This frustrates me so much, this is the second driver Merc have brought in as part of their program to do nothing with. First Wherlein, he got looked over in favour of Ocon. No Ocon gets wasted by Merc. Can't help but feel nervous for Russell. This team doesn't exactly have a good track record at this point when it comes to utilising the talent they bring in
Bottas and Ocon Confirmed for 2020
- Thread starter Paul Glover
- Start date
well when you have the best car, why would you stop ?So Mercedes is basically saying that Hamilton will race beyond 2020
RasmusP
Premium
Yeah it's a bit sad to see...
On the other hand they showed that they are able to really bring in the best suiting people. Hamilton proved to be one of the best choices they've ever made, Rosberg did an amazing job beating Hamilton and although Bottas is clearly lacking some luck or skill during the races, he gives Hamilton a tough time in Qualifying and does a brilliant job for the constructors championship.
As a business, I wouldn't risk bringing in someone new who might want a bit too much, crashing the car, going in too hot with Hamilton or just disrupt the team in any way.
Worst thing to happen is Hamilton getting another wdc, better thing to happen in my opinion would be Bottas getting his wdc.
But they proved that they won't become a risk even when they are battling it out on track like in Silverstone.
Dani Ric doesn't like it when his teammates race him hard, and Ocon has a history of grinding wheels with his teammates... should make for a good show in 2020!
no offense but what do you know about that ? You are saying this (i guess) because he left Red Bull but seriously, who would want to stay as Max's teammate when you know the whole team is all about him ?
Hulk angry.. Hulk smashes
I can't and won't disagree with anything you said, but here's the harsh truth as I see it: none of this has hurt them one bit.
Mercedes F1 mission statement is probably full of some blathering about excellence and global brand ambassadors and blah blah blah, but in reality their mission statement is to win every damn thing in sight. Poles, races, drivers, and constructors championships. No one has done those things at a higher clip (2nd place isn't remotely close) than Mercedes over the last 5+ seasons.
Mercedes cares about their "young driver" prospects only to the extent that it helps them attain their goal of winning everything in sight. If one of those seats came open tomorrow, they would have their pick of the litter.
Long story longer, being in Mercedes young driver pipeline is nowhere near as sweet as a gig as it sounds on paper. You'd be much better off at a different, lower performing team that feels more incentive to take a flyer on a young guy to see what happens.
I should have been more direct, I think Ric respects a clean race. Drivers who bash their way to the front don't appear to be high on his respect list. I was actually trying to diss Ocon... I'll try harder next time!
ocon? is this the guy who crash with verstappen in brazil 2018 when max was winning the race?mercedez dont need this type of drivers.
It worked for Bottas when he was at Williams and that team was still in contention for something that actually mattered.
The problem is that unlike Ferrari and RedBull (despite the latter being a disgrace with their drivers), Mercedes don't have a successful partnership with other teams like the formers do because:
1) Williams is trash;
2) Racing Point was bought out by Stroll's father;
3) No team is affiliated with them as a "junior" like Sauber/Alfa Romeo and ToroRosso.
1) Which means that they can't really test Russell's skills against Kubica because he's not a good benchmark anymore after his accident and comeback. Perhaps in 2020 he will be paired with another driver as Kubica has already confirmed in Hungary that he won't be in F1 next year, so things could be different then, but if the car will still be trash, they will still fight for 19th and 20th. It's "easy" to judge him based on how hard he works (and it's undeniable), but there's no real challenge posed to him this year besides having struggle with a car that just won't work properly;
2) Ocon was originally pushed out of Force India because of Stroll buying the entire team for himself, with Perez bringing in yet more money they would not give out a seat for free unless they had access to factory team-spec parts which is not the case. Sure they have some parts from Mercedes like Williams, but it's still just a standard supplier-customer kind of relationship, not a partners-like one. Plus, Stroll is trash aswell so the team wouldn't dare putting him against another young/fast driver. If he's slower than an experienced driver like Massa/Perez it's understandable, but slower than someone -allegedly- on his level it would make him look bad so that's not going to happen either;
3) Mercedes have no official junior team in F1. They only have some affiliated with them in other championships like HWA (which is the ex-AMG boss team), but there's no proper ladder for Mercedes drivers from karts to F4-F3-F2-F1, so effectively they're on their own in F1, despite supplying engines to 4 cars and 2 teams. Which means that their factory drivers like Ocon have to go and race for a competitor (Renault) because they have nowhere else to put him.
RedBull have effectively 4 cars on track and can have 4 of their drivers race at the same time. Ferrari have had a partnership with Sauber/Alfa Romeo since at least the mid '90s so they too can "park" at least one of their drivers there like they've done with Leclerc and Giovinazzi (whom will most likely sacked in a year or two anyway). Mercedes on the other hand, have only 2 cars and barely room for one of their drivers, let alone a whole bunch of them all coming up to F1 at the same time.
wombat999
Premium
Sad for Nico H in one way but he could only do good at HAAS if they take him on. Good for Ocon as he is now paired with a highly rated team mate, albeit in a crap car. Mercedes and Hamilton would be really stupid to discard Bottas, he's quick and reliable enough to bring second in the (so called) constructors championship and plays nice with Hamilton. Of course Mercedes and Hamilton are going for more titles, both are the ultimate pot hunters in EffWun.
Paul Glover
I talk lots
To be fair, Max was also to blame for that incident too. Amazing that people forget this fact.
Grosjeans thought about Hulkenbergs possible Haas entry doesnt change his permanent excuse: Nothing is ever my fault.
http://www.insideracing.com/index.p...hulkenberg-line-up-but-grosjean-still-relaxed
That's what the best drivers do, they not only drive fast and win races.
Consistesy and feedback are just as import.
They also engage with the whole team to get even better results.
When Danny Ric saw that Max is taking over the whole RB team he just had to leave.
Especially after the announcement that RB wanted Max to become the youngest F1 WC ever.
Ricciardo was lacking that future managing skill and ruthlessness a bit apperantly.
Although i really like Danny as a person and as a driver, i don't think ever will become World Champion.
Now Ocon is onboard with Renault he probably thought.. oh no.. not again.
As Renault is so eager to have a Frenchmen drving a French car, becoming the first French World Champion since Alain Prost (when Dinosaurs still ruled the Earth).
He might get an idea he becomes a support driver to achieve their goal and not his own for the 2nd time.
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really? blue flags means only one thing and ocon knows it. rules are rules.
A blue flag for a backmarker trying to unlap himself for which he's allowed to according the regulations?
1. There was no blue flag at all.
2. Verstappen caused the collision, not Ocon.
3. You should learn the rules better.
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You're right.
The distinction is that Ocon was unlapping himself against the leader into turn 1 of perhaps the trickiest chicane in the calendar while he was out of the points. Yes, he's permitted to do so, but it was shortsighted. Ocon would have had better grip out of turn 2 going into a DRS zone where he could have stretched the power advantage for an easier pass.
Nope. He doesn't think like that. When he sees an opportunity, he takes his chances, and car-to-car contact is acceptable. IMO, almost every incident between Perez/Ocon was Ocon's fault because of that aforementioned approached.
Ricciardo and Ocon will butt heads next season as Ric tries to cleanly race a reckless teammate, and I'm curious to see how Daniel handles it.
Pauli Ahonen
Volante Racing
They both do look happy.
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