56 replies to this topic

[jjcale]

Merc have already wrapped up the WCC and LH should wrap up the WDC in Turkey, leaving 3 more rounds (2 in Bahrain and the last round in Abu Dhabi) so all they have left to race for this season is padding their stats ... so how cool would it be if the did something more exciting and LH and GR swapped seats for the last 3 rounds?!

 

We could get to see what GR is made of, and all the newer fans who say "how would Lewis do in a bad car" would finally get an answer. .. so no question it would fun for all the fans.... It would also be good for the drivers. GR could finally score a point and get the monkey off his back and LH could have a mental break from the pressure of trying to win every single race.

 

The teams should also benefit - I back LH to score the illusive 2020 point in the Williams more than I do GR. And Merc could evaluate GR in a competitive setting - with maybe even have a mini shootout with VB ... and VB could be evaluated as lead driver for 3 races to see if he could do the job if (god forbid) LH decides to pull a Rosberg at the end of 2020  - or if he leaves at the end of 2021.

 

The only downside would be for Alfa Romeo if LH managed to score more points in the last 3 races than their two drivers managed to score over the whole season ... or am I just being a fanboy?    

[Atreiu]

It would be so cool, gnarly.

—-

Maybe Hamilton takes a sabbatical in 2021 though.

[MNader]

what would Lewis gain?

 

He would however lose many potential points and feedback to components which will be focused on next year....honestly this wouldn't benefit Mercedes or Lewis in any way, just Russell

[Cliff]

GR would get smashed by Bottas, ending his carreer. LH would get a point in Bahrein oval race due to Merc engine. Both gaining nothing perception wise.

[baku]

Other then outqualifying 2 low ranked drivers, Russell did nothing to deserve this seat. I find him quitte underwhelming to be honest. I suspect bottas wil eat him alive, since he knows the car and the team, which will only lead to russels reputation down the drain.

[Imperial]

I think his record warrants the seat he is in, but certainly doesn't warrant him borrowing the seat of a legend.

[Ali623]

Why would Hamilton, Mercedes or any of their sponsors accept this? Not to mention the contracts etc...

[Londoned]

Hamilton would never agree to this...but it would be fun to see Verstappen win the final 3 races

[jjcale]

Why would Hamilton, Mercedes or any of their sponsors accept this? Not to mention the contracts etc...

 

The publicity would be huge ...

[Marklar]

The publicity would be huge ...

So Alonso in a uncompetitive McLaren was bigger publicity than in an competitive car?

[jjcale]

GR would get smashed by Bottas, ending his carreer. LH would get a point in Bahrein oval race due to Merc engine. Both gaining nothing perception wise.

 

Perception wise, LH would gain a lot - it would show that not "anyone" could win in the Merc ... and even Merc would gain by showing that their car is not just massively overpowered compared to the rest of the grid - and that they do actually have to work quite hard at the track for their wins. 

 

A big chunk of the F1 community has become very "ho hum" about what Merc and LH have achieved ... shaking things up a bit would make things more interesting for the fans.

 

Maybe Merc might lose out a bit in terms of developing the car for 2021 - but that's also a win for the fans - brings the grid closer together.

Edited by jjcale, 08 November 2020 - 19:10.

[jjcale]

So Alonso in a uncompetitive McLaren was bigger publicity than in an competitive car?

 

Not getting your drift ... What's Alonso got to do with this?

 

A backmarker driver in the WCC car and the WDC in the slowest car would be epic in terms of publicity. 

[noikeee]

I don't recall Badoer in the Ferrari being epic in terms of publicity nor Hamilton ****ing around in a lower midfield car in the first half of that same season.

[vlado]

It will show you that Mercedes do not need to pay 50 mil/year to win championships 

[SophieB]

Not getting your drift ... What's Alonso got to do with this?

 

A backmarker driver in the WCC car and the WDC in the slowest car would be epic in terms of publicity. 

 

Marklar means we have already seen WDCs in very slow cars. For that matter we saw Hamilton in one back in 2009.

 

My hat remained on my head throughout it all.

[pdac]

Uncool. This is meant to be a professional racing series.

[Neno]

It will show you that Mercedes do not need to pay 50 mil/year to win championships 

You dont pay 50mil/year to someone to win you championship. You pay quality and guarantee to maximize result. A warranty you getting A class product regardless how good or sh** your car is. You pay for brand. Now just depends do you wanna gamble and pay someone next to nothing to try do same. If you are complete positive that car is literally years per lap which Mercedes is ahead rest of grid then you can do that. But then again Merc already put 10x more money in car and engine than likely 6 teams together on field so what is really paying 5x more for driver. Why cheapskate on driver? 

Edited by Neno, 08 November 2020 - 19:36.

