Mercedes seems truly caught with their pants down, often these announcements are close together, Ferrari announces Vettel, Red Bull announces Kvyat right away.
Indeed. Toto was not even in Brackley for the meeting about Lewis leaving. Apparently he attended virtually from spain or italy (I heard Milan). Saw elsewhere that Toto was informed by Lewis only yesterdaySevach wrote: ↑02 Feb 2024, 04:35Mercedes seems truly caught with their pants down, often these announcements are close together, Ferrari announces Vettel, Red Bull announces Kvyat right away.
When Hamilton left Mclaren, Macca was faster to announce Perez than Merc to announce Lewis.
Vettel was as slow as stroll in his last 2 seasons. The 2017-18 Seb isn't there anymore if we look at the final 3 seasons of 2020-2022
Mercedes need to have WDC driver in their line up to make their Brand Proud. So, I think it will be Alonso or Vettel return.organic wrote: ↑02 Feb 2024, 05:48Ocon and Gasly would be uninspiring but fine. Ocon was between +0.2s and +0.0s slower than Alo at alpine which is very respectable and so far Gasly has been quicker despite coming into a team built around Ocon.
Russell is more than capable of leading from 2025 even if many fans are not completely sold on him. Of course he's not a 7x wdc but he was at most a tenth slower than Lewis
Meh. It's a bit of a unique situation at the minute with only 3 world champions on the entire grid. Very unusual due to retirements and how dominant a handful of drivers have been for so longselvam_e2002 wrote: ↑02 Feb 2024, 06:22Mercedes need to have WDC driver in their line up to make their Brand Proud. So, I think it will be Alonso or Vettel return.organic wrote: ↑02 Feb 2024, 05:48Ocon and Gasly would be uninspiring but fine. Ocon was between +0.2s and +0.0s slower than Alo at alpine which is very respectable and so far Gasly has been quicker despite coming into a team built around Ocon.
Russell is more than capable of leading from 2025 even if many fans are not completely sold on him. Of course he's not a 7x wdc but he was at most a tenth slower than Lewis
Poor Lando, if he knew about LH move to Ferrari, he would never have signed new deal for Mclaren. Mcklaren must have known about LH deal in advance, thats why they locked Norris.Hammerfist wrote: ↑02 Feb 2024, 06:49
The ideal driver for them just signed a multi year at Mclaren. I wonder if Lando is kicking himself right about now.
organic wrote: ↑02 Feb 2024, 06:23Meh. It's a bit of a unique situation at the minute with only 3 world champions on the entire grid. Very unusual due to retirements and how dominant a handful of drivers have been for so longselvam_e2002 wrote: ↑02 Feb 2024, 06:22Mercedes need to have WDC driver in their line up to make their Brand Proud. So, I think it will be Alonso or Vettel return.organic wrote: ↑02 Feb 2024, 05:48Ocon and Gasly would be uninspiring but fine. Ocon was between +0.2s and +0.0s slower than Alo at alpine which is very respectable and so far Gasly has been quicker despite coming into a team built around Ocon.
Russell is more than capable of leading from 2025 even if many fans are not completely sold on him. Of course he's not a 7x wdc but he was at most a tenth slower than Lewis
That's not really an argument, wounds can be healed like Alonso himself proved with Dennis. But I don't think he's going to Merc.Hammerfist wrote: ↑02 Feb 2024, 06:49With Wolff being there I just don't see a way in for Alonso. He really despises Fernando and has made his feelings known on multiple occasions.
I wouldn't count Fernando out, after he went back to work under Dennis anything is possible.Hammerfist wrote: ↑02 Feb 2024, 06:49With Wolff being there I just don't see a way in for Alonso. He really despises Fernando and has made his feelings known on multiple occasions. Vettel has been out of the sport and was past his prime anyway, so I doubt he is even on the radar. The ideal driver for them just signed a multi year at Mclaren. I wonder if Lando is kicking himself right about now.