2727 replies to this topic

[BRK]

Mattia Binotto vs the world.

 

Sebastian Vettel vs Charles Leclerc.

 

Horsepower vs tyre performance (who needs downforce in the Pirelli era, anyway?)

 

Clinical winning machine vs emotionally charged roller coaster.

 

Last season before the 2021 rule changes.

 

What will 2020 bring?

 

[ConsiderAndGo]

Abject failure.

[Beri]

So Corriere della Sera has revealed the SF1000 being an homage to Italy and it's flag and the livery will be drastically different. With a more deeper color red, but still in matte.

Corriere della Sera were the same who have announced three years in a row that the livery would be "drastically different" and "spectacular" compared to the livery of the year before. Oh boy, how disappointed I was.

If only they dared to go with the NART livery. That would be truly epic. In any other case, I expect nothing special.

The launch tomorrow is at 18.30 (GMT+1) if I'm not mistaken? Quite late. Long day awaits.

Edited by Beri, 10 February 2020 - 13:32.

[thefinalapex]

This will be the thread that will provide the fireworks as usual this year

[Marklar]

well, it's the correct decision for sure, especially since you dont know who will be better

“I think that it’s a year after, things have developed,” he said. “Charles now has got a year’s experience with us.

“I think that point last year at that time we said that Seb would have been first driver, Charles second. I think that after a year that both have proved that they can both fight for the best results. They are able to be at the same level.”

https://www.racefans...el-and-leclerc/

[xtremeclock]

https://twitter.com/...579188279902211

 

Binotto: "Discussions with Sebastian have already started, they started before Christmas and continued here. He is our first option. We are very proud of our drivers. We believe we have the two best drivers in F1. I think it will be good for us to retain both of them."

 

https://streamable.com/nitoe

[HeadFirst]

https://twitter.com/...579188279902211

 

Binotto: "Discussions with Sebastian have already started, they started before Christmas and continued here. He is our first option. We are very proud of our drivers. We believe we have the two best drivers in F1. I think it will be good for us to retain both of them."

 

https://streamable.com/nitoe

 

I agree, but only if you don't count Lewis, or Max. Maybe a couple of others will show themselves this year too. 

[1Devil1]

I agree, but only if you don't count Lewis, or Max. Maybe a couple of others will show themselves this year too. 

 

He means as package and that's not even debatable 

[Marklar]

That's the standard line anyway, just like Toto always says this about Bottas and Lewis too, when it's clear that it doesnt apply to the former individually.

Just like his quotes about Vettel being their priority are logical too. It would be extremely dumb to weaken the driver you want to challenge for the title (regardless if as the lead driver or not) when you dont have anyone else lined up yet as a replacement anyway.

[RacingGreen]

I agree, but only if you don't count Lewis, or Max. Maybe a couple of others will show themselves this year too. 

 

Maybe he just means "given that we haven't won a World Championship in over a decade these are the best two drivers available."

[grunf77]

Mattia Binotto vs the world.

 

Sebastian Vettel vs Charles Leclerc.

 

Horsepower vs tyre performance (who needs downforce in the Pirelli era, anyway?)

 

Clinical winning machine vs emotionally charged roller coaster.

 

Last season before the 2021 rule changes.

 

What will 2020 bring?

Can a mod add to name of  topic: (Team Thread) Ferrari F1 2020: Agony and Ecstasy, thx!

Edited by grunf77, 13 February 2020 - 07:46.

[SCUDmissile]

I wonder what nonsense these clowns have in store for us this season.

[FortiFord]

https://twitter.com/...579188279902211

 

Binotto: "Discussions with Sebastian have already started, they started before Christmas and continued here. He is our first option. We are very proud of our drivers. We believe we have the two best drivers in F1. I think it will be good for us to retain both of them."

 

https://streamable.com/nitoe

 

Vettel's take on this:

 

"If I compare the situation to that of three years ago, I did not have a contract until August,"

 

"I don't think it changes much. At some point, we will have to settle all of this, my future, but I think we will have enough time."

 

https://www.grandpri...-f1-future.html

 

He sounds relatively bullish about getting a new contract. 

Edited by FortiFord, 13 February 2020 - 16:19.

[baddog]

I'm happy enough to call it the best driver lineup at the moment. Think about it.

 

Ferrari have two demonstrably WDC competitive drivers. I know you all hate Seb and he can be flaky but he wins races regularly, poles regularly and has 4 WDCs and you wouldn't actually be surprised if he won the WDC if Ferrari got the car right would you?. Matching Seb last year showed Charles' ability is up there with all the top drivers too.

No other team can really say that they have this across both drivers.

Lewis is best of them all, but Bottas is there as a wingman and everyone knows it.

Max is stellar, definitely a match for the Ferrari boys but Albon is completey unproven and is being used as a second and in a training role.

