347 replies to this topic

[Clatter]

But there is no heat on him because expectations will be zero.

You really think there will be no expectations?

[kosmos]

I think Ferrari might get more than they bargained for with Sainz. I think he’ll give Leclerc a run for his money. Sainz doesn’t strike me as the type of person who will be happy with being a #2 driver. He also seems to be the quickest #2 they’ve signed with the possible exception of Kimi.

 

 

I agree and let's not forget his father.

 

I have the feeling Leclerc and Sainz are going to be close and I can see Sainz doing better in races thanks to consistence and fewer mistakes.

Edited by kosmos, 17 May 2020 - 08:13.

[thegamer23]

I think Sainz will be a tough rival for Leclerc in race trim.
He may even get the upper hand. 

 

But i can see him being a good 2-3 tenths off in qualy trim. 

 

Overall, the battle will be much closer than some may expect.

Edited by thegamer23, 17 May 2020 - 08:19.

[ConsiderAndGo]

You really think there will be no expectations?

Not really? If he finishes behind Leclerc in qualifying and the race consistently is anyone really going to say anything ?

[shure]

Not really? If he finishes behind Leclerc in qualifying and the race consistently is anyone really going to say anything ?

depends on the gap.  If he finishes right behind then no.  If he lets a number of other cars between him and Leclerc, or fails to capitalise whenever Leclerc runs into issues, then yes.

[garoidb]

Vettel is greater than Mansell, Piquet, Fittipaldi, Hakkinen, Brabham, Graham Hill, and probably Ascari.

 

Mansell's race management and use of his engineers is poor in the company of the multi-championship winners; Piquet won his titles in even more favorably set-up garages (crappy teammates, first dibs on equipment, etc.) than Vettel enjoyed at Red Bull; Fittipaldi was exposed as lacking anywhere close to elite quali-speed during his time with Peterson--he could only points score and would get trounced by anyone who could ably points score AND who had true speed, like a mid 70s Lauda and not like Peterson; Brabham was never the best driver on the grid for even a single year--perhaps not even the second-best for even a single year; Hakkinen's best season would probably rank as Vettel's fourth best; Graham Hill I can't even be bothered to think of a demerit for; and Ascari was even more exclusively in the mold of a run-and-hide-from-pole driver than Vettel is.

 

Piquet had a sub-par team-mate in 1981, Hector Rebaque. His team-mate in 1983 was the same as Mansell's in 1992 so that is not a difference. His team-mate in 1987 was, of course, Nigel Mansell. 

[shure]

Piquet had a sub-par team-mate in 1981, Hector Rebaque. His team-mate in 1983 was the same as Mansell's in 1992 so that is not a difference. His team-mate in 1987 was, of course, Nigel Mansell. 

Bernie rates Piquet as one of the greatest drivers ever (in his top four or five based on a recent interview).  Doesn't make him right, of course, but I do think Piquet is seriously underrated for the most part and most people seem to rate him based on his post-accident career which he claimed affected him greatly (lack of depth perception etc).  

[garoidb]

Bernie rates Piquet as one of the greatest drivers ever (in his top four or five based on a recent interview).  Doesn't make him right, of course, but I do think Piquet is seriously underrated for the most part and most people seem to rate him based on his post-accident career which he claimed affected him greatly (lack of depth perception etc).  

 

Yes, I think there is a tendency to view the careers of the big four of mid-late 1980s to the early 90s (Prost, Senna, Piquet, Mansell in no particular order) through the prism of that time (basically, from 1986 to 1993, once the bigger group of contenders from the late 70s and early 80s had distilled down to them). This corresponds to the peak years for Senna and Mansell, but not so much for Prost and Piquet. Anyway, there seems to be a folk memory that Piquet's team-mates were weak, forgetting about drivers like Patrese, Teo Fabi, Marc Surer and even Niki Lauda. 

Edited by garoidb, 17 May 2020 - 14:14.

