Silly Season 2020/2021 (starting with silliness in 2019)

[selvam_e2002]

My prediction
2021 Mercedes team stopped in F1 (Honda take over team)
2021 McLaren Mercedes will be #1 team for Mercedes engine
2021 Max Verstappen will drive for McLaren.

I also think same for your point. 2021 Max Verstappen will drive for McLaren. I am 100% confident he will drive for Mclaren in 2021. There is no seat in Ferrari nor Mercedes.

why, though? Like I get you predict it will happen; I dont get WHY you predict that.

Because,

Mercedes - Ham and Russel( no way Max can join mercedes)
Ferrari - Still Lecrec there, ferrari will look for second driver(wing man) for him in 2021. I doubt Vettel can stay for 2021 even in 2020( he can surprise like Rosberg)

I don't think Honda can improve its engine in 2020 level with at least Mercedes. They also thinking about whether they can stay beyond 2020.

Come to my view: in 2021 Mclaren with Mercedes engine so, Max can think of moving to Mclaren and team up with Norris. They both are friend. So, it will work very well.

Hence I "think" Max move to Mclaren.

Seidl doing good at Mclaren. I hope he can bring back the Mclaren to winning steak >2021. He will be good team principle going forward....

[raymondu999]

The logic in each of your bullet points is sound. But that still doesn't explain how Max would believe that plugging in a new engine in McLaren (albeit a Merc) - will suddenly make McLaren-Mercedes the better proposition than RedBull-Honda(?) in 2021.

[GPR-A]

Come to my view: in 2021 Mclaren with Mercedes engine so, Max can think of moving to Mclaren and team up with Norris. They both are friend. So, it will work very well.

Hence I "think" Max move to Mclaren.

Seidl doing good at Mclaren. I hope he can bring back the Mclaren to winning steak >2021. He will be good team principle going forward....

You need to analyze why Mercedes decided to form their own team in 2010 in the first place. The amount of money that they were paying to McLaren, along with free engines was way more than having their own team. Hence, it made sense to have their own team. Plus, success of McLaren Mercedes, was largely a McLaren success and Mercedes was always in the background.

In 2012, when Mercedes was struggling to achieve any kind of decent success, there was a lot of pressure from share holders to close down the F1 team program. But Mercedes board decided to continue and and not just continue, but increase the investment. They hired more people, brought Toto and Niki to help lead the program.

Now they are at a point, where they are arguably the best F1 team of all time. Their success is coming at almost NO PRICE, due to break even point they have reached in their revenues and spending. Most importantly, the F1 success has provided billions worth of marketing that has helped further build their brand!

When they did not stop in 2012 while struggling, losing money and getting bad PR for the lack of success, why would they wrap up now when they are enjoying such unprecedented success and branding coming at almost no cost? There is no practical reason to stop any sooner. There is no such thing as ENOUGH when it is success that a corporation is enjoying! No corporate organization would care for F1 audience's sensibilities that need different winner and competition. As long as Mercedes is winning and their brand value is on top, they will continue.

There was already a rumor that they will wrap after 2018, that didn't materialize. I don't see that happening in near future, not as long as they keep competing at the front.

Lewis will continue till 2022 and most likely it would be Russell who would partner him from 2021, if Ocon doesn't stay ahead of Ricciardo in Renault.

[izzy]

Valtteri is still only on a 1-year contract, why?? no idea

George has i think 2 years still to go on his Williams contract

and yes exactly @GPR-A no way Mercedes are leaving F1! no way what so ever! The last figure i saw for advertising equivalence was $3.something Billion!

Max will go to Mercedes imo, but not just yet, i don't think after Lewis+Rosberg and Max+Carlos that they will mix a Lewis+Max frothy cocktail, and likewise Ferrari won't mix Charles+Max

[Lotus102]

Kubica? Race seat in 2021? A f1 race seat? You gotta be kidding. That ship and fairytale has sailed.

Let him dream Phil, let him dream.

It’s kinder to kill it quickly, isn’t it? Realistically the dream was over at the end of 2017 when he failed to convince both Renault and Williams. Not sure what Kubica can bring as a development driver either given the extent to which he struggles to make the tyres work, but the Orlen cash will no doubt be useful and Steiner has consistently shown appalling judgement in driver selection so that makes a certain amount of sense. I hope Haas is ready for Kubica’s...ahem, ‘passionate’ fan base.

