2021 Motorsports Thread

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I think there's an argument he's the the 3rd best driver this season considering how much he's squeezed out of his car. Fact he's sitting at 8th - with one podium finish - in a freakin' AlphaTauri is a minor miracle. The guy's ahead of three former world champions and a McLaren driver.

He's been my favorite driver since being called up to RBR, (deservedly) getting sent back to AT, then grabbing the insane win in Monza.

Here's the problem for Gasly. He's 25 and all the prime seats are already locked in. F1 drivers are typically heading down the back side of their career by 35. No 40+ year old has won the F1 championship in my lifetime. If you're a 7-time champion when you hit 35+ (like Hamilton and Schumacher), you may get signed to another contract with a top-three team. If you only have one, Ferrari is probably letting you go (see Kimi Raikkonen). So, Gasly has, optimistically, ~10 years left in F1.

He's under contract with Red Bull through 2023. Let's say they make him the #2 on the flagship team behind Max. Max is two years younger, and Max isn't yielding his alpha dog status. Hamilton, then Russell, will have Mercedes locked down. And Leclerc will have Ferrari locked down. Let's face it. Those three teams are the only ones that will realistically be challenging for championships in the next ten years. McLaren could maybe enter the conversation at some point, but there you have Norris, who is only 21.

If any name beside those I just mentioned above (Hamilton, Verstappen, Russell, Leclerc, Norris) win a championship in the next ten seasons (barring a serious injury/death/health concern or a major team pulling out, as Mercedes has been rumored from time to time), I would be really amazed.

I don't see Gasly getting a spot with a top team, but I can see a team like McLaren taking a chance if he keeps it up.

Next season will be a huge change in Formula 1, so I also want to see how it plays out with the cap and new rules.

[93henfan]

The cap is already in place, and hasn't made a bit of difference. There are so many budget exemptions in the cap that the top three are still way outspending everyone else. That being said, Ferrari is exhibit A that spending more than everyone else doesn't necessarily equal championships.

I think the new platform in 2022 will benefit Mercedes the most. They have shown that they can conquer new technology the fastest since the hybrid era began. Even their cheats are ingenious!

[SDHornet]

I'll post this here - I think Pierre Gasly is coming into his own. Already he's 1 or 2 races from earning more points than last season, his avg podium this year is P7, or mid-grid, which is where they ended 2020. I'm not sure what his deal was with RedBull but at AT, I feel he's only a season or 2 away from getting to a different team and being really competitive.

Checo was re-upped for another year. But agree that Gasly is coming into his own. I think he takes 2nd seat with Max if Checo keep fucking up.

[SDHornet]

I think there's an argument he's the the 3rd best driver this season considering how much he's squeezed out of his car. Fact he's sitting at 8th - with one podium finish - in a freakin' AlphaTauri is a minor miracle. The guy's ahead of three former world champions and a McLaren driver.

He's been my favorite driver since being called up to RBR, (deservedly) getting sent back to AT, then grabbing the insane win in Monza.

Here's the problem for Gasly. He's 25 and all the prime seats are already locked in. F1 drivers are typically heading down the back side of their career by 35. No 40+ year old has won the F1 championship in my lifetime. If you're a 7-time champion when you hit 35+ (like Hamilton and Schumacher), you may get signed to another contract with a top-three team. If you only have one, Ferrari is probably letting you go (see Kimi Raikkonen). So, Gasly has, optimistically, ~10 years left in F1.

He's under contract with Red Bull through 2023. Let's say they make him the #2 on the flagship team behind Max. Max is two years younger, and Max isn't yielding his alpha dog status. Hamilton, then Russell, will have Mercedes locked down. And Leclerc will have Ferrari locked down. Let's face it. Those three teams are the only ones that will realistically be challenging for championships in the next ten years. McLaren could maybe enter the conversation at some point, but there you have Norris, who is only 21.

If any name beside those I just mentioned above (Hamilton, Verstappen, Russell, Leclerc, Norris) win a championship in the next ten seasons (barring a serious injury/death/health concern or a major team pulling out, as Mercedes has been rumored from time to time), I would be really amazed.

I don't think of Gasly as someone who will be the prime driver on a top team.

If he thinks he is one then that's another discussion.

[Ibanez]

I'll post this here - I think Pierre Gasly is coming into his own. Already he's 1 or 2 races from earning more points than last season, his avg podium this year is P7, or mid-grid, which is where they ended 2020. I'm not sure what his deal was with RedBull but at AT, I feel he's only a season or 2 away from getting to a different team and being really competitive.

Checo was re-upped for another year. But agree that Gasly is coming into his own. I think he takes 2nd seat with Max if Checo keep fucking up.

I can see that. Checo needs to watch his 6.



BTW - even those we disagree on COVID - it's things like that that matter more.

[Ibanez]

Alex Albon to Williams....i'm not sold on this guy.

[93henfan]

Not following NASCAR anymore

[SDHornet]

Alex Albon to Williams....i'm not sold on this guy.

Same here, but it's Williams so maybe they got him on the cheap.

[93henfan]

Mercedes with much better pace than Red Bull in qualifying at Monza.

Bottas on the pole for the sprint race tomorrow, but will have to go to the back of the field for the main race on Sunday due to power unit change.

The start of the sprint race is must-see TV with Max (a better starter) just behind Lewis, and Monza having the coolest post-start chicane in F1. Might get to see some more bumper cars.

[93henfan]

Hamilton continues his career-long habit of botching the start and gives up three positions before the first turn to finish 5th in the sprint. With Bottas relegated to the rear due to power unit switch and two McLarens as buffer to Hamilton, tomorrow should be another cakewalk for Verstappen.

