F1 season 2017 comments here

[Jimmy]

Bottas was hugely impressive - possibly a dark horse for the championship...? Although I'm not certain Mercedes would 'let' him beat Hamilton... I think he was very much brought in to be the second driver.

Good point about Hamilton @peter , I hadn't looked at it like that - I can see where you're coming from, it was a bit off for him not to attend the London event, especially when every other driver was there.

 

[///M]

I was sooooo gutted when Vettel got his puncture

BOOM!

Finger in the air!

"THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!"

 

[///M]

Bottas was hugely impressive - possibly a dark horse for the championship...? Although I'm not certain Mercedes would 'let' him beat Hamilton... I think he was very much brought in to be the second driver.

Good point about Hamilton @peter , I hadn't looked at it like that - I can see where you're coming from, it was a bit off for him not to attend the London event, especially when every other driver was there.

Why wouldn't they? They let Britney beat him, can't see it being a problem for them if Bottas does too. Although obviously hoping he doesn't!

As for the media outrage over him not attending the London event, personally, I couldn't care less. As long as he does the business when he's in the car I have no problem. I'm here for the sport, not the lifestyle

Funny to see all the meltdown going on about it all and all the stuff printed about what a horrible scumbag he is and the crowd booing him in London, then when it comes to the race, the proper fans at the event showed exactly what they thought of him.

Not a problem for me, much a do about nothing.

 

[Jimmy]

Why wouldn't they? They let Britney beat him, can't see it being a problem for them if Bottas does too. Although obviously hoping he doesn't!

As for the media outrage over him not attending the London event, personally, I couldn't care less. As long as he does the business when he's in the car I have no problem. I'm here for the sport, not the lifestyle

Funny to see all the meltdown going on about it all and all the stuff printed about what a horrible scumbag he is and the crowd booing him in London, then when it comes to the race, the proper fans at the event showed exactly what they thought of him.

Not a problem for me, much a do about nothing.

I saw Rosberg and Hamilton as having equal standing at Merc last year, whereas this year I think Bottas was brought in to be a solid second driver. They gave team orders in Bahrain for Bottas to let Lewis through, so I can see them doing it again, if necessary. IMO.

 

[///M]

Anyway, what a great race. As much as I don't like him, Danny Ric was great entertainment. Some fantastic passes on the way to a well deserved finishing position. Bottas drove superbly too. And the Hulk was on fire. Hoping Renault can build him a good engine. Also, VERY interesting rumours about Palmer getting dropped immediately to be replaced by Sainz who they are going to buy out of his contract ($8m) and Gasly to take the TR seat.

Max v Seb was superb viewing too. Can you imagine the utter meltdown if that was Hamilton doing what Max did? Hilarious. Can see right through all the hatred and bias if you look even slightly carefully. Seb was seriously out of sorts all weekend for some reason. A few moments of properly over-driving the car too which is unlike him.

And speaking of Lewis, absolute masterclass. On top of his game and well within himself. Pole, led every lap, fastest lap, winner.

Grand slam baby! Only three other drivers have ever done that three times in a season. Ascari, Clark, Mansell. If Lewis can do it again this season, that's yet another record.

Oh and as for Merc moving forward in the development race, I think this has rather a lot to do with Ferrari having their wings clipped for bending the rules yet again. Funny how it's all fine until other teams ask for clarification and then the FIA have to come out and say "oh yeah, that's not allowed..."

Oh and @Yiannis197 "decent approach"? It can't be anything to do with Ferrari realising that Seb has the ability to be an absolute PR nightmare so he's had very strict instructions as to how to behave to the media now could it? ...Could it?

Let's not forget this is the guy that bumps into another competitor on purpose then says "what did i do wrong?", then says it's all fine and it's a man's sport, and THEN says it was absolutely the wrong thing to do and I apologise... Three differing responses from the same person in reaction to one incident. None of what these guys say should ever be taken at face value in my opinion. They're all just doing what they're told for the good of the team. Unless of course an interviewer could get to Seb before he's had his PR briefing

Loads of evidence all over the web about how unhappy Ferrari have been with his behaviour. Guarantee he's been told in very straight terms what is expected of him.

