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2025 F1 Season

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BKarchitect said:
Can I ask a couple of stupid questions as a very, very casual F1 “fan”.

- Is Hamilton “washed” or at least not at his peak “skill” anymore and should we temper expectations of him with Ferrari? Or is poor results in recent years simply down the his team and car?

- Is he or Leclerc the “#1” driver for Ferrari or is that not really a “thing” or will it come down to results early in the season?

What do people expect of Hamilton and Ferrari’s marriage?
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It really couldn't be the car since George Russell did fine in it. George Russell also did fine in the 2022 car. The zero pod that everyone says was "the worst Mercedes ever".

George Russell got a win and 19 top 5 finishes in that "worst Mercedes ever".

Hamilton doesn't have the commitment to hang with elite drivers in their mid 20's.
 
JoVel said:
I think Suzuka is one of those tracks, alongside probably Melbourne and Montreal, that have suffered a lot because of how massive these cars are. There's just not that much room for racing there.
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True - Canada can still produce some entertainment, however. Melbourne.. not so much.
 
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I don't even like Hamilton much, but I do get the appeal. Returning former champions like Prost or Lauda winning with their new teams are a part of the F1 folklore.
 
The only real problem with Hamilton to Ferrari is the expectations it creates within the fanbase and their dissatisfaction when those expectations aren't met. The expectation needs to be 2024 at best.
 
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Brookbank said:
It really couldn't be the car since George Russell did fine in it. George Russell also did fine in the 2022 car. The zero pod that everyone says was "the worst Mercedes ever".

George Russell got a win and 19 top 5 finishes in that "worst Mercedes ever".

Hamilton doesn't have the commitment to hang with elite drivers in their mid 20's.
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I dunno.... 2023 was 1 year ago & Hamilton was still beating George then.

so lets look at the last 3 years

2022
Hamilton was increasingly frustrated with Merc and the direction they were going...He did talk about not feeling heard on the designs of the car for a couple years during the zero pod development.... and the porpoising problems...I think it's why Lewis left. I can see a situation where Hamilton says:
"f*** it I've given everything for this team, and I have nothing to prove.....I'm not killing myself to drive a POS to the limit just to score some middling points for a team that won't listen to me."

Meanwhile George was hungry as hell and young, unproven, and possibly willing to push that much harder just to prove he belonged in F1.... I remember George hurting his back in a porpoising car.. I wonder if Hamilton was just like "Nah...not worth it"

2023
The "hot young kid & future WDC" is close to a much older Hamilton in a more competitive car. Close but Hamilton pips George and is already planning his possible exit from a team whom he feels are trying to push him out the door with crappy contract offers. season ends and the Ferrari news breaks...

2024?
No way Hamilton was going to beat George in said lame duck contract year.... Merc was ALWAYS going to give George priority ..from the basic design of the car and set up built to suit Georges style over Lewis' to the better power plants....to the better strategies...

Basically the "who is better" argument comes down to the year of the dangerous painful crap car, and a lame duck "leaving for ferrari ASAP" season with Merc already focusing on George as the future of the team.

as much as Russel "won" the head to head in 2024? it was pretty damned close.. and if my ideas about the development and favoritism for George by the team in 2024 is true...then Hamilton really beat George again because Lewis pretty much matched George in lesser equipment....

so The only real decision to make from the last 3 year's results is, Either both are garbage, or both are capable competitive drivers but Lewis is still probably a little bit better.....
 
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Khelandros said:
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Interesting


I love JV and I loved his father before him.....

When Renault left Williams in 98 car was just a slug. Both JV & Williams Never really recovered..
The team was fractured relationships were broken and never healed....

BAR was a moon shot and the team were trying to break the "Bernies buddies Club" the FIA had turned into and that disruptive attitude and actions really seemed to cost the team all political capital in the FIA...
The on track performance wasn't there under Pollock, the Reynard magic wasn't working, Honda Struggled.with the engine, and eventually Pollack and then JV were dumped by Richards who never really gave JV a chance.

I think Button and JV could have made an awesome team in a good car.

it's interesting to see this happen now. I guess everybody harbouring a grudge has moved on and people can remember the highest of Highs again without immediately pointing to the lowest of lows that followed.
 
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Skidooboy said:
as much as Russel "won" the head to head in 2024? it was pretty damned close..
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Teammates are judged in head to head qualifying. When there are none of the variables in a 2 hour race. And in head to head qualifying, it was not close. In no other team , would anyone be saying one driver "might be a little better" than the other, with a 17-5 qualifying deficit.
 
This is surprising. Lando has held his own against Piastri. It looked like Piastri was mounting a challenge on Lando last year and it stalled. He doesn't want any #2 treatment either. Im just surprised he signed this early and went for term. It is an awkward driver pair.

 
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Brookbank said:
Teammates are judged in head to head qualifying. When there are none of the variables in a 2 hour race. And in head to head qualifying, it was not close. In no other team , would anyone be saying one driver "might be a little better" than the other, with a 17-5 qualifying deficit.
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I think once Lewis said he was leaving, Mercedes did just enough to get him racing while putting all their focus on Russel.
 
Brookbank said:
Teammates are judged in head to head qualifying. When there are none of the variables in a 2 hour race. And in head to head qualifying, it was not close. In no other team , would anyone be saying one driver "might be a little better" than the other, with a 17-5 qualifying deficit.
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I know that's ultimately the case, but some dudes also handle said variables way better than others.
 
PanniniClaus said:
K - Lawson and Antonelli out.. Very very bad. Lawson is going to get positively smoked.

Bortoletto faster than his team mate, a Red Bull and a Mercedes.
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Antonelli damaged his floor. Lawsons car was in the garage for all of FP3. It wasn't dialed in and even Max lost it on the same corner which is why his last sector was yellow

Lawson beat Tsunoda in his first four F1 races in a row. I'll reserve judgement. Plus he wasnt hired to beat Max. He was hired to be a #2 driver
 
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it’s been a long time since there was a dry track qualifying as interesting as this one. Only three teams with both racers in the top 10? Am I right? And one is f***ing Williams? Go Vowles! Amazing stuff. Hope it translates. Truly.

People being underwhelmed by Ferrari being lower in the top 10, yet both Mercedes and Red Bull’s second drivers absolutely SHAT the bed. I’d rather be Ferrari. McLaren looks unstoppable but that probably won’t last too long as other teams adapt, but will their second drivers?

It’s looking like a very interesting year.
 
The Marquis said:
it’s been a long time since there was a dry track qualifying as interesting as this one. Only three teams with both racers in the top 10? Am I right? And one is f***ing Williams? Go Vowles! Amazing stuff. Hope it translates. Truly.

People being underwhelmed by Ferrari being lower in the top 10, yet both Mercedes and Red Bull’s second drivers absolutely SHAT the bed. I’d rather be Ferrari. McLaren looks unstoppable but that probably won’t last too long as other teams adapt, but will their second drivers?

It’s looking like a very interesting year.
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It's actually a shame it is wet as we won't get a true feel for race pace.
 
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