[P123]

It'd be great to see Lewis in a Williams one day.... but not sure how much of a celebration one point would or should bring!

[P123]

You dont pay 50mil/year to someone to win you championship. 

 

Ferrari says "now you tell us".

[TomNokoe]

I did have a fleeting thought that LH might skip the end of the season to recharge his batteries. Which clearly doesn't amount to a seat swap, but hey

[jimjimjeroo]

I dont think missing fp1 would do Hamilton any harm

[ray b]

next year we will have vet in ham's 2020 car

to bad we can't stick ham in vet's 2020 ride also

Edited by ray b, 08 November 2020 - 20:19.

[vlado]

You dont pay 50mil/year to someone to win you championship. You pay quality and guarantee to maximize result. A warranty you getting A class product regardless how good or sh** your car is. You pay for brand. Now just depends do you wanna gamble and pay someone next to nothing to try do same. If you are complete positive that car is literally years per lap which Mercedes is ahead rest of grid then you can do that. But then again Merc already put 10x more money in car and engine than likely 6 teams together on field so what is really paying 5x more for driver. Why cheapskate on driver? 

 

Sure, I can sort of see the premium as insurance IN CASE someone got close enough, but (more or less) that car has been in a league of its own since 2014, so there is absolutely no need for a top tier driver to achieve the same results. That's in hindsight tho, they didn't know they won't have any competition. 

 

Rosberg would've won the same amount of titles. Bottas might've lost 1, maybe even two.. 

[Marklar]

I'm honestly baffled what sort of huge publicity you see in this. Russell will most likely score some points, maybe a podium, Lewis most likely not score any points, maybe one. Maybe it creates close races between Verstappen and Bottas, but likewise maybe it just creates unchallenged wins by either of them. None of the involved parties would really gain from this: Lewis doesnt need to prove to people that he can do well in a weak team, Mercedes has sponsors who paid for him and it would be plain unfair to Russell to put him up against Bottas in such a scenario.

I'm more interested in the Merc drivers to swap with the Racing Point drivers as it would create a scenario where I can see three different teams being able to win, perhaps you could call that great publicity, but that's not certain either. 

[Peter Perfect]

Ah, I miss the "what would Schumacher do in a Minardi" threads.

[CSF]

Ah, I miss the "what would Schumacher do in a Minardi" threads.

 

 

I miss Mad Max's idea's for 2003. Supported by the British F1 press.             

[PayasYouRace]

It would be fun to see, but let's not pretend it's actually a viable idea for those involved.

[Lerdes]

Would not be cool. We would see Bottas winning the last 3 grand prix.

[Con1]

I'm honestly baffled what sort of huge publicity you see in this. Russell will most likely score some points, maybe a podium, Lewis most likely not score any points, maybe one. Maybe it creates close races between Verstappen and Bottas, but likewise maybe it just creates unchallenged wins by either of them. None of the involved parties would really gain from this: Lewis doesnt need to prove to people that he can do well in a weak team, Mercedes has sponsors who paid for him and it would be plain unfair to Russell to put him up against Bottas in such a scenario.

I'm more interested in the Merc drivers to swap with the Racing Point drivers as it would create a scenario where I can see three different teams being able to win, perhaps you could call that great publicity, but that's not certain either. 

Alternatively, Hamilton puts the car in the points on his first drive and ends Russell's career in the process.

 

This isn't in anyone's interests.

[Spillage]

Mercedes 1-2 in all three races.

[PlayboyRacer]

I'd rather see Verstappen and Vettel swap seats.

[cjm321190]

Could just do the swith for FP1

[ArrowsLivery]

Would it? We know F1 is 100% about the car. Hamilton would be dead last, Russell would be fighting for the wins. There is absolutely no driver skill in F1 with the current formula.

[ARTGP]

If Hulk can show up for some practice sessions in Silverstone and put the car P3 on the grid, then I think Russell could podium atleast.

[Reinmuster]

I would rather see Hulk takes Albon's seat for the last 3 races...

[Imperial]

I did have a fleeting thought that LH might skip the end of the season to recharge his batteries. 

 

That would be a pretty big advertisement to his rivals that he is now wrecked before the season is over!

[fed up]

It wouldn’t be cool. If Lewis plans on hanging around in 2021 he’ll want to carry momentum forward to next season. The back end of 2015, early 2016 is still fresh in his mind when he took his foot of the gas once the 2015 WDC was in the bag.

[MinardiCrashDummy]

In this hypothetical scenario i would be more interested in seeing Hamilton go to Racing Point and see what he would do there for 3 races.

 

Williams no interest at all.

[Sterzo]

It would be fun to see, but let's not pretend it's actually a viable idea for those involved.

