F1 2020

[MiniDave]

Is he their back up driver this year? I hadn't heard that he had his superlicense yet.

Schumi Jr should have gotten his as F2 season is done and he had sufficient points to drive F1, plus too and also he was supposed to drive FP1 at this race. Since the next race is right here too, it seemed an easy transition for him.....and since they're already at the back of the grid, he'd have room to learn as he drove, as long as he stays out of the way of the Hamster as he laps him.

If they're not going to Schumi, they should just call the Hulk - he gets good results.......

[BruceK]

Apparently Fittipaldi  is the regular Haas reserve driver.

https://amp.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-haas-reserve-driver-pietro-fittipaldi-to-replace-injured-grosjean.55uu7NoxZbAD0eabhT2Bv5.html

[BruceK]

Lewis Hamilton will definitely NOT WIN the next race.  Has the 'rona.   Who will race for him? 

[MiniDave]

Wow! They're so careful with their protocols, just like the football teams....I'm surprised.

Did you see Sunday Denver had to play with a wide receiver for the q-back? Seems the Q-backs all had a meeting together and one of them tested positive - so they ALL are quarantined.

Oh, and now they're talking about Grosjean racing this weekend - and if not then the last race for sure!

Mercedes backup driver is Stoffel VanDorne....I found this bit.....

Stoffel Vandoorne is Mercedes' designated F1 reserve driver, and was always due to travel to Bahrain this weekend upon completing his Formula E test in Valencia.

[cstudep]

Seems a bit overkill to not let him race when he is already there so long as he is basically symptom free. I mean he is sitting in a car by himself for the most part, and keeping him isolated and by himself up to the start of the race would seem simple enough.

I could see not allowing him to travel to the next race or something perhaps, but even then it's not like these guys are flying coach places. Probably has his own personal jet all by himself anyway LOL.

Different times we live in now I guess.

[MiniDave]

Mercedes is talking to Williams about using Russel this weekend and at the next race if the Hamster doesn't clear protocols in time.

I would like to see someone else in the Mercedes this weekend - and it will be good for George too.

[Jims5543]

Just saw a news headline Lewis may not drive.  I think they should pull in Nikita Mazepin, he demonstrated he can run laps as fast as the regular drivers can.

[MiniDave]

Russel is going to drive in Lewis' place, and Williams is using their backup driver.

[BruceK]

A while back I believe the Williams back up driver was Susie Wolff (Toto's better half).  It would've been great to see her run in this next race.

[MiniDave]

Now I think it's Jack Aitken?

Should be a cakewalk for Mercedes as this track is practically all long straights.....

[MiniDave]

Well, so far in FP1 Russel is fastest in the Hamster's Mercedes.....maybe it is just the car after all?  Bottas is 4th.....with the two Reds Bull in between....

Oh, and Jack Aitken in the Williams is last......

So, do you think Mercedes will void Bottas contract for next year and put Russel in his car if Russel wins this weekend?

Or maybe that will validate his comments that the Hamminator gets a better car each weekend?

It's interesting that they changed the car number too.....

[BruceK]

If Russell keeps this up then for sure it's the car!   ;D

As for the number, 44 is Lewis' number, never the car's.

This video is great.

[Brit_in_TX]

A while back I believe the Williams back up driver was Susie Wolff (Toto's better half).  It would've been great to see her run in this next race.

Susie Wolff was never a Williams reserve driver, she was a development driver.  Which is a small but important distinction, they are mainly focused on simulator driving. 

[Brit_in_TX]

Or maybe that will validate his comments that the Hamminator gets a better car each weekend?

In FP2, they showed some data that Bottas had the fastest theoretical lap, but could not string it all together. 

George Russell is an exceptional talent, as is demonstrated by how much quicker he is than Latifi.  He also won the F2 championship against Albon and Norris in more equal machinery.   

[gr8kornholio]

Surprised the don't down tune hamsters car for another driver. Be a pretty big ego shock if any f1 joe can jump in your ride and smoke the competition. 

