[ 2020 ] AMG Mercedes F1 Team - Mercedes

[El Scorchio]

The real question now is can he crack 100 wins? It’s possible this season and next. If he gets that and 2 more titles he might just call it a day after rewriting the record books.

Kimi keeps going at 41, and will still be going @42 next year. I'd be surprised if Hamilton left before 42.

I would and wouldn't at the same time. I feel like he'll only stop when he stops enjoying it. That will likely happen when he can no longer go into a race weekend knowing that he has a chance to fight for the win on a regular basis.

My thoughts too. I think before 2022 or end of 2022 is a likely time if the regulation changes mix things up and Merc (probably unlikely) turn into just also rans. If they are still on top then it'll be whenever he gets bored or isn't at the top of his game any more.

[SiLo]

I think he will want to see what the 2022 cars are like to drive. If he can still fight for wins, he will stay.

[Jolle]

Kimi keeps going at 41, and will still be going @42 next year. I'd be surprised if Hamilton left before 42.

I would and wouldn't at the same time. I feel like he'll only stop when he stops enjoying it. That will likely happen when he can no longer go into a race weekend knowing that he has a chance to fight for the win on a regular basis.

My thoughts too. I think before 2022 or end of 2022 is a likely time if the regulation changes mix things up and Merc (probably unlikely) turn into just also rans. If they are still on top then it'll be whenever he gets bored or isn't at the top of his game any more.

Impossible to look really into his head and see his motivation but... he seems to enjoy racing even better then the winning. He’s more a Räikkönen type then a Rosberg. I read an interview a while back (around the time Rosberg retired) that he was also aware of what Schumacher went trough. His comeback was because he didn’t want to retire back in 2006 in the first place. It was so much more rewarding to fight for 5th then not race as all.
I can see him scaling down his media and sponsor activities and focus on racing and activism. Even when Mercedes doesn’t deliver or he gets beaten by a teammate.

I think he’s the four wheel version of Valentino Rossi.

[zibby43]

Cool poster, courtesy of /u/tl_designn on /r/formula1:

[Morteza]

[El Scorchio]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO8mfJe ... ulaOneTeam

Nice bit of insight into DAS, although I suspect they aren't giving more away than they have to...

[zibby43]

https://the-race.com/formula-1/engine-c ... des-stats/

Piece from Gary Anderson evaluating which components have been the most important with respect to Merc's dominance of the hybrid era.

Order seems to be: 1) Hamilton; 2) Chassis; 3) PU.

"I suppose from this we could say that the Mercedes chassis is the thing that stands out and is actually more important to the jigsaw than the Mercedes engine."

"As far as drivers are concerned, Hamilton is in a class of his own. Yes, Max Verstappen or some of the other up and coming stars of the future might just be able to give him more of a battle – and if you were to put him in a Williams he would struggle – but in this era, he comes out as the first piece of the jigsaw that you need to put in place if you want to win races. This is really the Hamilton era more than the Mercedes era."

[McG]

https://the-race.com/formula-1/engine-c ... des-stats/

Piece from Gary Anderson evaluating which components have been the most important with respect to Merc's dominance of the hybrid era.

Order seems to be: 1) Hamilton; 2) Chassis; 3) PU.

"I suppose from this we could say that the Mercedes chassis is the thing that stands out and is actually more important to the jigsaw than the Mercedes engine."

"As far as drivers are concerned, Hamilton is in a class of his own. Yes, Max Verstappen or some of the other up and coming stars of the future might just be able to give him more of a battle – and if you were to put him in a Williams he would struggle – but in this era, he comes out as the first piece of the jigsaw that you need to put in place if you want to win races. This is really the Hamilton era more than the Mercedes era."

When it's put that way it really seems like a crime that Max, Alonso or another match for Hamilton wasn't put in the other Merc. For all that Merc make it out like they aren't like Ferrari, they are very similar in this sense. They don't want 2 cars battling every race which is a shame for us.

[e30ernest]

When it's put that way it really seems like a crime that Max, Alonso or another match for Hamilton wasn't put in the other Merc. For all that Merc make it out like they aren't like Ferrari, they are very similar in this sense. They don't want 2 cars battling every race which is a shame for us.

To be fair, I don't think any team would want their 2 cars battling closely up front if they were title contenders. It raises the risk for the team without giving them any real benefits.

