2021 AMG Mercedes F1 Team

[Marty_Y]

I hate to be a doom and gloom merchant, but it seems anything that can go wrong is going wrong!

Bottas grid drop is going to make it even harder to try and catch up in the constructors championship.

[Marty_Y]

[JPower]

I hate to be a doom and gloom merchant, but it seems anything that can go wrong is going wrong!

Bottas grid drop is going to make it even harder to try and catch up in the constructors championship.

Have to hope Checo bungles Q3, which is still possible.

[dans79]

I hate to be a doom and gloom merchant, but it seems anything that can go wrong is going wrong!

Bottas grid drop is going to make it even harder to try and catch up in the constructors championship.

Have to hope Checo bungles Q3, which is still possible.

Even if Bottas ends up starting 7th, it's almost a non issue with 3 consecutive DRS straits. If You have good race pace and tire deg, you are going to pass anyone in front of you that doesn't!

[mkay]

In FP1 the Merc`s F1 simulator driver Anthony Davidson said on Sky that had a team that wouldn`t start the next season with a good car it will hurt them for the further 5 years! And that`s for me sums up about what updates will gonna see this year on W12 car ...

I don’t think that’s right. Restricted CFD and wind tunnel time for the top teams will prevent anyone from running away with it like Merc and RB did the past decade.

[dans79]

I don’t think that’s right. Restricted CFD and wind tunnel time for the top teams will prevent anyone from running away with it like Merc and RB did the past decade.

Take a look at the 2021/2022 rules, a lot of performance related things are going to be locked in or severely limited.

for example the gearbox

The design of the Cassette, Driveline Components (with the exception of the gear ratios, for
which the provisions of Article 9.7.2 apply), Gear-Change components and Auxiliary
Components must be homologated by each gearbox supplier before the start of the 2022
season and must not be modified, except in exceptional circumstances, throughout the 2022,
2023, 2024 and 2025 seasons. A single upgrade to the gearbox specification will be permitted
during this four-year period, such change only being permitted between two consecutive
Championship Seasons.

[the EDGE]

Seems a bit harsh… especially as this was probably a team decision

I bet he’s screwing it was him who tried & not Lewis… that is unless they both tried & he just screwed it up

[Marty_Y]

Seems a bit harsh… especially as this was probably a team decision

I bet he’s screwing it was him who tried & not Lewis… that is unless they both tried & he just screwed it up

I think it's very harsh, but I'm extremely bias as lifelong Mercedes Benz fan.

I don't think he helped himself though, I would have told them that I didn't know why it happened or I lost traction because it was unexpectedly slippery leaving the pits.

In this case honesty wasn't the best policy, in fairness someone could have been hurt because of his mistake so he deserved a punishment, but I think points on his Super Licence and a fine would have been enough.

[Sieper]

It is a big punishment, and likely seen in the light of the whole pit stop procedures TD etc. Mercedes was trying things at a not opportune moment (with the whole Mclaren crew standing there). I do actually appreciate Valterri being honoust.

It almost feels unfair that honesty ends up in a penalty and lying might get you off the hook, I’ll agree with that.

[RZS10]

They could still just compare telemetry and see that they changed the procedure (or even just the gear) ... no?

[restless]

According to Tanabe, the new PU is exactly the same as first.
We have engine freeze for gods sake!
IF, there were upgrades due to reliability it would've been announced by FIA, and these reliability issues should been tested by rivals, Mercedes including.

maybe this source (from 46:10 min.) has better info, don`t you think?

A journalist speculation based on twitter, has better info than Honda's chief of F1 engine program?
Touché.

[Manoah2u]

Seems a bit harsh… especially as this was probably a team decision

I bet he’s screwing it was him who tried & not Lewis… that is unless they both tried & he just screwed it up

What have you been eating?

Bottas made the spin, not the team. Who is driving that car?
a team decision. geesh.

Bottas drove off like a maniac, worse than any rookie. Not even mazepin or maldonado ever made such an embarassing move. And worst of it all, he made a 'pjooong' sound and jokingly responded to the team who was responding like 'what on earth are you doing'.

It's very true, this could have resulted in injury. Imagine the Mclaren team being out, or any team for that matter, he would have collected not one but multiple pit crew staff.

I think he's actually getting away with it pretty lightly, just 3 grid spots.

But the truth of the matter is once again, Bottas fails short and ruins and chances for Mercedes. Even if Bottas manages a P1 or P2, he'll start P3 or P4. More likely is a Max P1, a Hamilton or Perez P2, And Bottas to qualify probably 4th, meaning he'll start 7th and will make no impact whatsoever.
It's really getting embarassing now. IF Mercedes was concidering renewing his contract he's throwing everything out the window now. Hell i would be pissed af if i was Toto. I also fail to understand what's going on.

Is Bottas actually aware he's gone next season and is now playing the jokester and not giving af? That would be a career killer for sure if he did.

The thing that is clear to me though in particular is that Mercedes has been spiraling downward with the passing of Lauda. Niki had some certain grip on the team to steer things right somehow. They're lost and Toto doesn't have the shoulder or support beam he needs or could fall back on before.

[sn809]

In FP1 the Merc`s F1 simulator driver Anthony Davidson said on Sky that had a team that wouldn`t start the next season with a good car it will hurt them for the further 5 years! And that`s for me sums up about what updates will gonna see this year on W12 car ...

Not when you are expecting such a huge regulation change next year focussed at aero dynamic changes all the way from the front to the back.

Merc are suffering because their car does are designed to be leading and need clear air, they don't not have the ability to follow other cars close.

[zibby43]

Merc are suffering because their car does are designed to be leading and need clear air, they don't not have the ability to follow other cars close.

The Merc’s following ability this year is arguably the best it has ever been in the hybrid era.

Hamilton was within 1s of Verstappen in France and could stay tucked up there for several laps. They’ve also had zero PU cooling issues this season when following.

[El Scorchio]

Merc are suffering because their car does are designed to be leading and need clear air, they don't not have the ability to follow other cars close.

The Merc’s following ability this year is arguably the best it has ever been in the hybrid era.

Hamilton was within 1s of Verstappen in France and could stay tucked up there for several laps. They’ve also had zero PU cooling issues this season when following.

Exactly. They are suffering because either they’ve made a decision not to upgrade the 2021 car- in favour of the strongest car for 2022- and hang their chances on whether what they’ve got enough with what they already have (looks like not) OR they are just down a development dead end, given what they can achieve in terms of gain with the 2021 regs and development constraints.

It’s probably better to focus on 2022 and the long game rather than throw time and energy into what might be an unwinnable short term battle.