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

[NathanOlder]

Besides that, with the current world champions all close or past their retirement age, both the FIA and Liberty want to prevent to have a season start without a valid world champion. In the grand scheme of entertainment, Hamilton must be beaten at some point before he can call it quits.

If it did happen though, no champions on the grid, I think Liberty could make a big thing of it , battle of the next generation to take the crown! I think that would appeal to a lot of younger fans. So I dont think it wouldnt be the end of the world.

better be safe then sorry. 2005/2006 were exactly how it should work, 1994 was a big mess.

True, although 94 did have 3 world champions if you count Michael being a champion for about an hour before the championship finished

[NathanOlder]

I am not against Ham Vs Russel in Mercedes. I would love to see Russel in Mercedes along with Hamilton. But I still doubt Hamilton would allow it. We have to wait and see for Ham contract details to understand the situation.

He allowed Button. In fact HAM was too welcoming with Button.
He will allow RUS but he will be more in charge of the team at that point.

Yeah, from what the media report Lewis has never been bothered who his team mate is.

[Jolle]

If it did happen though, no champions on the grid, I think Liberty could make a big thing of it , battle of the next generation to take the crown! I think that would appeal to a lot of younger fans. So I dont think it wouldnt be the end of the world.

better be safe then sorry. 2005/2006 were exactly how it should work, 1994 was a big mess.

True, although 94 did have 3 world champions if you count Michael being a champion for about an hour before the championship finished

the return of Mansell for those few races in 94 and his failed attempt of 95 (stories go that Ron Dennis and Mansell didn't even meet in person before the season, it was an arranged marriage) are clear indications that they needed more stars on the grid. Luckily Schumacher picked up the baton in the void left by Senna, Prost and Mansell, but from a commercial standpoint, with Fittipaldi, Unser Jr, Andretti, Villeneuve and (again) Mansell making headlines in that other open wheel series, it were grim times in F1.

[Manoah2u]

I am not against Ham Vs Russel in Mercedes. I would love to see Russel in Mercedes along with Hamilton. But I still doubt Hamilton would allow it. We have to wait and see for Ham contract details to understand the situation.

He allowed Button. In fact HAM was too welcoming with Button.
He will allow RUS but he will be more in charge of the team at that point.

Yeah, from what the media report Lewis has never been bothered who his team mate is.

Actually, Hamilton SUGGESTED Button.

[NathanOlder]

He allowed Button. In fact HAM was too welcoming with Button.
He will allow RUS but he will be more in charge of the team at that point.

Yeah, from what the media report Lewis has never been bothered who his team mate is.

Actually, Hamilton SUGGESTED Button.

I'm sure Mclaren would have already been looking though?

[Jolle]

He allowed Button. In fact HAM was too welcoming with Button.
He will allow RUS but he will be more in charge of the team at that point.

Yeah, from what the media report Lewis has never been bothered who his team mate is.

Actually, Hamilton SUGGESTED Button.

He might also suggested it, but looking at Ron Dennis his other decisions, 2009 was the first time he was solely in charge of McLaren and took a page from the PMI handbook, to get, if possible, two WC in your seats. Remember, he already knew probably that Vodafone would not last forever and he needed another partner with infinite deep pockets to take on PMI-Ferrari and Daimler.
Whenever in doubt, PMI tries to get the best of the best, of course it started with Lauda-Prost-Senna, then tried to catch Mansell and when Got Schumacher when they started at Ferrari, for who they wanted Prost as his teammate. Dennis took this approach signing Button and later Alonso.

[PlatinumZealot]

The McLaren philosphy was to "get the best two drivers that are available." they cant afford this philosphy any more these days... But yeah Button was fresh WDC and he was British. And the plus side it was a "coming home" sort of arrangement for him.

[piast9]

I don't think the driver's opinion should influence the team's decision on who to hire. It's not the driver's competence.

[Snorked]

Yeah, from what the media report Lewis has never been bothered who his team mate is.

Actually, Hamilton SUGGESTED Button.

I'm sure Mclaren would have already been looking though?

McLaren were on the verge of signing Nick Heidfeld for the 2010 season, if I remember the story correctly from F1 Racing magazine, Whitmarsh had a contract drawn up for him to sign, but while he was away on a short break / holiday, Dennis swooped in and signed Button without telling him

[Edax]

I don't think the driver's opinion should influence the team's decision on who to hire. It's not the driver's competence.

