2017 F1 Season

[spintheblackcircle]

Renault told Red Bull they want to terminate contract from end of next season

Decision casts doubt on the future of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo

Renault will enter into a new affiliation with McLaren for future seasons


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...erminate-contract-Red-Bull.html#ixzz4seh5cc6s

 

[SoupyFIN]

Sainz got so lucky that Toro Rosso wanted to terminate that engine contract and could use him as a bargaining chip, otherwise he would've been stuck there.

On a related note, former voice of Finnish F1 Oskari Saari (moved on to new things after last season, he was a commentator for like 13 or 14 years) said on his podcast that he heard from a pretty reliable source that the Kvyat/Gasly swap rumour from last year (right around this time of the year IIRC), wasn't just a rumour. It would've actually happened had Gasly kept his mouth shut about it.

Renault told Red Bull they want to terminate contract from end of next season

Decision casts doubt on the future of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo

Renault will enter into a new affiliation with McLaren for future seasons


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...erminate-contract-Red-Bull.html#ixzz4seh5cc6s

Does it really though? There's only a few spots to go around and the most dominant drivers (Hamilton/Vettel) have a say in who their teammate is. Ferrari is Vettel's team as long as he's there and he's shown throughout his career that he wants to be the clear cut number 1. Mercedes same thing with Hamilton, the debacles between him and Rosberg probably have made them more aware of who to put in the other car. IMO Hamilton doesn't have as much say as Vettel does, but he surely has some power.

Ricciardo to Mercedes? I could see that happen, although I think Mercedes is holding out for Vettel (in that case Hamilton goes to Ferrari, as he's dreamed of) and won't commit to anyone long-term.
Ricciardo to Ferrari? No chance as long as Vettel is there.
Verstappen to either team? No chance as long as Vettel/Hamilton are there.

It would be pretty interesting if both drivers left RB, that who would drive for the main team? They don't really have anyone with a wow factor within the RB development program right now and the bridge with Sainz is burned.

Mercedes: Vettel/Ocon
Ferrari: Hamilton/Leclerc
Red Bull: Ricciardo/? (Bottas maybe, if they don't have a good enough young guy by that point?)
Renault: Hulkenberg/Sainz
McLaren: Verstappen/Vandoorne (McLaren has been a big team in the past, probably Max's best bet for a competitive car outside the big 3 until one of Hamilton/Vettel retires)
Retired: Raikkonen, Alonso & Massa

My guess for 2019.

 

[Albatros]

I could see Hamilton returning back to McLaren still before he retires, but I think his Ferrari window has already closed. Even if Vettel would for some reason depart before his Ferrari contract expires in 2020, I think they'd look for someone younger than Hamilton. Verstappen would be a good guess.

 

[SoupyFIN]

I could see Hamilton returning back to McLaren still before he retires, but I think his Ferrari window has already closed. Even if Vettel would for some reason depart before his Ferrari contract expires in 2020, I think they'd look for someone younger than Hamilton. Verstappen would be a good guess.

I really doubt Vettel is going to stay with Ferrari until 2020, "officially" as of now yes. I can't see him signing a contract without opt-out clauses after what happened with RB and if one of them moves from one team to the other, they both move.

Hamilton is still in his prime and he's shown zero signs of regressing so far, not to mention that he is currently the biggest star of the grid. Even if he regresses a little bit, Ferrari should have Leclerc as their up-coming star a few years from now. Hamilton also strikes to me as a guy who's going to retire at the top or very near it, instead of holding on to a seat for dear life. A couple more years with Mercedes, then a couple with Ferrari and then I think he's done. He'd be around 35-36 by then.

 

[Preds Partisan]

Sauber announced they're adding 100 staff members. Maybe they'll have a decent car for Leclerc in 2018.

 

[Albatros]

Sauber is a trainwreck, can't really see them becoming a decent team in the near future. Kaltenborn+Honda would at least have been a viable plan.

 

[SoupyFIN]

McLaren & Honda breakup, McLaren & Renault partnership, Toro Rosso & Renault breakup, Toro Rosso & Honda partnership, Sainz "loaned" to Renault for a year. All official now.

Sauber announced they're adding 100 staff members. Maybe they'll have a decent car for Leclerc in 2018.

