Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
Wow, what a change a year can bring ... it seems everybody (except those that don’t care lol) has McLaren 4th, harmony on F1T at last
Now who could have predicted that a year ago?
As I mention in my post though, Renault can have a huge influence on Mclarens results this year, especially as they know they are ending supply. They not only may not be so, erm ' precise ' as they would be or even take pains to ensure Mclaren know no more than they need to about the engine development.
I do not think they will do this, but then I did not think they would stitch up STR
On the other hand though, if Renault are hoping to attract a new partner it would be in their interest to show themselves in a good light as a supplier, and for McLaren to do well with their engine
Wow, what a change a year can bring ... it seems everybody (except those that don’t care lol) has McLaren 4th, harmony on F1T at last
Now who could have predicted that a year ago?
As I mention in my post though, Renault can have a huge influence on Mclarens results this year, especially as they know they are ending supply. They not only may not be so, erm ' precise ' as they would be or even take pains to ensure Mclaren know no more than they need to about the engine development.
I do not think they will do this, but then I did not think they would stitch up STR
On the other hand though, if Renault are hoping to attract a new partner it would be in their interest to show themselves in a good light as a supplier, and for McLaren to do well with their engine
They obviously do not want to have a bad association with their name, n one does, but they have said themselves they are already looking forward to 2021, so at what point do they either right off 2020 or decide there is enough gap behind to coast and too big a gap in front to take any thing from the development of 2021 engine and car?
Even if the are 100% early and mid season, their feelings on possibilities would be different to those at Mclaren. Especally maybe if Mclarens position affects their own.
When arguing with a fool, be sure the other person is not doing the same thing.
... As for the beginning of the season (up to about Barcelona):
1. Mercedes
2. Red Bull
... (~4 to 8 tenths gap)
3. Ferrari
4. McLaren/Renault
5. Alpha Tauri
6. Racing Point
7. Alfa Romeo
8. HAAS
... (~6 to 12 tenths gap)
9. Williams
Until testing is done or at least under way, I would rename this thread into “2020 pecking order wishes”. Because we really don’t know anything. No cars seen, no performances seen. It makes no sense.
What the hell, let's go way out with the predictions...
Lewis will beat Max for DC, but RB beats Merc for Manufacturer. Albon out driving Bottas will be the difference.
Ferrari and McLaren, more of the same. Leclerc's race craft improves. Seb goes all "Multi-21" every third race and helps McLaren score podiums. Sainz and Norris sail smoothly into the pointy end of the grid.
Racing Point fields another good team effort and Lance Stroll becomes the surprise driver of the year and keeps pace with Perez. Renault fields a good car but Ocon challenges Danny Ric on track and costs the team points.
At Alpha Tauri, Kvyat pales next to Gasly and is replaced mid-season. At the other Alfa, Giovinazzi improves but Kimi takes a nap and sleeps through his final F1 season. Fred loses more hair.
HAAS mercifully euthanizes Grosjean's GP career as soon as Kvyat becomes available. Kvyat immediately looks like a hero. K Mag will continue to drive better than the car he is given.
Claire Williams is a bright and truly capable person who could be very successful in many roles in many industries. Unfortunately, managing an F1 team is not one of those situations. The fairy tale of her coming into and rebuilding her father's team to it's former glory would have been fantastic to witness. But it didn't happen and a new team boss is needed fast while there is still a team to manage. George will have one last character building season before he takes Bottas' seat in 2021.
Manufacturers Standings 2020
RB
Merc
Ferrari
McLaren
Racing Point
Renault
Alpha Tauri
Alfa Romeo
Haas
Williams
Heaven: Where the cooks are French, the police are British, the lovers are Greek, the mechanics are German, and it is all organized by the Swiss.
Hell: Where the cooks are British, the police are German, the lovers are Swiss, the mechanics are French, and it is all organized by the Greeks.
Mercedes/ Redbull/ Ferrari
.....
McLaren
.....
