Silly Season 2018/2019

[iotar__]

I just looked at Lando Norris' results over the year in F2, is there a reason he only had one win and one pole? seems a bit thin for how he's been hyped...

- British = marketing
- McLaren is in F1 to sell cars. Their first choice was Sainz afterall.

[ME4ME]

I said it a thousand times, I do not think Norris' performances back up the hype around him and he will utterly struggle next year and be in danger of being thrown out at the end of it. Mclaren has a recent history of doing just that, and I don't think Norris has the talent to break that spell.

I do however rate George Russel very highly. He also comes across much more mature and professional in my opinion. He's a perfect fit for Mercedes and their corporate image in that respect. Given recent comments about ending their junior programme, I do wonder what's next for Russel. I fully expect Helmut Marko to wait out whatever first-pick deadline Mercedes is bound by and offer him a seat. Then it will be up to George himself to decide where his future lies. Though decision, but with Ocon potentially also sidelined and first in que if anything were to come up .. Russel might as well accept Red Bull's offer.

[Phil]

I’m not sure i rate Ocon either. Either Ocon is fast, but then, so is Perez, or both are rather average. To be honest, i have seen nothing from Ocon that to me would suggest he is any better than Bottas.

The stars of tomorrow in my opinion, are Max Verstapppen and Charles Leclerc.

Given Max is bound to Redbull and Leclerc at Ferrari, it does make you wonder who Mercedes would want to replace Hamilton with, once he leaves. Bottas, as much as i like him, will not fill that void. Neither IMO will Ocon. Maybe Russel.

Then again, if the Formula looks good beyond 2020 with the new regulations, Hamilton just may surprise us with an extension.

[Zynerji]

I’m not sure i rate Ocon either. Either Ocon is fast, but then, so is Perez, or both are rather average. To be honest, i have seen nothing from Ocon that to me would suggest he is any better than Bottas.

The stars of tomorrow in my opinion, are Max Verstapppen and Charles Leclerc.

Given Max is bound to Redbull and Leclerc at Ferrari, it does make you wonder who Mercedes would want to replace Hamilton with, once he leaves. Bottas, as much as i like him, will not fill that void. Neither IMO will Ocon. Maybe Russel.

Then again, if the Formula looks good beyond 2020 with the new regulations, Hamilton just may surprise us with an extension.

I think Hamilton retires if he wins this year, like Nico did, and you see Ocon and Bottas in 2019.

[ringo]

Hamitlon would like to win the British GP before he leaves. Also i don't see any signs of him slowing down.
What keeps him motivated is that he does his holywood thing on the side. Unlike other drivers who are 100% occupied by F1, Hamilton dilutes his F1 life with other distractions, which should make him less fatigued about working in F1.
So i expect him to go after 100 poles, and the 91 wins, and possibly 7 WDC.


As for the rest, i am interested to see where Vettel goes if he has a bad 2019. Does he retire, or stick out and resist the inevitable future of lecerc and become the next Kimi?

[Phil]

I wouldnt know why Hamilton would do a Rosberg. Totally different reasons and persons. He certainly wont retire at the end of this year.

[Just_a_fan]

I’m not sure i rate Ocon either. Either Ocon is fast, but then, so is Perez, or both are rather average. To be honest, i have seen nothing from Ocon that to me would suggest he is any better than Bottas.

The stars of tomorrow in my opinion, are Max Verstapppen and Charles Leclerc.

Given Max is bound to Redbull and Leclerc at Ferrari, it does make you wonder who Mercedes would want to replace Hamilton with, once he leaves. Bottas, as much as i like him, will not fill that void. Neither IMO will Ocon. Maybe Russel.

Then again, if the Formula looks good beyond 2020 with the new regulations, Hamilton just may surprise us with an extension.

I think Hamilton retires if he wins this year, like Nico did, and you see Ocon and Bottas in 2019.

Why would Hamilton "do a Rosberg"? Rosberg had only one title winning season in him when faced with the tour de force that is Hamilton. He retired because he knew there was absolutley no way he could repeat 2016. He used everything he had to beat Hamilton once. He retired because he'd met his internal goal - to match his dad and be an F1 world champion.

Hamilton will retire when one of two things happens: 1. he meets some internal goal (titles, wins, poles, whatever) or, 2. he stops being competitive.

If Mercedes give him a competitive car for the next two years (for which he has a contract) then he'll stay. If they slip, he'll retire. Hamilton won't do an Alonso and tool around at the back, that's for sure.

[Just_a_fan]

Hamitlon would like to win the British GP before he leaves.

Which British GP? He's won it before (5 times, in fact) so why would another be the retirement trigger?

[ringo]

He may announce his retirement befor the bgp and hype up the fan base and the broader F1 to have a farewell vibe at the race. I don't think he will pull a nico and make a last minute decision to retire. He will announce much earlier and milk the emotions and the fanfare.

[Jolle]

I’m not sure i rate Ocon either. Either Ocon is fast, but then, so is Perez, or both are rather average. To be honest, i have seen nothing from Ocon that to me would suggest he is any better than Bottas.

The stars of tomorrow in my opinion, are Max Verstapppen and Charles Leclerc.

Given Max is bound to Redbull and Leclerc at Ferrari, it does make you wonder who Mercedes would want to replace Hamilton with, once he leaves. Bottas, as much as i like him, will not fill that void. Neither IMO will Ocon. Maybe Russel.

Then again, if the Formula looks good beyond 2020 with the new regulations, Hamilton just may surprise us with an extension.

I think Hamilton retires if he wins this year, like Nico did, and you see Ocon and Bottas in 2019.