[Lotus102]

Valtteri is still only on a 1-year contract, why?? no idea

George has i think 2 years still to go on his Williams contract

and yes exactly @GPR-A no way Mercedes are leaving F1! no way what so ever! The last figure i saw for advertising equivalence was $3.something Billion!

Max will go to Mercedes imo, but not just yet, i don't think after Lewis+Rosberg and Max+Carlos that they will mix a Lewis+Max frothy cocktail, and likewise Ferrari won't mix Charles+Max

I get the impression that if Merc wants Russell back in the next two seasons, there won’t be much Williams can do to stop it. It will be a question of how big the compensation is, not whether it happens. I suspect Toto will keep an eye on Ocon at Renault next year to see if it’s worth plugging him into Merc over Bottas for a season or two before Russell steps up. If Ocon spends half his time crashing into Ricciardo and wrecking morale in the garage then we’ll have an answer. I have half a notion that Toto forced Ocon on Renault to destabilise them, and just because he could, but we’ll see.

[raymondu999]

Not sure what Kubica can bring as a development driver either given the extent to which he struggles to make the tyres work

Isnt' "development" driver basically synonymous to "simulator and reserve" driver nowadays? Gone are the days of the Gary Paffetts and the Pedro de la Rosas ofc.

But as a sim driver (if that is what that role entails) then surely his tyre-ability is irrelevant?

[raymondu999]

I get the impression that if Merc wants Russell back in the next two seasons, there won’t be much Williams can do to stop it. It will be a question of how big the compensation is, not whether it happens. I suspect Toto will keep an eye on Ocon at Renault next year to see if it’s worth plugging him into Merc over Bottas for a season or two before Russell steps up. If Ocon spends half his time crashing into Ricciardo and wrecking morale in the garage then we’ll have an answer. I have half a notion that Toto forced Ocon on Renault to destabilise them, and just because he could, but we’ll see.

I didn't watch Ocon's FIndia stint much; but didn't he really ruffle Checo's feathers and didn't they have one of the highest "teammate collision" rates?

[ENGINE TUNER]

I get the impression that if Merc wants Russell back in the next two seasons, there won’t be much Williams can do to stop it. It will be a question of how big the compensation is, not whether it happens. I suspect Toto will keep an eye on Ocon at Renault next year to see if it’s worth plugging him into Merc over Bottas for a season or two before Russell steps up. If Ocon spends half his time crashing into Ricciardo and wrecking morale in the garage then we’ll have an answer. I have half a notion that Toto forced Ocon on Renault to destabilise them, and just because he could, but we’ll see.

I didn't watch Ocon's FIndia stint much; but didn't he really ruffle Checo's feathers and didn't they have one of the highest "teammate collision" rates?

Ocon was much closer to Checo than Stroll is, but Checo was still clearly better and most of their collisions were 100% ocon's fault. If Ocon crashes into RIC like he did Checo, he is done in F1.

[GPR-A]

I get the impression that if Merc wants Russell back in the next two seasons, there won’t be much Williams can do to stop it. It will be a question of how big the compensation is, not whether it happens. I suspect Toto will keep an eye on Ocon at Renault next year to see if it’s worth plugging him into Merc over Bottas for a season or two before Russell steps up. If Ocon spends half his time crashing into Ricciardo and wrecking morale in the garage then we’ll have an answer. I have half a notion that Toto forced Ocon on Renault to destabilise them, and just because he could, but we’ll see.

I didn't watch Ocon's FIndia stint much; but didn't he really ruffle Checo's feathers and didn't they have one of the highest "teammate collision" rates?

Ocon was much closer to Checo than Stroll is, but Checo was still clearly better and most of their collisions were 100% ocon's fault. If Ocon crashes into RIC like he did Checo, he is done in F1.

Pure BS. Even without Ocon on track Perez is crashing like an idiot. Perez has absolutely zero spatial awareness. It was him that was screwing Ocon. Ocon had destroyed him in qualifying.

[Lotus102]

Not sure what Kubica can bring as a development driver either given the extent to which he struggles to make the tyres work

Isnt' "development" driver basically synonymous to "simulator and reserve" driver nowadays? Gone are the days of the Gary Paffetts and the Pedro de la Rosas ofc.