 

[///M]

I saw Rosberg and Hamilton as having equal standing at Merc last year, whereas this year I think Bottas was brought in to be a solid second driver. They gave team orders in Bahrain for Bottas to let Lewis through, so I can see them doing it again, if necessary. IMO.

Absolutely they did, but Lewis was faster no? I think if Valteri was faster they'd do the same for him.

They asked Lewis to move over for Nico too. Lewis having none of it is another story though

 

[Jimmy]

Absolutely they did, but Lewis was faster no? I think if Valteri was faster they'd do the same for him.

They asked Lewis to move over for Nico too. Lewis having none of it is another story though

Ha yes good point mate I would hope that Merc does allow them to race, that's what we'd all want to see! And if so, I think Bottas can potentially give Lewis a very good run for his money!

 

[///M]

Ha yes good point mate I would hope that Merc does allow them to race, that's what we'd all want to see! And if so, I think Bottas can potentially give Lewis a very good run for his money!

I honestly think they do mate. Plus we know Lewis doesn't have any stipulation regarding driver status in his contract. And has often gone on record as saying he doesn't care who his team-mate is. I think it's even over there.

And I do like Bottas. He's been looking more and more on it recently. Finishing on the top step has done him the world of good.

 

[peter]

I'm here for the sport, not the lifestyle.

yup. that's why i turn off the telly as soon as the race is over. if i want more info about the race, there's always the internet.

 

[///M]

yup. that's why i turn off the telly as soon as the race is over. if i want more info about the race, there's always the internet.

Exactly mate. I just want to see good racing. I think we have too much access to "celebrity" as it is these days!

Thankfully, it seems that with diminishing returns the cars are getting closer and closer. We've had moments of very good racing up and down the field so far this year. Hope it continues.

Of course it's nothing the FIA couldn't sort out with another crazy list of regulation changes. Again.

 

[peter]

i'd really like to know why mclaren brought in alonso first and then waited for six laps to pit stoffel. they could easily see alonso was a lot quicker on new tyres than stoffel (only time in the race, btw). did they really think they could beat williams, easily the best pitstoppers for years now, with an overcut?

found some interesting pitstop times :
- massa total pitstop : 27.583 - fastest of all!
- vandoorne total pitstop : 29.337 - that's almost 1.8 seconds slower and only 19th fastest!

 

[///M]

i'd really like to know why mclaren brought in alonso first and then waited for six laps to pit stoffel. they could easily see alonso was a lot quicker on new tyres than stoffel (only time in the race, btw). did they really think they could beat williams, easily the best pitstoppers for years now, with an overcut?

found some interesting pitstop times :
- massa total pitstop : 27.583 - fastest of all!
- vandoorne total pitstop : 29.337 - that's almost 1.8 seconds slower and only 19th fastest!

That's absolutely ridiculous mate. 1.8 secs in F1 is a whole day in the real world. Simply not good enough at this level. I think if he gets a chance elsewhere he should jump at it. I really can't see the McLaren situation turning around for a long time.

To think he did that whole season in Japan just to get in the seat too! He showed how good he was when he absolutely bossed the field in GP2, I'm sure there must be other (better) teams who would be happy to have him.

 

[peter]

That's absolutely ridiculous mate. 1.8 secs in F1 is a whole day in the real world. Simply not good enough at this level. I think if he gets a chance elsewhere he should jump at it. I really can't see the McLaren situation turning around for a long time.

To think he did that whole season in Japan just to get in the seat too! He showed how good he was when he absolutely bossed the field in GP2, I'm sure there must be other (better) teams who would be happy to have him.

stoffel's got two major weak points : he brings no money and he isn't loud.

i really can't see him changing teams, unless he starts to dominate alonso from now on. somehow i don't see that happening. he's got a big fan in frederic vasseur (his former GP2 boss) and there was some talk of a possibility of joining renault when vasseur was team principal (or something) over there. but vasseur is now team principal at sauber. not really an improvement. i just hope honda get their act together next year. not only for vandoorne to show what he's really made of, but also because i can't see alonso going to another team (too many burned bridges) and an alonso in a good car is only good for F1.

