2015 Formula 1 Thread

[Apple fanboy]

Laughable. Both Merc drivers were given equal opportunities to compete for the championship. Anything else is pure fantasy.

At last a bit of reality! Nico out qualified Lewis on a few occasions, but didn't convert those into wins. When you put the two of them side by side in equal cars, more often than not Lewis would come out on top.
Of course this season things might be different. Not too long to wait now.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Rosberg was also magnanimous in defeat and I felt he gained a lot of respect, certainly mine in how he conducted himself. I think if Mercedes had favoured one driver in 2014 then it would have been a very boring season. Thankfully they were given equal cars and allowed to battle it out until the very end. Lewis was simply the better driver of the two over the course of the season and was more consistent, as you say 'converting' his poles into wins. Nico let far too many wins pass him by when Hamilton had hit bad luck and he let the pressure get to him at times which is something Lewis has been guilty of in past seasons.

I hope in 2015 we have Ferrari, Red Bull and even McLaren challenging for wins by mid season. I am from Banbury so Mercedes is fairly local to get my support along with a few other teams. I do hope we have more of a multi team challenge though even if I don't mind seeing Lewis get his third title. I think he would like a bit of a fight too. 🙂

 

[pachyderm]

At last a bit of reality! Nico out qualified Lewis on a few occasions, but didn't convert those into wins. When you put the two of them side by side in equal cars, more often than not Lewis would come out on top.
Of course this season things might be different. Not too long to wait now.

i root for nico but i have to admit lewie, when not hampered with any kind of misfortune, was the guy to beat. i don't think there is any favoritism but who knows?


go nico! go bottas! get well 'nando!

 

[tdale]

Laughable. Both Merc drivers were given equal opportunities to compete for the championship. Anything else is pure fantasy.

You are in dreamworld

Remember Indy?

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

You are in dreamworld

Remember Indy?

No I don't remember Indy. What happened and how is it linked with Mercedes or Formula 1?

 

[tdale]

No I don't remember Indy. What happened and how is it linked with Mercedes or Formula 1?

Barrichello pulled over to let Schumacher win. Thats F1. We are all fans, buts that F1 in a brand team. There are some exceptions, but the brand driver has favouritism. Nothing has changed

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Barrichello pulled over to let Schumacher win. Thats F1. We are all fans, buts that F1 in a brand team. There are some exceptions, but the brand driver has favouritism. Nothing has changed

I am sorry but Austria and Indy 2002 are very different to Mercedes in 2014. The culture within Ferrari is also very different and in the Schumacher era he was the undisputed number one driver and Barrichello accepted the job knowing that, even if it wasn't written in his actual contract.

Mercedes were in a class of their own last season and it was clear from day one they would win both titles with very little fight. They didn't need to favour one driver over the other and if they had, then they hid it pretty well by letting Nico almost win the championship. If they had employed Ferrari's 2002 strategy then they could have sat back and relaxed for over half a season, because Hamilton would have walked it. As it happened they allowed bothy drivers to fight for the title and it went down to the final races. There was incentives for both drivers to win. One was German like the marque and the other is more marketable in a global sense. Either would have pleased the board.

McLaren did the same thing in 2007, although favouritism crept in after Spygate on an emotional level. Alonso was still given an equal chance to win the title and very nearly did just that. F1 is about politics, but results also speak for themselves beyond that. I am not in a 'dreamworld', I am simply a realist and somebody who has watched the sport for more years than most of these drivers have been alive lol.

 

[keysofanxiety]

Barrichello pulled over to let Schumacher win. Thats F1. We are all fans, buts that F1 in a brand team. There are some exceptions, but the brand driver has favouritism. Nothing has changed

Sorry but you couldn't be further from the truth. If you remember the huge controversy that followed that incident, for years and years, the rule changes that went from that ... I'm not convinced you remember the full situation.

Schumacher always was the 'number 1'. At Benetton as well, his car was practically the only one that was developed. Same at Ferrari. It's because he was an outstanding driver and extremely physically fit (in that era). And he made it known that if he wanted to race for a team, he'd be the number 1 driver and all developments would be put on his car first. That's a liability they could afford to accept, for nearly a decade of Ferrari domination.

This is absolutely worlds apart from Nico and Lewis.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

It's also worth mentioning that it was Austria 2002 where Barrichello moved over for Schumacher and the other way round at Indy that year. It was hugely controversial and Schumacher was always number one in his first F1 career. When he was at Benetton he had full access to Verstappen's and Herbert's telemetry data but they were kept in the dark. Agreements were in place, hands were shaken and it was very different to what we have at Mercedes in this era.

