2026 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team

[aMessageToCharlie]

This is based on nothing really.

You cannot predict RUS pace on new mediums with a light car as we know that there are big differences between stints. We see it all the time. As the leading driver he should have been given priority.

RUS had good pace on his final stint on the hard tire.

Had ANT stayed out instead, he would have needed to do the same 50 laps on the medium which means that his pace would most likely have suffered towards the end, while RUS would be hunting him down on fresh mediums.

Again, we can only speculate about the relative pace, but IMO it was obvious on lap 28 that making another stop was the superior strategy so MERC would have known this as well.

They threw RUS under the bus while Toto was hugging ANT's father.

I'm not saying that ANT didn't deserve the win, but it's also obvious that RUS is the black sheep and #2. He seems to have accepted his faith though, so it's fine.

They always knew (and why they selected Monza) that KA was going to need on the fly interpretation, dependent on what happened in race.
They must have formed their individual strategy prior (Toto indicated emphatically that a one stop was fastest in team understanding) and could have elected to not respond with GR part of planning simply to avoid wrong footing that side of team in reaction to what they didn't know with prediction.

It's going to come out somehow, but unrealistic to "configure " post race analysis to fit perception of loyalty.

That's just too far into woulda, coulda, shoulda, scenario.

The unwillingness to accept an outcome in fan analysis view, far too "football-ee" argument for many. Ooh it was a bad ref, ooh if someone didn't feed their cat synthetic sardines, where does it stop ?

I don't know what you are talking about with your football and sardines tangent as I don't see any "unwillingness to accept an outcome" from anyone.

Yeah, Toto sais a lot during a race weekend but we know better than to take his word for gospel. The outcome of taking another stop during the VSC was very obvious, even to amateurs watching on TV. They knew what they were doing and they optimised for ANT. Smart decision considering their priorities.

And I think it's also very obvious to see where Toto's loyalty lies, not just from this race, but from last season, from how the contract renewal went, from whom he is hugging in the garage and from whom he is spending his summer vacation with. Of course you're free to interpret the facts in a different way.

[Quantum]

I thought the same regarding Verstappen and Mercedes.

A prodigious young Italian driving a Ferrari has far bigger draw for both parties than Max and Merc.
Max and Merc would just be a convenience.

[Lasssept]

[WardenOfTheNorth]

I thought the same regarding Verstappen and Mercedes.

A prodigious young Italian driving a Ferrari has far bigger draw for both parties than Max and Merc.
Max and Merc would just be a convenience.

In fact I never saw Max actually moving to Merc. He just doesn't seem like a driver who would fit in there.

[Lasssept]

[AR3-GP]

This is why both Piastri and Russell are slow here and in general in the cars with less downforce:

Tyre management proved to be one of the defining challenges of qualifying at the brand-new Madrid circuit. The high temperatures and long corners placed considerable demands on the tyres, making it particularly easy for drivers to overheat the rubber and lose performance.

“The tyres really struggle here with the heat and the long corners, so you can find yourself sliding around, losing more time, and being pushed further down the order,” Russell said.

https://www.f1technical.net/news/29304

[Sevach]

Comparison between Kimi and George.

[Quantum]

In fact I never saw Max actually moving to Merc. He just doesn't seem like a driver who would fit in there.

Never say never but there's a lot to lose for Verstappen compared to the massive safety net he has at Red Bull.
Being the major focal point within a team for its design direction and resource allocation is not how Merc operates since Bottas left. I dont see Merc changing it to accommodate anyone now Kimi has matured so quickly either.

[trinidefender]

No track limits violations for Kimi? Or is he at risk of them being applied retroactively?

[AR3-GP]

gg. All wdc podium.

[Lasssept]

[Sergej]

very lucky but very great result for Kimi

anyway it would have been a 2nd place which is absolutely very good for a car which is 4 months behind in the development race.

[SB15]

Man this would've been a banger championship without kimi

[Lasssept]

[zibby43]

very lucky but very great result for Kimi

anyway it would have been a 2nd place which is absolutely very good for a car which is 4 months behind in the development race.

Now they just need to survive Baku, which will suit the car, before getting the next big package.