Why Verstappen will NOT win in 2020

[SiLo]

To praphrase... One win does not a championship make

literally the topic title is about a win.
if that's actually about the 2020 championship, which it seems suggested, let's be honest,
that should be pointed out much clearer.

that said, Mario Isola - the big boss of Pirelli - mentioned that the strain and wear on the tires will be very bad again for Spain. This means we can expect more hardship for Mercedes, and since RedBull seems to have far, FAR less hardship compared to Mercedes in these circumstances, chances are we're going to see not just a repeat of the 70th Anniversary Silverstone GP, but a combo with the week before, where tires simply gave way all of a sudden.

Worst case scenario for Mercedes this means they could find themself in seeing two cars outside of the points if they get tire failure for both cars. It's clear that RedBull is the fastest team right after Mercedes. NOT Ferrari NOR Mclaren NOR the Pink Mercs. The latter ones are close together, but the only team genuinly in the 'neighbourhood' of Mercedes has been RedBull.

Mercedes surely will still be a qually monster, but in the race, where it matters, they're much more exposed.

I believe a win for Max in Barcelona - IF there is no accident AND if his engine doesn't give - is very possible, without Mercedes having delamination issues.

Sorry, but don't you think all this came out as an overconfident and irrational bet, based on an outlier performance of Silverstone2?

Anyone with half a brain new that is was likely to be an outlier for the year.

[Sieper]

And half a brain old?

[Moore77]

And half a brain old?

Probably believed other way round, I guess. Sorry couldn't hold.

[Sieper]

Ghehe, my old brains hurt! Semi old I think. Midrange model.

[El Scorchio]

It's pretty obvious this was about winning the WDC in 2020 as opposed to any races in 2020.

[PlatinumZealot]

Going by how many years they have been in F1 Verstappen is driving to a standard Hamilton can only dream of.

I don't think I need to remind anyone what Hamilton's 2011 was like, Max at the same stage in his career is driving beautifully.

Lewis' performances actually got worse from 2007-2011.

This is Max's SIXTH year in the sport so compare with Lewis 2012.

I think Max may be better polished as a driver, just due to Natural advancement of the sport. We could never dream of 17 year olds joining the sport as fully prepared drivers back in the early mid-2000s. Things have really advanced, guys like Stroll, Norris, Russel.. Are all well prepared!

[Wass85]

Of course I'm talking about 2012. you said about the same stage of their career. So as Max is in his 6th year, I looked at Lewis' 6th year. A year Lewis won 4 races, would have won more if not for reliability. He also finishes ahead of a world champion in the same car. Can't have been too bad surely?

Yes it was a good year but he didn't always get the most out of his package like Max is currently doing.

Melbourne and Spa spring to mind.

[Wass85]

Going by how many years they have been in F1 Verstappen is driving to a standard Hamilton can only dream of.

I don't think I need to remind anyone what Hamilton's 2011 was like, Max at the same stage in his career is driving beautifully.

Lewis' performances actually got worse from 2007-2011.

This is Max's SIXTH year in the sport so compare with Lewis 2012.

I think Max may be better polished as a driver, just due to Natural advancement of the sport. We could never dream of 17 year olds joining the sport as fully prepared drivers back in the early mid-2000s. Things have really advanced, guys like Stroll, Norris, Russel.. Are all well prepared!

I don't actually think Max was fully prepared for F1 it's just a combination of the the pre-2017 cars being relatively easy to drive and the fact he is a once in a generation talent.

Hamilton in 2007 was way more prepared for F1 than Max was in 2015 IMO.

[dans79]

This is Max's SIXTH year in the sport so compare with Lewis 2012.

I think Max may be better polished as a driver, just due to Natural advancement of the sport. We could never dream of 17 year olds joining the sport as fully prepared drivers back in the early mid-2000s. Things have really advanced, guys like Stroll, Norris, Russel.. Are all well prepared!

Being prepared to drive, and being prepared to fight for an entire season while not making any mistakes are not the same thing. Leclerc driving two laps without belts is a perfect example. A stunt like that is a good way of ending a WDC challenge because of a DSQ.

[holeindalip]

Of course I'm talking about 2012. you said about the same stage of their career. So as Max is in his 6th year, I looked at Lewis' 6th year. A year Lewis won 4 races, would have won more if not for reliability. He also finishes ahead of a world champion in the same car. Can't have been too bad surely?

Yes it was a good year but he didn't always get the most out of his package like Max is currently doing.

Melbourne and Spa spring to mind.

Mclaren , Williams and Ferrari were not midfield teams in 2012, given that do you think max would still be pulling 2nd place finishes if all those teams were not midfield teams?

[Wass85]

Of course I'm talking about 2012. you said about the same stage of their career. So as Max is in his 6th year, I looked at Lewis' 6th year. A year Lewis won 4 races, would have won more if not for reliability. He also finishes ahead of a world champion in the same car. Can't have been too bad surely?

Yes it was a good year but he didn't always get the most out of his package like Max is currently doing.

Melbourne and Spa spring to mind.

