F1 Season 2021

[PannickAtTheDisco]

Whilst you all willfully ignore some absolutely astonishing driving by Hamilton and label it as having the fastest car again.

Exactly. If the Mercedes were that good then Max wouldn't be comfortably beating Valtteri. Lewis is driving at a different level and showing Max how much he still needs to learn.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

Stunning drive by Lewis. Again.

He looks more up for it than ever. You've got to be impressed with his ability and will-power.

Max did his best but the Merc, in Lewis' hands, was too good. Those two really are in a league of their own at the moment and it's been great to watch. Pity their team-mates are pissing me off.

Bottas is fast and qulaifies well but isn't really a racer anywhere near the class required.

Red Bull are still suffering from lack of back-up for Max. They just don't have the strategic in-race options to fend him/them off. I've never been convinced by Perez as the right man for this job and have seen nothing so far to change my mind. He's a decent driver, if you want points picking up on a consistent basis, usually by going long on tyres, but he's never been a good qualifier or someone threatening to race at the front. I don't think he's what they needed.

The question is, who would be?

If you want experience then I reckon Hulkenberg or even Kimi would do better jobs than Perez. Ricciardo definitely would.

George Russell showed what younger drivers can do, when in a top car in Bahrain, so it's not like there isn't the talent around if given a chance.

Lando Norris would be right up here in a Red Bull more often than not. I wonder where he might head eventually, if Mclaren don't improve enough..? Hopefully they do improve and start challenging, but I won't hold my breath.

Russell's name looks to be on the Merc seat, Ferrari have two very good young drivers, so the only current top seat that will be up for grabs is at RB...

Looking forward to Monaco.

It's Perez or back to Albon.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

Took at least 2 secs off max

Lewis showed he'd have pulled that back in a lap or 2. Lewis was on another level today and pushed Max into burning through his tyres to keep him behind.

 

[1.618034]

It's Perez or back to Albon.

For ever?

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

For ever?

for the next couple of years, unless something major happens with Max in the drivers market. Ricciardo won't be going back with Max there, they've already decided Albon and Perez are above Hulk, Kimi is done let's be honest, even Giovinazzi has been outdriving him, they don't rate Gasly and after the mistakes of pushing Gasly and Albon too soon Tsunoda is at least 2 years away from that seat and that's before you consider his erratic performances and complete immaturity so far.

 

[crooky]

Exactly. If the Mercedes were that good then Max wouldn't be comfortably beating Valtteri. Lewis is driving at a different level and showing Max how much he still needs to learn.

Bottas is not a top driver. The reason he didn't beat Verstappen is because Verstappen is worlds ahead in ability and because he managed to get stuck behind a 'slow' Ferrari in his first stint.

Bottas is the guy who got beaten by a relative rookie (Russell) with zero points to his name in his first race with Mercedes and at late notice.

Further to that. Russell coming in and also being straight on the pace in the Merc in 2020 either means that he is one of the new wonder drivers along with Leclerc or that the Merc is a rocket ship that's easy to drive at its limits.

Perez is a fine driver but it's not been anywhere near as easy for him (or any of Verstappens recent teammates) to get consistently on or near the podium because presumably the Red Bull just isn't as fast or easy to extract the maximum from.

But I do think Hamilton/Mercedes is providing a masterclass in driving though this season (other than the mistake in Imola in which he still recovered brilliantly from). He's deservedly winning the championship so far.

The wins in Bahrain and Portugal were top drawer and will be admired in years time imo. It's just that nagging feeling that Spain shows that Merc do have the quicker car and that with Hamilton on top form that they'll start building a formidable lead in the championship soon.

 

[1.618034]

for the next couple of years, unless something major happens with Max in the drivers market. Ricciardo won't be going back with Max there, they've already decided Albon and Perez are above Hulk, Kimi is done let's be honest, even Giovinazzi has been outdriving him, they don't rate Gasly and after the mistakes of pushing Gasly and Albon too soon Tsunoda is at least 2 years away from that seat and that's before you consider his erratic performances and complete immaturity so far.

To be clear, I think they should get Lando Norris. ASAP.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

Bottas is not a top driver. The reason he didn't beat Verstappen is because Verstappen is worlds ahead in ability and because he managed to get stuck behind a 'slow' Ferrari in his first stint.

Bottas is the guy who got beaten by a relative rookie (Russell) with zero points to his name in his first race with Mercedes and at late notice.

Further to that. Russell coming in and also being straight on the pace in the Merc in 2020 either means that he is one of the new wonder drivers along with Leclerc or that the Merc is a rocket ship that's easy to drive at its limits.

Perez is a fine driver but it's not been anywhere near as easy for him (or any of Verstappens recent teammates) to get consistently on or near the podium because presumably the Red Bull just isn't as fast or easy to extract the maximum from.

But I do think Hamilton/Mercedes is providing a masterclass in driving though this season (other than the mistake in Imola in which he still recovered brilliantly from). He's deservedly winning the championship so far.

The wins in Bahrain and Portugal were top drawer and will be admired in years time imo. It's just that nagging feeling that Spain shows that Merc do have the quicker car and that with Hamilton on top form that they'll start building a formidable lead in the championship soon.

The Red Bull is Max's baby and like Lewis he is able to get far more out of it compared to his team-mate.

If you want to see how much tighter it is between the Red Bull and Mercedes, the obvious tell is how last season Bottas was often comfortably able to at least compete with if not beat Max last year, this year he's not in the same postcode. Max has a comparable car to Lewis, faster on some tracks and in certain conditions and slightly slower in others.

In simplest terms, you know Max and Lewis are getting the maximum out of each of their cars. Last season, that was good enough for Max to have regular tussles with Valterri and on a lucky day, a go at Lewis. This season they've been scrapping every race, with Imola Max driving off, today Lewis would have driven off if not for the start. Different tracks suit each car but Max/Red Bull drop little mistakes in each weekend which are adding up, Lewis has had 1 big clanger but got away with it. Has the Mercedes improved? Yes. Is it more than a couple of tenths either way between Max or Lewis on any track? no. The difference is in experience and race craft and Max is learning the hard way that year after year of Lewis honing his craft is pushing him to the limit here.

And yes, Russell is a superstar albeit like Lewis at McLaren, decidedly immature at times as young drivers are.

Portugal and Spain were expected to be tracks where Mercedes had an edge, Lewis turned it into a massacre in both respects. That's where Max, with clearly the faster car in Bahrain, missed a big opportunity. But unless Mercedes fix some weaknesses with their car, Red Bull are expected to have the advantage at most tracks as the summer warms up and wears on.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

To be clear, I think they should get Lando Norris. ASAP.

Not going to happen, though immensely talented. McLaren have the best driver pairing on the grid imo and are making big leaps forward each season. Hopefully, they'll get the new regs right and be in a title challenge next season. It'll be more exciting that way anyway, with hopefully a four way fight between them, a revived Ferrari, Red Bull and Merc. Praying the new regs make it far more unpredictable though in terms of winners.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

sums it up for me. Lewis is racing 2007/08 Lewis in Max, raw, extremely quick, ruthlessly aggressive, but doesn't quite have all the tools and tricks in his box in the tightest scraps yet to come out on top.