F1 2021

[Philw]

Only three teams have announced their launch so far:

15th Feb - McLaren
22nd Feb - Alfa Romeo
2nd Mar - Mercedes

Alpine have said they will launch in February and AM in March but no specific day as yet

AT have anounced they will reveal on the 19th.

Video: Ricciardo has McLaren seat fit; as Mazepin fined for red light breach

Ricciardo completes his McLaren seat fit as team shares vid, as AlphaTauri sets a Feb launch date, while Mazepin fined for red light breach.

formularapida.net

 

[Wizard]

AT have anounced they will reveal on the 19th.

Video: Ricciardo has McLaren seat fit; as Mazepin fined for red light breach

Ricciardo completes his McLaren seat fit as team shares vid, as AlphaTauri sets a Feb launch date, while Mazepin fined for red light breach.

formularapida.net

I saw Mazepin and red light and immediately assumed he had been out whoring

 

[BNJ1878]

Least surprising news of the week.

*just 2021 agreed

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes agree new contract for 2021 | Formula 1®

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have finally broken their silence on the seven-time reigning world champions’ future by announcing the Briton will stay with the team for the 2021 season…

www.formula1.com

 

[evilwebby]

Big "Hmmm". 1 yr deal is really not what most of us were expecting. Is Sir Lewis Hamilton signalling his exit from the sport at the end of this season?

 

[BluePeadar]

Big "Hmmm". 1 yr deal is really not what most of us were expecting. Is Sir Lewis Hamilton signalling his exit from the sport at the end of this season?

Hopefully into total obscurity. Cant stomach him even when I agree with his message I find him insufferable.

 

[Tubey]

Hopefully into total obscurity. Cant stomach him even when I agree with his message I find him insufferable.

Tremendous driver, probably best ever; arsehat of a human. Holier than thou.

Personally think it's simple - he doesn't fancy the battle with Verstappen/Russell as "number two" driver at Mercedes in coming seasons and sees the writing is on the wall. I think Verstappen beats him in the same car and Mercedes have told him succession plan has to be place.

And I don't blame him; it's smart. He's protecting his legacy - go out on top with another free title with the inept Bottas as #2 before the rules change after next season.

 

[Philw]

Tremendous driver, probably best ever; arsehat of a human. Holier than thou.

Personally think it's simple - he doesn't fancy the battle with Verstappen/Russell as "number two" driver at Mercedes in coming seasons and sees the writing is on the wall. I think Verstappen beats him in the same car and Mercedes have told him succession plan has to be place.

And I don't blame him; it's smart. He's protecting his legacy - go out on top with another free title with the inept Bottas as #2 before the rules change after next season.

Based on what? Feel free to provide some actual evidence, not just rumour, hearsay and conjecture, from the last 2/3 years. Thanks.

 

[The binman chronicles]

Big "Hmmm". 1 yr deal is really not what most of us were expecting. Is Sir Lewis Hamilton signalling his exit from the sport at the end of this season?

That or isn't the new driver cap coming in for 2022 so they couldn't tie him down longer for the same value. It's possible he's taking the bumper pay packet this year in prep for less in the years following. Should he want to continue that is.

 

[Tubey]

Based on what? Feel free to provide some actual evidence, not just rumour, hearsay and conjecture, from the last 2/3 years. Thanks.

I said "personally" and "I think" - just a gut feeling, nothing more. Didn't claim what I said was evidence led.

 

[Philw]

I said "personally" and "I think" - just a gut feeling, nothing more. Didn't claim what I said was evidence led.

So you think these things based on nothing? Also your 'arsehat' comment was before either of those qualifiers.

 

[Tubey]

So you think these things based on nothing? Also your 'arsehat' comment was before either of those qualifiers.

I do think he's an arsehat. I also think he's a tremendous driver.

"Think". I don't know him, but even if I did it'd still be an opinion only.

As for "based on nothing"... Not quite. Length of contract, delay in signing it and a history of number one drivers vetoing (or attempting to veto) second drivers throughout the history of the sport. Also Hamiltons age - he's near the end so his value to Mercedes long term naturally diminishes.

 

[Papa Shango]

Isn't this just like Marbula One only with cars...?

 

[Tubey]

Isn't this just like Marbula One only with cars...?

Nowhere near as entertaining.

 

[Philw]

I do think he's an arsehat. I also think he's a tremendous driver.

"Think". I don't know him, but even if I did it'd still be an opinion only.

As for "based on nothing"... Not quite. Length of contract, delay in signing it and a history of number one drivers vetoing (or attempting to veto) second drivers throughout the history of the sport. Also Hamiltons age - he's near the end so his value to Mercedes long term naturally diminishes.

I think the length of contract is more due to the fact of how late/long the negotations were, and the fact there is a major change coming, plus from Merc's pov his age. As for your opinions, and what you think of him personally...

 

[evilwebby]

That or isn't the new driver cap coming in for 2022 so they couldn't tie him down longer for the same value. It's possible he's taking the bumper pay packet this year in prep for less in the years following. Should he want to continue that is.

I think its possible that they'll just agree to 1yr extensions until he retires, whether that's at the end of 2021 or any number of years after that. That's how they manage Bottas's contract, after all.

Verstappen's contract ties him to RBR until the end of 2023. Best case for Hamilton is that he continues with Merc until then but I don't see him racing past that TBH; if Verstappen becomes available I think Merc will know it will be time to bring Verstappen on board.