Webber2011 wrote: ↑02 Jul 2018, 12:27
I really don't know how to take what's gone on ?
First up I'll admit that I'm a massive Ricciardo fan, but I've always tried to be impartial.
Max is a massive talent and I reckon it's great that Daniel is being challenged the way he is.
It shows the true mark of a man to be under such pressure from the new upstart, and mostly over their time together Dan has let his talking be on track.
They also seem to have a somewhat genuine friendship.
I don't have a clue as to what went on there in Quali, and I'm pretty sure that no one else here does either, but something must have gone on behind the scenes.
I just can't picture Ricciardo all of a sudden getting the shits with who goes first, and sabotaging RBR and Max for no good reason.
It makes no sense.
Is it some sort of contractual power play ?
That would surprise me, because doing something so out of character on the world stage so publically seems really dumb.
Is there now some favouritism sneaking in that we don't know about, and Dan felt the need to make it public ?
If so, he really messed up, because he's the one looking like a clown right now.
I know some of you are not fans of Daniel.
That's all cool, but to me this just seems so way out of character that I find it hard to imagine there's not a whole lot more going on than we will ever know.
So I am the other way around, a massive Verstappen fan but I truly feel no hate for Ric. I agree with you that both drivers share a respect although they also both very clearly understand they need to defeat, nay, if they can, vanquish the other driver. Now Ric does sometimes upset me when I do feel he plays mindgames. Verstappen seems incapable of or is still clumsy at (or so handy I don't spot them) but Verstappen does immediately and instinctiously know when he is being tested and will reply (NO comes to mind) with the right answer in an eye blink. In other moments Ric is absolutely fair, almost to a point that you say, why is he so open/honest (saying this is hurting himself looking at your own marketing point of view) but he pays respect anyway. And you can see he is socially skilled, his fast thinking and jokes usually are fun.
What I think is that up to and at this point Ric has always been able to stand his ground (in the bottom line), now comes a moment where he might really loose out (in numbers) to Max for the first time.
The Baku incident, Ric really felt the need to prove he was capable of getting over the line first, normally he takes the more sensible approach. I have seen him give room (usually in start situations, f.e. Japan last year but many more) to Max where Max usually gives none. This speaks to Ric's maturity, but now comes a time where he wants to remain in the fight. Now he feels the need to fight hard for everything. In this light I see the qually incident. Also drunkfan1 (uprated to plus 5 post) very clearly and accurately describes what happened imho. The Ric interview (after Horner informed the press of what should have happened) also exactly matches with what happened.
Maybe Ric genuinely thought that what his race engineer said meant he was going to be allowed in a follow run but I think Ric did try to let Max in front not just in run 2, I believe I saw it in run 1 already. Next week he is up again to get the following position and Max will be the frontrunner, on a high speed track that should give him more advantage then in Austria (week after that MAx again and then Ric etc.)
Now, should RBR change and try to really help eachother out (so even in one Q session) I think we will then read much more that Ricci got webbered than we are doing now, RBR wants to keep it fair, that is why they have this Q3 policy for 7 years running already.
Ric is just in a tough position under high stress, he wants to be a WDC and his prospect is thinning, even getting the best contract deal is now not so clear anymore as a few weeks back (Monaco would have been the moment to sign). I feel he should stay, RBR is his best chance (unless he can still go to Ferrari) because I do believe they do not have a number 1 and 2 like Ferr (and Merc sometimes as well, Bottas Japan last year, Raikonnen china this year etc. etc.) RBR has never asked Ver or Ric to do something similar (but they have never been in a spot to really contend for the title although Ric came close a few times).
The qualy moment was not a proud moment but let bygones be bygones, it can happen. Onwards to the next weekend.