 

[///M]

stoffel's got two major weak points : he brings no money and he isn't loud.

i really can't see him changing teams, unless he starts to dominate alonso from now on. somehow i don't see that happening. he's got a big fan in frederic vasseur (his former GP2 boss) and there was some talk of a possibility of joining renault when vasseur was team principal (or something) over there. but vasseur is now team principal at sauber. not really an improvement. i just hope honda get their act together next year. not only for vandoorne to show what he's really made of, but also because i can't see alonso going to another team (too many burned bridges) and an alonso in a good car is only good for F1.

Agree fully with all that mate.

I feel really sorry for Vandoorne. It's just been a comedy of errors and none of them his fault.

Although I'd be amazed if McLaren found something for next season. Happy but amazed.

 

[Sean197]

The coverage of Hamilton's no-show at London was embarrassing. Like the average fan gives a shit. He wasn't obliged, nor contracted, to be there. And his preparation clearly worked, making the criticism looking even more ignorant.
Massa's comments on it were cringeworthy, still bitter about 2008 are we dwarf boy?
The race was actually decent, Bottas and Ricciardo coming through the pack was good to watch as was the Vettel-Verstappen battle. Vettel moaning again about Max moving under braking was expected, he really should be showing a little more contrition after ramming a rival deliberately. Just shows the apology for Baku was bullshit.
Bottas finally showing good pace, I think Russia gave him the confidence he needed to prove he can do it. And, he was given the drive as a) he was the best available and b) he is managed by Toto Wolff so he made sense as a known quantity. Hamilton doesn't need a no.2 lackey, unlike certain drivers *cough cough* Vettel.
I said Hamilton would be leading the championship after Spa but it looks like he'll be leading going into the summer break. If he is I can't see him losing the lead at all.

 

[///M]

The coverage of Hamilton's no-show at London was embarrassing. Like the average fan gives a shit. He wasn't obliged, nor contracted, to be there. And his preparation clearly worked, making the criticism looking even more ignorant.
Massa's comments on it were cringeworthy, still bitter about 2008 are we dwarf boy?
The race was actually decent, Bottas and Ricciardo coming through the pack was good to watch as was the Vettel-Verstappen battle. Vettel moaning again about Max moving under braking was expected, he really should be showing a little more contrition after ramming a rival deliberately. Just shows the apology for Baku was bullshit.
Bottas finally showing good pace, I think Russia gave him the confidence he needed to prove he can do it. And, he was given the drive as a) he was the best available and b) he is managed by Toto Wolff so he made sense as a known quantity. Hamilton doesn't need a no.2 lackey, unlike certain drivers *cough cough* Vettel.
I said Hamilton would be leading the championship after Spa but it looks like he'll be leading going into the summer break. If he is I can't see him losing the lead at all.

Let's be honest though, what would we expect from the modern day media. Clickbait and very little substance. As long as they can whip a few people up into a frenzy (and CLEARLY it worked ) then that's all that matters in the absence of any real news.

Massa... ANY chance to have a dig at Lewis he will. Lewis ended up being a multiple champion and one of the all time greats while he ended up being Alonso's bitch. If life deals you lemons Felipe, make lemonade mate, not vinegar.

I thought it was a good race too. Lots of action and passing through the field. At some points it was madness. I find a lot of fans these days just care if their guy won or not. Some of the comments you read online... you just worry for these people, I watched years of seeing people I can't stand taking titles right left and centre, I still enjoyed the racing. Just for a laugh I looked at some of the comments on the James Allen site today. My god, so much of it is utter bile.

And of course Seb had a moan about it. How can anyone have the audacity to not just move aside for him. Loved Max's "oh so he wants to play bumper cars..." Plus I have to say I wasn't impressed with the message to Kimi from the Ferrari pit wall about "you know what he does at restarts" or whatever bullshit it was. What, you mean, do what he's supposed to do and then just wait for a bump from Mr Swearfest?

