2018 Williams F1 Racing - Mercedes

[marmer]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13360 ... for-stroll

So only fast when the car driven in cruise mode. What does it tell us. Anybody that has seen the pace difference of 2017 qualy laps and race pace laps with his own eyes at the track knows how he would do in a refueling Formula.
Means, In qualy the car is just too fast for his talent.

Reminds me of Chanoch Nissany who once complained a Minardi had too much grip

[Raleigh]

Race pace is not cruising speed. Stroll's problems are bringing the car immediately up to speed with single warm-up lap and holding that optimum window over one lap, both of which speak to a lack of experience rather than an absolute lack of talent.

And Stroll is very inexperienced, he went straight from a 240 hp F3 car to the most demanding generation of F1 cars in the modern era, completely skipping the 2-3 years most F1 drivers spend learning in GP3 and GP2. Even the tires are completely new to him because of skipping the higher levels of F1 feeder series.

[Manoah2u]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13360 ... for-stroll

So only fast when the car driven in cruise mode. What does it tell us. Anybody that has seen the pace difference of 2017 qualy laps and race pace laps with his own eyes at the track knows how he would do in a refueling Formula.
Means, In qualy the car is just too fast for his talent.

Reminds me of Chanoch Nissany who once complained a Minardi had too much grip

how?

and whilst at it, where does this critisism come from?
Stroll simply admits he has not done enough work or simply stating Qualification isn't his strongest point. He has worked hard on his race craft, especially since that's more imporant since points are handed out there. Which makes sense, if he's great at Qually but lacks in the race, it's all for nothing.
It's also admitting that he has something to improve on and i'm sure he'll aim for improving in Qually.
He's not the only one who has been 'lacking' in qualifications. Drivers for top teams likewise could have done a lot better.

[netoperek]

Some drivers can do well without much experience. I'm not saying Lance doesn't have talent at all, He's just not the top drawer, and rather far from it imo. Quick compare with his potential team-mate Kubica went to F1 straight from WSbR, which he won on first attempt. On his first friday session with BMW he topped the timesheets. Less than 3 months later he was competing in a race as a substitute to Villeneuve. He got DNFed for being 2 kg too light after the race, but 2 races later, in Italy, he got his first podium. With similar experience to what Lance has right now - in his 23th race weekend, Kubica got first Pole Position (which was BMW Sauber first and only PP btw), being only 2 times out of top 10 in the process. Hamilton started his F1 career with McLaren (considerably faster than both 2006 BMW and 2017 Williams) and squeezed 6 PP and 6 2nd places out of it in his maiden season. He got 1 season of GP2 before, though. There's similar story with Alonso - he drove for Minardi in his debut season, so had very little chance of spectacular results, but managed to outpace his teammate by 2.6s (!) twice.
Point is, trully talented driver doesn't need entire season to get near to the car's limit.

Lance has been Williams development/test driver since 2015 and tested with older Williams F1 cars on multiple ocassions too, I can't see a reason, why he shouldn't be compared to other drivers or have his mediocre results excused as a lack of experience by now.
All that being said, I still rate Lance higher than Palmer

[Raleigh]

I don’t think anyone is saying Stroll is a Hamilton or Alonso, and Kubica arguably belongs with names like those.

Worth noting though that modern F1 cars are more complicated to drive than at any other point in the sports history, and jumping straight from F3 to F1 is very rare, even highly rated drivers tend to do at least GP3 or WSR in between.

[restless]

Russian f1-fansite f1news.ru, calims that Sirotkin had signed with Williams for 1 year.

I don't think this is a proof of such contract... but potentially they could have internal info (afaik one of Sirotkin's managers claimed this in his russian-twitter-like profile)

[kptaylor]

Signed as race driver, reserve driver or development driver? That's the key! No one is doubting Williams doesn't want to get his backer's money. Curious as to whether they'll go all pay driver or partial pay driver.

[Manoah2u]

Russian f1-fansite f1news.ru, calims that Sirotkin had signed with Williams for 1 year.