Sauber is a trainwreck, can't really see them becoming a decent team in the near future. Kaltenborn+Honda would at least have been a viable plan.

Probably not next year, as Renault (the team) has shown that it takes a while to recover from the bottom.

Sauber was Ferrari's B-team in the late 90s and early 2000s, they were a decent midfield team back then. Getting more help from Ferrari than just the engines will help them a lot.

 

[SoupyFIN]

Vettel is in the most ideal situation heading into the race regarding the championship, with both RBs & Kimi between him and Hamilton. It could be a huge swing in Vettel's favour for the title, if he can win and Hamilton can't get past that trio.

 

[Preds Partisan]

Sharkfin may be back for 2018 after all: According to Autosport "...following support from teams, a proposal would now be put to F1's Strategy Group for new sporting rules that stipulate the shark fin be used for identifying drivers...." The monkey seat is gone as well as the coat hanger/antenna looking things at least. Surprising reversal on the sharkfin.

 

[Kane One]

I don't mind the shark fin. The T-wing however is ugly as hell.

 

[SoupyFIN]

Team | Number | Driver
Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport|44|Lewis Hamilton
|77|Valtteri Bottas
Scuderia Ferrari|5|Sebastian Vettel
|7|Kimi Raikkonen
Red Bull Racing-TAG Heuer (Renault)|3|Daniel Ricciardo
|33|Max Verstappen
Sahara Force India F1 Team (Mercedes)|11|Sergio Perez
|31|Esteban Ocon
Williams Martini Racing (Mercedes)||?
||?
Scuderia Toro Rosso (Honda)||?
||?
Haas F1 Team (Ferrari)|8|Romain Grosjean
|20|Kevin Magnussen
Renault Sport F1 Team|27|Nico Hulkenberg
|55|Carlos Sainz Jr.
McLaren Renault F1 Team||?
|2|Stoffel Vandoorne
Sauber F1 Team (Ferrari)||?
||?

Some rumours that Ferrari wants both Leclerc and Giovinazzi with Sauber.

 

[JoVel]

It's raining Singapore but very slightly. The track is going to be very slippery. This should be interesting.

Okay it's not that slight rain anymore.

 

[Paris in Flames]

Oh bravo Ferrari. Bravo.

That start may have just decided the championship. I gotta feel for Max. That dude can barely buy a finish and he had a legitimate chance at today's win.

Uhhh Hulk in a podium position currently.

 

[Ceremony]

Vettel is in the most ideal situation heading into the race regarding the championship, with both RBs & Kimi between him and Hamilton. It could be a huge swing in Vettel's favour for the title, if he can win and Hamilton can't get past that trio.

This didn't go so well

 

[JoVel]

That right there could've decided the championship.

 

[SoupyFIN]

Hamilton pretty much has to DNF in one of the remaining races and Vettel can't afford a single DNF, for Vettel to have a chance at the title. Hamilton is too consistent in getting points, let alone wins.

If Raikkonen had not been there, Verstappen would've ran into the back of Vettel anyway. The contact between Max and Kimi slowed Max down enough that he didn't end up hitting Vettel. This is the type of stuff that a title contender should stay out of, Raikkonen & Verstappen pass you, so what? Your main title contender, the guy that was a couple points ahead of you at the start of the race, is still behind you. So stupid and Vettel destroyed Ferrari's chances of getting the constructors' championship too.

 

[Albatros]

Looked a bit like Vettel didn't realize there was still one more car between Verstappen and the wall. Maybe he was overmotivated because of his history with Max. A racing accident, but if someone has to take the blame for it then that must be Seb. Kimi and Max had nowhere to go.

 

[Sanderson]

I don't see how you can blame Vettel for that, it was a completely normal crash that tends to hapen now and then.

Verstappen was not going to pass Vettel, he didn't have the speed for it. Vettel was in perfect position to pull over and thus force Verstappen to not even attempt anything, it's just that he couldn't see Raikkonen and the great start he had. You can't blame Vettel for something he couldn't even be aware about. The move in itself was perfectly normal and happened all the time this season.