There's no way there was even a drop of sincerity in his apology. We saw his true feelings clearly at the time, "what did i do" initially, and then when he'd had time to think about it, "we're all men here". Reading a statement a week later that has been written for him by well paid PR folk means absolutely zero to anyone with a modicum of sense.

We know Lewis is at his best when he's against the ropes and he's looking very good right now. Let's be honest, if it wasn't for the head restraint, he'd have won that one at a canter too. And now Merc working out the tyres has coincided with Ferrari being told to stop cheating, again, it's looking good right now.

But then it was looking very good for Seb until recently too. A lot of water under the bridge yet!

 

[Yiannis197]

Mes I'm afraid you have every singly symptom of 'fanboyism' mate!

We can not all support the same person but strongly and passionately believing that your hero does everything right is beyond me. As I stated in a post above, I massively supported him back in 2007 and I was truly gutted that he lost his championship in his first year in F1 but I can't stand arrogance, hypocrites and golden chains...

Now if you can't see the above in him then well...you must be in denial

 

[Sean197]

Ok, play nice boys lol no need for name-calling, unless it's directed towards Vettel, in which case fill your boots .
Hamilton has always polarised opinion, I gave up on the F1 forums a few years ago as I got sick of people saying they didn't like him because of the off-track stuff. Personally I couldn't care less what he or any other driver does outside of the race weekends, I'm only interested in the racing, and as one of the best, possibly ever, it's why I follow Hamilton and have done since I saw the 2006 Turkey GP2 race.

 

[///M]

Mes I'm afraid you have every singly symptom of 'fanboyism' mate!

We can not all support the same person but strongly and passionately believing that your hero does everything right is beyond me. As I stated in a post above, I massively supported him back in 2007 and I was truly gutted that he lost his championship in his first year in F1 but I can't stand arrogance, hypocrites and golden chains...

Now if you can't see the above in him then well...you must be in denial

Fanboyism??? Because I support him?

You've been totally sucked in mate. How do you know Vettel isn't the exact opposite of what you think he is in real life? Quite simply, there's no way you can be sure.

Arrogance? Vettel is the very worst we have seen since Schumacher. Possibly even worse.
Hypocrite? You're really going to try and defend Vettel on that one? Go on mate, have a go. Please!
Gold chains? Be honest, why does that matter to you? Fine to not like it, but to hate someone with such a burning passion because of it? Really?

Show me anywhere I've said Lewis a model human being? Show me anywhere I've said he does everything right?

Mansell is a great example here. The bloke is absolutely CRINGEWORTHY in real life. On track, he was an absolute beast so I supported him. That doesn't mean I want to hang out with him. Doesn't mean I think he's a blueprint for what humans should be.

Personally, Lewis' lifestyle doesn't bother me one tiny bit. It's up to him what he does. At least he has some character and I'd rather see that than some dullard who only has racing in their life and nothing else. Sure, I can see why people (and you) look at it as being silly but mate, if you're letting his appearance/lifestyle contribute towards such hatred for him I simply don't get it.

As I said earlier in this thread, I'm here for the sport, not the lifestyle. What he does away from the track is his business. What he does on track is utterly brilliant and like it or not, he genuinely is one of the all time greats.

Relax mate, he's just a person. Really his only significance for you should be that he's racing against your boy, not what he's wearing or who he hangs out with!

 

[///M]

Ok, play nice boys lol no need for name-calling, unless it's directed towards Vettel, in which case fill your boots .
Hamilton has always polarised opinion, I gave up on the F1 forums a few years ago as I got sick of people saying they didn't like him because of the off-track stuff. Personally I couldn't care less what he or any other driver does outside of the race weekends, I'm only interested in the racing, and as one of the best, possibly ever, it's why I follow Hamilton and have done since I saw the 2006 Turkey GP2 race.

Don't worry mate, Yianni and I like to argue about this in real life too!

Tempted to get a load of tattoos, start wearing gold chains and take a shitload of selfies.