Daniel has as much potential as anyone but Ocon is unproven and is there to see if he can be good.

Carlos has the potential IMHO but noone is going to suggest he is better than the Ferrari drivers, and Lando is still in 'Promising' territory.

 

So yes, they can claim to have the two best drivers in F1. 

[Marklar]

thats semantics though. you are all talking about best driver pairing, while Binotto said "two best drivers", though might be lost in translation or something (or more likely that he is just taking the typical biased view as everyone takes, especially at such a event)

Though I wouldnt say it's not debatable. On paper it's probably the case (only the Mercedes pairing comes close and it depends on how how far ahead and behind you see Hamilton and Bottas respectively to the Ferrari drivers) and probably also for the WCC. But on balance, to win both titles, the Mercedes one seems better (Red Bull is too one-sided, Ferrari too closely matched)

[FortiFord]

He means as package and that's not even debatable 

 

Perhaps in terms of speed. However, the 2 of them did make a significant number of errors last season. Therefore, i wouldn't say it's not debatable.  

[Seanspeed]

Perhaps in terms of speed. However, the 2 of them did make a significant number of errors last season. Therefore, i wouldn't say it's not debatable.  

Being competitive is the most important quality to have in an F1 driver.  I'll take a Vettel/Leclerc any day over a Kimi/Bottas.  You want to have difference makers at the top. 

Edited by Seanspeed, 14 February 2020 - 12:48.

[SCUDmissile]

Rather have Hamilton. Hamilton Leclerc for 2021 please.

[grunf77]

This will be the thread that will provide the fireworks as usual this year

Yeah, for all the wrong reasons I am afraid.

 

Is it me or Seb is keeping his profile lower then usual, like hes in incognito mode?      

Edited by grunf77, 17 February 2020 - 14:48.

[GTA]

thats semantics though. you are all talking about best driver pairing, while Binotto said "two best drivers", though might be lost in translation or something (or more likely that he is just taking the typical biased view as everyone takes, especially at such a event)

Though I wouldnt say it's not debatable. On paper it's probably the case (only the Mercedes pairing comes close and it depends on how how far ahead and behind you see Hamilton and Bottas respectively to the Ferrari drivers) and probably also for the WCC. But on balance, to win both titles, the Mercedes one seems better (Red Bull is too one-sided, Ferrari too closely matched)

 

I would rate the Mercedes pair higher either way. It is impossible to predict whether we are getting 2017 Seb or 2019 Seb. At least Bottas is consistent and you can bank on him not throwing it away. 

[Goron3]

I would rate the Mercedes pair higher either way. It is impossible to predict whether we are getting 2017 Seb or 2019 Seb. At least Bottas is consistent and you can bank on him not throwing it away.

A lot depends on the car though. For example, 2018 Bottas was pretty dreadful for most of the year because he was just destroying the rubber. In the first half of 2017 and occasionally in 2019 he happened to be decent.

Assuming the car has a more stable rear this year, I think you could safely say that Ferrari have the overall best driver pairing in terms of pure speed, although I'd rate Riccardo - Max as the best line up in recent years.

[BRK]

I don't see a team thread and lack the creativity to create one, but now that the Wuhan has spread into Emilia-Romagna what risk is there to the team?

[beachdrifter]

I wonder what nonsense these clowns have in store for us this season.

 

 

[mangeliiito]

Any gossip about the Seb and Ferrari pressconferance at 15?

[CL16]

I’m sure Charles will step up for Monza again.

[RA2]

How is it the team is still running mission winnow?

[ARTGP]

It's time like these when they need Kimi doing all of the press work  ..

Edited by ARTGP, 06 March 2020 - 22:03.

[CoolBreeze]

How is it the team is still running mission winnow?

 

hhhhmmmm... why?

[BRG]

Does the infamous FIA/Ferrari 'settlement' mean that Binotto's job is safe for now  

 

Personally, I reckon someone who presided over a deliberate cheat and STILL failed to win is probably on borrowed time.  Who else do the big bosses have up their sleeves if they bin Bin?

[ARTGP]

Does the infamous FIA/Ferrari 'settlement' mean that Binotto's job is safe for now  

 

Personally, I reckon someone who presided over a deliberate cheat and STILL failed to win is probably on borrowed time.  Who else do the big bosses have up their sleeves if they bin Bin?

 

Kimi 

[Anja]

Clearly promoting from within isn't working out. I'd say they should hire Ron Dennis 

[MKSixer]

Clearly promoting from within isn't working out. I'd say they should hire Ron Dennis 

If he isn't available, can they see if Ross Brown is open for a conversation.  I hear he's been successful in the past. 

[ARTGP]

Clearly promoting from within isn't working out. I'd say they should hire Ron Dennis 

 

A match made in hell? 