None of the drivers did anything out of the ordinary. Vettel pulled over like the leader normally does when he doesn't have a perfect start. Verstappen tried to move the left to keep a clear path ahead, like a driver tends to try when the driver ahead is trying to keep you in check. Raikkönen had an amazing start and tried to squeeze past Verstappen, and just like Vettel couldn't see him, Raikkönen couldn't see that Vettel was moving over. All that stuff happens, nothing unusual about any of that.

The race itself was as boring as it gets, once the crash happened. Ricciardo was not anywhere near as fast as he should have been, no idea what caused this, but he was never a threat to Hamilton.

 

[JoVel]

Looked a bit like Vettel didn't realize there was still one more car between Verstappen and the wall. Maybe he was overmotivated because of his history with Max. A racing accident, but if someone has to take the blame for it then that must be Seb. Kimi and Max had nowhere to go.

After watching his interview after the race it seems like this was the case. He seemed surprised that Kimi hit him because he had no idea he was inside of Verstappen.

 

[Paris in Flames]

I don't see how you can blame Vettel for that, it was a completely normal crash that tends to hapen now and then.

Verstappen was not going to pass Vettel, he didn't have the speed for it. Vettel was in perfect position to pull over and thus force Verstappen to not even attempt anything, it's just that he couldn't see Raikkonen and the great start he had. You can't blame Vettel for something he couldn't even be aware about. The move in itself was perfectly normal and happened all the time this season.

None of the drivers did anything out of the ordinary. Vettel pulled over like the leader normally does when he doesn't have a perfect start. Verstappen tried to move the left to keep a clear path ahead, like a driver tends to try when the driver ahead is trying to keep you in check. Raikkönen had an amazing start and tried to squeeze past Verstappen, and just like Vettel couldn't see him, Raikkönen couldn't see that Vettel was moving over. All that stuff happens, nothing unusual about any of that.

The race itself was as boring as it gets, once the crash happened. Ricciardo was not anywhere near as fast as he should have been, no idea what caused this, but he was never a threat to Hamilton.

I generally disagree. I think both Kimi and Max could have passed Vettel had he not made the move he did.

And yeah. If the blame is on anybody it's Vettel and I say that as a big Vettel fan.

 

[SoupyFIN]

I don't see how you can blame Vettel for that, it was a completely normal crash that tends to hapen now and then.

Verstappen was not going to pass Vettel, he didn't have the speed for it. Vettel was in perfect position to pull over and thus force Verstappen to not even attempt anything, it's just that he couldn't see Raikkonen and the great start he had. You can't blame Vettel for something he couldn't even be aware about. The move in itself was perfectly normal and happened all the time this season.

None of the drivers did anything out of the ordinary. Vettel pulled over like the leader normally does when he doesn't have a perfect start. Verstappen tried to move the left to keep a clear path ahead, like a driver tends to try when the driver ahead is trying to keep you in check. Raikkönen had an amazing start and tried to squeeze past Verstappen, and just like Vettel couldn't see him, Raikkönen couldn't see that Vettel was moving over. All that stuff happens, nothing unusual about any of that.

The race itself was as boring as it gets, once the crash happened. Ricciardo was not anywhere near as fast as he should have been, no idea what caused this, but he was never a threat to Hamilton.

The crash itself wasn't the most stupid crash ever by Vettel, but when you add in all the pieces, it was pretty stupid for what was at stake for him.

1) the conditions; no one has any idea where the braking point is and he still went for a move to block the most trigger happy guy into the first corner.

2) Mad Max; as I touched already earlier, Verstappen IMO would've ran into the back of Vettel without Raikkonen. Everyone knows his reputation, why take such a risk?

3) championship standings; worst case scenario without the collisions, Vettel drops to 3rd after the first corner. Still ahead of Hamilton.

 

[JoVel]

I agree with the post above. Vettel has to be able to look at the bigger picture. Look at what Rosberg did last year after Suzuka. He didn't even try to win the races because he knew finishing 2nd behind Lewis in each race left would be enough. If he went all in for the win for those races then who knows, Hamilton could've been the champ last year.

 

[Kane One]

Well I turned that race off fairly quickly.

 

[Kane One]

Looks like we lost a couple day's worth of posts here. Last thing was Kvyat's being replaced.

 

[Preds Partisan]

Just a reminder that this is the last Maylasian GP.