F1 2021 – spoilers here

I think the Aston one was a different wing, the RB on was the same as the previous one

Looks like the driver market is falling into place next year – and RaceFans usually have good sources of info…

https://www.racefans.net/2021/08/31/albon-and-de-vries-to-gain-f1-seats-from-russells-mercedes-move-giovinazzi-loses-out/

the-muffin-man
Full Member

Looks like the driver market is falling into place next year – and RaceFans usually have good sources of info…

https://www.racefans.net/2021/08/31/albon-and-de-vries-to-gain-f1-seats-from-russells-mercedes-move-giovinazzi-loses-out/

i think joe saward was saying something along those lines too. Albon would make sense for Williams- he has experience driving the current cars/engines/tyres, fairly quick, presumably cheap in terms of wages, potentially brings Thai sponsors.

I’m really looking forward to Zandvoort now. THe banking looks incredible from the pics I’ve seen banded about. Not sure how many overtakes there will be though.

I’m really looking forward to Zandvoort now.

The atmosphere should be fun – if max does well it’ll be a massive party, if Lewis does well you’ll be able to hear the baying from here 🙂

So if that’s correct then we have:
Mercedes Hamilton Russell
Red Bull Verstappen Perez
McLaren Norris Riciardo
Ferrari LeClerc Sainz
Alpine Alonso Ocon
Aston Vettel Stroll
Alpha Tauri Gasly TBC
Williams Albon TBC
Alfa Romeo Bottas De Vryes
Haas Schumacher Mazzapin
.
That’s not many TBCs for Illot, Lattifi, Tsunoda, Hulkenburg, Vandoorn et al to share.
.
Williams have said they no longer need pay drivers but Latifi does appear to have upped his game the last couple of races. Will they keep him?

did I read somewhere that Williams weren’t ruling out Hulkenburg?

I’m really looking forward to Zandvoort now. THe banking looks incredible from the pics I’ve seen banded about. Not sure how many overtakes there will be though.

From a look at the layout it looks like it will have the same issues as Barcelona. The two straights have medium speed corners before them, meaning it will be difficult for car to follow close enough to get an overtake done into the braking zone, although its even worse at Zandvoort because the end of the main straight has a banked corner which means less of braking zone

Will they keep him?

I hope so, I don’t think he’s a bad driver

I’m really looking forward to Zandvoort now

Any circuit that has a corner called Tarzan ought to be in the calendar by right of that alone really. Gravel run-offs and beach sand all over the place, what’s not to like?

Yes, Joe Saward says that Red Bull were interested in signing Russell, so announcing that they’re keeping Perez means that Russell is off to Merc. Apparently, Alfa Romeo is more attractive to Bottas than Williams, so Raikkonen is retiring and Williams want Albon to replace Russell. It does seem strange to me that Alfa are ditching two drivers with Ferrari connections for two with Merc connections.

love him or hate him, this should be a good watch

(apologies if already done)

It does seem strange to me that Alfa are ditching two drivers with Ferrari connections for two with Merc connections.

When does Sauber’s sponsorship deal with Alfa finish?

I think they just signed a one-year extension.

It does seem strange to me that Alfa are ditching two drivers with Ferrari connections for two with Merc connections.

Yeah, I thought that too. Am very pleased to see Albon back, he deserved better than to be turfed out of the second Red Bull at the end of last year. I’m not Lattifi’s biggest fan, but he did a solid job over the last two Grand Prix weekends, so it’s hard to envisage Williams not re-signing him.

Quite surprised to see Bottas take an Alfa seat. Can’t really make much sense of it, unless the GPDA have some sort of back-room agreement with Sauber whereby one of their seats is a kind of retirement home for past-their-best drivers to eke out a few years of profitable trundling round at the back of the grid.

Would be good to see Albion back on track. Suspect Latifi will retain the other seat for a year, to be replaced once Williams move up the grid.

Raikkonen has announced his retirement.

I know I’m in a minority but I’m glad to see the back of him…that “I don’t care” act was wearing thin

No, I’m with you on that Twodogs, that attitude never came across well.
Hakkinen never said much either but he never appeared rude like Raikkonen does.
And I know it’s a Finnish stereotype, but Kimilainen shows they aren’t all like that, she was jubilant and very chatty in the interviews after Spa and Bottas is usually polite and has something to say
Actually, talking of W-Series, why is Chadwick doing that again? Now she’s proved she’s pretty quick shouldn’t she be doing F2/IndyLights/DTM/wherever else F3 champions move up to? Seems odd to have a series dedicated to showcasing female drivers if the good ones don’t then get the chance to prove themselves against the good male drivers and maybe end up in F1/Indy/WEC/etc.

See ya Kimi, I’ve never got the adoration that some have for him. As for Finns, having worked for Nokia I can assure you that he is far from an outlier! IIRC there’s a bit of an East/West split, one side are more taciturn the other a lot more chatty, both drink like fish!

Nope, another one that is fairly ambivalent to Kimi’s retirement……the part of his career where he was fast and entertaining is well over a decade ago now! Save for a couple of stellar opening laps he hasn’t added much value for years imo.