I don't think this is a proof of such contract... but potentially they could have internal info (afaik one of Sirotkin's managers claimed this in his russian-twitter-like profile)

lol.

Russian
fan
site
makes claims about a
Russian
driver

[FrukostScones]

Race pace is not cruising speed. Stroll's problems are bringing the car immediately up to speed with single warm-up lap and holding that optimum window over one lap, both of which speak to a lack of experience rather than an absolute lack of talent.

And Stroll is very inexperienced, he went straight from a 240 hp F3 car to the most demanding generation of F1 cars in the modern era, completely skipping the 2-3 years most F1 drivers spend learning in GP3 and GP2. Even the tires are completely new to him because of skipping the higher levels of F1 feeder series.

Holding the optimum window...?more like driving the car at the limit? thats why was better in the wet... slow Speed, limit more predictable than in the dry. Not cruising Speed you say... Race pace is Very slow compared to qualy... you See lift and coast with your eyes and wonder why they are so slow.

[Raleigh]

Race pace is not cruising speed. Stroll's problems are bringing the car immediately up to speed with single warm-up lap and holding that optimum window over one lap, both of which speak to a lack of experience rather than an absolute lack of talent.

And Stroll is very inexperienced, he went straight from a 240 hp F3 car to the most demanding generation of F1 cars in the modern era, completely skipping the 2-3 years most F1 drivers spend learning in GP3 and GP2. Even the tires are completely new to him because of skipping the higher levels of F1 feeder series.

Holding the optimum window...?more like driving the car at the limit? thats why was better in the wet... slow Speed, limit more predictable than in the dry. Not cruising Speed you say... Race pace is Very slow compared to qualy... you See lift and coast with your eyes and wonder why they are so slow.

Speed in the rain is what separates the truly great names of F1 from the merely good. Schumacher, Senna, Hamilton, Vettel, when the skys open these guys are just on a completely different level.

Why? Because all the practiced corner speeds and braking points go out the window, you have to find the limits for yourself and drive on that ragged edge on adhesion to the track. Some drivers can do it, other (Rosberg for example) can very quick in the dry but as soon as the track becomes wet they are nowhere.

So Stroll being quick in the wet is a sign of natural talent, I think he's just been struggling with the technical demands of driving a 2017 F1 car and managing the narrow window of peak tire performance over a qualifying lap.

[NathanOlder]

Not sure Vettels name should be in the same bracket as Senna Schumacher & Hamilton when it comes to wet weather driving.

Totally agree on the rest of your post though.

[FrukostScones]

Then he better shows his Talent in 2018. Lol. Can't wait. The cars will hat quicker though

[marmer]

Not sure Vettels name should be in the same bracket as Senna Schumacher & Hamilton when it comes to wet weather driving.

Totally agree on the rest of your post though.

Didn't he make a torro roso win in the wet when it has no right to win in Monza 08 i think

[adrianjordan]

Not sure Vettels name should be in the same bracket as Senna Schumacher & Hamilton when it comes to wet weather driving.

Totally agree on the rest of your post though.

Didn't he make a torro roso win in the wet when it has no right to win in Monza 08 i think

No. He lucked into pole in the wet by being out at the right time. The race was largely dry and the TR that year was just as fast in a straight line as others thanks to its Ferrari engine and Red Bull led design. Not that he didn't deserve to win, but Monza is no Silverstone or Spa in terms of difficulty in wet weather.

[ME4ME]

No. He lucked into pole in the wet by being out at the right time. The race was largely dry and the TR that year was just as fast in a straight line as others thanks to its Ferrari engine and Red Bull led design. Not that he didn't deserve to win, but Monza is no Silverstone or Spa in terms of difficulty in wet weather.

We are obviously completely off-topic here, but I think you under value Vettels achievement that particular weekend. Actually, Vettel has driven very well multiple times in the rain. His qualifying performances in Malaysia in 15/16 (?) comes to mind. Actually, I wouldnt rate Hamilton as a better wet-weather driver. Both have made mistakes in the wet, but are overall very capable drivers in such conditions. Regarding Stroll.. no.. better not to say anything.