2023 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[ValeVida46]

A pole is a pole to be fair. Merc can at least savor today. It's certainly a morale boost for the team, and may give leadership some breathing room from bean counters who don't understand the complexity of development and the restrictions.

You might find it useful to know who Ola Kallenius is, and what he was doing before being CEO and big boss of Mercedes.
And bean counters? Care to go into detail how they might influence a self sustaining entity that draws no money from Stuttgart?

[Mchamilton]

Good quali from Lewis today. Georges was just a mess. Too late and too hesitant to maintain order at the final corner to get a lap in. Cost him dearly that mistake. But its the risk you take leaving it til the very end without a good banker.

I thought that little slide at the end for Lewis blew his chances, but somehow he managed to just keep enough to nip it ahead of Max. I think everyones softs were on the edge at the end of a hot lap with the temperatures.

Should be a good race tomorrow.

I wonder if lewis deliberately fully sent the entry to the final turn with little thought to the exit given the run to the line is pretty short.

[denyall]

A pole is a pole to be fair. Merc can at least savor today. It's certainly a morale boost for the team, and may give leadership some breathing room from bean counters who don't understand the complexity of development and the restrictions.

You might find it useful to know who Ola Kallenius is, and what he was doing before being CEO and big boss of Mercedes.
And bean counters? Care to go into detail how they might influence a self sustaining entity that draws no money from Stuttgart?

Admiral Ackbar has a message for you.

[214270]

Win or lose, smashes the table anyway.

[AR3-GP]

A pole is a pole to be fair. Merc can at least savor today. It's certainly a morale boost for the team, and may give leadership some breathing room from bean counters who don't understand the complexity of development and the restrictions.

You might find it useful to know who Ola Kallenius is, and what he was doing before being CEO and big boss of Mercedes.
And bean counters? Care to go into detail how they might influence a self sustaining entity that draws no money from Stuttgart?

Why always looking for something negative?

Mercedes is not the only shareholder and even they will evaluate the purpose of their investments annually. Each shareholder has an investment (including Toto). What it "cost" is the difference between what the money earns, and what it could earn elsewhere. I'm certain that each year, the leadership and the investments are evaluated. Toto Wolff has a contract too. Last I read it was renewed in 2020. Hamilton has a 40-50million contract which he is fighting for. Wins like today make justifying these things easier.

[Sidiamal]

Just some perspective. Merc had pole here last year. It was that pole that got blamed for another year of misery. This concept just goes well on the hungaro ring.

It was the fugazi win in Brazil, not the pole position in Hungary that gave undue capital for the concept.

At any rate this pole is far more impressive than last year's given 2022 was heavily influenced by one of a kind conditions and both Red Bulls being out of commission. This one was won with brute force with both hands. Still the meat is what happens tomorrow. The W14 has a history of having better race pace than quali pace but so does the Red Bull.

[chrisc90]

Merc did well at Zaandvort too from memory last year. I agree though, it was the Brazil win that led the team up the wrong path with the fake belief the concept 'worked'. Coupled with a decent performance in Mexico aswell I think.
I dont think the W14 is 'that' bad this year. It certainly has its moments, but its still a very competitive race car. If you take Max out of the equation then probably comfortably leading the WCC this year given the standards Perez has had. Its with the McLaren upgrade its going to be a interesting remainder of the season.

I think with a few well calculated tweaks, their car will be on the fight for wins again. The RB/Max advantage isnt going to last forever and others have/will close the gaps in. (the penalty is catching up with RB it seems last few races - but we see what the upgrade does.

It should be interesting to see what George does tomorrow. P18 starting position and a car to make some good progress. Im expecting P10-P7-ish for him tomorrow.

[zibby43]

Win or lose, smashes the table anyway.

Was that an Angela Cullen clone?

[ValeVida46]

Admiral Ackbar has a message for you.

Why always looking for something negative?

Are you even kidding me?

and may give leadership some breathing room from bean counters who don't understand the complexity of development and the restrictions.

Pray tell how this is a positive?
You are operating under false assumptions and then asserting it as fact.
Did you even know Kallenius background before writing that?
It was he and Zetsche that spun the AMG branding to separate it from unions and costings pressures.
Factor in the budget cap and it's a self sustaining entity.
So I'm all ears to hear how "beancounters" affect AMG's F1 team operation, that now is in the position of making money each season.

Mercedes is not the only shareholder and even they will evaluate the purpose of their investments annually. Each shareholder has an investment (including Toto). What it "cost" is the difference between what the money earns, and what it could earn elsewhere.

And Red Bull, and Ferrari, and McLaren, and Alpine, and Aston Martin, etc...


