Perez to Redbull, Albon becomes reserve driver

Hey we don't need any logic here!!!

He did run a hell of a season. Lets see how he handles the "twitchy" RB.

 

Indeed
Very interesting comparison with Max next year.

 

Yes, can't wait for the first test of the 2021...

 

I do agree, there is a chance of fireworks with these 2. However I do think it'll be made clear to Perez that RBR have thrown him a lifeline and such actions will not be tolerated.

 

I hope Perez does his own things next year, ignores the critics and don't take the bait when Max or Marko go to the media to ***** about him.
He should have enough experience and maturity to do that without getting involved in team politics.

 

Savvy enough to already be aware of this status I think.........

 

2020-21 must be a great pay-day year for Perez...

in 2019 Racing point signed Perez for a 3 year deal (2020, 21, 22). Unsure for how much but for sure it wasn't for breaking the performance clause!

Red Bull doesn't pay high salaries but great bonus. Either way, with the payoff from RP...he won't go home poor!

 

4X WDC not taken seriously. Not much for legacy. He is experienced and they picked a driver with 1 win........1

If you think Vettel is not being reduced in legacy.................


https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/154300/horner-hulkenberg-vettel-never-serious-21-options

Red Bull says neither Sebastian Vettel nor Nico Hulkenberg were ever seriously considered for a 2021 Formula 1 race seat with the team.

With Red Bull weighing up its options from the middle of the season about whether or not to stick with Alex Albon or look elsewhere, both Vettel and Hulkenberg were linked with a move to the Milton Keynes-outfit.

Speaking after eventually signing Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen's team-mate for 2021 on Friday, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner says the outgoing Racing Point driver was the only option it looked at properly.

Asked if anyone else was evaluated seriously - especially amid rumours of a Vettel return earlier this year - Horner said: "No. There was no other.

"There was a brief discussion with Nico Hulkenberg. But it's really accelerated over the last month, I would say."

Horner says it was Red Bull's pure good luck that a top driver like Perez was a free agent at the very time when they were looking for the best candidate possible.

"It's remarkable and, I mean, circumstances are a little crazy, aren't they?" he said.

"Nico Hulkenberg is another capable driver that should really have a seat in F1.

"But it was our good fortune that he [Perez] didn't have a seat and that allowed us the time, without him having any other options that he could pursue as a race seat, to fulfil the season with Alex before making a decision."


While Red Bull has a young driver programme, Horner says the team had to make a pragmatic choice about what suited it best when it felt that none of the juniors were ready yet for a top-line F1 chance.

 

I know that's what he meant and my answer is still no. Hamilton-Bottas are way too strong a combo.

Bottas gets a bad rap here from people trying to prove that Hamilton is nothing special. They keep forgetting that Bottas is a pretty strong #2. He has a bunch of victories and pole positions to his name. No wonder he often comes in as second in the WDC. He is no slouch. A much better #2 than many of the #2 Schumacher had.

 

His poor starts cost him wins plus reliability issues. Bottas is not the worst driver on the grid. Positive harmony within the team as well. Sound management and capable drivers with fast car. Normally a winning combination. The record speaks.

 

A new version of your post :
"Bottas gets a support here from people trying to prove that Hamilton is special. They keep forgetting that Bottas is a pretty weak #2. He has a bunch of victories and pole positions mainly because of the car. No wonder he often comes in as second in the WDC. He is a midfield driver as Russell already proved it. A much worse #2 than many of the #2 Schumacher had."

 

ROFL

Did you ever bother to look Bottas' statistics up? He is way ahead of Ferrari greats such as Arnoux, Villeneuve, Regazzoni and Alboreto to name a few. He is also way ahead of other F1 drivers such as Ricci, Montoya, Ickx, Keke and others. As DF1 said, the record speaks for itself.

PS: Bottas is also way ahead of MS former team mates Herbert, Jos, Lehto and Irvine. But don't let get facts in the way of your argument.

 

Our discussion is endless because we do not take the same basic parameters to analyze it.
According to you, pure statistics make it possible to establish an indisputable hierarchies.
Like all things in life I think it is necessary to contextualize things to have a chance to apprehend them well.
You’re not an algorithm?

Please reassure me

 

Is this a Captcha test? I'm human. Answered in 1.2 seconds beating 98% of the population.
Happy now?

Context is important, no question, but statistics are really the only tangible measuring stick otherwise we are on the slippery slope of judging figure skating. In addition: Every F1 drivers' goal is to bag wins and ultimately WDCs, so these are the measuring sticks they choose themselves and using those Bottas looks pretty good.

Of course here comes the old argument of the best car again. Yes, true, he sits in the best car of the grid. For a reason: Merc and Toto are no idiots, they want to win the WCC without much risk and thus can choose any driver they want (more or less) and they chose Valeri AND kept him because he does exactly what they want: solid driver delivering results and no team intra personal drama (like Rosberg). So he is not the fastest (Captain Obvious here) but he is one of the best performing midfielders ever. As shown by his consistent results.

The fact that Russell beat him in Bahrain is only testimony to the fact that Russell is a WDC in the making. He is no random dude, he is one of the best. In ten years from now people/history will show that.

 

25 + 12 = 37
18 + 15 = 33

which can make the manufacturers world championship a toss-up

 

In two messages you have downgraded Bottas from very strong N2 to solid midfield driver..
Your unconscious has betrayed you!
When I was 18 I also thought that statistics were the raw truth.
Fortunately things are more subtle and tasty than that, otherwise what boredom!

 

Bottas way ahead of Keke who has been world champion? did I miss when Bottas achieved that? (ironically, these are pure numbers, very "tangible" 1 vs 0 )
Besides, in recent years there have been many more races AND many more points given per season than in some older times (when only the 6 first drivers had points, and/or only N - don't remember the exact number - best results were counted), so numbers of points / victories are really not comparable.
There is no doubt that Mercedes has been the best performing team, with also the best car, for some years now. Bottas should have been the undisputed no 2 in the championship for these years (assuming LH is of another level) but instead is has always been challenged for this position (missing it or taking it - this year he took it, but it was far closer than it should have been).

 

Close yes. Bottas is 2nd. Not much more to analyze. If he does worse next season, he will have zero chance of renewal with Mercedes. I expect him to be replaced by Russell 80% probability now. He has a small chance to retain his seat. If he keeps LH close and very very close he might be retained. At some stage LH must know Russell will appear. The timing of this is the drama lol

 

With some hope, the laws of diminishing returns will finally come into effect and the Mercedes can't develop their car much for 2021. Red Bull with a pretty new concept should have a higher development ceiling. If they build a car roughly equal in speed to the Mercedes We will see Bottas finish 4th, thus forcing Merc's hand to sign Russell.

 

Perez a good sign for RB next year. RB wants to stay the number 2 team next year. They will have quite a fight with McLaren I believe. Albon just did not cut it.

 

got to be honest I don’t think it’s a very good mix. Perez is not bad and he brings money but Stroll made him look better than he is imo. The Hulk would have been my choice tbh. After all Red bull mixes so much better with Jager than tequila

 

Gilles and Bottas do not belong in the same sentence, let alone the other three.

 

Great line of thinking.

Bottas races in a top car: 79
Herbert races in a top car: 19
Lehto races in a top car: 7
Jos Verstappen races in a top car: 10
Irvine races in a top car: 32

Sound argument as per usual.

 

Another commendable attempt on your part to bring some thought to Bottas case, but it’s a waste of time.
As they say in France:
« there is no one more blind than the one who does not want to see»

 

Really happy for Checo. RB have the best lineup for next year. I hope Checo will come up on top, and prove to everyone he's a serial winner.