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VdG (his backers) are -apparently- owed €7.8m
That hasn't changed, they've come to some agreement not to push the issue this weekend, but the issue and legal action are still there.
Bottas looks like he won't drive tomorrow
Susie Wolff is the dev driver but I don't think she's been in the car this weekend so unlikely to deputise, shame.
Might not even be a two horse race this year judging by this
Only one team in it and looking like only one driver as well.
She didn't take part in qualifying so there's no way she could have raced. Shame as it'd be interesting to see how she went in full race conditions. By my reckoning she's capable of a reasonable result if not up to the standard of the top drivers.
I do wonder if Alonso has a get-out-cos-the-car-is-sh*t clause?
Button playing the corporate line, but, you cannot hide the times, McLaren are in serious serious trouble and 5 seconds is something that they will not be able to make up with no real in season development AND testing allowed.
is anyone taking bets on Alonso not racing for McLaren for more than 1 race this season - i'd put a tenner on it!
I also stick by my statement that if its a bore-fest at the front (even more this year if Lewis is trampling Nico) there will be some knee jerk reactions from Bernie/Ferrari/RBR/FIA after 3 races.
Sauber look like a team reborn - car looks like its stuck to the track, and i love the colour scheme too!
She didn't take part in qualifying so there's no way she could have raced
It's possible to race without having taken part in quali but would need to apply to the stewards under a unforeseen circumstances case.
However, as she didn't do any Friday running they are unlikely to allow it.
FIVE seconds 😯
crikey!
his ridiculous tache is slowing him down
My missus reckons Button looks like George from George and Mildred with that crap 'tache.
Bottas looks like he won't drive tomorrow
How come? Haven't seen this yet!
EDIT: Never mind, caught up now! Would be good if Wolff gets a go. Who'd be ahead of her in the queue for the drive if they run 2 cars without Bottas?
my guess would be over heating, means mchonda can't run the engine at full tilt, it was a problem for all the teams last season and add the over ambitiously tight engine cowling to help their blown axle work and they've got a problem.
Button playing the corporate line, but, you cannot hide the times, McLaren are in serious serious trouble and 5 seconds is something that they will not be able to make up with no real in season development AND testing allowed.
They can develop the engine and have admitted it's running in a de-tuned format due to overheating of certain elements. I have faith that they'll be top 10 runners by mid-season.
The basic car looks decent enough.
Who'd be ahead of her in the queue for the drive if they run 2 cars without Bottas?
She's the only other driver there, she won't get the gig though
my guess would be over heating, means mchonda can't run the engine at full tilt
Honda have already said that's the reason, they don't want to risk losing a unit whilst getting things sorted so they've turned it down
"not running at full tilt"
jeez guys come on, you believe anything McL-H are spouting out these days, of course they are going to say that THEY KNOW THE REASON, to keep BigBoard Members Happy, potential Sponsors and current Sponsors happy - they are NOT going to say
"well because we built a crappier engine than the others due to the fact we have not been in the sport for 'x' years unlike them, and so it will take us about 3 years to get to the front" - the money peeps would jump ship and Sauber would have more sponsors on their car
EDIT: --- and ANY manufacturer would prefer to have the cars in the top 10 and blowing engines half way, then run around getting bloody lapped
even if they used up the full allocation of engines and had to put in a new one every race, the most they would get is 10place penalty, and it would STILL be higher then where they are now if they Q'd 6th or 7th
It's obvious from the rpm they're spinning them up to that they've turned them down.
No idea what other power reductions are going on.
Ron isn't a fool; he is in this for the long game.
I predict the McHonda won't be at the back for long 😀
Ron is a fool.
I'd love it if Renault just went "f*** you Horner/Marko" and withdrew their engines.
It's worth noting that Mercedes High Performance Engines (HPE) started work on their 2014 powertrain in mid 2010. They had the best engine last year pretty much because they had been working on it the longest. Mclaren/Honda were always going to be playing the catch up game. The interesting thing is not that they are behind at the start of the 2015 season (which was inevitable) but how quickly they can catch up. Knowing quite a few of the people working on their powertrain this year, i don't think it will take them that long once the initial running experience is gathered
Mercedes AMG high performance Powertrains
Who's up at 4.30 to watch it, or are you playing media roulette to not hear the result? Think I might get up around 7 and not turn anything on except the recorded show.
gonna record it and then play it back over breakfast without listening or watching any news before.
No Sky so will be out on the bike in the morning to avoid any news then watch the BBC highlights over lunch. Then it's mother's day duties.
5 seconds off the pace in qualy. If they turn the engine down a bit more for reliability (and make it to the end) McHonda will be lapped 4-5 times by the leaders. They could also be lapped once by EVERYONE ELSE 😯
My missus reckons Button looks like George from George and Mildred with that crap 'tache.
Dreadful isn't it? I can't believe Jessica is impressed.
Good morning!
will button make it round the parade lap ?
will button make it round the parade lap ?
With only 15 starters he may score points if it keeps going!
Down to 14!
13!
Go nasr!
Hmm - perhaps F1 needs more teams!?
The powers-that-be need their heads banging together to make F1 a lot cheaper to enter.
Well, that was dull
I'll be back!
Alonso is better off in 1995
Why haven't I learnt? What a crap race, F1 has got to wake up soon and fix its self.
I was dropping off this morning. Really quite a dull one. It comes to something when the most exciting racing was for last place.
Every other race is like this though.
Not exactly a classic was it.
Very poor opener for the season 🙁
That was BORING!
How long before the other teams bully Mercedes into only running on 5 cylinders?
I was excited for the first race of the season, pretty disappointed with that.
Looks like a repeat of last year but with even less cars at the back to race against each other.
Stunning drive from Lewis.
What is up with that gold chain that Lewis was wearing for the BBC interview?
Pity the fool.
almost as stunning as his chain.. thats a serious paper weight.
Great result for sauber in light of the problems.. was a real shame not to see Manor. 10pts for those who said crashtor to crash on the first lap
That ain't no chain, fool.
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as i said previous, 2 more races like this and we'll see the other teams and bernie starting to talk about rule changes
the mercs were probably only running at 90% too - they could be shooting themselves in the foot as they got next to no coverage.
i do wonder if they are "doing a mclaren" and whoever gets to the first corner first cannot be overtaken in the race (or perhaps its first pitstop) to prevent crashes/DNFs - until the championship is over....
as for McL Honda, even running as others have said on this forum in "de-tuned" mode - allegedly, although i dont believe it, they couldnt get 2 cars to the grid.
2 more races for Ron i think too....
all we can hope for now, is best-of-the race for overtaking and excitement
If you know anyone in f1 you'll know that the other teams applaud merc for doing a better job than them and are not looking for excuses. Except horner of course.
So no conspiracy theories about bottas suffering a mysterious back problem and not racing despite being cleared by his doctors?