Why would Hamilton "do a Rosberg"? Rosberg had only one title winning season in him when faced with the tour de force that is Hamilton. He retired because he knew there was absolutley no way he could repeat 2016. He used everything he had to beat Hamilton once. He retired because he'd met his internal goal - to match his dad and be an F1 world champion.

Hamilton will retire when one of two things happens: 1. he meets some internal goal (titles, wins, poles, whatever) or, 2. he stops being competitive.

If Mercedes give him a competitive car for the next two years (for which he has a contract) then he'll stay. If they slip, he'll retire. Hamilton won't do an Alonso and tool around at the back, that's for sure.

Hamilton is on route to match/beat Schumachers record. Same age at the same number of world championships. Looking at that more closely, their career is becoming very similar. Both Mercedes juniors, both beating a world champion teammate at their first year, both leaving their first successful team to join a Brawn, etc etc.

I can see Hamilton, same as Schumacher did, just loving the sport (same as Rossi has at MotoGP by the way) even have a few years of midfield if Mercedes doesn't make another killer car in 2021.

Rosberg is indeed a very different story. He's been fighting Hamilton for 15 years and finally won a season which took all he had and even then needed a bit of luck.

[Fulcrum]

Ocon is very consistent, but I also suspect he isn't the fastest over a lap.

[Justthatek]

I think Hamilton retires if he wins this year, like Nico did, and you see Ocon and Bottas in 2019.

Why would Hamilton "do a Rosberg"? Rosberg had only one title winning season in him when faced with the tour de force that is Hamilton. He retired because he knew there was absolutley no way he could repeat 2016. He used everything he had to beat Hamilton once. He retired because he'd met his internal goal - to match his dad and be an F1 world champion.

Hamilton will retire when one of two things happens: 1. he meets some internal goal (titles, wins, poles, whatever) or, 2. he stops being competitive.

If Mercedes give him a competitive car for the next two years (for which he has a contract) then he'll stay. If they slip, he'll retire. Hamilton won't do an Alonso and tool around at the back, that's for sure.

Hamilton is on route to match/beat Schumachers record. Same age at the same number of world championships. Looking at that more closely, their career is becoming very similar. Both Mercedes juniors, both beating a world champion teammate at their first year, both leaving their first successful team to join a Brawn, etc etc.

I can see Hamilton, same as Schumacher did, just loving the sport (same as Rossi has at MotoGP by the way) even have a few years of midfield if Mercedes doesn't make another killer car in 2021.

Rosberg is indeed a very different story. He's been fighting Hamilton for 15 years and finally won a season which took all he had and even then needed a bit of luck.

Hamilton will not want to waste his older years in a midfield team for the sake of it, finish F1 on a massive high and focus on fashion etc.

[astracrazy]

I may be well off here but i still feel Hamilton would love to drive for Ferrari. I think he stays a Mercedes until they are no longer on top and it will be Ferrari or retire.

I cant see him staying around to pot around lower down, unless he feels it would be a project for him to help build up a team(he is good at developing a car) but i highly doubt it.

[GPR-A]

Hamilton's 2 year contract extension, compared to two 3 years terms of past, clearly signals Mercedes targeting Verstappen in 2020. Max would be available for 2020 and if the Red Bull Honda isn't anywhere near to Mercedes, he would surely take up an offer from Mercedes. Mercedes need a proper replacement for Hamilton and there is none young and talented more than Max to be the lead driver. 2020 Might just see Max and Russell in the W11.

Hamilton has mentioned multiple times that there is a great deal of trust between him and Toto and any change of guard will be well discussed and Hamilton would be supporting Mercedes towards a smoother transition. So, we would never see an abrupt stoppage there.

I think Ferrari have rushed in signing Leclerc for next year and on the basis of how Vettel has performed, they should have been pragmatic in bringing Alonso, who is anyway available for next year. With two solid drivers, they could have easily stopped Hamilton from surging in 2019. It might sound too much, but they did in 2014 by bringing in Kimi, who was flying high in a Lotus Renault in 2013. All that Ferrari need now, with the kind of cars that they have produced last season and this, is a high performing, consistent driver and if they could hire back a 2009 discard, surely, it wouldn't have been too much for people to digest bringing Alonso back. One can wish!

[Jolle]

Hamilton's 2 year contract extension, compared to two 3 years terms of past, clearly signals Mercedes targeting Verstappen in 2020. Max would be available for 2020 and if the Red Bull Honda isn't anywhere near to Mercedes, he would surely take up an offer from Mercedes. Mercedes need a proper replacement for Hamilton and there is none young and talented more than Max to be the lead driver. 2020 Might just see Max and Russell in the W11.

Hamilton has mentioned multiple times that there is a great deal of trust between him and Toto and any change of guard will be well discussed and Hamilton would be supporting Mercedes towards a smoother transition. So, we would never see an abrupt stoppage there.

I think Ferrari have rushed in signing Leclerc for next year and on the basis of how Vettel has performed, they should have been pragmatic in bringing Alonso, who is anyway available for next year. With two solid drivers, they could have easily stopped Hamilton from surging in 2019. It might sound too much, but they did in 2014 by bringing in Kimi, who was flying high in a Lotus Renault in 2013. All that Ferrari need now, with the kind of cars that they have produced last season and this, is a high performing, consistent driver and if they could hire back a 2009 discard, surely, it wouldn't have been too much for people to digest bringing Alonso back. One can wish!

I think you mean 2021 the 20-21 silly season is going to be very silly... Vettel, Hamilton, Ricciardo, Verstappen and even Sainz and Raikkonen all are under contract for 2019 and 2020. Teams and drivers alike are going to play big contract chess the next two seasons. I see two monster contracts possible, Verstappen being offered by Mercedes and Ferrari trying to get Hamilton. The only driver with a contract past 2020 is I think Leclerc...