[shure]

Yes, I think there is a tendency to view the careers of the big four of mid-late 1980s to the early 90s (Prost, Senna, Piquet, Mansell in no particular order) through the prism of that time (basically, from 1986 to 1993, once the bigger group of contenders from the late 70s and early 80s had distilled down to them). This corresponds to the peak years for Senna and Mansell, but not so much for Prost and Piquet. Anyway, there seems to be a folk memory that Piquet's team-mates were weak, forgetting about drivers like Patrese, Teo Fabi, Marc Surer and even Niki Lauda. 

yes, Lauda's a good spot.  I seem to recall an interview he did where he also rated Piquet extremely highly and called him his most complete team mate, or words to that effect.  I should disclose that Piquet was the first driver I ever followed and the one who got me interested in F1 (was living in Brazil at the time, which probably had something to do with it!).

[PlayboyRacer]

Piquet tends to be ridiculously underrated. Strange thing for a triple World Champion who thrived in such an epic era of powerful cars and star drivers.

Perhaps due to his abrasive personality and slow decline in his latter years? Whatever the reason he doesn't get the respect, as a driver, he deserves.

Edited by PlayboyRacer, 17 May 2020 - 14:23.

[Junky]

Piquet tends to be ridiculously underrated. Strange thing for a triple World Champion who thrived in such an epic era of powerful cars and star drivers.

Perhaps due to his abrasive personality and slow decline in his latter years? Whatever the reason he doesn't get the respect, as a driver, he deserves.

 

For many years, and since the Mansell days, Piquet was, alongside Schumacher, the most unappreciated multiple F1 champion by the english press. Then, as Schumi's level and titles started to speak for itself, I believe Nelson is sole owner of this bitter crown. 

 

I am constantly shocked by his ridiculous positions in those rankings of best F1 drivers. Guys like Villeneuve or Hill in front of him... I always laugh at it. It is almost disrespectful. 

[PlayboyRacer]

For many years, and since the Mansell days, Piquet was, alongside Schumacher, the most unappreciated multiple F1 champion by the english press. Then, as Schumi's level and titles started to speak for itself, I believe Nelson is sole owner of this bitter crown.

I am constantly shocked by his ridiculous positions in those rankings of best F1 drivers. Guys like Villeneuve or Hill in front of him... I always laugh at it. It is almost disrespectful.

I can't say I have often seen him ranked behind J.Villeneuve and D.Hill in F1 all time ratings. Yet I have seen him behind the likes of Mansell, Hunt, Hakkinen, Raikkonen... and that's very questionable. Certainly for the last 3, I think Piquet has them all covered.

[SilverArrow31]

Piquet tends to be ridiculously underrated. Strange thing for a triple World Champion who thrived in such an epic era of powerful cars and star drivers.

Perhaps due to his abrasive personality and slow decline in his latter years? Whatever the reason he doesn't get the respect, as a driver, he deserves.

 

The reasons are simple, Senna eclipsed him in South America, Britain never liked him because of Mansell and he never won those championships in a Ferrari. He doesn't have legions of fans propping him up like most others do. 

Edited by SilverArrow31, 17 May 2020 - 15:36.

[inaki]

Trevor Carlin: Sainz could surprise Ferrari, 

 

https://www.reuters....s-idUSKBN22R34W

Edited by inaki, 17 May 2020 - 16:21.

[Junky]

I can't say I have often seen him ranked behind J.Villeneuve and D.Hill in F1 all time ratings. Yet I have seen him behind the likes of Mansell, Hunt, Hakkinen, Raikkonen... and that's very questionable. Certainly for the last 3, I think Piquet has them all covered.

 

I totally agree with you. It is ridiculous.

[kosmos]

LOL! He was turfed out! He had no say in the matter!....Seriously who you kidding?  Why didn't Red Bull throw out Max instead of Carlos?..That is the choice they had right?

 

Marko was kind enough to answer you, enjoy it

 

 

“Why didn’t we take Sainz? Because we have Max,” Marko told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Our policy is to have the best driver with a good team-mate.

