Are you implying Lauda would have say on Aero choices or may have pushed to "cut the bull**** on the Bottom-feeder-looking no-sidepods" sooner ?

It's shocking Mercedes is struggling so much still... It's been a while. I know the pendulum swings but they've been making turds for a bit now, not just slower cars, turds... Russell must be so annoyed after waiting in the wings so long !

On the flip side I'm quite impressed McLaren was able to turn that car around so fast !
Gives me some hope for Alpine (LOL) what can I say, I like underdogs

I think Lauda'd have a say on aero AND he would have ended the no sidepod experiment way sooner. Plus, he'd maybe be able to get to the bottom of the disconnect between the CAD modeling done at the factory and the real world performance on the track.

It's going to be interesting for sure to see how Russell responds to a new teammate next season. From the outside looking in, it seems like Toto is desperately hoping a new driver can take the team back to the front.

Are we not talking Stroll ? ;-)

I mean, he completely lifted Ricciardo off the ground and ruined a comeback race for the guy (and also Piastri's). That was a safety car restart deal. a corner you need to brake for, I mean where else are you looking ?
The guy is a mystery to me, I try not to slag him too much, he did some good results like Baku and Turkey once, at times he pulls off really respectable passes. Clearly he has some talent. He also came back in serious pain from 2 wrist surgeries so he has motivation and some self belief. He could just stay home at the pool.

But.. the rest of the time ? I mean why? the mistakes, the total lack of pace vs almost any team mate... Is it because he's in the unique position of knowing his dad will get him a seat next year somehow that he's never questioning himself ? Does this lack of hunger translate into missing a little % that would make him a decent overall driver ?

Another side note (tin foil hat on). For 3 races Ricciardo is nowhere. Complains about the car doing A B or C. Gets new tub and is 1/2 a field ahead of Tsunoda, who complains almost verbatim about the same issue RIC was having... Is it possible they gave RIC a new tub, and gave Yuki Ricciardo's old tub as a blind test? Or, no new tub at all and swapped the cars ? the drivers would not know... Just having fun here but the comments make you wonder... Odd.

I've watched interviews with Stroll closely.
His smirk does not indicate someone who is
deadly serious about winning like Max.
My impression is that deep down, Strollovich Jr. resents
his father and the way he browbeats his son.
Yes, dad supports his career but you can tell that
daddy's ego will never let his kid do anything right.

the son likes racing but also hates it sometimes
and just wants to escape.

I agree on Stroll and have noticed he just doesn’t care this year. This is what happens when you get everything you want and still can’t get results.

I think his father really needs to sit down with him and see if he still wants to race in F1, if not move him aside, tough love is hard 😉

I speculated on the Lauda theory on 7 Feb coming to generally the same conclusion.

Andrea Stella has had success in another team before.

Unfortunately, no one will be giving the blue can cars any trouble until they can drop 0.4 sec/lap for an entire race. That's serious money territory.

Herta has the same wing in Indycar.

Nose.

Maybe we should give Alonso more credit vs slamming Stroll. He’s proven he has ability in a F1 car. Sure he’s got a silver (platinum) spoon and an attitude but FA is just on another level.

I think the proof is when a driver steps down a class. I know it doesn't happen in that world but what if Lance was put in an F2 car? Romain Grosjean won just about everything he raced in until he reached F1. Actually I thought he was gonna do a JP Montoya, Nigel Mansell, etc. when he got to Indycar. I think Andretti thought the same.

The point is Lance is probably a decent driver, but he's not in the best car and he's not the top gun. I like to think about things WRT Vettel. No Red Bull, no wins. I'm gonna put that one on the car.

This is Stroll commenting on the rumor that he was quitting and going to the pro tennis tour:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1713989759.jpg

I would re-write that just slightly:

Well, if I'm going to stay in F1, I'm going to need to work on my driving a little bit because I don't think I'm quite at that level yet. I mean, I like to think I'm pretty good. But I don't know if I'm ready to go up against Verstappen and Alonso just yet. :cool:

Realistically, there's NOTHING for him to work on. At the F1 level, you're beyond 'working on your driving'. It's now raw talent. You've either got it or you don't. He don't!

Newey is gone, bombshell, earthquake…..
https://www.bbc.com/sport/articles/cmm3v9ny78eo

Will be interesting to see if true . RB are saying they haven't heard anything from AN about leaving . If he does that is a bombshell no doubt.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/adrian-newey-leave-red-bull-151403191.html

The story I saw about the Newey story.

Sounds like he did not like the clown show around Horner and maybe the way the complainant was treated.

In other news, HULK signed with Audi - done deal.

Good for him. I'm a fan and felt he always had machinery not up to his abilities. I didn't want his career to end/die with Haas.

