834 replies to this topic

[Sterzo]

There's always these stories about drivers being "in talks" and then it turns out there was no serious interest.

I'd guess everybody talks to everybody, so they know what opportunities are about and who might be mobile.
 

[BoDarvelle]

Russell will need a seat when Max slides over to Merc. 

 

Only kind of joking.

[MikeTekRacing]

RB would have a seat then

[Myrvold]

2011 to 2020 he raced in cars at best mid field, won a race, 9 podiums - Better than most manage in a mid grid car

And the others on the list. Räikkönen, Alonso, Leclerc, Rosberg, Verstappen, Sainz, Norris, Russel, Massa, Button, Vettel, Bottas Webber & Hülk didn't race in all of the seasons - so the overall points is a bad measurment.

 

Not sure I would say that very many of the others on the list had more than 4 seasons in title winning cars in those years either - especially not of the ones below Perez. And the 2020 Racing Point was not a bad car at all. Stroll missed one race (which percentage-wise is a bigger part of the season than any other year he has done), but it is still his 2nd best season when it comes to overall standing, and results-wise, probably his best.
 

The idea that Perez went from 4th, 3rd, 2nd in the WDC suddenly losing all talent is borderline ridiculous, he is a very, very good driver and the perfect seasoned driver for Cadillac for many reasons, first and foremost how good he is.

Damon Hill 1999.
Arguably Vettel 2020.

 

It happens.

[MikeTekRacing]

And the others on the list. Räikkönen, Alonso, Leclerc, Rosberg, Verstappen, Sainz, Norris, Russel, Massa, Button, Vettel, Bottas Webber & Hülk didn't race in all of the seasons - so the overall points is a bad measurment.

 

Not sure I would say that very many of the others on the list had more than 4 seasons in title winning cars in those years either - especially not of the ones below Perez. And the 2020 Racing Point was not a bad car at all. Stroll missed one race (which percentage-wise is a bigger part of the season than any other year he has done), but it is still his 2nd best season when it comes to overall standing, and results-wise, probably his best.
 

Damon Hill 1999.
Arguably Vettel 2020.

 

It happens.

his most impressive season is his second one. 
The Malaysia race were he raced Alonso for the win was incredible. he finished 2nd on that day. Coupled with some 2 other strong podiums (I think, at least one in Monza). 

there is a lot about how bad his 2024 was - but we are seeing now how well his replacements are doing. Kind of the same kind of lows, so far. 

[H0R]

Can we please stop with these never ending driver careers? I am all fed up with Hülkenberg, Hamilton, Alonso et al.blocking seats and would love to see some fresh blood for a change.

[Myrvold]

Can we please stop with these never ending driver careers? I am all fed up with Hülkenberg, Hamilton, Alonso et al.blocking seats and would love to see some fresh blood for a change.

 

Isn't 5.5 new drivers enough?

[Joseki]

Can we please stop with these never ending driver careers? I am all fed up with Hülkenberg, Hamilton, Alonso et al.blocking seats and would love to see some fresh blood for a change.

 

Why do you want to lower the level of the grid by retiring drivers still better than half the grid for some F2 journeymen that will be booted by F1 in 1-2 years?

[MikeTekRacing]

Can we please stop with these never ending driver careers? I am all fed up with Hülkenberg, Hamilton, Alonso et al.blocking seats and would love to see some fresh blood for a change.

don't we have enough new drivers this year? 

How much new blood do you want? Norris and Russel are already "old blood". Is Piastri old blood?

We have Bearman, Antonelli, Lawson, Hadjar, Bortoleto, Doohan as full drivers and none had a complete season before. 3 of them never had a race before this season

Edited by MikeTekRacing, 01 May 2025 - 21:25.

[kumo7]

Perez-Zhou for Chadillac? sensible, but boring especially China. why not an American?

[MikeTekRacing]

I'd also pick a development driver paired with an experienced one.

I am biased towards Checo, but any of Bottas or Perez paired with a junior driver makes more sense. 

Checo has a lot of support in the US (anyone that attended F1 US races can say how much support he had) and that is marketable towards that audience. Obviously Mexic too...

I am underwhelmed by Zhou - other than the Chinese market. 

[kumo7]

I'd also pick a development driver paired with an experienced one.
I am biased towards Checo, but any of Bottas or Perez paired with a junior driver makes more sense.
Checo has a lot of support in the US (anyone that attended F1 US races can say how much support he had) and that is marketable towards that audience. Obviously Mexic too...
I am underwhelmed by Zhou - other than the Chinese market.

the numbers talks, i see logic to go for Perez-Bottas. it will take the most points.

Edited by kumo7, Yesterday, 00:43.

[MikeTekRacing]

true, and especially at the beginning, the drivers would clearly be the most competitive and stable part of the whole operation.

[kumo7]

true, and especially at the beginning, the drivers would clearly be the most competitive and stable part of the whole operation.

 

If so, what then is the reason not to? 

[MikeTekRacing]

PR? Wanting an American driver.
Perez is though more popular in the US than possible US drivers they have

Edited by MikeTekRacing, Yesterday, 02:45.