 

[Goftrey]

Aaaannnd.... It's over. For this week anyway. Ericsson and Nasr to race at Melbourne.

https://www.facebook.com/giedovandergarde/posts/644854562285498

In other news - Manor are looking optimistic to run in FP3 after breaking the curfew last night to continue work on the car.

Looks like I'm in for a second all-nighter in a row! It's like Christmas 😀

 

[pachyderm]

Barrichello pulled over to let Schumacher win. Thats F1. We are all fans, buts that F1 in a brand team. There are some exceptions, but the brand driver has favoritism. Nothing has changed

...and barrichello pulled over for him at the A1 ring. DC pulled over for Mika...

i agree. but is it favoritism or team orders... which don't exist...

 

[Apple fanboy]

Well it's as we were at the front then! Big gap between Lewis and Nico though. 6/10ths is ages in F1. Good to see Willisms there or there abouts.
Lotus and McLaren have effectively swapped places on the grid. I hope Honda can make quick progress for Jenson's sake. After last years contract debarkel, I can't see him getting another year. It would be horrible to see him running round the back.
Ferrari look to have made progress. It will be interesting to see who ends up where tomorrow.

 

[randian]

McLaren's performance is embarrassing. I don't know whether it's the engine or chassis though. Total opposite of what happened last year, where it looked like they were going to be strong then quickly lost the pace.

Button's problem isn't that he's a bad driver, but that he's paid too much to drive a backmarker car. If you have a lousy car might as well pay a rookie to drive it, so I could easily see a mid-season salary dump at McLaren.

 

[AustinIllini]

McLaren's performance is embarrassing. I don't know whether it's the engine or chassis though. Total opposite of what happened last year, where it looked like they were going to be strong then quickly lost the pace.

Button's problem isn't that he's a bad driver, but that he's paid too much to drive a backmarker car. If you have a lousy car might as well pay a rookie to drive it, so I could easily see a mid-season salary dump at McLaren.

We'll see. It does look pretty bad for this season, though.

 

[Apple fanboy]

McLaren's performance is embarrassing. I don't know whether it's the engine or chassis though. Total opposite of what happened last year, where it looked like they were going to be strong then quickly lost the pace.

Button's problem isn't that he's a bad driver, but that he's paid too much to drive a backmarker car. If you have a lousy car might as well pay a rookie to drive it, so I could easily see a mid-season salary dump at McLaren.

I don't think their chassis was very good last season. It's just the engine hid the fact a little. With an under performing power unit, it's going to be tough.

 

[CWallace]

DC pulled over for Mika...

That was an agreement between both drivers that whomever took the first corner would take the race. As I recall, Ron Dennis was not happy about it when he found out after the race and forbid it going forward.

 

[RossMak]

I was delighted with the way Mercedes handled the racing last year. Just basically let them slug it out and best driver wins. If I remember correctly they did not allow different race strategies for stops, only allowed them to change the way the tyres were allocated.

Hoping for a Lewis win tomorrow. I hope the rest of the field give a challenge this year but I still hope for the same end result. I am a massive Hamilton fan though.

 

[Melrose]

Rosberg was also magnanimous in defeat and I felt he gained a lot of respect, certainly mine in how he conducted himself. I think if Mercedes had favoured one driver in 2014 then it would have been a very boring season. Thankfully they were given equal cars and allowed to battle it out until the very end. Lewis was simply the better driver of the two over the course of the season and was more consistent, as you say 'converting' his poles into wins. Nico let far too many wins pass him by when Hamilton had hit bad luck and he let the pressure get to him at times which is something Lewis has been guilty of in past seasons.

I hope in 2015 we have Ferrari, Red Bull and even McLaren challenging for wins by mid season. I am from Banbury so Mercedes is fairly local to get my support along with a few other teams. I do hope we have more of a multi team challenge though even if I don't mind seeing Lewis get his third title. I think he would like a bit of a fight too. 🙂

Hammy fans still think Nico is a monster. That won't change. I rewatched Monaco a couple weeks ago... goodness Hamilton behaves like a spoiled brat. Good driver, lousy & unprofessional sportsman.

Whilst this weekend they've kept the car reigned in a bit, I'm hoping McLaren can get it together quick and be competitive as well. I am really excited to see Lotus doing well, though!