 

https://www.gpfans.c...enefit-ferrari/

 

 

Clearly Sainz was something more than a good team-team, hence they got rid of him to avoid problems.

[NixxxoN]

Brundle and Button pretty much confirm what I was saying earlier, Sainz has champion blood, will never settle for number 2

 

[chrisj]

Brundle and Button pretty much confirm what I was saying earlier, Sainz has champion blood, will never settle for number 2

 

 

"Champion blood" is technically true, since his father is a champion. Junior may have the blood, but not the speed. Ferrari hired him to be a solid #2, surely he knows this or he'll have a short stint at Ferrari.

[NixxxoN]

"Champion blood" is technically true, since his father is a champion. Junior may have the blood, but not the speed. Ferrari hired him to be a solid #2, surely he knows this or he'll have a short stint at Ferrari.

"Ultimate maximum speed" is not all that matters, Prost will tell you that.

You think Ferrari would be so dumb to sack him or not renew him, for doing too well? ....

Edited by NixxxoN, 19 May 2020 - 17:15.

[Chillimeister]

"Ultimate maximum speed" is not all that matters, Prost will tell you that.

You think Ferrari would be so dumb to sack him or not renew him, for being too fast? ....

 

Err, well .... 

[chrisj]

They want him to be in the "Goldilocks zone", just like Bottas at Mercedes and Albon at Red Bull. It's the new normal.

[ForzaFormula]

They want him to be in the "Goldilocks zone", just like Bottas at Mercedes and Albon at Red Bull. It's the new normal.

 

Cannot compare Albon to Bottas though < miles apart in talent.

[Ramon69]

Brundle and Button pretty much confirm what I was saying earlier, Sainz has champion blood, will never settle for number 2

 

Same as I said before, which shows that Ferrari didn't really want a number two in their, they just want another solid driver. Unless of course, Ferrari are BLIND. Which wouldn't be the first time... I really don't see Sainz as a docile, number 2 driver.

Edited by Ramon69, 19 May 2020 - 18:10.

[lightstoflag]

Piquet had a sub-par team-mate in 1981, Hector Rebaque. His team-mate in 1983 was the same as Mansell's in 1992 so that is not a difference. His team-mate in 1987 was, of course, Nigel Mansell. 

 

Yeah, Piquet and Mansell shared a teammate in their championship victories, and I don't rate him very highly. Was Patrese, in fact, better than Eddie Irvine? Up until Imola 1987, Piquet was already getting shaded by Mansell, his first good teammate since Lauda in '79 (when he and Lauda only had 3 and 2 finishes out of 15 and 13 entries respectively and were basically backmarkers). After managing to sew up the '87 championship with some adroit point-scoring, he runs away to Lotus and proves to be a worse team leader for them than the Senna who was now lapping him every Grand Prix. 

 

My contention still stands that Vettel is greater than Piquet, whether or not the latter has by and by fallen the victim of some uninformed perspectives by F1 fans. Piquet was never as magisterial or historically spectacular in winning any of his championships as Vettel was in 2011 and 2013.

Edited by lightstoflag, 19 May 2020 - 23:59.

[garoidb]

Yeah, Piquet and Mansell shared a teammate in their championship victories, and I don't rate him very highly. Was Patrese, in fact, better than Eddie Irvine? Up until Imola 1987, Piquet was already getting shaded by Mansell, his first good teammate since Lauda in '79 (when he and Lauda only had 3 and 2 finishes out of 15 and 13 entries respectively and were basically backmarkers). After managing to sow up the '87 championship with some adroit point-scoring, he runs away to Lotus and proves to be a worse team leader for them than the Senna who was now lapping him every Grand Prix. 

 

My contention still stands that Vettel is greater than Piquet, whether or not the latter has by and by fallen the victim of some uninformed perspectives by F1 fans. Piquet was never as magisterial or historically spectacular in winning any of his championships as Vettel was in 2011 and 2013.