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Great race so far.

And Bottas is murdering the field right now, going from 19th to 8th in 22 (of 53) laps.

edit: ooof, Verstappen goes from 2nd to 10th with a bad pit stop.

[∞∞∞]

Bahahahahaha, Max and Hamilton take each other out!

This race is amazing.

McLaren 1-2 is a real possibility now, although Bottas is looking dangerous.

edit: replay shows halo saved Hamilton from having Max's car land on his head.

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Races are so much more fun without Hamilton and Verstappen.

[93henfan]

Races are so much more fun without Hamilton and Verstappen.

The Special Olympics can be entertaining. Sometimes you have to let the tards feel like they're like everyone else. Throw McLaren a bone. They've participated excitedly for many years. They deserve a medal once in awhile.

Blame for the incident is shared somewhat, though I'd place it 60/40 on Max. You just can't drive onto the sausage curb and re-enter at the apex of the left. Derp. Granted, Lewis covered him coming out of the pits, and only at about 90% of racing speed. But, Max has to learn patience at some point. He has none. He deserves a grid penalty in Sochi.

PS. Good thing for halos. Lewis would have gotten a haircut by Max's right rear tire.

[∞∞∞]

Max is a hothead for sure. I'd say 60/40 blame is about right on that one though.

But man, what a great season so far.

[93henfan]

Max is a hothead for sure. I'd say 60/40 blame is about right on that one though.

But man, what a great season so far.

Btw, I edited my post to say I think Max deserves a grid penalty in Sochi. Lewis got a penalty at Silverstone on a 60/40 situation, so fair is fair.

[93henfan]

Three grid place penalty for Max. Pretty light, but I'll take it.

[SDHornet]

Fun race to watch. So far every sprint qualifier ends up in a Hamilton crashing Max in the race. Wonder if that will carry through for the year.

[93henfan]

Fun race to watch. So far every sprint qualifier ends up in a Hamilton crashing Max in the race. Wonder if that will carry through for the year.

Both the Silverstone and Monza crashes were a culmination of some level of blame attributable to each driver. At Silverstone it was more on Hamilton, because he was behind, and at Monza it was more on Verstappen, because he was behind. Hamilton had backed out on Verstappen earlier in the race under similar circumstances. Yet, when it was Curious George's turn to be patient, he barreled into Hamilton, when the right thing to do was cut behind the sausage curb, fall in line, and pass Hamilton a few seconds later. But that would require patience that most children don't have.

The way Hamilton (shitty) and Verstappen (usually excellent, wtf yesterday) typically start a race, three grid places is nothing. Verstappen could be ahead of Hamilton by the first turn in Sochi. Hamilton's 10 second penalty at Silverstone was more significant, IMHO, but then again, so was the fact that Verstappen ate a tire barrier.

[Ibanez]

Fun race to watch. So far every sprint qualifier ends up in a Hamilton crashing Max in the race. Wonder if that will carry through for the year.

Both the Silverstone and Monza crashes were a culmination of some level of blame attributable to each driver. At Silverstone it was more on Hamilton, because he was behind, and at Monza it was more on Verstappen, because he was behind. Hamilton had backed out on Verstappen earlier in the race under similar circumstances. Yet, when it was Curious George's turn to be patient, he barreled into Hamilton, when the right thing to do was cut behind the sausage curb, fall in line, and pass Hamilton a few seconds later. But that would require patience that most children don't have.

The way Hamilton (shitty) and Verstappen (usually excellent, wtf yesterday) typically start a race, three grid places is nothing. Verstappen could be ahead of Hamilton by the first turn in Sochi. Hamilton's 10 second penalty at Silverstone was more significant, IMHO, but then again, so was the fact that Verstappen ate a tire barrier.

I thought the same abut Max's start. I don't know if he did but Max and Hamilton usually start in 2nd gear when they're behind. Either way -it was good to see that goofball Danny Ric win

[93henfan]

Either way -it was good to see that goofball Danny Ric win

Yeah, it's a shame he was at Red Bull when they were in a lull. He's an incredibly likable dude. I'm glad I got to see him do a shooey in person (with Patrick Stewart no less!) in Montreal in 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGV0lAgr4so

[Ibanez]

Either way -it was good to see that goofball Danny Ric win

Yeah, it's a shame he was at Red Bull when they were in a lull. He's an incredibly likable dude. I'm glad I got to see him do a shooey in person (with Patrick Stewart no less!) in Montreal in 2017.

My wife watching with me and laughed when in the interview he asked if he could swear.

[SDHornet]

Either way -it was good to see that goofball Danny Ric win

Yeah, it's a shame he was at Red Bull when they were in a lull. He's an incredibly likable dude. I'm glad I got to see him do a shooey in person (with Patrick Stewart no less!) in Montreal in 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGV0lAgr4so

[SDHornet]

Good breakdown of the Max-Hamilton crash:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_J-sfngex4

[93henfan]

Good breakdown of the Max-Hamilton crash:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_J-sfngex4

Yeah. Same guy concluded that the wreck at Silverstone was not Hamilton's fault.

Full disclosure: I didn't watch the video past the 5 seconds of realizing it was the same guy. Let me guess. He says it's a "racing incident." He's not much on sticking his neck out on blame.

And let's face it: Hamilton caused the Silverstone wreck and Verstappen caused the Monza wreck if you're being honest with yourself. Eyes don't lie. And if you're a Verstappen fan or a Hamilton hater or both, Max took the brunt of the points pain at Silverstone, it was a wash at Monza, and Bottas wrecked Max at Hungary, so your pussy is sore, and you want to lash out.