Edited by ARTGP, 07 March 2020 - 19:19.

[FLB]

Former press officier Luca Colajanni is apparently going back to the Scuderia. He worked with Micheal Schumacher, Kimi Raïkkonen and Fernando Alonso, under both Jean Todt and Stefano Domenciali:

 

https://www.formulap...dia-484974.html (in italiano)

[SCUDmissile]

Kimi

Kimi as TP would be amazing

[DeKnyff]

Does the infamous FIA/Ferrari 'settlement' mean that Binotto's job is safe for now  

There is no way on earth Binotto can survive this.

[Astandahl]

There is no way on earth Binotto can survive this.

Binotto will be fired at the end 2021 when Ferrari won't be anywhere close to being competitive.

 

Ferrari management will promote someone random from the Scuderia in order to make people think that they are doing something.

[beachdrifter]

Binotto talking about team orders again even before the first race... sigh. 

 

For Ferrari's sake, I hope they fire him asap. Untenable as a team boss.

[hodgy21]

Binotto talking about team orders again even before the first race... sigh.

For Ferrari's sake, I hope they fire him asap. Untenable as a team boss.

What did he say?

Has Vettel been given priority again?

[mangeliiito]

Has Ferrari already sent their staff to Australia or are they gonna miss the race?

[Mc_Silver]

Has Ferrari already sent their staff to Australia or are they gonna miss the race?

I don't think there will be any problem for the first two races. Vietnam race is a bit on air.

[mangeliiito]

I don't think there will be any problem for the first two races. Vietnam race is a bit on air.

Well they are in lockdown now.

[Mc_Silver]

https://mobile.twitt...422837604409346

[ARTGP]

Has Ferrari already sent their staff to Australia or are they gonna miss the race?

 

I find it hard to believe Italy will stop Ferrari F1 team from traveling. Of course they will take all precautions and testing of team personnel, but Ferrari will have an easier time getting around quarantines and travel bans than the average northern Italian.

[ferrarista]

https://www.quotidia...olajanni-5.6203

Luca Colajanni “the liar” comes back to Ferrari.

[SCUDmissile]

If those that are yet to travel came from Maranello, that's pretty irresponsible.

Their own government told them to not travel.

My god, I knew they had nonsense in store for us, but infecting the formula 1 grid with a deadly virus was not something I had foreseen.

Ferrari, you continue to surprise me.

I mean if the car is as rubbish as it seems to be, might as well take a couple of races off and develop it.

Edited by SCUDmissile, 08 March 2020 - 16:45.

[baddog]

Any thoughts on rating of the drivers (I am thinking especially the new kid vs Max) in the light of the apparent fact that Ferrari were playing silly buggers in 2019? We all came out of the year thinking of Charles as right up there with Max for the future, but is this justified?

 

Should we just discount 2019 when trying to see how good he is, on the basis we have no way to know when and if the cars were illegal and by how much?

[as65p]

Any thoughts on rating of the drivers (I am thinking especially the new kid vs Max) in the light of the apparent fact that Ferrari were playing silly buggers in 2019? We all came out of the year thinking of Charles as right up there with Max for the future, but is this justified?

 

Should we just discount 2019 when trying to see how good he is, on the basis we have no way to know when and if the cars were illegal and by how much?

 

That's a bit of a strange notion. Comparisons of drivers in different teams are unreliable to begin with, what most people are going by when judging drivers is how they do against their teammates, and in that regard nothing changes, regardless of any illegal parts on (both of) last years Ferrari cars.

[ARTGP]

Any thoughts on rating of the drivers (I am thinking especially the new kid vs Max) in the light of the apparent fact that Ferrari were playing silly buggers in 2019? We all came out of the year thinking of Charles as right up there with Max for the future, but is this justified?

Should we just discount 2019 when trying to see how good he is, on the basis we have no way to know when and if the cars were illegal and by how much?

I don’t understand this. Are driver ratings based on the car performance? What does that make Hamilton then?

Driver rating isn’t (or shouldn’t) be based on car performance.

Charles did promising things (especially the wheel to wheel racing that was not DRS assisted). But also had weak points (race pace consistency compared to Vettel). None of those observations depend on the power unit.

Why I think Charles can be great is particularly in his wheel to wheel with Max in races like Silverstone and Abu Dhabi. You can’t teach that. Bottas for example could never...

[shure]

Any thoughts on rating of the drivers (I am thinking especially the new kid vs Max) in the light of the apparent fact that Ferrari were playing silly buggers in 2019? We all came out of the year thinking of Charles as right up there with Max for the future, but is this justified?

 

Should we just discount 2019 when trying to see how good he is, on the basis we have no way to know when and if the cars were illegal and by how much?

I don't see why.  You can still judge the driver's abilities - after all, it's not a spec series and they are all driving cars of vastly differing performance.