Renault/ Racing Point/ Haas
Alfa Romeo/ Alfa Tauri
Williams
So, pretty much the same as last year. Except that the top 3 will be much closer to each other, McLaren will be in no man’s land and haas will move up the order a bit.
Red Bull / Mercedes
McLaren
Ferrari
Racing Point
Alpha Tauri / Alfa Romeo
Haas
Renault
Williams
Care to explain how you expect McLaren to be faster than Ferrari? For this to happen McLaren must recover more than 1 second to beat the SF90 in the first place.
LM10 wrote:Until testing is done or at least under way, I would rename this thread into “2020 pecking order wishes”. Because we really don’t know anything. No cars seen, no performances seen. It makes no sense.
Well, even after we’ve seen the cars and testing is done... It will still be “Best Wishes” since testing won’t tell us what the pecking order is... After testing last year Edd Straw from Autosport/Motorsport a “journalist” placed Mclaren in 2019 in 9th place... Everyone placed Ferrari as winning the Championship and with a margin... Reality is that without knowing the programs for each team, is impossible to know the pecking order... We might after the Spain race.
On the mean time... I guess this thread is as relevant as it could be after testing.
Red Bull / Mercedes
McLaren
Ferrari
Racing Point
Alpha Tauri / Alfa Romeo
Haas
Renault
Williams
Care to explain how you expect McLaren to be faster than Ferrari? For this to happen McLaren must recover more than 1 second to beat the SF90 in the first place.
Theory is that they lost their star man for most of year to Sauber / Alfa Romeo. I think they will be on a back foot.
Red Bull / Mercedes
McLaren
Ferrari
Racing Point
Alpha Tauri / Alfa Romeo
Haas
Renault
Williams
Care to explain how you expect McLaren to be faster than Ferrari? For this to happen McLaren must recover more than 1 second to beat the SF90 in the first place.
Theory is that they lost their star man for most of year to Sauber / Alfa Romeo. I think they will be on a back foot.
Thats a very good thought, didn't even think of that before you mentioned it.
GoLandoGo
Lewis v2.0
King George has arrived.
New found love for GT racing with Assetto Corsa Competizione on PS5 & PC
Red Bull / Mercedes
McLaren
Ferrari
Racing Point
Alpha Tauri / Alfa Romeo
Haas
Renault
Williams
Care to explain how you expect McLaren to be faster than Ferrari? For this to happen McLaren must recover more than 1 second to beat the SF90 in the first place.
Theory is that they lost their star man for most of year to Sauber / Alfa Romeo. I think they will be on a back foot.
Fair point, but I don't think that losing one person will make Ferrari a midfield team. Even if they start the season with Abu Dhabi spec SF90, McLaren will have to be faster by 1 second at least in order to beat them.
I'm expecting fierce competition between Hamilton, Verstappen and Leclerc.
Bottas doesn't have the fire that the first three have, and will play dog to Hamilton, and is proven not to hold up so good in a fight against the others like Hamilton did. Yes he had some decent scraps in 2019, especially Silverstone, but it was more of a rarity than a standard presence.
Though i think Vettel still is faster and stronger than LeClerc, Vettel is more prone to heated errors and as such i can see him collide like in 2019, and silly pressure mistakes, which will see him go through the standings like a jo-jo but end up lower than he really should.
Albon is quick, fast, and hungry, but definately lap dog for Max and i expect some more rookie mistakes paired with a need to grow in 'dogfights' so i expect him to not be 'on top' yet. I'd compare him much more to Bottas, but because Bottas is much more experienced and i do believe the Merc is still a step above the RB is why Bottas will be higher up.
all the above is a more or less educated guess paired a lot to gut feelings. it'll take 5 races before we actually are going to see the real standings.
"Explain the ending to F1 in football terms"
"Hamilton was beating Verstappen 7-0, then the ref decided F%$& rules, next goal wins
while also sending off 4 Hamilton players to make it more interesting"
