Thanks for this, never realized that there were so MANY people involved.

Aston Evolution !

I doubt Bottas' seat at MB is at risk because he is doing his job just fine and the result is what MB wants.

The team wants a fast 2nd driver, fast enough to bags enough points for the CC but not fast enough to setup a head-to-head with its 1st driver.

There's no need a repeat of the past, and Bottas is doing exactly what MB wants.

If they promote Russell then it will screw up the whole dynamics within the team and it will turn out very bad.

The most interesting thing will be the contract of Hamilton, this year MB only offered him a single year extension, which means 1) MB feels they are paying too much to Hamilton 2) Hamilton's voice and influence is getting too big within the team

Last week Toto Wolff said they want a 3 years contract with Hamilton, I feel that "3 years" is what Toto wants (for the best for the team) but it might not be the case in the MB board as they might think a highly talented but less expensive (such as Russell) driver can do the job.

Russell has ego and anger issues. Has tossed points away for Wiliams 2 times. Has never scored a point for Williams. I hire Norris any day over Russell.

He has more to learn and has not learned all that much at Williams. There are choices equal or better than Russell.

it is true but Russell actually is from MB and this season is the last of the 3 years loan term to Williams.

Norris is tied with McLaren, and Russell is technically available at anytime.

With Hamilton's contract is expiring at the end of this season, I believe MB is exploring what options do they have besides getting tied up Hamilton.

I think Bottas is doing okay I don't think his job is on the line yet. Also Toto owns Russell and Hamilton. Toto is also part owner of F1. MB will done if they loose Toto and Hamilton. There are a lot of moving parts. I would take Norris any day over Russell. Not that big a fan. I would even take Ocon but MB let him go. I do believe that if Hamilton goes so does Bottas. They will clean house. Who knows, in recent years there has been talk of MB dropping out of F1. It is fun to speculate as who could have predicted all the driver changes this year. Big winners Grosan and Magnuson! LOL

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Bottas is doing fine as a wingman and should be happy with that designation. Ego is in the way of acceptance. Lewis will snd should keep going which sucks for everyone else on the grid.

Mercedes looking further than just Russell and Max --

https://www.planetf1.com/news/merced...young-drivers/

More fun!

more interesting is what happens to Russell, if he does not land with MB for next year.
who option is it at Williams, for him to stay there?
Russell to Aston Martin -- hmmm, probably not...
not to McLaren either....

Yes, he has his moments, but we all did when we were young. (23 is still young).

Ocon, don't think he'll go back to MB...

NOT F1 Related
Romain Grosjean took pole position for the indy road race this weekend

As he should LMAO!

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Russell is in tough spot. Being in a back marker car and trying to get noticed. There are equally good young drivers out there his age and younger. Gasley and don't kick me in the nuts but even Stroll gets the job done! Schumacher is is improving steadily and is showing some good race craft.

Just putting it out there for chits and giggles, do you think Lance Stoll would leave Austin Martin to go MB? To be honest his driving style is a lot like Bottas IMHO, not very flashy but effective.

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Speaking of nuts. Daddy Stroll has junior's nuts in a jar. He'$ nut going anywhere. TW would take GR before junior.

I think Toto supports Russell but also letting him know his placement or seat at Mercedes in the future is not a certainty. There are lots of good drivers to choose from. Toto is not in a hurry now as LH says he wants a multi-year deal.

Toto can choose the replacement for Bottas if there is one, no driver turns him down and Id take Norris. All the positives of George and so far none of the garbage George shows.

He is so much like Vettel - immediate blame rather than not talking etc. Poor headwork and he is not at all a rookie now. I actually think he did some damage no matter what he says. He is not a rookie anymore. I do not sense a good team leader either.

Norris is maturing so quickly and with such savvy for his age. Equally as fast. I see him as equal to Charles in fact.

Toto see's how well he is doing vs Ricci at Mclaren. Norris has done well in the team and comes out, or across as actually leading the team a bit now.

Monaco next weekend! :)

Mclaren in a special Gulf Oil livery for this race!

What Monaco GP clues can we get from Spain's Sector 3 data
By: Jonathan Noble
May 17, 2021, 4:52 AM

TThe unique tight and twisty nature of Formula 1's Monaco Grand Prix often makes it a pretty tricky track to try to predict form.