[BruceK]

Good point Mark!   

Young George was fastest of all in FP1 and FP2 as well.  Wow.  And here I was thinking he'd have a very hard time forgetting all the  ins and outs of the Williams F1 car while also and having to quickly master all the new Mercedes particularities.

[MiniDave]

It's a difficult argument......most people think the Mercedes is just that must better/faster and "anyone" could win in it. The counter argument is - then why isn't Bottas?

Don't forget Ol George is in the Mercedes program and has been for several years now, he's also driven earlier versions of the Hamster's car....so it's not completely unknown to him.

Plus too and also, Bottas' car has had problems today - which is why he's saying/not saying that Lewis always gets a better car than him. This weekend's events could give some credence to that idea if George goes off and wins and his car breaks again.

It also really puts Bottas on notice that if George wins this weekend - he should replace him for next year. Even tho contracts are already in place for next year - as Perez found out - that means dick in F1.

[BruceK]

Flashback to 2009 and a very young George Russell approaches a younger Lewis Hamilton for an autograph.   

I feel old. 

[gr8kornholio]

Cause when you pay a guy, what was it 150 million, to be the face of your brand you don't let his second beat him.  Pretty sure nico only won that title cause his family name had the pull to twist Mercedes arm.  That also predated the big money payday for Lewis if I remember right.  Always been my biggest issue with f1.  Way to many politics, actually it's what's ruined most forms of televised motor sports.

[MiniDave]

That's a fantastic pic!

[BruceK]

For some reason my DVR did not record Qually.  So I looked it up.

Bottas is P1 with a "I really need to keep my job and standing" time of 53.377 and
Russell is P2 with a " I am this close to you" time of 53.403

Wow.

[MiniDave]

Skin of his teeth!

But the one to watch will be MadMax, who usually gets away well - and Bought-Ass doesn't always. Could be REAL interesting at turn one.

LeClerc made his run early in the session, pulled into the pits and hopped out - done. Can not do better, left it all out there on the track. managed to hold onto 4th, so he'll be beside Max....REAL interesting in turn one.

[BruceK]

What a race!  Ups and downs galore!  Bad luck mixed with awful luck, and yet good luck too.  Max and Charles immediately out!   Russell just shone brightly - he really would have won.  Checo for his first win!!  Racing Point with a double podium!  Mercedes pit screwup wit the tires cost them hugely.  Poor Bottas.  Ocon got his first F1 podium! 

[MiniDave]

Boy did Mercedes screw the pooch! Toto said he couldn't even look at the replay of the stop he was so upset about it. he claims there was a radio failure for the mechanics, but I don't know....these pit guys have been doing this for years, they don't make these kinds of mistakes.

Some conspiracists are saying that it was a set up - can't have anyone else winning in the champ's car...

I hope Lewis stays out of the last race and they let George drive again, but I can't see Lewis sitting out unless he can't pass the protocols.

Terrific win for Checo, Aston Martin/Racing Point HAVE to be wondering if replacing Perez with Vettel was the right thing to do......

Checo says if he's not driving F1 next year he will be in 22 for sure.

[MiniDave]

You know.....the more I read about this, watch it on the replays and listen to Toto, the more I think it was as fake as a TV Evangelist's tears......like a wrestling guys pain when he gets slammed to the mat. In other words, complete and utter BS....

These pit guys have been together for how long? And they don't know which tires to put on a car in the middle of a race? They're watching the race develop just like we are on TV, they know exactly what to do or else they would not be on a championship winning (7 times no less) F1 team.

No, I'm just not buying it.

I don't know what their real game was, maybe they just didn't want anyone else to win in the champ's car....maybe they didn't want the rest of the world to know what everyone in F1 already knows - that it's the car more than the driver, and most of Bottas' bad luck this season is of his own making - that he belongs at Williams, not Mercedes.

But this "they didn;' hear the call on the radio" excuse is pitiful.....maybe that's the best he could come up with on short notice before the cameras but it's nonsense