This exactly, And jjcale, who is not one for playing a wrong note, is saying it would be good to see, not suggesting it would ever happen. I've enjoyed just imagining it.

[Marklar]

Alternatively, Hamilton puts the car in the points on his first drive and ends Russell's career in the process.

This isn't in anyone's interests.

Well, I'm not sure about that. Lewis is a legend so him scoring points in a Williams isnt going to stamp up Russell as bad, especially since it's often strongly depending on circumstances (Kubica scoring didnt kill his career either).

Getting clearly beaten by Bottas though...yes, that could be bad for him. It would be more in his interest to be put up against Lewis, unless he completely destroys him it would be seen as a sufficient effort then.

[BRG]

next year we will have vet in ham's 2020 car

to bad we can't stick ham in vet's 2020 ride also

You really want to rub Vettel's nose in the dirt, don't you? 

 

Alternatively, Hamilton puts the car in the points on his first drive and ends Russell's career in the process.

 

This isn't in anyone's interests.

Or Russell wins races (as I suspect he might, given how quick he has been when he tested the Merc) and ends Bottas's career, as well as screwing up Lewis's monster paycheque for him!

 

Why Lewis+Russell anyway?  Why not Lewis+Stroll?  That could really upset everyone.

[Requiem84]

Literally the only one to gain from this exercise is potentially George Russell. Everybody else merely can only lose out. 

 

So this will never ever happen if it is not being forced by some kind of bizarre rule. 

[PlatenGlass]

I think it would be quite fun if this happened. Obviously it's not going to happen - it's just a fantasy thread - so I think people who are saying "What's in it for Hamilton?" etc. are probably missing the point. However, I think there are some other car swaps that might be even more entertaining, which I think might have been discussed above anyway.

[Garndell]

It would make Hamilton's super licence cheaper and Russell's more expensive.  It would be pretty funny if Hamilton in the Williams was able to beat Albon in the RBR though.

[Arundo]

Nothing special will probably happen, sure Hamilton will beat Latifi but without his Merc he probably will be fighting the Alfa and Haas cars. 

Russell might win his first race if Bottas and Verstappen will have an issue. 

[Lennat]

Of course there ain't no chance in hell of it actually happening, but I LOVE the idea regardless.

[Ali623]

The only way Hamilton would score points in the Williams would be if it was a 'crazy' race, same as anyone who was in the Williams. And driving the Williams is a competely different scenario to a Mercedes, I'm not sure Hamilton would immediately be comfortable scrapping with Haas' and Alfas at the back. Not to mention how horrible the car would feel to him compared to driving the Merc all season.

 

What would be interesting would be seeing Russell v Bottas for a few races, especially if Russell was able to get the better of Bottas.

[Paco]

The publicity would be huge ...

 

And having Bottas destroy their next big hope is a good thing how?   Russell has shown zero race craft other then 1 lap speed which isn't Mercedes weak point..

 

Russell just bring expectation of fast speed over 1 lap.. since when has Mercedes suffered in that area.  The only time they have had issues in tire management and race pace against RB..  How exactly is Russell going to manage and help them in that regard..

 

Russell needs to move up to a midfield team and prove his work against the mid field and a good proper team mate 1st and foremost.  Perhaps a Gasly vs Russell year would be very good for both of those drivers to warrant a further look into the future.

 

I just don't see a path into Mercedes at this point for the guy..  they need a much better race when Lewis retires.  Bottas probably will get bored and want a different challenge or pushed out in 2022 if RB don't find a way to sign him for 2021 alongside Max.

 

I'd rather see Hulk or Perez at Mercedes then Russell in the near future.. 

 

Nearly all of Russell Sunday's have been such a let down from his Saturday kamikaze runs.  Norris will be interesting against DR, I was hoping Norris would be faster then Carlos but he's just been 50/50 IMO.

 

So again, we've got a great Max show up.

So again, a few years later Charles show up out of that bunch.  With Norris a question mark of whether he can be a dominate team leader.

Then we have a HUGE question on Russell what he is capable of... 

 

If Russell doesn't up his Sunday game, he could end up a Fisi and just be remember as a fast guy but nothing more.  

 

A new crop of fast young guns should be coming online in the next 2-3 years and Russell could end up a Ocon, Kmag, Grosj, Hulk and lose his place on the grid..

Edited by Paco, 09 November 2020 - 16:02.

[alframsey]

All this would do is serve to end Russell's dreams of a top F1 drive. Bottas would destroy him every session if only due to his familiarity with the team and car, I'm less and less convinced of GRs ability lately.

 

Lewis would get absolutely naff all from the trade.

[markpenske]

I think a driver swap like that would be a prefect gauge to see how much success is driver vs car.

My guess is Lew would finish approximately 15th & Russell around 5th-ish