It’ll be interesting to see how De Vries gets on, he always seems to take a while to get up to speed in any given series. I’m assuming that he won’t be afforded that luxury in F1. Shame for Giovinazzi…I’ve always liked him. Feels like he’s probably fulfilled his potential though. I really don’t get the Albon to William’s signing. Surely they’d have been better off with Bottas and vice versa?

I know I’m in a minority

Maybe I’m not then! 😂

I really don’t get the Albon to William’s signing

Me neither…but people with real knowledge do seem to really rate Albon….maybe not quite the potential of Russell but right up there. Maybe he’ll do better in a more nurturing environment than the odious Red Bull?
And possible that Bottas has either past his best or his best was never quite up there

Legendary Kimi:

What a tosser

I really don’t get the Albon to William’s signing

The guy he replaced, Gasly, now looks like a very solid driver once he got out of that pressure-cooker Red Bull seat. Albon was quite inexperienced when he was dropped into a team dominated by an exceptionally fast teammate. His race performances were often promising, but the car was difficult to drive and he struggled in qualifying. Pretty good chance he’ll turn out like Gasly and be a solid mid-field driver who consistently collects points.

I’m sad to see kimi go, with a dry soh myself I like his aloof and direct persona either fake or otherwise. I’m sure it probably helps to be inside the F1 circle and have witnessed the legendary drinking / party stories rather than hear them from afar. He’s just a bit more that the media trained sterile average driver to me.

I’m not sure of that Bottas news, which seems to be nothing more than a Finnish connection. But for sure having separated from his wife to “give 100% to F1” I wonder if he now feels that was worth while.

Hamilton, Russell, Perez, Norris and Verstappen could be fireworks at the front, with Lewis very much the “old man” of the grid next year.

He’s just a bit more that the media trained sterile average driver to me.

He’s a bit “less” surely? I mean some of the first radio “I’m busy”  transmissions were a bit fun for 5 mins, but to base an entire persona/lifestyle on it smacks of the work of a hired “media-professional consultant”

Mleh, I’m pretty sure he won’t loose much sleep as he counts his millions.

Lewis very much the “old man” of the grid next year.

If you’ve forgotten Alonso, I guess 😉

I mean some of the first radio “I’m busy” transmissions were a bit fun for 5 mins, but to base an entire persona/lifestyle on it smacks of the work of a hired “media-professional consultant”

What about the 10 years before “I’m busy”? He’s always been a man of few words for the media, my understanding was that he did it because he wasn’t interested in them knowing what he’s really like and would try and avoid things such as PR events and interviews. I can get on board with that, it’s like he just enjoys driving fast

I liked Kimi. He was a bit different to the current instamedia whores

What we really need is women in F1. Unless anyone thinks they can’t rdive well enough.

Legendary Kimi

I remember watching that BITD and thought it was a very funny moment at the time.
Nice to hear an honest reply to a question. Everybody at any level wants a shit before a race, grass roots push bikes or multimillion pound racing cars

What we really need is women in F1. Unless anyone thinks they can’t rdive well enough.

What a bizarre comment. Desperate to find someone to have a fight with?

It does seem strange to me that Alfa are ditching two drivers with Ferrari connections for two with Merc connections.

Changing to Mercedes power maybe?
Sauber Mercedes has a nice ring to it.

Interesting line through turn 3 from the safety car 🙂

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.watch-ride-onboard-with-the-safety-car-for-a-full-lap-of-the-remodelled.1CPVPmL1l9goulPyEhKHzR.html

Actually that car looks/sounds a bit of a handful, even accounting for how green the track must be.

Twodogs
Full Member
What a tosser

Posted 22 hours ago

Leave him alone. He know’s what he is doing.

🙂

I’ll miss him.

That safety car video – my fist impression was “are they really going to run a F1 race there?”. It looks very narrow and windy. Is this going to be another procession with everyone finishing inqualifying order?

Is this going to be another procession with everyone finishing inqualifying order?

Yes…

Interesting line through turn 3 from the safety car 🙂

Got to practice, a lights to flag victory doesn’t come easy

What about the 10 years before “I’m busy”?

Sure, he’s always been taciturn, but after the world went a bit mad, for “Leave me alone, I know what I’m doing” he clearly cashed in, and that’s just as media driven as all the other drivers. Kimi’s not really different, he just found a niche that was easy to exploit is all.

What we really need is women in F1. Unless anyone thinks they can’t rdive well enough.

spoiling for a fight? I think women should be in F1, they compete in nearly every other formula including Indycar which I guess is the nearest to F1. Honestly I think it’s only a matter of time, but getting to F1 is hard for everyone, not just women, there are thousands of drivers probably good enough to actually drive the cars, and only 20 or so seats, and the pressure on that first woman will be immense

and the pressure on that first woman will be immense

I think you mean third not first…..

Maria Teresa de Filippis – 1958
Lella Lombardi – 1975 and 1976

I think you mean third not first…..

Maria Teresa de Filippis – 1958
Lella Lombardi – 1975 and 1976

change Nickc’s comment to “in the modern era” and it still stands though. All eyes will definitely be on the next woman driver, for a the first few races anyway

Bugger! That looks very narrow.

If that can be F1 standard we should push for a race at Cadwell Park! 🙂