I think the drivers have an unique perspective on the capabilities of other drivers. There is a reason why all the broadcasters employ an army of ex F1 drivers, not because they are the best commentators (often not) but because they actually know what is going on under the helmet.

Not to mention that the current generation of F1 drivers (LEC, VES, GAS, SAI, ALB, STR, NOR etc) have been racing each other since 10 years old, so I guess the know each other better than the scouts.

In that sense they should have input. Whether you can trust them to pick the best driver, I am not sure. Ultimately that should be a team decision.

Interestingly enough both Sainz and Verstappen separately mentioned each other as best teammates, because the intense competition between the two in the TR time made both better. But I wonder wether they would have picked each other given a free choice.

[piast9]

I don't think the driver's opinion should influence the team's decision on who to hire. It's not the driver's competence.

I think the drivers have an unique perspective on the capabilities of other drivers. There is a reason why all the broadcasters employ an army of ex F1 drivers, not because they are the best commentators (often not) but because they actually know what is going on under the helmet.

Not to mention that the current generation of F1 drivers (LEC, VES, GAS, SAI, ALB, STR, NOR etc) have been racing each other since 10 years old, so I guess the know each other better than the scouts.

In that sense they should have input. Whether you can trust them to pick the best driver, I am not sure. Ultimately that should be a team decision.

Interestingly enough both Sainz and Verstappen separately mentioned each other as best teammates, because the intense competition between the two in the TR time made both better. But I wonder wether they would have picked each other given a free choice.

So let an expert ex-driver be an adviser in hiring process but not the current driver. I wrote my original post as an opposition to the statements that Hamilton would or would not like someone as a teammate. It's ridiculous. He may have the opinion, he may be vocal with his opinion but it must not limit the hiring process of a team.

[raymondu999]

I am not against Ham Vs Russel in Mercedes. I would love to see Russel in Mercedes along with Hamilton. But I still doubt Hamilton would allow it. We have to wait and see for Ham contract details to understand the situation.

He allowed Button. In fact HAM was too welcoming with Button.
He will allow RUS but he will be more in charge of the team at that point.

Yeah, from what the media report Lewis has never been bothered who his team mate is.

While I think most top drivers will say (and believe themselves saying it) that they don’t mind who their teammates are — because they believe they can beat whoever it is — I think the bigger point would be Mercedes. Lewis has/is never bothered about his teammate (I think barring that one time when he finally spoke out saying Nico was playing “dirty” mind games) — but the bigger question is would Merc be ok?

Toto has openly said he doesn’t want a repeat of the Hamilton—Rosberg shenanigans. James Allison has openly said why would we try something that while potentially has a lot of great opportunities— is very fraught with uncertainty?

[adrianjordan]

I think Lewis would probably welcome the new challenge and see it as an opportunity to mentor the next potential Mercedes champ. Personally I fully expect him to move into team management AT Mercedes when he retires as a driver. So he'd be setting up the next stage of his success...

You have to look at Russell's personality as well. I don't think he'd come in trying to upset the status quo. He strikes me as patient and willing to wait his turn - so long as he knows his turn IS coming, so I think he'd be happy to spend 2022 learning the team etc and learning from the best in the business before having his opportunity in 2023.

For my part I will be absolutely gobsmacked if Russell isn't in a Merc in 22.

[NathanOlder]

I think Lewis would probably welcome the new challenge and see it as an opportunity to mentor the next potential Mercedes champ. Personally I fully expect him to move into team management AT Mercedes when he retires as a driver. So he'd be setting up the next stage of his success...

You have to look at Russell's personality as well. I don't think he'd come in trying to upset the status quo. He strikes me as patient and willing to wait his turn - so long as he knows his turn IS coming, so I think he'd be happy to spend 2022 learning the team etc and learning from the best in the business before having his opportunity in 2023.

For my part I will be absolutely gobsmacked if Russell isn't in a Merc in 22.

Yeah thats how I see it. I can't really see 2022 being a problem for either driver (Ham & Rus).

[NathanOlder]

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/76064/am ... -2021.html

Albon in DTM 2021. Not that GPBlog are a good source. Infact one of the worst. But they claim its from AMuS so we will see.

If he does, I cant see him doing very well.