Remove the labels and it's the same. I see Aston Martin were roundly done by Mercedes again this weekend. What if Stroll wants to pack his toys up and sell? Far more of a risk to of that happening to Aston Martin than Mercedes.
And Alpine. Oh, Elkan must be over the moon with his Ferrari investment.
But Merc get pole, after getting flayed again by the haters, and you backhand compliment them with pushing some fanciful, false and negative notion of "beancounting and misunderstanding the complexity F1".

Why so negative.

[denyall]

Russell complaining in at least one interview about poor strategy in Q1...

Find that a hard pill to swollow when by my eye he is a victim of his own errors. He was too timid on his prep lap letting three or four cars by before he went. I bet his tires were out of the window after slow rolling the final two corners, more so because he had to wait additional time because of the cars that had gone past.

I want to like George but man idk.. He's seems the kind of guy that says "we" when he should be saying "I" and says "I" when he should be saying "we"... Anyway, bad day for him, hopefully he can make some passes in the race.

The front is gonna be a riot, maximum attack all race I think and lots of defense from whoever ends up P1 by turn three. Expecting a big push from Max if he gets a decent start. Not sure if Ham is gonna give in or not. My hope is not!

[mstar]

For me this was a proper pole i know george had one last year but this was fair fight with max and redbull. I still think the fight is with Mclarens NOT redbull they had very good race pace and we all know how good the car is on race day and that DRS. so lewis just needs to try keep mclarens in check and if max gets him at the start he should let him go.

[mstar]

Russell complaining in at least one interview about poor strategy in Q1...

Find that a hard pill to swollow when by my eye he is a victim of his own errors. He was too timid on his prep lap letting three or four cars by before he went. I bet his tires were out of the window after slow rolling the final two corners, more so because he had to wait additional time because of the cars that had gone past.

I want to like George but man idk.. He's seems the kind of guy that says "we" when he should be saying "I" and says "I" when he should be saying "we"... Anyway, bad day for him, hopefully he can make some passes in the race.

The front is gonna be a riot, maximum attack all race I think and lots of defense from whoever ends up P1 by turn three. Expecting a big push from Max if he gets a decent start. Not sure if Ham is gonna give in or not. My hope is not!

Lewis and George came out same time nose to tail. Lewis sped up and went down the road and slowed at the last corner. Geroge being cocky slowed wayyyy before that and the other drivers got impatient as he was slowing making a massive gap to lewis ahead and everyone passed him as he was pissing about slow snail pace. For me george needs to take some blame.

[ValeVida46]

Russell complaining in at least one interview about poor strategy in Q1...

Find that a hard pill to swollow when by my eye he is a victim of his own errors. He was too timid on his prep lap letting three or four cars by before he went. I bet his tires were out of the window after slow rolling the final two corners, more so because he had to wait additional time because of the cars that had gone past.

I want to like George but man idk.. He's seems the kind of guy that says "we" when he should be saying "I" and says "I" when he should be saying "we"... Anyway, bad day for him, hopefully he can make some passes in the race.

The front is gonna be a riot, maximum attack all race I think and lots of defense from whoever ends up P1 by turn three. Expecting a big push from Max if he gets a decent start. Not sure if Ham is gonna give in or not. My hope is not!

He was peeved alright. I think in the end he has to accept that Gasly or the team isn't too blame, and that the loads of other drivers were doing the same but as you say, weren't waiting for an invitation.
Could've been 2 mercs in the top 3 today.

[AR3-GP]

And Red Bull, and Ferrari, and McLaren, and Alpine, and Aston Martin, etc...

What's your point. High ranking leadership from 4 of those teams mentioned (let's not get off topic), were made redundant due to underperformance.

You seem to be responding poorly to the idea that the people in leadership have to earn their contracts. This is not controversial imo.

[ValeVida46]

And Red Bull, and Ferrari, and McLaren, and Alpine, and Aston Martin, etc...

What's your point. High ranking leadership from 4 of those teams mentioned (let's not get off topic), were made redundant due to underperformance.

You seem to be responding poorly to the idea that the people in leadership have to earn their contracts. This is not controversial imo.

How did it help Ferrari? 1 spot lower than last year.
How did it help Alpine? 2 spots lower than last year.
Who of Red Bulls leadership was sacked?
Sure is helping McLaren now, but 150 points behind Merc.

You cite change, but fail to say that change actually has a worse record than having patience and remaining calm.
Why persistently call for someone's head when there is very rare occurrences it actually works and works quickly?


Also,I'm not responding poorly at all. Merc get pole and you tangentialize with beancounters and failures to understand F1.
That is negative as it is false. Hence my interjection.
The irony is Merc arent paying for the team out the coffers, so beancounting has been dispelled, and failures of understanding has been dispelled as the CEO of Mercedes literally formulated the idea of AMG branding and autonomy to circumvent any mothership interference along with trifecta ownership.

The absolute staggering, glaring point in all of this.... your "beancounters and failures to understand F1" have are only applied to Mercedes team thread.