F1 2024 Part 3

[Brazilianadventure]

Continuation thread for the last race of the season.
Part 1 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/sports/4980705-f1-2004-watchalong-thread?page=10&reply=136230297
Part 2
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/sports/5103419-f1-2024-thread-2?page=10&reply=140245180

There's an interview with Horner on YouTube where he says at the time they extended Checo (and Sainz was available) that Checo had been on podiums in 4/5 races and so it seemed logical to skip Sainz

I'm not buying that from Horner.
RBR are a cut throat team and have swapped out and chopped and changed their driver line-up mid season before so I'm really surprised that they re-signed Checo without having a so called 'Get out of Jail Free' card somewhere in the contract which would mean that if he stopped performing, they would swap him out mid season.
They didn't.
They waited until the end of the season and by that stage they lost a lot of options so they really had a choice - promote from within or stick with what you know.

Anyway - the only fly in the ointment for 2025 that I can see is that MBS is going up for his role unopposed. Someone should challenge him. Anyone.

Just seeing on Threads that Liam is set to race for RBR in 2025.

Yuki must be spitting feathers!!!

I think Sainz knows full well there's nothing good for him in that seat. His best hope is that Lewis throws in the towel in a year or two and Ferrari take him back. Doing a great job at Williams in the mean time will boost his reputation, and Vowles is still close to Toto so it may give him an in at Mercedes if something opens.

Very harsh on Yuki, I don't know what more he could have done. But unless you're the rare Verstappen or Vettel, Red Bull seems a pretty painful place to be a driver.

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times - to me the RBR team is toxic. The work environment must be so tense.

When Vettel got out of the team, he was able to relax and while he might not have been winning races, he won over a hell of a lot more fans.

Just the impression the whole team gives off, to me at least.

100%

I couldn't stand Seb when he was at Red Bull, but he has mellowed and is a lovely chap now.

I hope the same happens with Verstappen, but he has a harder hill to climb given his upbringing.

Back in their earlier racing days when Sainz and Verstappen raced together, Sainz Sr and Jos Verstappen apparently didn't get on at all. I think that might also have been a factor for why Red Bull didn't want Carlos. Plus they really want a second driver who move aside for Verstappen. Liam knows he has to keep the Verstappens happy to keep that seat.

I like Liam and wish him luck, he will need it in that environment.

Hadjar will likely get the promotion from F2 into VCarb.

I'm throwing an early prediction out.

Yuki to Aston Martin when Lance gets sick of the negative press and picks a different hobby.

Agree with this, although I think with Seb it was also about career stage - once they have achieved a certain level they often relax a bit and don't feel the need to prove themselves. I think we've seen it in Hamilton, Schumacher and Max now too.

Completely agree re RB though, they treat their drivers terribly.

I think it was obvious when Yuki did the recent test in a Red Bull that they weren't that impressed, technical feedback good but nothing about his driving performance. Sainz is interesting, he comes with sponsorship money which RB are about to lose a lot of with Perez going but he never seemed to be a real option for RB - Briatore said recently that the top teams e.g Merc / RB are looking for younger hungry drivers now compared to older wealthy drivers with families.

Interesting! That could be a good shout.

I don't know how lance can keep turning up for work every day. I've quit jobs over far less embarrassing things

I think Yuki seems like a bit of a dick to be honest; I wouldn't choose him to be a good team member.

He so obviously hates it too!

He gets a bit stressy in the driving seat but by all accounts gives good technical feedback on the car and is easy to deal with outside a race weekend.

I think all the top teams (and the rest) are looking for the next Max or Lewis and are therefore looking at the next young driver to come through. This is why good but older drivers like Bottas, Perez etc. are moving on.

Sadly Sainz is just not in Max’s league but would never play 2nd driver at the moment. He would stand up to Max on and off track and RB don’t want that.

Sainz is a better fit with Williams and James Vowels has a long term plan. Just like Zac, James may be the one to get Williams back to the front. The 2026 regs and the cost cap give all the teams an opportunity and James has been planning for that since Day 1.

Sainz brings experience of McLaren and Ferrari and is hard working and strategic. He will be a valuable addition to Williams.

Bottas to Mercedes as reserve driver announced this morning, incase anyone missed it.

I'm wondering if, with Adrian Newey in their stable, if Lance doesn't improve in 2025 or 2026 with the new designs of cars, perhaps that will be the deciding factor in Daddy Stroll letting Lance pack it all in.

I actually feel somewhat sorry for Lance. It's very clear that he's trying to do the best to get his Dad's positive attention. At least that's how it is coming across to me now at this stage. If he can't perform in a Newey designed car then I think Lawrence has to wake up and stop forcing his son to compete in a sport that he only has a seat in because of him.

Adrian doesn't start work for AM until March next year so it will be interesting to see if he still can design the best car for 2026.

I know that is his starting date but is difficult if not impossible to stop Adrian thinking about the 2026 regs and cars. So whilst he may not be in 5he factory he could be on a beach drafting plans in the sand😂.

hope we get to see some testing

Happy Christmas F1ers!

Just marking my place and looking forward to the next season. I think it's going to be spicy. Love love the predictions, perhaps we can all have a go and see where next season ends up.

I watched the sky sports interview with Liam Lawson earlier and although I've been a Lewis fan for the past few years I'm quietly crossing my fingers that he does well, seems very keen and according to what he said in the interview as the RB reserve driver has been analysing every in race com from Max and all of the data they get over the race weekend. I get the impression he's tough mentally and I hope he's finally going to be earning enough to be able to buy his parents a house as he mentioned they don't own one as they sold theirs to fund his earlier career.

Prediction for 2025?

Ok here's mine:
McLaren win the constructors again, but Charles Le Clerc wins the championship, as the McLarens take points off each other.
Verstappen takes a break from racing at the end of the year.

Honestly I just want another really competitive year. Oh and Mohammed Sulyaman to lose his job!

My predictions for 2025

• Lewis will make a slow start but as he learns the Ferrari will be competitive
• Ferrari for the constructors championship
• Max and Liam to clash on track
• Oscar to beat Lando
• Kimi Antonelli to be top rookie ( not sure if Liam counts as a rookie)
• MBS loses the Presidency🙏