2021 AMG Mercedes F1 Team

[Tubas]

Did anyone see the wild claim made by the Daily Mail?

They claimed a source inside Mercedes told them that the team is losing faith in Bottas and they’re considering swapping in George before the season is over. They actually included direct quotes from this source, too.

I didn’t want to post initially, considering the source, but another outlet picked up on it today and asked Christian Horner about it.

Dumping a driver mid season sounds a very un Mercedes thing to do. I know Red Bull march to a different drum, but I would be astonished if Toto fired Botas before the season is done.

[Wouter]

Did anyone see the wild claim made by the Daily Mail?

They claimed a source inside Mercedes told them that the team is losing faith in Bottas and they’re considering swapping in George before the season is over. They actually included direct quotes from this source, too.

I didn’t want to post initially, considering the source, but another outlet picked up on it today and asked Christian Horner about it.

Do you mean this article? I don't see any direct quotes in it. Did they deleted them?
I don't think Mercedes will let Bottas go during the season.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formu ... e-him.html

[PlatinumZealot]

Its the Daily fail.. Come on guys. Lol.

[zibby43]

Did anyone see the wild claim made by the Daily Mail?

They claimed a source inside Mercedes told them that the team is losing faith in Bottas and they’re considering swapping in George before the season is over. They actually included direct quotes from this source, too.

I didn’t want to post initially, considering the source, but another outlet picked up on it today and asked Christian Horner about it.

Do you mean this article? I don't see any direct quotes in it. Did they deleted them?
I don't think Mercedes will let Bottas go during the season.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formu ... e-him.html

That’s the initial one.

Quotes are still in it.

After a disappointing race in Portugal, when he finished third starting on pole, an engineer at Mercedes, speaking anonymously, said: 'There is some unrest at the factory about Valtteri.

'He is not up to it, which was made clearer by the job we saw Russell do in Bahrain.'

[zibby43]

Its the Daily fail.. Come on guys. Lol.

That’s why I didn’t post it initially, but several other reputable outlets picked up on the story to such an extent that they not only amplified it, but reached out to Horner to ask questions.

Took me by surprise.

https://sports.yahoo.com/christian-horn ... 49041.html

[RZS10]

Of course Horner would comment on some garbage rumour from one of the worst shitrags on the planet ... it's all just (really bad) mindgames ... lol

I did not really see any actually "reputable" source pick it up, it's mostly clickbait based sites from what i could gather.

[Zynerji]

Toto wouldn't fire Bottas. He might work out a swap to Williams, but not termination.

[F1Krof]

Sacking Bottas mid-season does not looks something Toto would do. It's bad karma and they won't do it. Mercedes did not become what it is now with this kind of evil shenanigans. Even Red Bull to some extent didn't just sack their drivers. The gave a solid chance to Albon, and Gasly to some extend, although they didn't to Kvyat.

Even if they have a plan to release Bottas, they wouldn't do it until the season is over. I mean, he's not matching Hamilton (and nor is he Max), but he isn't doing terrible either. Just got pole, which means he beat both Hamilton and Verstappen, that's not an easy task!

[F1Krof]

Did anyone see the wild claim made by the Daily Mail?

They claimed a source inside Mercedes told them that the team is losing faith in Bottas and they’re considering swapping in George before the season is over. They actually included direct quotes from this source, too.

I didn’t want to post initially, considering the source, but another outlet picked up on it today and asked Christian Horner about it.

Do you mean this article? I don't see any direct quotes in it. Did they deleted them?
I don't think Mercedes will let Bottas go during the season.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formu ... e-him.html

That’s the initial one.

Quotes are still in it.

After a disappointing race in Portugal, when he finished third starting on pole, an engineer at Mercedes, speaking anonymously, said: 'There is some unrest at the factory about Valtteri.

'He is not up to it, which was made clearer by the job we saw Russell do in Bahrain.'

I mean I'm pro free media and all that, but come on, this sort of speculation should be illegal. You just put something like that without providing a source and hiding behind that "... we do not reveal our sources" bullshit, is nonsense.

I mean I just had a conversation with some top level Mercedes executives and I'm quoting: '... we are planning to swap Hamilton with Latifi just after Monaco, but don't tell anybody that!:

[Zynerji]

Sacking Bottas mid-season does not looks something Toto would do. It's bad karma and they won't do it. Mercedes did not become what it is now with this kind of evil shenanigans. Even Red Bull to some extent didn't just sack their drivers. The gave a solid chance to Albon, and Gasly to some extend, although they didn't to Kvyat.

Even if they have a plan to release Bottas, they wouldn't do it until the season is over. I mean, he's not matching Hamilton (and nor is he Max), but he isn't doing terrible either. Just got pole, which means he beat both Hamilton and Verstappen, that's not an easy task!

If there were 5 races left, the Championship tied, and Russell runs FP2 in the Merc and is .3 up on Bottas, Valteri is wearing a Williams uniform for the rest of 2021.

Toto wants to extend this record so it stands forever. Do not underestimate his ruthlessness, as we have not seen a season close enough to expose its depths.

[zibby43]

Of course Horner would comment on some garbage rumour from one of the worst shitrags on the planet ... it's all just (really bad) mindgames ... lol

I did not really see any actually "reputable" source pick it up, it's mostly clickbait based sites from what i could gather.

I don’t live in the UK, but I can obviously pick up on the reputation of outlets that aren’t in my neck of the woods. Which is why I put a caveat regarding the source in my initial post.

If the Mail actually completely fabricated the notion that they spoke to a Mercedes engineer, and then completely fabricated the quote, that’s even worse than I could’ve possibly imagined lol.

That’s an entirely different level of malpractice.

[Marty_Y]

The daily mail is capable of some very contemptible low acts of "journalism", I wouldn't take anything they publish seriously.

I think Bottas will be safe until the end of the season, I think his future after that depends on what Lewis decides to do.

[mkay]

The daily mail is capable of some very contemptible low acts of "journalism", I wouldn't take anything they publish seriously.

I think Bottas will be safe until the end of the season, I think his future after that depends on what Lewis decides to do.

This is the correct take. Daily Mail is so bad that it’s banned on the F1 subreddit. It’s the UK equivalent of the NY Post and Bild.

The F1 writer at the Daily Mail (McEvoy) is a pure troll who doesn’t miss any opportunity to call Hamilton a hypocrite:

Called out LH’s support of BLM last year (when protesters were pulling down statues) by saying he was seeking a contract from Hitler’s car manufacturer.

Always belittling his environmental push by saying he flew his private jet on his way to his tax haven (Monaco) and wore face masks who would end up at the bottom of the ocean.

Most drivers live in a tax haven, but it’s only an issue when Lewis is concerned. Journos like him have never batted an eye at Stewart, Button, Coulthard, etc. living in Monaco.

Anyway, you get the gist. I doubt this « journo » has any access to Merc. I think he’s pissed off everyone there, especially with his antics last year.

[Tiny73]

There’s a couple of ways of looking at this (typical) sh*t from the Daily Mail, especially in the context of Christian Horner being asked his option:

1) it’s an attempt by Red Bull to destabilise Mercedes in the title fight by “removing” their number 2 driver mentally from the fight via a friendly journo with an “anonymous” source.
2) It’s a (poor) attempt by Mercedes to rev Bottas up and get him fighting again.

Having watched this sport for a while and not trusting a word from Horners mouth I’d be looking at number 1) as most likely.

[seense]

It wouldn't make sense to drop him mid-season. I believe he only got 1-year contracts so far. It has a reason. Besided he's a pretty good second driver.