In 2017, stroll finished 12th, behind his teammate: an old,
tired and ready to retire Massa.

The next year, they brought in Sergey Sirotkin
to replace Massa.
The next year, daddy fired Esteban Ocon
so Lance could drive.
That almost cost Ocon his career in F1.
Lance finished the season with 21 points,
his teammate perez scored 52 points.

the next year (2020) Stroll scored only 75 of the team's 210 points.

In 2021, A tired Vettel scored 43 points,
while stroll scored 34.

In 2022, Vettel scored 37 and stroll scored 18.

THEN we finally get to the Alonso vs stroll
comparison in 2023:
The only year that Stroll has kept up with his teammate
was when he outscored Sirotkin in 2018 with a total of 6 points.
Not a huge accomplishment in the grand scheme of things.

It's been suggested we're picking on stroll and it's not fair
to compare him to Alonso.
But stroll has been spanked by almost ALL of his teammates,
in every year but one. Barely.

I say it's an injustice for Stroll to occupy an F1 seat undeservedly,
when so many other talented drivers are dreaming of the chance
to prove they are faster than him but are locked out.

It's not personal against Lance, I feel sorry for him.
His father is an egomaniacal tyrant.

But I believe it's not right or fair to have someone like him
or Ricciardo being F1 squatters.
There just are not enough seats available to let some of them
go to waste.

We've already discussed Sargeant's pay to play scam,
so I guess Magnusson is next ;)

PS, I'm a Hulk fan, Good on him.

And now it's official , Hulk is leaving Haas after this year .

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/team-statement-0

The most famous helmet in F1 history? Crazy that this is still around. $50-60K estimate.

niki-laudas-1976-german-grand-prix-helmet-by-agv

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1714392794.jpg

If this report is accurate they claim Adrian Newey has formally turned in his resignation letter .

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1047681/1/adrian-newey-submits-resignation-red-bull-f1-exit-nears

There has been so much BS in the press about this lately I won't believe it until I see him wearing a Ferrari shirt.

If he’s 65 now and has a ‘gardening leave’ you have to wonder if he will bother.

I wish Penske would get him to build the new Indy car. Full circle.

He’ll either go to Ferrari or take a year off and join Audi next year - Bob James Apr 2024 ��

I like this idea a lot.

As for the Newey situation, wow! Who could have predicted the flux at Red Bull?

2025 F1 should be a fascinating year. Hamilton at Ferrari, RB without Newey, and who knows what else might happen?

All this drama will get me to watch DTS.

It's official Newey leaving the team early 2025 .

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/red-bull-chief-techical-officer-111241921.html

Official he's leaving but not wear he's landing.

Although he was seen driving a new red car today.

On a non newey topic (won't matter much until 2026 unfortunately) here's a teaser of the Ferrari livery for Miami

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1714577516.jpg

This is looking bad for Horner, losing Newey and him being available to work elsewhere from march 2025 onwards, yikes... It may not be felt for a couple years at RB so Max may stay put and wait (they could probably coast on the current car and still be faster next year, but 2026 is another story).

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1714578813.jpg

better pic

Supposedly a few days ago Adrian Neweys wife was seen in Maranello house shopping . Is that true ? Who knows . But according to this article Ferrari team principal has started negotiations with AN . Is it true ? Time will tell 😁 .

Fred Vasseur enters talks with Adrian Newey https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/01/f1-news-fred-vasseur-enters-talks-with-adrian-newey/

I don't think AN can start working for anyone in 2025 . They have stated he will leave early 2025 . But I have to think a one year " gardening leave " kicks in maybe longer . Of course anything can change with the right amount of $$$$$ .

Wow, that livery is extremely disappointing :mad: They were playing it up like they were going to do the blue & white livery from the 1962 USGP!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1714585384.jpg

Lots of reporting this afternoon that AN will have no gardening leave.

Yeah it looks like AN has a very good lawyer . This article says his lawyer has worked a deal to eliminate the gardening leave contractual requirement .

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1047708/1/no-gardening-leave-means-free-agent-adrian-newey-can-join-rival-f1-team-2025

Well done, Mr. Newey.

Looks like next year will be a lot more interesting than this year…

What I read on Planet F1 was that his tenure within the F1 team has basically come to an end and the rest of this year through mid-2025 will be his Gardening Leave.

A quote from the article: "While Newey will be seen at a few Grands Prix this season, including the Miami Grand Prix this weekend, his time at the F1 team, for all intents and purposes, has already come to an end as the next 12 months serve as his ‘gardening leave’ and set him up for freedom by mid-2025."

Mario takes the fight for an F1 team to D.C.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1714686548.jpg