 

So now you are unhappy with Michael Schumacher's team-mates too! Patrese was a Grand Prix winner in multiple seasons and with two teams, unlike Eddie. You are giving the game away there, though, because Riccardo was well respected in F1 . It is just inconvenient for you that he doesn't fit the story you want to tell. Teo Fabi was a pole sitter in a Toleman in F1 in 1985 (and at Indy in 1983) and was not out of place in the competitive Benetton teams of 1986 and 1987. He won multiple Indycar races during the 1980s. 

 

The Brabham Alfas had poor reliability in 1979 but were not backmarkers. I am not sure what that has to do with Niki and Nelson, though. 

 

Piquet's 1983 championship season was magisterial.

[Lights]

Cannot compare Albon to Bottas though < miles apart in talent.

I didn't expect to read this and I'm not sure what to make of it. I'm not even sure which of the two you think has miles more talent.

Edited by Lights, 19 May 2020 - 19:54.

[goldenboy]

Maybe Dan should take it as a compliment that Ferrari didn't want to upset Leclerc.

I do believe they chose Sainz over Ric because they believed he wouldn't trouble Charles as much, but I think they are still in for a decent teammate battle.

[lightstoflag]

So now you are unhappy with Michael Schumacher's team-mates too! Patrese was a Grand Prix winner in multiple seasons and with two teams, unlike Eddie. You are giving the game away there, though, because Riccardo was well respected in F1 . It is just inconvenient for you that he doesn't fit the story you want to tell. Teo Fabi was a pole sitter in a Toleman in F1 in 1985 (and at Indy in 1983) and was not out of place in the competitive Benetton teams of 1986 and 1987. He won multiple Indycar races during the 1980s. 

 

The Brabham Alfas had poor reliability in 1979 but were not backmarkers. I am not sure what that has to do with Niki and Nelson, though. 

 

Piquet's 1983 championship season was magisterial.

 

Of course I'm unhappy with Michael's teammates! His best teammate if you consider the time of their career in which he faced them might have even been Massa (I'm not considering his Merc years). Words of praise someone said about someone else is mere anecdotal evidence which is easily dismissed. My suggestion of Irvine was polemical, as I already knew Patrese was better; my point was that he wasn't better by much. Only Michael, Kimi and a select few others have had a career as long as Patrese's and in that time he managed to scrounge a paltry 6 wins even though he was graced with front-running equipment for several seasons. 

 

I mentioned Brabham's poor reliability in 1979 because although Piquet technically lost by a point, the difference between Lauda and him would probably have been considerably greater if their cars could finish.

 

How can Piquet's 1983 be magisterial when there's some question as to whether Prost wasn't the better performer that year? The same can't be said for Vettel's 2011 and 2013 seasons. He was out and out the best driver on the grid in those two years. 

Edited by lightstoflag, 20 May 2020 - 01:46.

[vlado]

He is quick. We might be in for a surprise, but odds are in car 16's favor. If anything, Sainz will keep lec frosty. 

 

As far no.2 driver, perhaps for the 1st season yes, but the rest will be decided on speed/results I am sure. 

[garoidb]

Of course I'm unhappy with Michael's teammates! His best teammate if you consider the time of their career in which he faced them might have even been Massa (I'm not considering his Merc years). Words of praise someone said about someone else is mere anecdotal evidence which is easily dismissed. My suggestion of Irvine was polemical, as I already knew Patrese was better; my point was that he wasn't better by much. Only Michael, Kimi and a select few others have had a career as long as Patrese's and in that time he managed to scrounge a paltry 6 wins even though he was graced with front-running equipment for several seasons. 

 

I mentioned Brabham's poor reliability in 1979 because although Piquet technically lost by a point, the difference between Lauda and him would probably have been considerably greater if their cars could finish.