But as a sim driver (if that is what that role entails) then surely his tyre-ability is irrelevant?

I have little sense of how closely the average sim reflects reality in that respect, but it would make sense in that it seems Kubica’s sim work is a bit better respected than his on-track performance. It was said, I’m not sure how reliably, that Kubica was competitive with Stroll and Sirotkin on the sim. As you say, if that’s all he’s doing and the ability to maintain the tyres in the right window isn’t a factor in the sim, then Haas or whoever might as well take the oil money.

[Lotus102]

I get the impression that if Merc wants Russell back in the next two seasons, there won’t be much Williams can do to stop it. It will be a question of how big the compensation is, not whether it happens. I suspect Toto will keep an eye on Ocon at Renault next year to see if it’s worth plugging him into Merc over Bottas for a season or two before Russell steps up. If Ocon spends half his time crashing into Ricciardo and wrecking morale in the garage then we’ll have an answer. I have half a notion that Toto forced Ocon on Renault to destabilise them, and just because he could, but we’ll see.

I didn't watch Ocon's FIndia stint much; but didn't he really ruffle Checo's feathers and didn't they have one of the highest "teammate collision" rates?

Ocon was much closer to Checo than Stroll is, but Checo was still clearly better and most of their collisions were 100% ocon's fault. If Ocon crashes into RIC like he did Checo, he is done in F1.

For me, it was his collision with Max (and subsequent behaviour) that set the alarm bells truly ringing. I can understand fighting extra hard with your teammate particularly when you’re establishing your place in F1, but tipping someone you aren’t racing with off the road while trying to unlap yourself - and then showing no learning or remorse - is to me not the action of someone who has a bright future in F1.

Also demanding $4m to drive for Williams when he had no other options indicates he isn’t exactly overburdened with humility. Eddie Irvine Mk II

[izzy]

I get the impression that if Merc wants Russell back in the next two seasons, there won’t be much Williams can do to stop it. It will be a question of how big the compensation is, not whether it happens. I suspect Toto will keep an eye on Ocon at Renault next year to see if it’s worth plugging him into Merc over Bottas for a season or two before Russell steps up. If Ocon spends half his time crashing into Ricciardo and wrecking morale in the garage then we’ll have an answer. I have half a notion that Toto forced Ocon on Renault to destabilise them, and just because he could, but we’ll see.

Well George is 21, does Toto want such a young driver? i doubt it, i mean look at them, they all collide all the time! Esteban is 23, so by the time he's out of contract at Renault he'll be 25, that's more like it. Cyril obviously was desperate to have a French driver, apart from anything else to try and keep his Board onside with F1.

so i can't guess what Toto has in mind for 2021. Of course Valtteri doesn't have any options he could only accept the 1 year so perhaps it was just "why not" as far as Toto was concerned, just in case Lewis goes off or whatever

[izzy]

For me, it was his collision with Max (and subsequent behaviour) that set the alarm bells truly ringing. I can understand fighting extra hard with your teammate particularly when you’re establishing your place in F1, but tipping someone you aren’t racing with off the road while trying to unlap yourself - and then showing no learning or remorse - is to me not the action of someone who has a bright future in F1.

drivers are supposed to unlap themselves if they can, in case there's a safety car. Obviously he was supposed to keep out of the way in the process, but Max could've just let him go, which is what Lewis would've done. it was both of them, being 21/22. So he might be growing up now, and as you say Toto will be watching, tho for 2 years at least

[GPR-A]

For me, it was his collision with Max (and subsequent behaviour) that set the alarm bells truly ringing. I can understand fighting extra hard with your teammate particularly when you’re establishing your place in F1, but tipping someone you aren’t racing with off the road while trying to unlap yourself - and then showing no learning or remorse - is to me not the action of someone who has a bright future in F1.

Also demanding $4m to drive for Williams when he had no other options indicates he isn’t exactly overburdened with humility. Eddie Irvine Mk II

It was Max's stupidity and ego that didn't allow a faster car behind him to unlap and then close the door. It's not the first time that a lapped car was unlapping in F1. Ocon asked his team before that move and the team gave a go ahead. Knowing the stakes and driving to the situation is what Max could have displayed better and he suffered for the lack of that understanding.