It requires the maximum amount of downforce, a well-handing chassis, excellent traction and being good on the brakes.

And, whereas at other tracks, aero efficiency can be the name of the game as teams trim out downforce levels, at Monaco that does not matter. Power too isn't critical.

All these factors mean the competitive order can be very different at Monaco compared to other venues, which adds another layer of intrigue for F1's blue riband event.

But each year, there is one clue offered about how things are going to shape up.

It's the performance of cars through Sector 3 at the Barcelona circuit, for the low speed sequence of bends and the tight chicane pretty much mirror the demands of the streets of Monaco.

If you are quick through Sector 3 in Spain, then that's normally a pretty good sign.


So how did things stack up at the recent Spanish GP? Here's the fastest Sector 3 times for each car in qualifying.

1. Red Bull 26.295s
2. Mercedes 26.400s
3. Ferrari 26.580s
4. Alpine 26.632s
5. McLaren 26.782s
6. AlphaTauri 26.827s
7. Aston Martin 26.923s
8. Williams 27.131s
9. Alfa Romeo 27.164s
10. Haas 27.311s

For Red Bull, after two races where it has lost out to Mercedes, the prospects look good with its car the fastest through S3.

Sergio Perez is certainly bullish about what could be on the cards for the RB16B around the streets of Monte Carlo.

"I'm looking forward massively to Monaco, especially with this car," said the Mexican. "I think we have a shot of winning the race."



Mercedes also thinks that things are tipped in Red Bull's favour, especially as it appears its Milton Keynes rival has a downforce advantage.

Trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin said: "On paper, I would probably say it would suit Red Bull more than us.

"We've been running our max downforce wing and we saw it on their car on Friday [in Spain] but they didn't race it there, so they can put a bit more downforce on. So on paper, it's probably for them."

The fight behind the top two also looks intriguing, with early season 'best of the rest' contender McLaren not appearing as comfortable in the low speed sector as Ferrari and Alpine.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr reckons it was certainly a good boost for the Maranello team that they looked so strong in S3.

"Obviously having good downforce in the last sector gives you a good feeling and it puts you in a good state of mind going to Monaco because, for sure, you prefer to be quick in sector three in Barcelona," he said.

"But at the same time, Monaco then has a lot of specifics with car set-up, and tyre preparation for qualifying. The cars are so different in Monaco that it could change a bit the picture."


McLaren certainly thinks the picture is not defined, and believes that there is scope for the competitive picture to change once the downforce is whacked on this weekend.

Lando Norris said: "The big difference between Monaco and sector three in Spain is obviously we run the set-up very different in Spain.

"It's a lot more focused to sector one and sector two, with the high speed turns. And it is quite the opposite in Monaco where there is a lot more low speed. We also run a lot softer the whole car because of the bumps and everything like that.

"I think the whole characteristic of the car is to change a lot. So it's quite an unexplored territory for this car and so on."

The other ultimate truth of Monaco is that it's a weekend where drivers being error free, not hitting traffic in qualifying, a well timed safety car and not being hit by bad luck can often be just as important in the fight for wins as having a good car.

As Shovlin says: "Even if you go there with the best car and you've got a great package, it's still an awfully difficult race to win."

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/wh...-data/6510251/

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/br...time-/6510296/

Brown: Hamilton and Verstappen crash is a "matter of time"
By:
Jonathan Noble
May 17, 2021, 6:50 AM
McLaren CEO Zak Brown thinks it is only a matter of time before Formula 1 title rivals Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen clash on track.
Brown: Hamilton and Verstappen crash is a "matter of time"

Hamilton and Verstappen are locked in a tight battle for the world championship and, despite having overtaken each other at every race this season, they have managed to keep things clean so far.

But Brown thinks that the intensity of their rivalry makes it inevitable that at some point there will be a controversial coming together between them.

“I think rivalries are great for the sport and having those two guys go at it is good,” said Brown, speaking at the launch of McLaren’s Gulf livery for the Monaco Grand Prix.

“Hopefully, at some point over the course a year, that creates an opportunity for us, because I think it is just a matter of time until they both are determined to not let up in to Turn 1 and neither come out.”