 

How can Piquet's 1983 be magisterial when there's some question as to whether Prost wasn't the better performer that year? The same can't be said for Vettel's 2011 and 2013 seasons. He was out and out the best driver on the grid in those two years. 

 

Riccardo Patrese was a stronger team-mate than Prost had in 1983. 

 

There is footage of many 1979 races on Youtube. Piquet was running very well in several of them, as was Lauda. Niki did not dominate him, and did not think he did (see To Hell and Back). It was Nelson's first full season and he did more than enough to establish himself and become the natural team leader from then on. There is no mileage in trying to undermine Nelson's 1979 season (although I understand why you want to, because it doesn't suit that his team-mate for his rookie season was one of the greats).

 

I could easily argue that there was at least one better driver than Vettel in each of 2011 and 2013. That would be going round in circles. Prost made mistakes in 1983, one of which took Piquet out of a Grand Prix.  

[PayasYouRace]

Can we not go into the merits of Piquet and Patrese here, unless I’ve missed some news and one of them is actually driving for Ferrari next year.

[noikeee]

Can we not go into the merits of Piquet and Patrese here, unless I’ve missed some news and one of them is actually driving for Ferrari next year.

Can we suggest that to Ferrari though, in case Corona makes teams go bankrupt and Ferrari is forced to add 3rd and 4th cars? Would be fun watching good old Nelson and Riccardo fighting with the kids.

Edit: misspelt Riccardo as Ricciardo, thanks autocorrect. I'm all up for fielding Ricciardo in a 5th Ferrari car though.

Edited by noikeee, 20 May 2020 - 11:23.

[Risil]

Can we suggest that to Ferrari though, in case Corona makes teams go bankrupt and Ferrari is forced to add 3rd and 4th cars? Would be fun watching good old Nelson and Riccardo fighting with the kids.

Edit: misspelt Riccardo as Ricciardo, thanks autocorrect. I'm all up for fielding Ricciardo in a 5th Ferrari car though.

In the Silly Season thread please! I mean why not.

[Claudius]

Maybe Dan should take it as a compliment that Ferrari didn't want to upset Leclerc.

I do believe they chose Sainz over Ric because they believed he wouldn't trouble Charles as much, but I think they are still in for a decent teammate battle.

 

I don't think that is true. Only conjecture.

There could be other reasons as to why Ferrari chose Sainz and not Ricciardo.

[ARTGP]

I don't think that is true. Only conjecture.

There could be other reasons as to why Ferrari chose Sainz and not Ricciardo.

 

 

Definetly. It probably factors in that Sainz gives them a marketing tool in spanish speaking countries. Dialects may be a little different moving from Spain to regions like South America. But it seems like there is a much bigger audience and usefulness in Sainz's background.  It's not the only factor, but it was probably one of them.  Leclerc know's a few languages himself. Ferrari have a highly multilingual driver line up which will be looked favorably upon.  F1 is a marketing tool.

Edited by ARTGP, 20 May 2020 - 12:20.

[goldenboy]

Definetly. It probably factors in that Sainz gives them a marketing tool in spanish speaking countries. Dialects may be a little different moving from Spain to regions like South America. But it seems like there is a much bigger audience and usefulness in Sainz's background. It's not the only factor, but it was probably one of them. Leclerc know's a few languages himself. Ferrari have a highly multilingual driver line up which will be looked favorably upon. F1 is a marketing tool.

I highly doubt marketing/sainz language skills are the reason. Ricciardo is far more well known and marketable.
A 30 yr old 7x GP winner heavily marketed by red bull for many years that trashed vettel and ran max the second coming very close, vs, a guy that can speak an extra language? Doesn't add up to me. That's almost certainly not why he was chosen.

I'm not really wanting to talk trash about Sainz. I like him and think he'll do better than most think. But at this point in time it's obvious he is a lesser choice than Ricciardo.

Edited by goldenboy, 21 May 2020 - 06:19.

[NixxxoN]

I don't think that is true. Only conjecture.

