Silly Season 2020/2021 (starting with silliness in 2019)

[PlatinumZealot]

Lewis in 2011 was different. It was more his personal life than anything. He was still blisteringly quick. Probably the quickest driver that year. Just stupid mistakes like fighting Massa. Vettel on the other hand had lost confidence in his driving which is a bigger worry.

[Jolle]

Michael Schumacher also had the focus of attention while he drove for Ferrari, with team-mates who were contractual #2 drivers, and a custom tyre development program from Bridgestone.
Vettel had Michael as a role model, but he left Red Bull after a period where Daniel Riccardo had been beating him and winning races, and now it looks like he was destabilized when Ferrari began to regard and treat Charles Leclerc as his equal.
When a driver is destabilized emotionally, he stops being able to perform at 100%. Lewis Hamilton was in that zone for a while while at McLaren, and Jenson Button was equalling him and occasionally beating him for a while as a result.

Schumacher was part Jean Todt’s masterplan, just as Hamilton is at Mercedes, Wolff and Lauda. Vettel was never part of a bigger plan.

[Racer X]

Hamilton to Aston Martin with a bunch of Totos people and Toto coming along for the ride. As Mercedes might become an engine supplier only..... Jumping ship before it sinks like he did at McLaren... That's not even that much of an impossibility.... 2020 is a wild year.... I wouldn't be surprised if Aston Martin announced Maldonado*...

You know before you posted this RP already announced Vettel right

Did you know that after i posted THAT specific comment and you posted THIS specific response there were more posts by me and others regarding my wild post.

[Manoah2u]

well wow. just when i believed vettel didn't go to RP based upon statements of otmar that sergio stays and vettel 'never was in' this totally flabbergasted me. wtf!!!

[Manoah2u]

So.....RTL claims Mick is gonna race in F1 THIS season.......@ Alfa.

I would argue that IF this is actually true and going to happen, then normally I would expect Giovanazzi to be waved goodbye, so Schumi Jr can have an experienced head alongside him.
However, 2020 is proving to be a loco season. There were rumours he'd debut at Mugello this weekend from all things. Vettel was just announced @ Racing Point.

Is there any chance that Ferrari is planning to dump Vettel midseason, but decides that the 1000th GP is not the right moment, and Raikkonen is going to take that other Ferrari seat,
and Mick will take Raikkonen's seat??????

OR will we actually see Ferrari dump Vettel mid-season, see Perez sign with Alfa, see Vettel move to RP this season, see Raikkonen move to Ferrari midseason and end his career in F1 there, and see Mick @ Alfa to replace Giovanazzi?

This year is really completely insane

[Jolle]

So.....RTL claims Mick is gonna race in F1 THIS season.......@ Alfa.

I would argue that IF this is actually true and going to happen, then normally I would expect Giovanazzi to be waved goodbye, so Schumi Jr can have an experienced head alongside him.
However, 2020 is proving to be a loco season. There were rumours he'd debut at Mugello this weekend from all things. Vettel was just announced @ Racing Point.

Is there any chance that Ferrari is planning to dump Vettel midseason, but decides that the 1000th GP is not the right moment, and Raikkonen is going to take that other Ferrari seat,
and Mick will take Raikkonen's seat??????

OR will we actually see Ferrari dump Vettel mid-season, see Perez sign with Alfa, see Vettel move to RP this season, see Raikkonen move to Ferrari midseason and end his career in F1 there, and see Mick @ Alfa to replace Giovanazzi?

This year is really completely insane

Or Schumacher replacing his dad’s replacement...

[Manoah2u]

I can't imagine that happening with Giovanazzi as the other driver. I'd imagine with any other driver, not with Gio tho. Then again. it's 2020.

[MtthsMlw]

well wow. just when i believed vettel didn't go to RP based upon statements of otmar that sergio stays and vettel 'never was in' this totally flabbergasted me. wtf!!!

Some say that Szafnauer and other team members wanted Perez to stay but Stroll Sr. and the AM board pushed to get Vettel.

[Manoah2u]

well wow. just when i believed vettel didn't go to RP based upon statements of otmar that sergio stays and vettel 'never was in' this totally flabbergasted me. wtf!!!

Some say that Szafnauer and other team members wanted Perez to stay but Stroll Sr. and the AM board pushed to get Vettel.

Good point. That would explain a lot.

Here's something. Could Szafnauer call it quits next year?
move to....Williams?
Toto.......to Aston?

[MtthsMlw]

I thought Mick was only supposed to do a FP session this year maybe in Germany. Though a place at Alfa/Haas for 2021 is still on the table.

[Restomaniac]

Because most likely they have the data on all and can see that Vettel wouldn't be a significant improvement (if any). I genuinely think Max is that good and that any driver put next to him would be made to look quite ordinary. Out of the current crop, I think the only one who could hold his own today is Hamilton. Just look at what he was making of Danny Ric in his final season with RB.

It probably depends on how much they are allowed to have the car altered. If the car is 'snappy' which it apparently is, as it gives the best performance, if the driver does not trust it, he will not push it close to the 'snap point'.

If the snap point is consistent, the driver can be say 2% off, but if inconsistent could be considerably more.

Indeed. IIRC didn’t Vettel struggle to get his head around the Ferrari suspension set up until they fundamentally changed it?

Edit. Yep pull-rod(15) to push-rod(16).

[Manoah2u]

Either way, 2021 is gonna be lit.

Alonso @ (Alpine) Renault
Vettel @ Aston Martin
Daniel @ Mclaren
Sainz @ Ferrari

Never in a million years would i have imagined Fernando to come back into F1.
But even less the rest of the changes.

[Schuttelberg]

It's no secret where my loyalties lie but quite gutted for Checo. I don't know what the future holds for the bloke I love but I hope Checo can at least win a race wherever he ends up.

Quite unreal that the grid could not have Checo & Hulk next year. Something has to be a bit wrong with the sport for it to come to that.

[Big Tea]

It's no secret where my loyalties lie but quite gutted for Checo. I don't know what the future holds for the bloke I love but I hope Checo can at least win a race wherever he ends up.

Quite unreal that the grid could not have Checo & Hulk next year. Something has to be a bit wrong with the sport for it to come to that.

There does seem to be a rush to bring in young drivers. The older generation are shuffled out sooner now.

[Schuttelberg]

It's no secret where my loyalties lie but quite gutted for Checo. I don't know what the future holds for the bloke I love but I hope Checo can at least win a race wherever he ends up.

Quite unreal that the grid could not have Checo & Hulk next year. Something has to be a bit wrong with the sport for it to come to that.

There does seem to be a rush to bring in young drivers. The older generation are shuffled out sooner now.

To be very honest, these young guns are a breath of fresh air. As I said, Vettel fan here but I was quite vocal about RedBull retaining Albon. I think he will come real good and will harass Max often come 2021.

I think there is no excuse for not having Checo or Hulk on the grid. It's mental to not have them seats. I think a lot was left to be desired in terms of the way Ferrari and Aston Martin have dealt with their sackings. They pretty much ensured that they left their drivers no room for negotiation. Vettel got the boot after getting public confirmation of a contract and without the engines being fired up and Perez has got to know the rough end of the stick way too late. I think if the domino had fallen later and earlier respectively, both Vettel & Perez would have been realistic options at McLaren and Alpine.

Anyway, as long as it's the best grid and as long as all teams have a chance to win races in 2022, I don't really care who lands up where.