I think Ola & Toto are on the same page.
As good as Antonelli is, there are a number of caveats:
The challenges in 2024 is actually good for Max. This will give him the opportunity to show how great a driver he is even when he doesnt have the quickest car.AMG.Tzan wrote: ↑24 Jun 2024, 13:25Antonelli though still hasn’t proven anything in F2! I know it must be Prema still not finding the balance of the new car but I think he needs more time before stepping up…
Surely Mercedes have seen the data in all those private test sessions but at the moment I don’t think he would be any better than Russell! As for Verstappen to Mercedes it would be an epic move…something like Schumacher to Ferrari! He won’t have it easy in 2025 but I think he’ll be ahead again in 2026…and 1 year with a new will help him get up to speed quickly in 2026!
I don’t see Max leaving Red Bull though! There has to be a bigger Red Bull downfall for him to leave…
If the Rb project is a dud he could very well be coming off a poor season by ‘27. It won’t stop him finding a seat, but I believe the Verstappen group are trying hard to craft a legacy that’ll paint VER as the best-to-ever-do-it by end. They can’t afford a let down from the heights they’re currently enjoying. Which is why they’ll manoeuvre before ‘26 if they’re unsure about the Rb project/convinced in the Merc one - no time for wait & see, they’ll be bold.CHT wrote: ↑24 Jun 2024, 13:41“Max wont make a decision on his future until 2026 earliest. By then Mclaren Merc, Ferrari etc will all have a vacant seat for him for 2027, if he decided to leave RB”.AMG.Tzan wrote: ↑24 Jun 2024, 13:25Antonelli though still hasn’t proven anything in F2! I know it must be Prema still not finding the balance of the new car but I think he needs more time before stepping up…
Surely Mercedes have seen the data in all those private test sessions but at the moment I don’t think he would be any better than Russell! As for Verstappen to Mercedes it would be an epic move…something like Schumacher to Ferrari! He won’t have it easy in 2025 but I think he’ll be ahead again in 2026…and 1 year with a new will help him get up to speed quickly in 2026!
I don’t see Max leaving Red Bull though! There has to be a bigger Red Bull downfall for him to leave…
How do you reckon Max camp would be unsure about RB project? Nobody knows what's in store with 26 engines or the chassis. Considering it's ex-Honda and ex-Mercedes guys building engine for RBPT, how different would it be from Mercedes or Honda building their engines. Taking risk by moving out before 26, would be stupid. In 26 atleast they would know the performance landscape and Max can choose where he wants to go. He leaves Red Bull by end of 2025 and joins Mercedes, but Red Bull comes up with a stunner, there is no going back! There is a huge risk involved in making a hasty decision.214270 wrote: ↑24 Jun 2024, 14:49If the Rb project is a dud he could very well be coming off a poor season by ‘27. It won’t stop him finding a seat, but I believe the Verstappen group are trying hard to craft a legacy that’ll paint VER as the best-to-ever-do-it by end. They can’t afford a let down from the heights they’re currently enjoying. Which is why they’ll manoeuvre before ‘26 if they’re unsure about the Rb project/convinced in the Merc one - no time for wait & see, they’ll be bold.CHT wrote: ↑24 Jun 2024, 13:41“Max wont make a decision on his future until 2026 earliest. By then Mclaren Merc, Ferrari etc will all have a vacant seat for him for 2027, if he decided to leave RB”.AMG.Tzan wrote: ↑24 Jun 2024, 13:25Antonelli though still hasn’t proven anything in F2! I know it must be Prema still not finding the balance of the new car but I think he needs more time before stepping up…
Surely Mercedes have seen the data in all those private test sessions but at the moment I don’t think he would be any better than Russell! As for Verstappen to Mercedes it would be an epic move…something like Schumacher to Ferrari! He won’t have it easy in 2025 but I think he’ll be ahead again in 2026…and 1 year with a new will help him get up to speed quickly in 2026!
I don’t see Max leaving Red Bull though! There has to be a bigger Red Bull downfall for him to leave…
You think they assumed Antonelli would be faster than today's Russell ? A 2024 F1 pole sitter ?AMG.Tzan wrote: ↑24 Jun 2024, 13:25Antonelli though still hasn’t proven anything in F2! I know it must be Prema still not finding the balance of the new car but I think he needs more time before stepping up…
Surely Mercedes have seen the data in all those private test sessions but at the moment I don’t think he would be any better than Russell!