There could be other reasons as to why Ferrari chose Sainz and not Ricciardo.

 

I highly doubt marketing/sainz language skills are the reason. Ricciardo is far more well known and marketable.
A 30 yr old 7x GP winner heavily marketed by red bull for many years that trashed vettel and ran max the second coming very close, vs, a guy that can speak an extra language? Doesn't add up to me. That's almost certainly not why he was chosen.

Regardless of skill or marketing stuff, he is cheaper and younger, those are two obvious factors.

[goldenboy]

Regardless of skill or marketing stuff, he is cheaper and younger, those are two obvious factors.

True

[ARTGP]

I highly doubt marketing/sainz language skills are the reason. Ricciardo is far more well known and marketable.
A 30 yr old 7x GP winner heavily marketed by red bull for many years that trashed vettel and ran max the second coming very close, vs, a guy that can speak an extra language? Doesn't add up to me. That's almost certainly not why he was chosen.

I'm not really wanting to talk trash about Sainz. I like him and think he'll do better than most think. But at this point in time it's obvious he is a lesser choice than Ricciardo.

 

 

Ehem...

 

 

 

Definetly. It probably factors in that Sainz gives them a marketing tool in spanish speaking countries. Dialects may be a little different moving from Spain to regions like South America. But it seems like there is a much bigger audience and usefulness in Sainz's background.  It's not the only factor, but it was probably one of them.  Leclerc know's a few languages himself. Ferrari have a highly multilingual driver line up which will be looked favorably upon.  F1 is a marketing tool. 

Edited by ARTGP, 21 May 2020 - 18:25.

[absinthedude]

Vettel is greater than Mansell, Piquet, Fittipaldi, Hakkinen, Brabham, Graham Hill, and probably Ascari.

 

Mansell's race management and use of his engineers is poor in the company of the multi-championship winners; Piquet won his titles in even more favorably set-up garages (crappy teammates, first dibs on equipment, etc.) than Vettel enjoyed at Red Bull; Fittipaldi was exposed as lacking anywhere close to elite quali-speed during his time with Peterson--he could only points score and would get trounced by anyone who could ably points score AND who had true speed, like a mid 70s Lauda and not like Peterson; Brabham was never the best driver on the grid for even a single year--perhaps not even the second-best for even a single year; Hakkinen's best season would probably rank as Vettel's fourth best; Graham Hill I can't even be bothered to think of a demerit for; and Ascari was even more exclusively in the mold of a run-and-hide-from-pole driver than Vettel is.

 

 

Any reality between yours and mine is entirely coincidental.

 

Piquet was certainly the no1 at Brabham but his 1983 title was won against Patrese and his 1987 title against one Nigel Ernest Mansell. 

 

I assume you're joking or trolling but I will play along.

 

Emerson Fittipaldi scored 52 points to Ronnie's 55...won three races too the one year they were team mates. I rate Ronnie highly, his talent was sublime....but he hardly showed Emmo up. And what Emerson achieved both before and after at McLaren and in IndyCars speaks for itself. 

 

Hakkinen's best season ranking with Vettel's fourth? I am lost for words.

 

As for Jack Brabham, before my time though I have plenty of films/videos of him driving.....and his contemporaries all rated him *very* highly. 

[QdfV]

My two least favourite drivers in my most favourite team 

[Boxerevo]

"Champion blood" is technically true, since his father is a champion. Junior may have the blood, but not the speed. Ferrari hired him to be a solid #2, surely he knows this or he'll have a short stint at Ferrari.

I don't see like this, they want someone to not screw in combat. A true safe hands like Button.

 

The most important thing for him is to finish, finish well and not destroy their cars. To serve the team first and Lerclec if Lerclec proves to be better.

 

There will be no entitlement problems with Sainz.

Edited by Boxerevo, 26 May 2020 - 18:45.

[BRG]

My two least favourite drivers in my most favourite team 

I am sure you will warm to them if they bring home wins and championships.  The tifosi always do.

