumped Mercedes would have wrapped up the WCC a loot sooner.

[zibby43]

I have a hunch that Mercedes will have some updates in Austria. Last year, Austria coincided with one of their biggest upgrades of the year. Merc hasn't introduced anything new (visibly, at least) since before Monaco.

[Gatecrasher]

Then again, Mercedes scored a double DNF here last year; Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always to be blest.

The new quick change cooling set-up should negate that issue this year.

Bottas had gearbox issue and Ham lost power, were they the same root cause ? don't remember from last year, must be getting old

[LM10]

I have a hunch that Mercedes will have some updates in Austria. Last year, Austria coincided with one of their biggest upgrades of the year. Merc hasn't introduced anything new (visibly, at least) since before Monaco.

It's very essential for Mercedes to bring updates as soon as possible. Otherwise their world titles might slip out of their hands.

[zibby43]

Then again, Mercedes scored a double DNF here last year; Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always to be blest.

The new quick change cooling set-up should negate that issue this year.

Bottas had gearbox issue and Ham lost power, were they the same root cause ? don't remember from last year, must be getting old

Last year it was a hydraulics issue for Bottas and the gearbox and a loss of fuel pressure for Hamilton.

[TAG]

I have a hunch that Mercedes will have some updates in Austria. Last year, Austria coincided with one of their biggest upgrades of the year. Merc hasn't introduced anything new (visibly, at least) since before Monaco.

It's very essential for Mercedes to bring updates as soon as possible. Otherwise their world titles might slip out of their hands.

Shaming the "long standing teams" that get paid for building mediocre cars is their only motivation.

[spin1/2]

If Ferrari don't win this I will be amazed. They are so strong on straight and out of acceleration zones and that's like, 80% of this track.

I expect Merc to have a 0.2s advantage over Ferrari. There are multiple corners, and the straights aren't too long. +0.5s in S2, -0.3s in S1,S3.

[zibby43]

Shaming the "long standing teams" that get paid for building mediocre cars is their only motivation.

Toto is taking no prisoners right now.

https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/27 ... s-stronger

"The trolling that happens in social media has become so bad . . . At first it's hard to swallow, but it's come to a point that it's making us stronger, every hit creates more desire to prove."

[DutchDopey]

Shaming the "long standing teams" that get paid for building mediocre cars is their only motivation.

Toto is taking no prisoners right now.

https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/27 ... s-stronger

"The trolling that happens in social media has become so bad . . . At first it's hard to swallow, but it's come to a point that it's making us stronger, every hit creates more desire to prove."

I think Toto can handle the abuse just fine, he might even thrive on it. Hamilton however is another case, he is much more sensitive to it. I don't think he likes the current situation, he wants to win on his own merit. He wants the credits for winning, not the car.

*Of course this is just my personal opinion.

[aran.vtec]

Shaming the "long standing teams" that get paid for building mediocre cars is their only motivation.

Toto is taking no prisoners right now.

https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/27 ... s-stronger

"The trolling that happens in social media has become so bad . . . At first it's hard to swallow, but it's come to a point that it's making us stronger, every hit creates more desire to prove."

I think Toto can handle the abuse just fine, he might even thrive on it. Hamilton however is another case, he is much more sensitive to it. I don't think he likes the current situation, he wants to win on his own merit. He wants the credits for winning, not the car.

*Of course this is just my personal opinion.

You have a point it almost looks like hes disappointed that its so easy, But then on the other hand when its tough all he does is complain.

[LM10]

Toto is taking no prisoners right now.

https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/27 ... s-stronger

"The trolling that happens in social media has become so bad . . . At first it's hard to swallow, but it's come to a point that it's making us stronger, every hit creates more desire to prove."

I think Toto can handle the abuse just fine, he might even thrive on it. Hamilton however is another case, he is much more sensitive to it. I don't think he likes the current situation, he wants to win on his own merit. He wants the credits for winning, not the car.

*Of course this is just my personal opinion.

You have a point it almost looks like hes disappointed that its so easy, But then on the other hand when its tough all he does is complain.

If he's disappointed every time it's so easy, then he's been having a very long period of disappointment for more than 5 years now.