8376 replies to this topic

[JL14]

Tsunoda is reported to be Red Bull's official reserve driver in 2025

[Beri]

Should that be happening for whichever reason, who will join Hadjar? Lindblad?

[Stephane]

official reserve driver doesn't mean much, lots of examples.

[jals99]

Should that be happening for whichever reason, who will join Hadjar? Lindblad?

Iwasa

[Beri]

Iwasa

Underwhelming

[KWSN - DSM]

Underwhelming

 

Tsunoda, Lawson, Hadjar, Iwasa there is a pattern - They are all fine drivers, none of them are a potential World Champion, I doubt any of them would be ultimately better than Perez at the height of Perez's Red Bull career.

[Beri]

My gut feeling tells me that of the bunch, Lawson and Hadjar will become race winners. I even go as far as noting Lawson being very resilient, composed and already comes across quite mature for his age. Therefore I reckon him as being in the ballpark of the likes of Russell and Ricciardo (in his prime).
A talent that comes along and is already destined to become world champion, there are only a few. Of the past 25 years, only Raikkonen, Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel and Verstappen have fitted that bill. Coincidentally accumulating all but the Championships that were won by Rosberg, Button (both never regarded as championship material prior to their championship title) and the Schumacher/Hakkinen era. Right now, the eyed talents to fit that bill in either F2 or F1 are Antonelli and Lindblad.

[KWSN - DSM]

My gut feeling tells me that of the bunch, Lawson and Hadjar will become race winners. I even go as far as noting Lawson being very resilient, composed and already comes across quite mature for his age. Therefore I reckon him as being in the ballpark of the likes of Russell and Ricciardo (in his prime).
A talent that comes along and is already destined to become world champion, there are only a few. Of the past 25 years, only Raikkonen, Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel and Verstappen have fitted that bill. Coincidentally accumulating all but the Championships that were won by Rosberg, Button (both never regarded as championship material prior to their championship title) and the Schumacher/Hakkinen era. Right now, the eyed talents to fit that bill in either F2 or F1 are Antonelli and Lindblad.

 

I disagree with a lot there, but more on a very subjective level, so will let lie that one hanging.

[Beri]

My opinion is open for you to debate ofcourse. I am very much wondering what your subjective disagreement is in this case.

[Anderis]

Not sure I've seen anything that would suggest that Lawson could ever be anywhere close to being in the ballpark of Russell. That opinion is not justified, neither by their pre-F1 achievements, nor by anything they've shown in F1 so far.

 

On one hand you have a driver who beat his team mate 21-0 in qualifying and 16-2 in races in his rookie season, qualified a backmarker Williams in the top3 on a couple of occasions, almost won (would've won if not for things outside his control) his stand-in race for Hamilton and was immediately close to Hamilton, one of the all time greats, when paired with him in the same car. On the other hand you have a driver who failed to match Tsunoda...

[KWSN - DSM]

My opinion is open for you to debate ofcourse. I am very much wondering what your subjective disagreement is in this case.

 

Well it's you, I knee-jerk.... 

 

Hadjar will only ever be a race winner if he accidentally win like Gasly or Ocon, not based on general talent.

Lawson being in one of the top cars bound to win races can win, but only through the seat he is in, he is no better than the middle of the pack drivers who will need circumstances to win.

Lawson is clearly a level below Russel.

Lawson is clearly a level below prime Ricciardo.

Raikkonen and Vettel were not sure fire World Champions in the making.

Rosberg were not a surefire either (I hate to admit), but he was very, very obviously a very, very talented driver based on junior classes

Button was fast forwarded (like Raikkonen) we had no idea, he is still the weakest of the World Champions since 2001.

Hakkinen was at best as good as Rosberg, which is obviously very, very, very, very good.

 

Agree the next two we are told/hyped to watch are  Antonelli and Lindblad.

 

 So really only minor quibbles.... 

[messy]

Official reserve driver is pretty meaningless isn't it really, they wouldn't even be obliged to pick him if Max or Liam or Isack or Arvid or Fernando or Valtteri whoever the hell they have in their second car by then was unavailable.

[expert]

Raikkonen and Vettel were not sure fire World Champions in the making.

Rosberg were not a surefire either

For that matter, was Alonso "sure fire"?

 

I think he established his credentials pretty quickly within his first years of F1, but I think Raikkonen and Vettel probably had more buzz from year 1?

[Viryfan]

So Mercado Libre is now a sponsor from Alpine.

Franco in the A525 in 3....2.....1

[Beri]

So Mercado Libre is now a sponsor from Alpine.
Franco in the A525 in 3....2.....1

I really think Doohan is done after a couple of races.

[MortenF1]

A bit awkward when Doohan had to answer questions now, about Colapinto.
I felt sorry for him.

[Sabre1977]

Given Alpine management of drivers, I would not be surprised that unexpectedly Doohan becomes a very good F1 driver, only to lose it for contractual obligations with Colapinto.

Edited by Sabre1977, 18 February 2025 - 18:11.

[Alfisti]

I can see Doohan doing Australia then being turfed. 

[FLB]

Well, it looks like Logan Sargeant has decided to call it a career... for 2025 at least: Sargeant ‘stepping away’ from racing; cancels 2025 plans | RACER

Edited by FLB, 19 February 2025 - 01:46.

[messy]

I don't think I can overstate just how much I want Doohan to perform really well, last the season and give Alpine a massive headache.

[BRG]

A bit awkward when Doohan had to answer questions now, about Colapinto.
I felt sorry for him.

I didn't see it.  Was Colapinto there,smirking in the background?

 

Well, it looks like Logan Sargeant has decided to call it a career... for 2025 at least: Sargeant ‘stepping away’ from racing; cancels 2025 plans | RACER

A bit precious.  If he can't be in F1, he doesn't want to play at all.  

[jals99]

Given Alpine management of drivers, I would not be surprised that unexpectedly Doohan becomes a very good F1 driver, only to lose it for contractual obligations with Colapinto.

Briatore had some issues with Gasly,so in that case hopefully Pierre will be fired,not Jack

[messy]

Where's that come from? I thought Gasly was basically bulletproof at Alpine right now, especially given that his stock as a driver is currently rather higher than Alpine's as a team.

Edited by messy, 19 February 2025 - 12:39.

[Beri]

Briatore had some issues with Gasly,so in that case hopefully Pierre will be fired,not Jack

 

Because one was the revelation of the second half of 2024 and the other had luck that Bottas spun and in the process damaged Magnussen his car, else he would have been dead last as the absolute slowest driver during his only Grand Prix to date?

[KPower]

Briatore had some issues with Gasly,so in that case hopefully Pierre will be fired,not Jack

Laughable. 

[JL14]

Doohan is understood to have until around the middle of the season to use his incumbency to secure the seat for the rest of the year.

This is a result of the potential that Doohan has shown around the setbacks, the way he works with the team and the dynamic he has with Gasly.

Senior trackside figures have been impressed by the speed he has shown at various points so far this season, and even surprised at times by how close he has been to Gasly, while also appreciating the way he has worked with the engineering team.

Pressure off? Doohan handed likely Alpine F1 reprieve - The Race

[PayasYouRace]

Don’t need this in three threads. 2025 Sully season is over anyway. We’re in the actual season now. Team threads or standalone ones for big news should cover any developments.