[William Hunt]

Riccardo Patrese was a stronger team-mate than Prost had in 1983. 

 

There is footage of many 1979 races on Youtube. Piquet was running very well in several of them, as was Lauda. Niki did not dominate him, and did not think he did (see To Hell and Back). It was Nelson's first full season and he did more than enough to establish himself and become the natural team leader from then on. There is no mileage in trying to undermine Nelson's 1979 season (although I understand why you want to, because it doesn't suit that his team-mate for his rookie season was one of the greats).

 

 Prost made mistakes in 1983, one of which took Piquet out of a Grand Prix.  

 

Patrese was incredibly quick, he put an Arrows on pole position in '81 and his teammate didn't qualify for that race! In '82 there actually was very little between Piquet & Patrese and Riccardo won at Monaco. He should have also won in Imola '83 but he threw that one away and he was awesome winning in Kyalami '83. 

The thing is: Patrese was more aggressive and much harder on the material as Piquet and that made the difference between the two, Patrese was hard on the suspension and attacked the kerbs, Piquet was cleaner and a bit smoother.

Teo Fabi was also a quck driver, he had scored pole position at Indy, as a rookie, in '83 and scored pole in a Toleman at Nürburgring '85, not exactly a slow team mate for Piquet.

 

Indeed Prost rammed Piquet of the track at Zandvoort '83. I wouldn't say that Cheever was a poor team mate next to Prost, Eddie was also a quick driver, but Patrese was stronger (as he showed when they were team mates at Alfa Romeo). Bernie knew how good Patrese was because he got him back for '86 to replace Piquet and Riccardo performed really strong in '86 & '87 in what were poor cars (and the '86 Brabham was even a dangerous car, Patrese outclassed de Angelis & Warwick in it).

 

Piquet was not just magistral in '83. He was also magic in '84 & '85 but his car lacked reliability then and in '85 his Pirelli tyres weren't suited to all tracks. Piquet's win at Le Castellet was a fantastic performance.

Edited by William Hunt, 27 May 2020 - 12:42.

[NixxxoN]

My two least favourite drivers in my most favourite team 

Your least favorite drivers why?

[AlexPrime]

Sainz is a good choice and I am happy for him and for the team. His father is an all time great in motorsport - hopefully the kid prove to be a worthy heir.

[QdfV]

Your least favorite drivers why?

It is completely personal, subjective and unfair, so don’t take it too serious, but I am annoyed with the way LeClerc behaved last year in the team vs Vettel, in my view not fair, playing politics and playing innocent. Obviously Binotto let it happen. I understand Vettel leaving. Sainz I feel is trying too hard, just find it difficult to warm up to. But I had the same with Schumacher and became fan, so when they win it might change ;-)

[stevesingo]

It is completely personal, subjective and unfair, so don’t take it too serious, but I am annoyed with the way LeClerc behaved last year in the team vs Vettel, in my view not fair, playing politics and playing innocent. Obviously Binotto let it happen. I understand Vettel leaving. Sainz I feel is trying too hard, just find it difficult to warm up to. But I had the same with Schumacher and became fan, so when they win it might change ;-)

 

Binetto set the conditions for LeClerc's ascendance by saying the team will favour Vettel.  How did he expect an ambitious young driver with a point to prove to react?  If LeClerc accepted that for one, even 1/2 a season, he was consigning himself to eternal No2 status.  He, like any self believing driver would do, set about making his mark on the team by being fast, dedicated to eradicating mistakes and playing the politics to a tee.  Look at the most successful F1 drivers and they were all politically astute, Vettel included.  Perhaps, Binetto's statement also lulled Vettel in to a false sense of security.

 

Sainz his a tough gig ahead of him to turn around that momentum.  In his favour, his dad will be on hand to give advice and influence, and he makes few mistakes.  If Leclerc makes similar mistake as he did in 2019, the Sainz camp will no doubt try to capitalise on this politically, to gain Ferrari's priority.