…
It has been counted. Lewis had 33 crashes in his first 5 years.Dunlay wrote: ↑23 Jun 2024, 20:00Do you want me to count Lewis' or Max's first 6 years?DGP123 wrote: ↑23 Jun 2024, 19:56Russell crashes consist of Imola behind the SC in the Williams, Canada in the Merc, Australia with Alonso, Silverstone with Zhou, Max in Vegas, Sainz in Austin first lap, Lewis in Qatar, Bottas in Imola, and the poor Singapore last lap crash into the barrier. That’s off the top of my head
Lewis in Qatar is correct. He himself admitted after the race it was his fault.
Different style of racing then though. It was refuelling and better tyres you can push on driving flat out all the time and if having to overtake greater risk and reward no DRS you had to make the moves and most of the time Lewis was an awesome daring overtaker some don’t work out then we had the Hamilton massa crashes 2011? There were a lot lol it was like the cars were drawn together with magnetsTeamKoolGreen wrote: ↑24 Jun 2024, 16:31It has been counted. Lewis had 33 crashes in his first 5 years.Dunlay wrote: ↑23 Jun 2024, 20:00Do you want me to count Lewis' or Max's first 6 years?DGP123 wrote: ↑23 Jun 2024, 19:56
Russell crashes consist of Imola behind the SC in the Williams, Canada in the Merc, Australia with Alonso, Silverstone with Zhou, Max in Vegas, Sainz in Austin first lap, Lewis in Qatar, Bottas in Imola, and the poor Singapore last lap crash into the barrier. That’s off the top of my head
Lewis in Qatar is correct. He himself admitted after the race it was his fault.
To his credit, he went onto become a legend.TeamKoolGreen wrote: ↑24 Jun 2024, 16:31It has been counted. Lewis had 33 crashes in his first 5 years.Dunlay wrote: ↑23 Jun 2024, 20:00Do you want me to count Lewis' or Max's first 6 years?DGP123 wrote: ↑23 Jun 2024, 19:56
Russell crashes consist of Imola behind the SC in the Williams, Canada in the Merc, Australia with Alonso, Silverstone with Zhou, Max in Vegas, Sainz in Austin first lap, Lewis in Qatar, Bottas in Imola, and the poor Singapore last lap crash into the barrier. That’s off the top of my head
Lewis in Qatar is correct. He himself admitted after the race it was his fault.
Button and Alonso agrees as they were also crashing like crazy.ToffeeTyres wrote: ↑24 Jun 2024, 17:38Different style of racing then though. It was refuelling and better tyres you can push on driving flat out all the time and if having to overtake greater risk and reward no DRS you had to make the moves and most of the time Lewis was an awesome daring overtaker some don’t work out then we had the Hamilton massa crashes 2011? There were a lot lol it was like the cars were drawn together with magnetsTeamKoolGreen wrote: ↑24 Jun 2024, 16:31It has been counted. Lewis had 33 crashes in his first 5 years.
After passing rus, ver put just over a second into him in 5 corners. That tells me all I need to know.sport777 wrote: ↑24 Jun 2024, 01:42Well, there are no first ones, McLaren was a little faster today, Mercedes a little slower, the Red Bull car is actually not that effective anymore, it seems to me that McLaren and Merc and Ferrari are on the same level, it’s just that Verstappen makes this car at the level of other top teams, let’s say this Red Bull Stroll will turn out to be Perez
Yeah. I wasn't even a fan of George early on until i seen how much ppl were trying to pass him off as an average driver for some reason. He was the original Antonelli and he proved it. Yet here we are pretending that he is average.Dunlay wrote: ↑24 Jun 2024, 17:40To his credit, he went onto become a legend.TeamKoolGreen wrote: ↑24 Jun 2024, 16:31It has been counted. Lewis had 33 crashes in his first 5 years.
What is disappointing is the efforts to run down George as some ordinary talent. Except for a genuine couple of mistakes, his races have been squeaky clean. He doesn't push drivers off the track while battling like the other proven drivers do or mindlessly crashe into others (the only racing incident was Imola 21). This blind disregard for a strong talent makes it for awkward dicussions. I don't like to hate or disregard other drivers, because those drivers a problem for my favorite driver.