F1 2025

[oldE]

Now Charles has more Ferrari poles than anyone except Michael.
Considering the non-dominance of Ferrari these days, that is phenomenal..

[rfuerst911sc]

Do you guys think Lewis has " lost it " ? I find it odd that after qualy he said in the interview he should be replaced . Is that frustration talking ? Or does he know he no longer has it ? Or is he buying time to get comfortable with the car/team ?

[oldE]

That's an interesting question. Certainly there's a degree of frustration, given his elimination in Q2, then watching his team mate stick his car on pole. However, just 6 short days ago, we saw Lewis drive well in mixed conditions and pick off a series of cars . Mega stuff.
I think the cars are extremely sensitive to setup. Look at AM. Last week bringing up the rear, this week they are fast. Some of the set ups seem to work for Lewis more than others, but given the requirements for different aero balance characteristics at various tracks, he can't always find the sweet spot. He's not alone. Look where Alex and Nico fell out.

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

Do you guys think Lewis has " lost it " ? I find it odd that after qualy he said in the interview he should be replaced . Is that frustration talking ? Or does he know he no longer has it ? Or is he buying time to get comfortable with the car/team ?

Yes, he's lost it. But this also falls squarely into the argument that it was always the dominate Merc and not him winning. Great driver? Yes. Best ever? Nope but newcomers to F1 think he is even though their frame of reference is only him.

Originally Posted by oldE

That's an interesting question. Certainly there's a degree of frustration, given his elimination in Q2, then watching his team mate stick his car on pole. However, just 6 short days ago, we saw Lewis drive well in mixed conditions and pick off a series of cars . Mega stuff.
I think the cars are extremely sensitive to setup. Look at AM. Last week bringing up the rear, this week they are fast. Some of the set ups seem to work for Lewis more than others, but given the requirements for different aero balance characteristics at various tracks, he can't always find the sweet spot. He's not alone. Look where Alex and Nico fell out.

Yes, but that was a brilliant strategy call. They put him on slicks before anyone else and he benefitted greatly from it.

[stealthn]

Wow that was interesting (in the end). Too bad for Charles, great for Lando, and wow did Aston ever make a comeback!

Frederic needs to do something as Hamilton is just not happy with the car or team…

[GH85Carrera]

[Reg]

Lewis was .250 behind Charles in q2. The grid is that tight now. Seems mostly everyone has maxed out and has a handle on the current formula so it’s anybody’s day on many weekends.
Replace him over that? I think Lewis needs to quit pouting and get on with it.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by oldE

Now Charles has more Ferrari poles than anyone except Michael.
Considering the non-dominance of Ferrari these days, that is phenomenal..

The problem with all those poles is they haven't translated into wins.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

I've got bored with following the top 4 teams championship battle

6th to 9th is where the action is, teams are swapping positions from the 1st of the group to last and visa versa race by race

Lots of millions at stake, all to play for

[917_Langheck]

Fred in P5, battling away with his "student," and the reluctant child in P7 bringing the team up one place in the constructors in one race; the midfield is tight indeed.

Great drive from Norris; takes a lot of confidence and control to have made that plan work.

Hammy was from day one in the top team, switched to another top team after much of the hard work had already been addressed, and now trying to do what Prost, Fred, and Seb couldn't do that Michael did - have the team listen to its driver. Hamilton has not lost it; there are just too many Giacomos in the way.

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr

I've got bored with following the top 4 teams championship battle

6th to 9th is where the action is, teams are swapping positions from the 1st of the group to last and visa versa race by race

Lots of millions at stake, all to play for

There used to be an Instagram account called "F1.5" that followed midfield action. It was pretty cool. Someone started it when Mercedes was endlessly winning. Maybe they will resurrect it since McLaren are 300 points clear of second place in constructors race.

[Deschodt]

Read somewhere that they HAD to raise tire pressures on Leclerc's last set to avoid scraping the plank past the regulations and be DQ'ed again. That is the most logical thing I've heard explaining Ferrari suddenly being nowhere after leading 2/3 of the race. Dunno if it's true though, if not, what then?

I was honestly ready to give up on Ferrari and hope Leclerc goes apply his talents anywhere else, but they did the right thing and retained Fred so, fine, let's see... Also kinda smirking thinking back to last off season when a lot of people suggested Lewis was gonna absolutely destroy Charles.. Well that didn't exactly go as they planned, eh?

[astrochex]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

Read somewhere that they HAD to raise tire pressures on Leclerc's last set to avoid scraping the plank past the regulations and be DQ'ed again. That is the most logical thing I've heard explaining Ferrari suddenly being nowhere after leading 2/3 of the race. Dunno if it's true though, if not, what then?

