Formula One 2020

[Lineker]

Perez to Haas incoming then.

[Lineker]

Vettel and Racing Point: What’s Rumour and What's Reality

[Katsuya]

Williams have confirmed Russell & Latifi for next year, though Russell seems to have suggested Williams wouldn't let him leave (he said Claire Williams was "very firm" that he "had to" be there next year).

Vettel won't confirm the RP/AM rumour, and Perez seems to be suggesting that he could end up at Red Bull (!)

[Chris2K]

Yeah Russell's statement sounds very much like he was offered a better seat (Mercedes perhaps?) but Williams wouldn't let him out of his 3 year deal a year early.

#keepcheco has been trending most of the day, with the Mexican president even supporting it.

[Lineker]

 

[Chris2K]

I can't think that it's happened since the 1950s where the same car has been 1-2-3-4 on the grid, but here we are.

I fear the race is going to be a procession.

[Gazz]

Hamilton's turn 4 on his pole lap was absolutely ridiculous. Just threw it in, flat out, and it stuck.

I kind of want to see him given an opportunity to drive the Ferrari, for example, just so he can tell them how shit their car is in comparison to his.

[METALMAN]

Hmm. Maybe I chose the wrong year to get back into F1.

[Chris2K]

1 hour ago, metalman said:

Hmm. Maybe I chose the wrong year to get back into F1.

Without meaning to sound too negative, I wouldn't expect next year to be much different given the delay in the new regulations. It would take a monumental effort for anyone to catch up with Mercedes, particularly as most teams are more likely to focus on 2022.

[Chris2K]

"I don't mind who my teammate is next year" is the sort of answer that explains why I dislike Lance Stroll so much. I think #keepcheco is more like #checo'salreadygone.

I was hoping for a wet race for the only hope of it being unpredictable, and it looks like we have one...

[METALMAN]

23 hours ago, Chris2K said:

Without meaning to sound too negative, I wouldn't expect next year to be much different given the delay in the new regulations. It would take a monumental effort for anyone to catch up with Mercedes, particularly as most teams are more likely to focus on 2022.

Hmm okay. I got a free month for Canal + so I’ll be able to watch the next couple but I doubt I’ll be taking out a subscription then!

[Katsuya]

Outside of the first 5/6 laps and Haas managing to get K-Mag up ahead, that was dull af.

Good race for Stroll too. He always seems to get great starts and when he can avoid traffic, he always seems to put in a strong performance. Just needs to work more on his overtaking.

[Lineker]

 

[JasonM]

I honestly feel the whole wins record only undermines Lewis' abilities rather than highlighting it. Because beating the record (which barring something unthinkable) is going to be a guarantee and he'll become the first guy to win 100 races in his career.

And he's going to do it with about 50 less entries too. And that's where the kicker lies I feel. Schumi had a 22 year career and in 18 of those he won races (first and last three years were winless).

Hamilton is going to do it in 13 seasons and he's won in every year of his career.

I feel percentages only prove to make Lewis a lot better, his percentages are above and beyond most drivers. But the biggest argument Lewis gets is 'he's raced a lot more races in a shorter span of time', which is true, but the percentages still show that he's one of the best.

But ultimately I feel Lewis (like everyone else this generation) has been blessed (no pun intended) by superior hardware. Add on that that he's always had competitive car in every year of his career, adds to the fact he's going to be breaking every numeral success record.

Lewis' retirement rate across his ongoing career is 7%, retiring 18 times out of 253 career races.
Schumi's rate is shocking in comparison, 20%, 63(!) retirement out of 306 races. (not counting his two DQ's)

By Schumi's fourth season he had the same amount of retirements as Lewis has across his entire 13 year career.

It honestly boggles the mind, and at the same time really shows that comparing generations in motorracing is such a fruitless endeavour.

Lewis is going to break every record, but all it leaves is not a doubt about Lewis, more of a 'what if' towards previous generations. They have a largely comparable career trajectory of quickly finding themselves in world beating machinery, but what if those 90s and 00s cars had the level of mind boggling reliability as current day cars?

 

[Twist]

Can anyone suggest the best online publications for keeping up with F1 (and motorsports in general)?

Preferably places that write long form articles as well as general news updates. 

[JasonM]

30 minutes ago, Twist said:

Can anyone suggest the best online publications for keeping up with F1 (and motorsports in general)?

Preferably places that write long form articles as well as general news updates. 

Probably the biggest site is Motorsport.com, it's also the least 'clickbaity' of the English languaged motorsport sites, although I don't read it often enough to really attest to its overall quality. But it's definitely the widest ranging one in terms of news and articles.

In terms of quality of rumours, AMuS is often the ones to break big headlines early and accurately, but that's a completely German site so you'd have to do some translator magic.

[Lineker]

The F1 reddit is pretty on point too.

[Chris2K]

Yeah as far as subreddit's go, F1 is pretty good. You might have to scroll through the usual reddit nonsense (I drew a picture! On this day 24 years ago this happened! etc.) but a lot of the good F1 stories are behind paywalls or language barriers, and there's always someone to provide the information you're after.

[Katsuya]

In the latest "LOL what is this calendar" rumours:

- F1 are apparently worried about the surge of cases in Catalonia, which might mean *three* races at Silverstone
- Apparently, it's now going to be Nurburgring, Imola and Portimao after Sochi, not Hockenheim.

[Chris2K]

Not entirely sure what Hockenhem has done to deserve the shaft, given that it provided the best race of recent times last year.

If we do end up with three races at Silverstone I hope they at least consider running one of them on the old circuit layout (pit straight into Copse etc.) to mix it up. The 70th Anniversary race would be a perfect opportunity.