Mclaren , Williams and Ferrari were not midfield teams in 2012, given that do you think max would still be pulling 2nd place finishes if all those teams were not midfield teams?

He'd be dominated sitting in the 2012 RB.

[Just_a_fan]

Going by how many years they have been in F1 Verstappen is driving to a standard Hamilton can only dream of.

I don't think I need to remind anyone what Hamilton's 2011 was like, Max at the same stage in his career is driving beautifully.

Lewis' performances actually got worse from 2007-2011.

This is Max's SIXTH year in the sport so compare with Lewis 2012.

I think Max may be better polished as a driver, just due to Natural advancement of the sport. We could never dream of 17 year olds joining the sport as fully prepared drivers back in the early mid-2000s. Things have really advanced, guys like Stroll, Norris, Russel.. Are all well prepared!

I don't actually think Max was fully prepared for F1 it's just a combination of the the pre-2017 cars being relatively easy to drive and the fact he is a once in a generation talent.

Hamilton in 2007 was way more prepared for F1 than Max was in 2015 IMO.

Hamilton was better prepared because he'd done the apprenticeship in the junior series.

It's interesting that people complain that Hamilton was given a decent car straight off etc., but the reality is that he'd spent 4 years proving his talent in single seaters - winning each series before moving on to the next one up. Max did one season of single seaters (which he didn't win, although he did win some races) before being given a juicy F1 role. And yet no one mentions that Max has had much the nicer route in to F1. Of course, Kimi had a similar route in to F1 as Max. although he won the series he was for the year of single seaters he did. No one moans about his nice quick route in to F1 either.

I wonder why Hamilton is always singled out in this regard. Funny that.

Of course Max hasn't had the pressure of competing his first season in the same car as the reigning World Champion, nor the pressure of competing against a stronger car to win the title (the 2008 Ferrari was overall a better car than the 2008 McLaren). Max has had several years to develop in F1 with no expectations put on him to win titles. Win a few races and that's good enough. Not even RedBull have expected titles during his time with them. Max is now at the age that Hamilton was when he first raced in F1 against Alonso in the same car.

I don't think Hamilton has anything to prove. Max? Well he still does.

[Wass85]

This is Max's SIXTH year in the sport so compare with Lewis 2012.

I think Max may be better polished as a driver, just due to Natural advancement of the sport. We could never dream of 17 year olds joining the sport as fully prepared drivers back in the early mid-2000s. Things have really advanced, guys like Stroll, Norris, Russel.. Are all well prepared!

I don't actually think Max was fully prepared for F1 it's just a combination of the the pre-2017 cars being relatively easy to drive and the fact he is a once in a generation talent.

Hamilton in 2007 was way more prepared for F1 than Max was in 2015 IMO.

Hamilton was better prepared because he'd done the apprenticeship in the junior series.

It's interesting that people complain that Hamilton was given a decent car straight off etc., but the reality is that he'd spent 4 years proving his talent in single seaters - winning each series before moving on to the next one up. Max did one season of single seaters (which he didn't win, although he did win some races) before being given a juicy F1 role. And yet no one mentions that Max has had much the nicer route in to F1. Of course, Kimi had a similar route in to F1 as Max. although he won the series he was for the year of single seaters he did. No one moans about his nice quick route in to F1 either.

I wonder why Hamilton is always singled out in this regard. Funny that.

Of course Max hasn't had the pressure of competing his first season in the same car as the reigning World Champion, nor the pressure of competing against a stronger car to win the title (the 2008 Ferrari was overall a better car than the 2008 McLaren). Max has had several years to develop in F1 with no expectations put on him to win titles. Win a few races and that's good enough. Not even RedBull have expected titles during his time with them. Max is now at the age that Hamilton was when he first raced in F1 against Alonso in the same car.

I don't think Hamilton has anything to prove. Max? Well he still does.

Exactly my point then, Hamilton in his 6th year in F1 was more experienced than Verstappen at the same point.

Hamilton made a dream start to the sport, arguably the best ever.

But instead of improving he went downhill for the next few seasons IMO.

I think Max would do fine in a title battle if he gets the car, he will always have that blistering speed, the overtaking and defending prowess that is elite level.

[holeindalip]

Yes it was a good year but he didn't always get the most out of his package like Max is currently doing.

Melbourne and Spa spring to mind.

Mclaren , Williams and Ferrari were not midfield teams in 2012, given that do you think max would still be pulling 2nd place finishes if all those teams were not midfield teams?

He'd be dominated sitting in the 2012 RB.

Is that your final answer?

[NathanOlder]

@wass85

Going downhill is hardly the right phrase, He had the 1 bad year in 2011. I guess you are blaming Lewis for 09 then ? His title defence was Lewis being poor. Max came in to F1, did superb, got promoted (all 'on the up') Then was beaten 2yrs straight by Danny Ric ('downhill') So I guess they are pretty similar. Only difference at this stage is Lewis had a WDC to his name. It was also 2012 (The 6th year of Lewis) when he made his 2nd best decision in his life , by joining Mercedes. So what will Max do? he's currently stuck at RedBull because he chose to sign a long term deal.

BTW Lewis best ever decision was to approach Ron