I was honestly ready to give up on Ferrari and hope Leclerc goes apply his talents anywhere else, but they did the right thing and retained Fred so, fine, let's see... Also kinda smirking thinking back to last off season when a lot of people suggested Lewis was gonna absolutely destroy Charles.. Well that didn't exactly go as they planned, eh?

People underestimate the challenge of adapting to a new car and team.

[917_Langheck]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

Read somewhere that they HAD to raise tire pressures on Leclerc's last set to avoid scraping the plank past the regulations and be DQ'ed again. That is the most logical thing I've heard explaining Ferrari suddenly being nowhere after leading 2/3 of the race. Dunno if it's true though, if not, what then?

That's the surmise that Mercedes had as mentioned by George Russell in the media pen. They would know almost certainly what needed to be done to have a result like that - they've all had to done so themselves or at least have had to plan for it.

[Jeff Higgins]

Lewis has never even "had it", so he certainly could not have "lost it". He has been out qualified by, and beaten on race day by, even beaten for a championship by his teammates on every team for which he has ever driven. Even Alex Albon was going to win, in Lewis's car, until the team somehow screwed up the pit stop. I still believe they did that just so as not to expose how easy it was to win in that car. No, I'm sorry, but this year Lewis is showing where he really is, and always has been as a driver.

[Rtrorkt]

was at Spa. HAM was one of the first to change from inters to slicks. Watched timing and scoring to see him turning laps 10 seconds, not .10 but 1.0 seconds faster than anyone else which is how he got from 17th to 7th. I was at both Spa and Hungaroring and it is fine that we are criticizing but when you see the skills of even the slowest you come away with a different appreciation. The difference between LEC and HAM this year has been relatively small. I am not necessary a HAM fan but not a hater. I believe part of why Ferrari has made the strides they have is HAM's knowledge and ability to verbalize what is happening with the car. Having said that, there is a gap that he needs to close

[GH85Carrera]

Lewis had the best car by a lot for many years. It made his winning easy. Now he has to drive a car that is not just leaps and bounds better than the rest of the field. He is a good driver. He almost never crashes out in practice, qualifying or the race on his own. He just stays on track.

He is no Michael Schumacher, but he is not a bad driver by any means. He is close to throwing in the towel I suspect.

[David Inc.]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Lewis has never even "had it", so he certainly could not have "lost it". He has been out qualified by, and beaten on race day by, even beaten for a championship by his teammates on every team for which he has ever driven. Even Alex Albon was going to win, in Lewis's car, until the team somehow screwed up the pit stop. I still believe they did that just so as not to expose how easy it was to win in that car. No, I'm sorry, but this year Lewis is showing where he really is, and always has been as a driver.

Obviously Lewis would not have seven championships had he not landed with Mercedes, but saying he's never "had it" is a touch hyperbolic. He's always appeared to let his feelings get to him, which isn't great, but when he's competitive he's truly wonderful. His qualifying pace has waned over time, but his race pace is still top tier.

Really I don't think you can say he never had it when he tied Alonso in his first season, and could have won '21 against Max, who probably is one of the best of all time, in a year where the RB and MB were on equal footing, or arguably the MB was less competitive. That's being competitive at the front for 14 years which is something impressive. Is he maybe overhyped? I think so, but he definitely "had it".

If he doesn't feel comfortable in the new regs, though, I think he calls it quits after '26.

Originally Posted by Rtrorkt

was at Spa. HAM was one of the first to change from inters to slicks. Watched timing and scoring to see him turning laps 10 seconds, not .10 but 1.0 seconds faster than anyone else which is how he got from 17th to 7th. I was at both Spa and Hungaroring and it is fine that we are criticizing but when you see the skills of even the slowest you come away with a different appreciation. The difference between LEC and HAM this year has been relatively small. I am not necessary a HAM fan but not a hater. I believe part of why Ferrari has made the strides they have is HAM's knowledge and ability to verbalize what is happening with the car. Having said that, there is a gap that he needs to close

He's said before he drives a lot by feel, even spurning sim time because of the lack of physical input, and is struggling to feel the cars in the ground effects generation. I'm not sure he can really close that gap.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Most F1 drivers champions had the best car

Not Hamilton fan at all, been on the stick end of many beating he's dished out, including a very painful one that cost me a $25k bonus

The guy is one of F1's all time greats, love him or hate him, no one can really cheapen/dumb down everything he's achieved

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr

Most F1 drivers champions had the best car

Not Hamilton fan at all, been on the stick end of many beating he's dished out, including a very painful one that cost me a $25k bonus

The guy is one of F1's all time greats, love him or hate him, no one can really cheapen/dumb down everything he's achieved

Hearing that does not surprise me. Not a fan either and I agree with you about the car. But you would know more about that than I.