Brown thinks that the head-to-head between Hamilton and Verstappen is a huge positive for F1, and has helped the sport see the best of both drivers.

PLUS: How long can F1 2021's brewing title battle stay clean?

“I think it's great for F1,” said Brown. “Lewis has had a pretty easy ride out, apart from his one year with Nico [Rosberg].

“So I think it's a great rivalry. I think Max has gotten Lewis to step up, not that he's needed much stepping up. But he's definitely on his A game.

“I think it's clear that Lewis is a very smart driver. You can just see him sitting there waiting to strike and isn't kind of over eager. I think that's his experience coming through.”

McLaren driver Lando Norris says the close battles between Hamilton and Verstappen have been fun to watch – and offer an interesting view in to the different approaches from both drivers.

“Max goes for those opportunities, like Turn 1 [in Spain],” said Norris. “It was quite a risky thing.

“If Lewis had turned in, they would have crashed. So Max was pretty committed with his move. But they are the opportunities Max needs to take at this stage because they [Red Bull] are a bit slower.

“But it's also what makes it fun, because then Lewis has to come back through and try to get past him. So it's fun.”

:iagree::iagree: It's going to happen. It's just a matter of time. :ugh2:

Mclaren team poster Monaco 2021 and 71 Mclaren car in race.

Ferrari Monaco 2021 poster

Setting up for the race!

All set up! Remember Practice in Monaco is on a Thursday for Prac 1 and 2.

--Lando Norris has committed his future to McLaren by signing a new multi-year contract extension with the Formula 1 team.--

Norris, 21, made his F1 debut with McLaren in 2019, and has since scored two podium finishes for the team, the most recent coming at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in April.

The British youngster’s McLaren contract was due to expire at the end of the year, but the team announced on Wednesday ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix that a new multi-year deal had been secured.

The deal will see Norris remain with McLaren for “2022 and beyond”, firming up the team’s line-up for the next two seasons.

Norris was joined by seven-time grand prix winner Daniel Ricciardo for the 2021 season, with the Australian’s contract running to the end of the 2023 campaign.

“I’m really pleased to have extended my relationship with McLaren from 2022,” said Norris. “Having been with the team for almost five years, I feel very much part of the family here and I couldn’t imagine starting the next phase of my career anywhere else. McLaren has been a huge support since my days in junior series and I’ve really enjoyed learning and developing as a driver since.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/no...laren/6511221/

Now, all they need is to keep the company alive that long. No small feat.
Oh, and keep up the development of the car.
2022 is going to be a whole new ball game. I hope!

Wolff: F1 risks protests with "half-baked" flexi-wing tweak
By:
Jonathan Noble
May 20, 2021, 8:31 AM
Formula 1 is at risk of a messy protest situation at the Baku Grand Prix over the ‘half-baked’ delay in imposing new flexi rear wing tests, warns Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.


With the FIA introducing a fresh clampdown on ‘bendy’ wings from the French GP, there is mounting concern from some outfits about the benefits their rivals can get by continuing to run their flexible designs for the next two races.

While the advantage of a flexing rear wing is minimal at this weekend's Monaco GP because of the lack of straights, it could offer a decisive lap time benefit in Baku next month thanks to the ultra-long run out of the final corner.

Wolff does not understand why there has been a four-week delay to the introduction of new tests, and he fears that F1 could end in a messy legal situation if protests are lodged in Baku.

“Delaying the introduction for whatever reason leaves us in a legal vacuum and leaves the door open for protests,” said Wolff at the Monaco Grand Prix.

“It's not only us but it's probably two other teams that are most affected, maybe more, and obviously a protest could end up in the ICA [International Court of Appeal].

“That is a messy situation and can take weeks before we have a result. And we should have not ended in this situation if we're having four weeks until the race that is most relevant in the calendar.”

Wolff understands why an immediate introduction of new tests would have been unfair, but thinks that the delay beyond Baku makes no sense at all.


https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/wo...tweak/6511932/

Practice 2 results

https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/57190542

Norris: McLaren expected Ferrari's fast Monaco F1 pace
By:
Filip Cleeren
May 21, 2021, 9:50 AM
McLaren Formula 1 driver Lando Norris says he expected Ferrari to be as quick as it is in Monaco after the Scuderia topped Thursday's second practice session.


