That was the first run in Q3. Not the second Q3 run...also, on that first run, George hit 330 kph compared to Lewis' 326TeamKoolGreen wrote: ↑23 Jun 2024, 00:12LH ruined Russells tow that he had lined up in qualifying. And LH finished .002 ahead of Russell so it looks like it worked
I think George has a set of softs which he did just an outlap and went back in, I think in Q2.
Nah, he went to Ferrari to win a championship. The end. The other factors all fall second to that. The money. The status. The long term. He wants the 8th. Ask him if he would rather 400 million or an 8th. He would take the 8th. All decisions start from there, and at end of last year, Ferrari did seem a much better car chance to win an 8th, and Ferrari was willing to bend over and pay him far more than he’s worth at this point in his career. If Merc end up being faster than Ferrari next year and they challenge for the wdc, nobody can make a case he wouldn’t regret his choice. He wouldn’t be a racer if he didn’t. 400 million doesn’t replace an 8th. If Merc challenge for wins next year, and bring a more powerful power unit than Ferrari in 2026 (likely), he will consider it the worst decision of his racing career. And honestly, it would be. He didn’t need to change teams. Had Merc still been charging for wins on merit he would have done whatever to stay in a winning car because he’s loyal to winning, and his motivation is fine when he can challenge for wins. He changed because he figured Merc was doomed, and he’s not loyal to a team that finishes first of the losers. Toto knew Lewis’ real worth and approx racing years left, and so wouldn’t pay him more, nor sign him long term. He’s too polarizing to be a good manufacture rep anyway. Certainly there’s no motivation to be found in the space he was in this last winter, but it seems the Red Bull fortunes are dramatically changing, and he should have remained loyal to the team that brought him all those wdc’s. Heck, if Merc bring a barnstormer power unit in 2026, he may well have been challenging for a 9th in 2027.ringo wrote: ↑22 Jun 2024, 23:16You know I considered that possibility, but here is why he wont feel any different:AR3-GP wrote: ↑22 Jun 2024, 19:26Hamilton's emotions must be quite confused. There's a real chance that Mercedes will jump Ferrari in what remains of this regulation setLuscion wrote: ↑22 Jun 2024, 18:59Looks like Merc will keep bringing more upgrades over the next few races like they said they would?
https://x.com/fiagirly/status/1804558945630994670
1. The performance of the mecedes is not the main reason he is leaving.
2. The lack of future for Hamilton and diminishing relevance to the corporate strategy at Mercedes is the main reason he is leaving.
3. Ferrari is a new challenge, a new team, and more recognition for his status as a World Champion.
4. Ferrari has a long time horizon for Hamilton's career.
All in all, even if Mercedes are the better car end of season, it cannot benefit Hamilton if we consider his career as a whole.
FP2 Max starts on the RHS of the grid. There is a Merc in P1 of Russell. Sounds pretty normal to me.atanatizante wrote: ↑23 Jun 2024, 10:47
On another note, after the FP2 session all drivers did a start practice on the grid and on the VER's on-board camera we could see and hear RUS's start on the right side of the track with his car making a strange high noise prior to take off the line ... could someone enlighten me what's the reason for that strange noise?
What does the highlighted above means and do we have a source of that please?ringo wrote: ↑22 Jun 2024, 23:16You know I considered that possibility, but here is why he wont feel any different:AR3-GP wrote: ↑22 Jun 2024, 19:26Hamilton's emotions must be quite confused. There's a real chance that Mercedes will jump Ferrari in what remains of this regulation setLuscion wrote: ↑22 Jun 2024, 18:59Looks like Merc will keep bringing more upgrades over the next few races like they said they would?
https://x.com/fiagirly/status/1804558945630994670
1. The performance of the mecedes is not the main reason he is leaving.
2. The lack of future for Hamilton and diminishing relevance to the corporate strategy at Mercedes is the main reason he is leaving.
3. Ferrari is a new challenge, a new team, and more recognition for his status as a World Champion.
4. Ferrari has a long time horizon for Hamilton's career.
All in all, even if Mercedes are the better car end of season, it cannot benefit Hamilton if we consider his career as a whole.
Hamilton left because he was no longer the center of the project. He was in the same situation as Alonso at Alpine (2022). Toto was more focused on the future and he saw Lewis as the past. Already, you could see that it was important for the team to make sure George in a good mood by giving him the best strategy on a few occasions. The contract was the nail in the coffin (remember for Alonso at Alpine it was the same issue).Chuckjr wrote: ↑23 Jun 2024, 10:24Nah, he went to Ferrari to win a championship. The end. The other factors all fall second to that. The money. The status. The long term. He wants the 8th. Ask him if he would rather 400 million or an 8th. He would take the 8th. All decisions start from there, and at end of last year, Ferrari did seem a much better car chance to win an 8th, and Ferrari was willing to bend over and pay him far more than he’s worth at this point in his career. If Merc end up being faster than Ferrari next year and they challenge for the wdc, nobody can make a case he wouldn’t regret his choice. He wouldn’t be a racer if he didn’t. 400 million doesn’t replace an 8th. If Merc challenge for wins next year, and bring a more powerful power unit than Ferrari in 2026 (likely), he will consider it the worst decision of his racing career. And honestly, it would be. He didn’t need to change teams. Had Merc still been charging for wins on merit he would have done whatever to stay in a winning car because he’s loyal to winning, and his motivation is fine when he can challenge for wins. He changed because he figured Merc was doomed, and he’s not loyal to a team that finishes first of the losers. Toto knew Lewis’ real worth and approx racing years left, and so wouldn’t pay him more, nor sign him long term. He’s too polarizing to be a good manufacture rep anyway. Certainly there’s no motivation to be found in the space he was in this last winter, but it seems the Red Bull fortunes are dramatically changing, and he should have remained loyal to the team that brought him all those wdc’s. Heck, if Merc bring a barnstormer power unit in 2026, he may well have been challenging for a 9th in 2027.ringo wrote: ↑22 Jun 2024, 23:16You know I considered that possibility, but here is why he wont feel any different:
1. The performance of the mecedes is not the main reason he is leaving.
2. The lack of future for Hamilton and diminishing relevance to the corporate strategy at Mercedes is the main reason he is leaving.
3. Ferrari is a new challenge, a new team, and more recognition for his status as a World Champion.
4. Ferrari has a long time horizon for Hamilton's career.
All in all, even if Mercedes are the better car end of season, it cannot benefit Hamilton if we consider his career as a whole.
While Mclaren and Red Bull are definitely faster i dont think the gap is as big as the time sheets shows, Lewis was told by Bono to go into tire management right after he passed Russell, he asked Bono the times Lando was doing and seems like he just didnt bothered to push cause he would have never passed him and he didnt have to worry about Russell behind him