Remains to be seen. Horner said that Portugal and Spain would favor the Mercedes car, and that seems to have come to fruition. Let's see what happens on the next couple of circuits. I would think that Red Bull has a great chance of taking Monaco based on its superior speed in the lower torque/rev range (they look fantastic at the starts, week after week). I think it's too early to throw in the towel, but Hamilton certainly seems to be giving his full attention this season.
It will be very close this year, and the championship may be won by the team with the best pit strategy. (RB or MB only, of course). Tyre management is very important, so is tyre preservation where Hamilton excels.
I think this is something that's often overlooked. It's the most apparent reason that Hamilton will beat Bottas even if outqualified. He has a firm grip on when to attack as his competition's tires start to go off. He does take different corner angles, but that can't be all (otherwise others would just do the same). When he starts saying "Bono, these tires are done" that usually means he's going on the attack and is probably talking about the tires of the car in front of him.
F1 drivers aspire to good cars. Bottas is in one. Do you think he wants a less capable car? No of course not. He is doing his job. Hence his renewals. George might be faster. Frankly that is all we know of him. He makes poor decisons and on more than 1 occasion. He is learning. He is no LH from what I see. I would still take Norris. A keen and aware YOUNG driver he is. George has to cure some anger and impulse issues, frankly should be cured by now or is he the next Vettel?
Maybe Russell feels entitled to drive for Mercedes next year, and attempting to pass Bottas at Imola was like putting his marker? Unfortunately, it didn't come off, and instead it threw some doubts on his ability to control his impatience. I still rate him highly though, and think he could have a bright future. With Hamilton talking about signing a new contract soon, Russell may have to wait for his turn, or try his luck elsewhere.
Bottas is driving for statistics only. He knows there is no WDC in his future and all he can do is assist in gaining more WCCs.
This proves Lewis is way beyond a tire 2 driver. Whereas Bottas would get 1-2 WDCs in the same car Lewis got 5 and nearly got 6 with Rosberg getting the other one.
My guess is:: a) 3 races in a row where he disobeys team orders--Russel gets his seat. b) less than 3 in WDC--Russel gets his seat.
I think he now has two incidents after hearing his statements following yesterday. I wasn’t certain if his double-brake move on LH in Portimao was to aid himself or bomb Hamilton’s start and give Verstappen a better run. I generally believe there is a lot these guys control and now I feel like VB knew what he was doing there. All fair, as he was trying to win a race, but not necessarily in the best interests of Merc.
Marko and co’s harshness can be criticised, but we can never deny that without the financial support of Red Bull few of these drivers would have had their chance in F1. Which is already huge when you’re not lucky enough to be a billionaire’s son.
Exactly. RBR and their driver programs don't exist to pump up how their #1 driver is perceived by fans and other teams. What use is that?! It is in RBR's utmost interest for their #2 to perform well. Doesn't suit willy's narrative though so...
Let's not forget that Mercedes will keep it's engines turned down until it gets too close for comfort. Liberty needs a show this year and Merc are playing ball.
In the Mercedes LH was a bit better than Rosberg and is a lot better than Bottas. Plain to see that Bottas would need Mazepin as a team mate to get a WDC. VB is good in quali but on Sundays is not a Top 10 racer.
Bottas is third in the championship with 1 pole, two fastest laps, and 3 podiums in 4 races whereas Perez is nowhere to be found. Bottas is doing a good job for Mercedes.
This reasoning is only valid when considering that the Mercedes and the Red Bull are globally equivalent. Which they are not. The reasoning can also be reversed: How is it that with such a strong car Bottas has not won at least one race this year? He is underperforming.
Maybe this has more to do with how much more Max is able to coax out of the RBR. Perez was more competitive last year in a year-old Merc and even won a race.
Some people still don't understand how team orders work. Any win by Bottas would be at the expense of Hamilton, and would help Verstappen towards the title. Mercedes decided early in the season, the strategy to adopt for its Number One to build a cushion of points. Inner team rivalry is good to watch, but can be disastrous for the end result. Mercedes is focused on winning, not entertaining.
They appear to build a car he can cope with. He has the adaptability factor lacking in others. Others who are good drivers. FA, Charles, Max and I think LH appear to have this. George possibly and Norris. I think Max and FA have the most so far. To simply gain immense time/speed that a chassis should not provide. Fun to see!!
I think it’s pretty undeniable that Lewis Hamilton is a top tier driver. I don’t think there are many drivers from his generation who could consistently beat him over the course of a single season. The only two that really come to mind are Alonso and pre-headcase Vettel. Of the three, I would take Alonso. I also believe that either of them would have easily achieved what Hamilton has. I do think his car makes him appear to be god-like, and that several of the youngsters including Verstappen, Leclerc, Norris, and Russell could give him a real run for his money, just like Alonso dethroned Schumacher.