Not a great system. Choose your development last year and hope you get it right. If not, you don’t get to try again until next year.
Gasely would be natural fit for Renault with Ocon except for Alonzo being there for next 2 years.
I agree but also understand why Renault would be happy to have Alonso back as he’s still one of the best drivers in the world. Gasly will get his turn somewhere I’m sure of that.
Alonso has been my fav for many years and I hope he still has something left so show for his $36m. If Gasly is available in 2yrs when Alonso’s contract is up he will be perfect fit for French team.
I guess this is the issue, 2 drivers per team, and if you are one of the 'wealthiest', then you can get two amazing drivers, and therefore that scenario plays out. Should it be 1 driver per team, and more teams? Or officially recognising a no 1 and a no 2 driver, and have specific salary caps for each.
In general the best car will win. How many other drivers would win the championship in a Mercedes this year?
Possibly. It just doesn’t happen all that often.
I’m sure they’d all do a better job than Bottas. But at the expense of a harmonious garage. If the second place team was even close to pushing them, they’d have dispensed with his services years ago. But they have a very healthy cushion. Healthy for them. Not for us!
You’ve got a point. But when Lewis does hang up his driving gloves I doubt they will be looking to Bottas to land the next WC!And look at it from Bottas' perspective - he may be the de facto #2 driver in the Mercedes team, but that is far better than being the #1 driver in a Williams.
I think in a car so far ahead of everyone else, he would also nearly get you a WC. The issue is Lewis is a winning machine. If Bottas was always able to deliver a solid number 2, then maybe. But this weekend he was nowhere. I have nothing against Bottas, but I can't see him ever getting a shot at the title with Mercedes. I don't think he is good enough.
The great drivers have always come in to teams and either outperformed teammates or exerted authority in a psychological sense. Look at Senna when he dominated the environment in Prost’s then team McLaren. Lewis from the very off was matching Alonso for pace pre 2007 season in testing which raised more than a few eyebrows at the time. Considering he’d only driven an F1 car three times and Alonso was a double WDC, it gave us all a glimpse into a driver who was a talent rather than a driver who had learned his trade well. Bottas is a driver who is good on his day but seems to lack that ruthless nature compared to previous champions who have screwed over teammates in their quest for the ultimate prize. Teams don’t just get behind drivers, they are often drawn that way due to results and potential first.
Exactly. Lewis has always outclassed his team mate. He is a great driver. Yes he has a great car. But remember when he left McLaren for Mercedes? No one thought that was going to bring him glory. Yes Nico beat him one year. How many engine failures did he have that year? Regardless of what you think of him, you can't deny he is one of the all time greats.
To be fair Lewis outclassed Rosberg in 2016 in terms of performances and with one extra DNF. He had more engine failures on race weekends than Nico but managed more often than not to claw it back during the races. The points lead Nico had was vast and for Lewis to finish just 5 points behind him is often overlooked and the fact Nico finished behind Lewis in the last four rounds. I can fully sympathise with Nico for finding it exhausting as it would be highly unlikely he’d have a better chance to win a title. History since has proven he was wise to finish on a high.