2024 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[venkyhere]

I respect this guy for his driving (only), but the way he has been sulking the entire 2024, like a petulant child who has lost his toy, it's ugly. This is plain unprofessional.

[IntrinsicVoid]

I respect this guy for his driving (only), but the way he has been sulking the entire 2024, like a petulant child who has lost his toy, it's ugly. This is plain unprofessional.

I agree and don’t agree at the same time. While yes you we can see it as unprofessional but from other perspective we don’t know the other side of the story was. It’s apples to oranges comparison between him and Russel who obviously he’s highly motivated and he is the golden star of Mercedes and he has the future prospects to be a WDC with them.

I’d like to bet and bite my ass if I end up being incorrect but give Max the same treatment without proper car but keep in mind from start of the year and give it a couple of time, he will do the same and probably with faster rate based on his personality, I don’t count his motivation to racing, that comes if it’s down the line and he sees the prospects for winning.

[Luscion]

Lewis' driving style really just aint working with these cars, he's being coached by Bono to stop braking late into corners and brake earlier like Russell is

[rifrafs2kees]

I respect this guy for his driving (only), but the way he has been sulking the entire 2024, like a petulant child who has lost his toy, it's ugly. This is plain unprofessional.

I respect this poster for his typing only, and I find his labelling of the phrases like, "grateful", "I feel lucky to be here", "amazing athletes" and "leave with gratitude", as petulant when addressing a driver who time and time again doesn't resort to profanities when things aren't going his way, to be blatant hypocrisy or nonsensical at least.

[AR3-GP]

Lewis' driving style really just aint working with these cars, he's being coached by Bono to stop braking late into corners and brake earlier like Russell is

It's reminiscent of Ricciardo being coached at Mclaren.

[Cs98]

GR is starting to show why he had the most impressive F2 rookie season I can remember (only close with Leclerc). Kimi is hyped, but George had the better junior career, and is now entering his prime in F1. He is ready to lead the team, and I think it will be quite a few years before Kimi can deliver a fight over a full year.

[rifrafs2kees]

Lewis' driving style really just aint working with these cars, he's being coached by Bono to stop braking late into corners and brake earlier like Russell is

It's reminiscent of Ricciardo being coached at Mclaren.

Agreed. Next year will be telling if he can hang with Leclec or be thereabouts. It will be sad if 2026 cars don't fit his style and I expect him to bow out with grace.

[Luscion]

Lewis' driving style really just aint working with these cars, he's being coached by Bono to stop braking late into corners and brake earlier like Russell is

It's reminiscent of Ricciardo being coached at Mclaren.

Agreed. Next year will be telling if he can hang with Leclec or be thereabouts. It will be sad if 2026 cars don't fit his style and I expect him to bow out with grace.

Tougher Pirelli tires next year in a car that, hopefully, doesnt kill its rear tires if your too aggressive with it like the Merc, i expect an improvement

[Luscion]

Stark differences in what Lewis and Wolff are saying after quali, Lewis saying he's just slow and its not the car. Toto saying the w15 in particular just cant handle his driving style, they just need to give him a car he can drive (too late for that imo) and thats he's not saying anything cause he's team oriented but Lewis is not happy with the car

https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a6305 ... 00013d541e

[organic]

Russell pole as verstappen gets an unprecedented 1 place grid drop

[Luscion]

Russell pole as verstappen gets an unprecedented 1 place grid drop

Huh, surprised anything came of that as he wasnt on a fast lap but gg Russell

[OverheatedTurbo]

George given pole. Max got a Grid Penalty: https://x.com/junaidsamodien_/status/18 ... 79079?s=46 . Honestly I find it weird.

[Lasssept]

P1

[SuperCNJ]

Stark differences in what Lewis and Wolff are saying after quali, Lewis saying he's just slow and its not the car. Toto saying the w15 in particular just cant handle his driving style, they just need to give him a car he can drive (too late for that imo) and thats he's not saying anything cause he's team oriented but Lewis is not happy with the car

https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a6305 ... 00013d541e

I find it hard to believe that Lewis suddenly loses his speed pretty much as soon as he announces his departure from Mercedes. Not suggesting that there is any sabotage going on, but if there were small decisions in the design or set up of the car that can go GR's way or LH's way it makes sense to benefit GR. Not to mention the information that LH is no longer privy to now. For Lewis not to know why he is slow is what makes me think why it is not him.

Senior elite athletes in any sport always know where they are gradually losing their ability, they know where they are losing out compared to their younger self and just aren't able to do some things as well as they used to. Some can find a way around it, others can't but they all know where their deficits are. So it's a little strange to find one of the greatest and fastest drivers of all time not to know where his pace has gone.

In previous years, we never got to see this as Bottas leaving was never a threat to Merc. With Rosberg, there was no time due to his surprise retirement but I suspect if Rosberg stayed on for another year and announced that he would join another team after, he may well have given the same treatment. Or if he announced his retirement in early 2016, I suspect Merc would have favored Lewis more that year.

I guess, the way this has turned out is probably ideal for Merc in that their departing star driver is now downbeat, unsure of himself and doubting his own ability which will only help weaken Ferrari going into next season.

It's not that the cars are any different, it's how well they suit the drivers' driving style. If RB designed the car towards Perez, I'm sure we would see Checo snapping at Max's heels every Saturday and possibly even on Sunday. Perez is not slow, but needs a very different car to Max and I think this is similar to what is happening at Merc but perhaps to a lesser extent.