Snobike Mike
Banned
It kinda helps when you've been funded by Macca since you were pretty much only single digits old........
And why does his colour matter? I though he was a British driver?
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It kinda helps when you've been funded by Macca since you were pretty much only single digits old........
And why does his colour matter? I though he was a British driver?
Hamilton just like Mansell wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Rarity nowadays for most top level racers that are funded by a rich dad/uncle.
Pretty sure Dennis funded him himself.
Next year, the only other team that might be competitive is McLaren Honda... but even that is highly unlikely.
Williams is the next closest but they're a customer Mercedes team, so they'll never be as good as the works team; but they can definitely come close and be there if the works team has a mechanical failure.
For 2015, there needs to be a unanimous decision among the engine manufacturers for there to be a regulation change. It's in Mercedes best interest to keep the engine frozen for the next decade. Having said that, they've agreed to increase the number of engine token changes. So very specific parts of the engine can be changed, but it's very limited.
In 2016 regulation changes only need a majority decision rather than a unanimous one. Teams like Red Bull have even suggested going back to the V8 engines; Mercs/Honda have responded by saying they'll leave F1 if that happens; the problem is sponsorship, it's easier to sell hybrid/green technology that's relevant to the future of road cars.
Although a lot of people want competitive Ferraris & Red Bulls; the problem is cost. Ferrari & Red Bull (Renault works team) are more than happy to spend an unlimited amount of money into engine development. It ends up becoming a spending war, and the customer engine teams simply can not afford the engines; the sport becomes unsustainable, and the smaller teams like Williams, Force India, Lotus and Sauber will have no choice but to leave; and we're left with five car teams of Ferrari & Red Bull.
A big concern with F1 is cost caps, and controlling them. It's one of the reasons why Caterham and Marrussia are gone.
At the end of the day, Mercedes pulled a rabbit out of the hat with this new formula 1; Renault (Red Bull) & Ferrari had the same opportunities as them and completely blew it. 2016 is a bit of an unknown right now, but don't expect a competitive Ferrari or Red Bull until then.
The other teams are expecting Mercedes to dominate again next year. But finishing second or third in the constructors championship still gives them a lot of commercial/tv-rights money; more than enough to continue racing.
Quite agree with you ...
At some point, after the engine development freeze is seen as a cause why there's one team only and long time nothing after that, they will have to either give everyone equal Benz power unit or some teams with money (Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren ...) will just refuse to keep fighting for 2-6 place. The concern is not Caterham and Marussia leaving ... if they don't have the funds to exist in this cap world, they simply need to race in lower formulas, not in F1 .... the concern is the well-off teams getting restless and willing to burn cash they cannot right now.
I hope McLaren-Honda will throw some gasoline into the weak F1 flame, but I don't see how they can catch up to MB ... they have such a jump on them that it's not pretty.
At some point, after the engine development freeze is seen as a cause why there's one team only and long time nothing after that, they will have to either give everyone equal Benz power unit or some teams with money (Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren ...) will just refuse to keep fighting for 2-6 place. The concern is not Caterham and Marussia leaving ... if they don't have the funds to exist in this cap world, they simply need to race in lower formulas, not in F1 .... the concern is the well-off teams getting restless and willing to burn cash they cannot right now.
I hope McLaren-Honda will throw some gasoline into the weak F1 flame, but I don't see how they can catch up to MB ... they have such a jump on them that it's not pretty.
I wouldn't be surprised if Alonso has alot more success with Honda-Mclaren than he did with Ferrari. As much as I love Ferrari.....they have become a huge disappointment in the last few years. It will be intresting to see if Vetel can revive them a bit.
Well, he's no shoemaker.
An actually formula 1 car designed to race a strictly governed series, as we know it, will never look like that .... not in your life time.
But, yes it looks pleasing to the eye ... I wouldn't be shocked if you could actually buy one in a few years from your favorite Ferrari TO dealership ... to make your commute go faster ... LOL
But, yes it looks pleasing to the eye ... I wouldn't be shocked if you could actually buy one in a few years from your favorite Ferrari TO dealership ... to make your commute go faster ... LOL
Snobike Mike
Banned
Repeat of last year? FP2 results.
1. Nico Rosberg GER Mercedes-Mercedes 1m 27.697s
2. Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes-Mercedes 1m 27.797s
3. Sebastian Vettel GER Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 28.412s
4. Kimi Raikkonen FIN Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 28.842s
5. Valtteri Bottas FIN Williams-Mercedes 1m 29.265s
6. Daniil Kvyat RUS Red Bull-Renault 1m 30.016s
7. Carlos Sainz Jr ESP Toro Rosso-Renault 1m 30.071s
8. Pastor Maldonado VEN Lotus-Mercedes 1m 30.104s
9. Romain Grosjean FRA Lotus-Mercedes 1m 30.205s
10. Nico Hulkenberg GER Force India-Mercedes 1m 30.473s
11. Felipe Nasr BRZ Sauber-Ferrari 1m 30.755s
12. Sergio Perez MEX Force India-Mercedes 1m 30.980s
13. Jenson Button GBR McLaren-Honda 1m 31.387s
14. Max Verstappen NED Toro Rosso-Renault 1m 31.395s
15. Marcus Ericsson SWE Sauber-Ferrari 1m 32.303s
16. Kevin Magnussen DEN McLaren-Honda 1m 33.289s
17. Daniel Ricciardo AUS Red Bull-Renault no time
18. Felipe Massa BRZ Williams-Mercedes no time
19. Will Stevens GBR Manor Marussia-Ferrari no time
20. Roberto Merhi ESP Manor Marussia-Ferrari no time
1. Nico Rosberg GER Mercedes-Mercedes 1m 27.697s
2. Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes-Mercedes 1m 27.797s
3. Sebastian Vettel GER Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 28.412s
4. Kimi Raikkonen FIN Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 28.842s
5. Valtteri Bottas FIN Williams-Mercedes 1m 29.265s
6. Daniil Kvyat RUS Red Bull-Renault 1m 30.016s
7. Carlos Sainz Jr ESP Toro Rosso-Renault 1m 30.071s
8. Pastor Maldonado VEN Lotus-Mercedes 1m 30.104s
9. Romain Grosjean FRA Lotus-Mercedes 1m 30.205s
10. Nico Hulkenberg GER Force India-Mercedes 1m 30.473s
11. Felipe Nasr BRZ Sauber-Ferrari 1m 30.755s
12. Sergio Perez MEX Force India-Mercedes 1m 30.980s
13. Jenson Button GBR McLaren-Honda 1m 31.387s
14. Max Verstappen NED Toro Rosso-Renault 1m 31.395s
15. Marcus Ericsson SWE Sauber-Ferrari 1m 32.303s
16. Kevin Magnussen DEN McLaren-Honda 1m 33.289s
17. Daniel Ricciardo AUS Red Bull-Renault no time
18. Felipe Massa BRZ Williams-Mercedes no time
19. Will Stevens GBR Manor Marussia-Ferrari no time
20. Roberto Merhi ESP Manor Marussia-Ferrari no time
Snobike Mike
Banned
Will be interesting to see long McLaren is racing for the back of the pack this year......
I dont expect to see much improvement until Europe at least....
Snobike Mike
Banned
They can only go up from........dead last in Quali.
Merc continues to run away with it.
Hopefully Bottas is okay.
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