Despite sitting out most of Thursday morning's first free practice session with gearbox issues, Charles Leclerc topped the second session at the Monaco Grand Prix, holding off Carlos Sainz for a Ferrari 1-2.

Observers expected Ferrari to be strong in Monaco as its SF21 proved to be very competitive through Barcelona's slow final sector at the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this month, which often provides a good indication of Monaco pace.

Ferrari came good on that early promise on Thursday, with Leclerc topping FP2 with a lap of 1m11.684s, one tenth quicker than teammate Sainz and nearly four tenths up on title rivals Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

While Leclerc said his practice pace seemed too good to be true, Sainz acknowledged after the session that Ferrari "definitely look very close to being a genuine threat".

According to Sainz's former McLaren teammate Norris, Ferrari's strong form was expected.

"After Spain? Yes, for sure," Norris said.

"They were very quick in the final chicane and you always have corners that you know are like Monaco and things like that.

Norris revealed he even texted Sainz earlier in the week, backing the Spaniard to have a chance at winning the Monaco Grand Prix.
Carlos Sainz Jr., Ferrari SF21

Carlos Sainz Jr., Ferrari SF21

Photo by: Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images

"I texted Carlos before the weekend saying I think he has a good chance of winning," he added.

"I think from our side it's expected, maybe not from the outside or from the viewers, but we know where they are quick, where they're not and this track suits them very well, so not a surprise.

A big points weekend for Ferrari could swing the balance in the constructors' championship, with Ferrari and McLaren embroiled in a fierce battle for third which the Woking outfit currently leads by five points.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/no...-pace/6512705/

'Like riding a dirt bike in a supermarket' - The magic of the Monaco Grand Prix remains intact

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/3...remains-intact

But there is no telling what fuel loads Ferrari was using compared to the others. Or what engine settings Mercedes was practicing with.

The question mark here was RBR, who should have topped the testing leaderboard based on their performance in Sector 3 at Barcelona. Yet their results underwhelmed.

Still, there are no prizes for practice, and (to paraphrase Kimi) "Thursday is Thursday, Sunday is Sunday".

It seems the entire premise of Ferrari pace is Sector 3 of Barcelona. Possibly they had the 'sweet' set up for Thursday etc. Prac 3 tomorrow is the true indicator. If Ferrari lead it by .3 or more I will then believe lol!

So many unknown factors as you point out.

Stream for qualy! https://cricfree.live/watchfeeds/index/147

Happy qualy day!

Hoping Charlie’s engineers can put his car back together for a great top of the grid tomorrow!

He was blazing out there with Carlos and Max! And where did Bottas pull those laps out of?

Tomorrow is going to be fun. Watch out out for the spoilers. Norris and Vettel are on point.

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That's right! My boy, Charles LeClerc. Hometown pole! Putting Ferrari on his back. Order 66, seal the deal. Crash the car so no one can put in a hot lap after! Pro expert move.



But really, we got a race to win tomorrow GL bro.

Indy red flag rule s/b considered by F1 for future. The shunt by LeCrash took out any chances for MV and VB to take pole as well as others to move up places. They were doing great before the red flag. Now I'm wishing for a big Ferrari fail tomorrow.

Yes as fans we were denied true competition. iF you leave the garage and do cause a red flag on pole or not, you should not benefit from it. That needs to happen now. Carlos, Max or Bottas could have taken pole but Charles crash denied all the chance. Ridiculous.

If you dont finish qualy in full shape you cannot be on pole. Thats a given. Your lap doesnt matter if all others cannot have the same chance to set a time by your mistake.

Im a Ferrari fan but Charles should not be on pole via this situation unless the time was stopped, his car cleared and 2 -3 minutes added for others to complete a lap.

I hear ya, but this is a sport built on a rule book and they did nothing against the rules. Don’t hate the playa! Hate the game!

And we still don’t know about the gearbox, correct?

I also think he didn’t crash on purpose but that’s just my opinion. Go Charlie!

Monaco has a not good tradition for this. I expect a new rule about qualy because of this. There has been some negative press about keeping pole simply by crashing.

Gearbox is to be finally assesed in a few hours by Ferrari. If its in doubt it will be changed. The initial assessment is no damage but they did not power it up significantly. They will need sometime for a change if needed.