2019 Formula 1

[scott43]

After much speculation and misinformation, a familiar pair of silver cars are on the front row...

 

[NZRob]

After much speculation and misinformation, a familiar pair of silver cars are on the front row...

Anticipating another snooze fest in 2019

 

[Erik Timmerman]

I thought it was a pretty decent race. Bottas pretty well destroyed HAM, was ahed by a full pitstop and who knows when he stopped pushing. I was hoping for more from Norris, but glad he managed to survive the first lap, too bad about Sainz's engine. Williams was just jaw-droppingly bad, I hope they are not an absolute lost cause this year.

 

[scott43]

I think Williams are going to be terrible all year. It's so hard to gain ground during the year. McLaren seem to have missed the Honda boat..easy to blame the engine I suppose when the chassis has been the problem...but it did blow up a lot... Keep an eye on that for Red Bull.. I think it is looking a bit like Mercedes snoozefest though.. We'll see if Max and Seb can make it interesting..Max probably will for sure after he spears a few guys off the track because he can't see through the Stupid Haze..

 

[Erik Timmerman]

I'm OK with a Mercedes domination if Bottas can bring it all year.

 

[scott43]

I'm OK with a Mercedes domination if Bottas can bring it all year.

Yeah I get that... Still, be nice to see some drama and a photo finish with Max and Seb...and nice to see Lewis' car break down every other weekend..

 

[cantunamunch]

I think Williams are going to be terrible all year. It's so hard to gain ground during the year. McLaren seem to have missed the Honda boat..easy to blame the engine I suppose when the chassis has been the problem...but it did blow up a lot... .

Hey, that there is 2020 Netflix documentary material you're revealing early.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

So Bahrain was pretty exciting. I missed Quali, so I was pretty surprised right off the bat when I turned on the TV and saw an all red front row. Even more so to learn Leclerc was on pole. Two McLaren's qualified in the top ten? What is this? Crazy first lap for LEC. Wild sparks. Overtakes. Once the DRS came on though, it seemed a bit much. I guess it was the HAM - VET pass that was just irresistible. Then to have LEC's maiden win lost, ouch. Probably not as painful as what happened to Renault! Even that has to be better than being involved in any way with Williams. I'd like to hope Patrick Head can do something, but I doubt it.

 

[LKLA]

Vettel had is fourth spin in 10 races. Not sure that is why they offered him a $150M three year contract.

Max has proven once again that he will not lift his foot off the gas - because he never seems to get punished.

If there was any doubt then it should be no more - Leclerc is the real deal.

Red Bull look like geniuses for getting rid of Renault.

Renault look like geniuses for continuing to find ways to screw with Red Bull.

Kimi still doing his thing.

Mclaren continues its mediocre ways - best they can do right now is to sneak into the top 10.

Checo Perez - nice driving!

 

[cantunamunch]

"Max, we don't need donuts on our race box"

 

[TheArchitect]

It's been a depressing season so far. Back to Mercedes domination. I really hope that Ferrari can get their act together quickly and at least make it interesting.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

McLaren currently 4th in the constructor's.Not great, but it's a start. I'm really feeling pity for Williams now. Should Kubica hang it up now?

 

[scott43]

McLaren currently 4th in the constructor's.Not great, but it's a start. I'm really feeling pity for Williams now. Should Kubica hang it up now?

I think....he brought money....and experience..but yes, probably not the fastest guy around anymore. Unfortunately, I don't think there's any easy path for Williams.. Their success historically was linked to a few very smart people whom they had at the time..I don't think they have those people anymore..and probably can't afford them anymore..

 

[Erik Timmerman]

I don't know, it was only 3 seasons ago that they were 3rd or 4th constructor, Has there been a huge staffing change since then? I do wonder how much money Kubica could have brought, it seems like if he had huge $$$ he would have been at Williams last season.

 

[scott43]

Well I look back at their glory days and Adrian Newey was their chief tech guy. So obviously, he sets the bar high. They had Sam Michael for a while in the 2000's and those cars were decent. Pat Symonds (remember Piquet crash-gate guy??) was hired and combined with Mercedes, they were fast but lacked good aero (the MB, or should I say Ilmor, had HP..). That was the 2013-2016 years.. Then they swapped Valteri Bottas for Paddy Lowe, who was chief tech at Mercedes. However..that hasn't worked out for whatever reason and he's been pretty much fired I believe. I don't know if he looked better than he was because MB had a huge budget or there just aren't enough resources and good people left at Williams..I don't know. It is sad though.. Rob Smedley also left..he was one of the race engineers. Patrick Head is back as chief tech...but he's been out of it for a while and is getting on in age. So I don't know..I feel like they're adrift. It's all about aero and their has suffered since Newey left..

We'll see..I like Williams..they're a proper race team..and no whinging..I hope they can get it back together.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Yeah and even with Patrick Head, even if he can do everything they need, it would probably be a minimum of one year before you'd see it. If the chassis is fundamentally flawed and he can get to the bottom of it right away, they probably would not have the budget for a B-spec. That said, they have already written off one monocoque, at what point do you just build a B-spec anyway?

 

[NZRob]

This season has been even more of a snoozefest than I feared. The writing is already on the wall in terms of the championships (it'd be a brave person who puts money on Bottas).

I hate seeing this happening to Williams - seems like they are in a death spiral.

 

[scott43]

Yeah death spiral is kinda on my mind..but I don't want to say that. I think Ferrari and MB are just spending so much..reputedly $600m vs $150m for Williams. Very hard to compete but they do have the benefit of the engine as a customer. Should also say they had Massa and Bottas..two great drivers. Now they have Kubica and Russel..I mean, god love'em..but..Massa was very fast and professional. Bottas has done pretty well as well.

The cars apparently have very little adjustment available. They're designed so completely that monkeying too much with anything that would affect ride height or rake is discouraged greatly. They aren't like a stock car. So if they get the primary design wrong, it's hard to fix without affecting many other things. And apparently the Williams loses it's aero when turning..and makes it very unpredictable mid-corner..loses rear downforce..I feel bad in a way for Kubica..his legacy will die in a brick of a car.

F1 has never been kind to non-winners..winning teams get the most money from F1. Losing teams get the least. So it's very hard if you have no money and can't win. I suspect they want to change that..but of course Ferrari and MB will whine about it. Ferrari especially who always threaten to leave because "Ferrari is F1". Frankly, I don't know how much longer they can continue like this..

 

[Primoz]

I feel bad in a way for Kubica..his legacy will die in a brick of a car.

There's not much legacy that Kubica would have. Except miraculously surviving big crash and get back into racing. And honestly, I don't feel sorry for him, I feel sorry for people that were forced to hire him and for all those standing in line for that seat and didn't get chance since someone with big cheque came and sit in drivers seat. Realistically you can give Kubica Mercedes, Red Bull or Ferrari and he will still end dead last 2 laps behind.

 

[scott43]

There's not much legacy that Kubica would have. Except miraculously surviving big crash and get back into racing. And honestly, I don't feel sorry for him, I feel sorry for people that were forced to hire him and for all those standing in line for that seat and didn't get chance since someone with big cheque came and sit in drivers seat. Realistically you can give Kubica Mercedes, Red Bull or Ferrari and he will still end dead last 2 laps behind.

In terms of legacy, more that he was a rising star and projected to do very well..and failed. I don't disagree about the money thing..it's not great that people with cash get rides..Lancer Stroll and Sergio Perez come to mind... A bit harsh on the dead last in a Mercedes..but yeah..he would not be winning I suspect..