 

[zagato27]

Been looking forward to the 2015 F1 season and here it is, almost. Really wanted to see Alonso but guess that will have to wait. Haven't seen any of the qualifying but looks like it might be a repeat of last year with Hamilton leading the parade but there may be some challengers. Have to wait and see. Right now can't wait for the race. Now I have to decide if I stay up late (0030) and watch live or get up early (0600) and watch the replay.😕

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Hammy fans still think Nico is a monster. That won't change. I rewatched Monaco a couple weeks ago... goodness Hamilton behaves like a spoiled brat. Good driver, lousy & unprofessional sportsman.

Whilst this weekend they've kept the car reigned in a bit, I'm hoping McLaren can get it together quick and be competitive as well. I am really excited to see Lotus doing well, though!

Not all Hamilton fans think like that. I am surprised how many respect Nico, especially after how he conducted himself at the end of last season, he was a gent in defeat.

I wouldn't judge lewis too harshly on Monaco. He did throw a few toys but Nico had his moments too so they were identical on that front. Competition breeds drama queens in motor racing.

 

[pachyderm]

That was an agreement between both drivers that whomever took the first corner would take the race. As I recall, Ron Dennis was not happy about it when he found out after the race and forbid it going forward.

either way though dude. it is all the same.

and this first race. s.s.d.d.*


crap! just saw that two of my fave drivers were declared unfit and out of the race. i did not know that bottas would be out. =(





well i really hated the old F1.com ... and now i really,really hate the new F1.com...




SPOILER DOWN BELOW:





V



V














WTF!?!?

11 cars finish? 2 DNS?

these events are not races. just saying.





*same ***** different day

 

[Apple fanboy]

either way though dude. it is all the same.

and this first race. s.s.d.d.*


crap! just saw that two of my fave drivers were declared unfit and out of the race. i did not know that bottas would be out. =(





well i really hated the old F1.com ... and now i really,really hate the new F1.com...




SPOILER DOWN BELOW:





V



V














WTF!?!?

11 cars finish? 2 DNS?

these events are not races. just saying.





*same ***** different day

It could have been better. But fair play to Mercades. They have again put together the package to beat.
Sorry to see Button and McLaren bringing up the rear. They both deserve better.
Thought all the rookies handled themselves well.
Hopefully Ferrari and Williams can make some progress before the next outing. As a Lewis fan, I want to see him do well, but I'd really like it to be a close championship. Nico looked quite down beat all weekend. I hope he's not going to go the way of other number two drivers.

 

[Apple fanboy]

So RBR are talking about Mercades total dominance of the sport as killing the sport.
They are talking about pulling out of the sport.
Now forgive me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember Christian Horner complaining that their car was the best buy miles!

 

[Don't panic]

So RBR are talking about Mercades total dominance of the sport as killing the sport.
They are talking about pulling out of the sport.
Now forgive me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember Christian Horner complaining that their car was the best buy miles!

yep, it does seem rich considering the recent past.

everyone (me including) is always complaining about one team (occasionally two) dominating the season and how it will "kill the sport".

of course the fact that it ALWAYS has been like that since the very beginning is conveniently omitted in the complaints, and the only time when it is not killing the sport is when it is our team doing the domineering.

same with reliability.
we just got spoiled about recent year's consistent performances, but in the good ol' days, the cars would break down just looking at them, at it was fairly common to see half the field out of the race for one reason or another.

that said, it was kinda boring yesterday, and unfortunately i don't see things changing very shortly. if anything next race could be even worse

 

[smithrh]

Pot, kettle, black.

I've seen quite a few eras of domination, the sport has survived.

Also, this seems like the race we were going to have last year. Last year, there was going to be massive failures and no one was going to finish the race, if you believed the pre-race analysis.

Didn't happen last year, but it did this year. Better tires from Michelin seem to enhance the differences in performance as well.

Other musings: I like the new Ferrari boss. Don't like his tobacco background, but he seems like a really good and personable fit that will do Ferrari well going forward.

Toto Wolff came off as a very affable human-like robot in the Mercedes info-advertisement bit that was on before the F1. Similarities in diction to Ahnoldt were quite amusing, so it was fun to see the Governator be the post-race host.

Nico also comes off well, or at least he seems warmer now than at the beginning of last year.

I've gotten my hands on 4 different coverages of the race, still going through them, but NBCSN isn't as far back in the coverage as some would like to tell you. I might write something up on this at some point.