[SiLo]

Merc have been there, done that, and absolutely got the t-shirt that says "Lesson Learned".

The best combination for an F1 team? A number 1 driver, and a slightly slower number 2 that accepts his role.

[Big Tea]

When it's put that way it really seems like a crime that Max, Alonso or another match for Hamilton wasn't put in the other Merc. For all that Merc make it out like they aren't like Ferrari, they are very similar in this sense. They don't want 2 cars battling every race which is a shame for us.

To be fair, I don't think any team would want their 2 cars battling closely up front if they were title contenders. It raises the risk for the team without giving them any real benefits.

This would be compounded by the two actually fighting creating an even bigger gap back to the following teams and the power that be kneejerking rules to stop them running away, which seem to hit other teams harder than the target

[LM10]

Seems like Gary Anderson only remembers the time from 2018 on. It’s like a slap in the face to tell that Mercedes did not have the edge in the first few years primarily because of their PU.
He seems to have forgotten 2017 as well when Ferrari with a superior chassis got slaughtered on the straights by Mercedes.

As for his claim that it’s not been a Mercedes era - couldn’t disagree more. Hamilton is the best driver, but he’s not been the biggest factor in the domination of Mercedes.

It’s not the first time Gary Anderson talks some weird stuff. Remember him being sure about Ferrari walking to the title in 2019. We all know how that turned out.

[tangodjango]

https://the-race.com/formula-1/engine-c ... des-stats/

Piece from Gary Anderson evaluating which components have been the most important with respect to Merc's dominance of the hybrid era.

Order seems to be: 1) Hamilton; 2) Chassis; 3) PU.

"I suppose from this we could say that the Mercedes chassis is the thing that stands out and is actually more important to the jigsaw than the Mercedes engine."

"As far as drivers are concerned, Hamilton is in a class of his own. Yes, Max Verstappen or some of the other up and coming stars of the future might just be able to give him more of a battle – and if you were to put him in a Williams he would struggle – but in this era, he comes out as the first piece of the jigsaw that you need to put in place if you want to win races. This is really the Hamilton era more than the Mercedes era."

When it's put that way it really seems like a crime that Max, Alonso or another match for Hamilton wasn't put in the other Merc. For all that Merc make it out like they aren't like Ferrari, they are very similar in this sense. They don't want 2 cars battling every race which is a shame for us.

Alonso and Max have only themselves to blame they aren't in the Mercedes.

[PlatinumZealot]

Yup. Agreed being a good driver (or football player or any other athlete!) is not only be good at your sport, but put in the grind to find yourself in the best team possible. Lewis has excelled in this department. I remember him knocking on RedBull's door and I do recall him sitting with John Elkan. He is serious about seeking opportunities and has the right attitude about team work!

[ScottB]

I would and wouldn't at the same time. I feel like he'll only stop when he stops enjoying it. That will likely happen when he can no longer go into a race weekend knowing that he has a chance to fight for the win on a regular basis.

My thoughts too. I think before 2022 or end of 2022 is a likely time if the regulation changes mix things up and Merc (probably unlikely) turn into just also rans. If they are still on top then it'll be whenever he gets bored or isn't at the top of his game any more.

Impossible to look really into his head and see his motivation but... he seems to enjoy racing even better then the winning. He’s more a Räikkönen type then a Rosberg. I read an interview a while back (around the time Rosberg retired) that he was also aware of what Schumacher went trough. His comeback was because he didn’t want to retire back in 2006 in the first place. It was so much more rewarding to fight for 5th then not race as all.
I can see him scaling down his media and sponsor activities and focus on racing and activism. Even when Mercedes doesn’t deliver or he gets beaten by a teammate.

I think he’s the four wheel version of Valentino Rossi.

I think there will come a point where his off track activities will interest him more; the music, the fashion, increasingly activism, charity work, politics etc as well as any personal things he might want to do, have a family etc.

For now, I think he loves winning, and there are still records to claim. Once he has them all, once Toto inevitably steps back, and, presumably, at some point the Merc stops being as good as it is relative to the field, he'll go. I'd be very surprised if he's still around in his 40's, certainly. I could see him doing a 2 year deal, then, unless racing the 2022 cars really blows him away, he will retire. I think legacy and his image are important to him, going out as 'the champ' would probably appeal, not carrying on way too long, powers fading, trundling round at the back like Kimi.