[kumo7]

I think Perez is great. More about Bottas, I suspect, especially the preconception about this man in the USA. I think Americans do not understand Bottas. 

[Bleu]

Zhou would be as underwhelming pick for a driver as Gutierrez was for Haas in 2016.

[Viryfan]

Zhou is managed by Lowndon hence the logic.

[onewingedangel]

Zhou is managed by Lowndon hence the logic.

Lowden never struck me as the Briatore type.

[KWSN - DSM]

I think Perez is great. More about Bottas, I suspect, especially the preconception about this man in the USA. I think Americans do not understand Bottas. 

 

I do not understand Bottas (though technically I am actually be an American).

[absinthedude]

Zhou would be as underwhelming pick for a driver as Gutierrez was for Haas in 2016.

 

Nah. Zhou is way better than Gutierrez ever was. not that Zhou is a future race winner, but he's got some speed and has a few good results behind him. Gutierrez never really showed promise in his one year with Sauber and was definitely an unexciting choice for Haas.

 

Sure, I think Perez/Bottas would be the best on paper and Perez/Herta might be more exciting or interesting but Perez/Zhou makes sense with all factors considered.

[baddog]

No-one is hiring Perez AND Bottas. 

 

To misquote a donkey.. the position of annoying experienced journeyman driver is already taken.

[kumo7]

No-one is hiring Perez AND Bottas. 

 

To misquote a donkey.. the position of annoying experienced journeyman driver is already taken.

 

Well, if you do think that the first several years could be underwhelming, then having both Perez and Bottas must be the one to aim at. 

Perhaps someone else is trying a similar approach,... but then who...?

[KWSN - DSM]

If Cadillac use Perez as 'the American' driver they can dip into the pool of younger upcoming drivers, there must be some F2 or F3 drivers interesting enough to give them a try? Unless they can get Palou in which case he is a slam dunk.

 

I do not think Palou is better than the midfield in F1, but would like to see myself proven right or wrong. 

[Nemo1965]

It is interesting about new teams that even IF they could hire a Max or a Leclerc, they'd probably be not better off than if they hired a driver just a level lower. I have this thesis that the good but not brilliant drivers are usually better test and development drivers than the aliens - who just deal with whatever they were given. Ronnie Peterson over one lap was faster than Andretti - but not a good development-driver (and he went through tires much faster than Mario). Hakkinen was faster than Coulthard - Mika specifically did not like testing. Coulthard was also very important, I think, being there in the rise of Red Bull. Not so much by results, but just his knowledge of things were done at McLaren - or not done.

 

EDIT:

Totally random, but checking spelling of Ronnie's last name, I stumbled on this great piece about Monza 1978:

 

https://www.ramp.spa...arbro-peterson/

Edited by Nemo1965, Yesterday, 09:01.

[P123]

Sergio is unfortunately further over the hill than even Danny Ric was.  Not the intended signing of a team looking to make a positive impression. 

[IrvTheSwerve]

I can understand the groans, but a Perez-Bottas line-up for Cadillac would be an extremely strong one for a team just entering the sport. Two very experienced race-winners that have finished 2nd in the WDC and won the WCC. They are both 'only' 35 years old, so they have a couple of years left in them and could develop the car nicely.

 

It would be sort of like a better version of Toyota entering with McNish and Salo.

[r4mses]

I can't see that much PR value, if your mid tier US driver is deadlast in a (at best) mid tier car.

[Anja]

I can understand the groans, but a Perez-Bottas line-up for Cadillac would be an extremely strong one for a team just entering the sport. Two very experienced race-winners that have finished 2nd in the WDC and won the WCC. They are both 'only' 35 years old, so they have a couple of years left in them and could develop the car nicely.

 

It would be sort of like a better version of Toyota entering with McNish and Salo.

 

Or Kovalainen and Trulli in the Lotus...

[Sterzo]

I can understand the groans, but a Perez-Bottas line-up for Cadillac would be an extremely strong one for a team just entering the sport. Two very experienced race-winners that have finished 2nd in the WDC and won the WCC. They are both 'only' 35 years old, so they have a couple of years left in them and could develop the car nicely.

 

It would be sort of like a better version of Toyota entering with McNish and Salo.

I think you're right, with the proviso that Perez apparently (and we don't know for certain) struggled to give the effective feedback to Red Bull which might have rescued his career there.

 

As an aside, I scratch my head every time someone cites "marketing" or "American" as a reason for employing a driver. For a no-hoper team perhaps, but if Cadillac have real ambition they want the best available drivers.

[pdac]

Mexicans won't want anything to do with America once Trump reinstates his tariffs on their country.

[BoDarvelle]

If Cadillac use Perez as 'the American' driver 

 

Would go over like a fart in church.

[KWSN - DSM]

Would go over like a fart in church.

 

Citizen of a county in North America, not citizen of the United States of America.

[loki]

Mexicans won't want anything to do with America once Trump reinstates his tariffs on their country.

Mexican Escalades are already made down there for that market.  CTS are already made in China.  The financial effects of the tariffs won’t be found on those cars.

[MikeTekRacing]

Would go over like a fart in church.

There are A LOT of mexicans living in the US. Support in US races was crazy.
he is more american than Palou is (born in Spain)