[ 2020 ] AMG Mercedes F1 Team - Mercedes

[basti313]

The big problem is the neck. They can pull Vandoorne into the Merc, but he will not be able to do the full race distance at full pace. Even Hulk will have his issues, but would be closer to it and most probably more in practice.
With the performance targets of Merc everything but Rus will be a surprise for me. But from the point of conformity of Merc, I expect rather Van than Hulk in the seat.

For Williams...there is a guy named Robert around...

[CMSMJ1]

George into the Merc and Roy Nissany into the Williams. Win Win

[NathanOlder]

George into the Merc and Roy Nissany into the Williams. Win Win

Yeah, sounds like a plan.

Vandoorne is in Spain testing Formula E today, so he may not be the one.

[Manoah2u]

Hope George gets it, but I reckon it will be Gutierrez.

I think it's not unlikely at all to see Russell @ Mercedes.

Though both Guiterrez and VanDoorne have experience in the car, they have zero race experience in the last years.
I'd pick Vandoorne over Guiterrez any time btw.

Russell also has the experience of having been racing all season in F1, and this weekend in Bahrain.

Russell's Williams seat being 'vacant' for one race leaves no real change in their outcome anyway, and despite Mercedes having the WCC in the bag, they still want to finish decent, and Bottas has not quite been doing well the past two races.

They could drop Guiterrez or Vandoorne instead in the Williams.
Also, it'll be a 'great' opportunity for Roy Nissany to get a race under his belt with Williams.

It would make an interesting race weekend, with Fittipaldi taking care of the Haas seat of Grosjean.

[e30ernest]

Yeah Stoffel is in the cards apparently, and so is Nico Hulkenburg. I hope they go for the Hulk, just so he can show what he can do in a top car.

Russell is unlikely unless WIlliams releases him (unlikely). I think Esteban has Super License issues.

[NathanOlder]

The big problem is the neck. They can pull Vandoorne into the Merc, but he will not be able to do the full race distance at full pace. Even Hulk will have his issues, but would be closer to it and most probably more in practice.

I think the next race will be the 1 race on the calendar that wont trouble the neck at all. There are no real high speed corners, plus there are no corners in quick succession. So I dont think the neck would be a problem for any reserve driver here.

[basti313]

The big problem is the neck. They can pull Vandoorne into the Merc, but he will not be able to do the full race distance at full pace. Even Hulk will have his issues, but would be closer to it and most probably more in practice.

I think the next race will be the 1 race on the calendar that wont trouble the neck at all. There are no real high speed corners, plus there are no corners in quick succession. So I dont think the neck would be a problem for any reserve driver here.

Difficult to estimate. You certainly make a good point on the different corers, but I think in a high speed corner the driver can mostly lean his head to the headrest. We have seen Hulk doing this in Silverstone. On the other side Sakhir has only semi quick right handers, I fear that this will kill the neck as there is no way to lean on anything and always the same side.

I just read an interesting point on Hulk: Maybe he has a RedBull contract in his pocket...that would be a nogo for him in the Merc.
So my bet is on Van.

[f1jcw]

I've never got peoples obsession with Hulk

[Peter1919]

I very much doubt that Russel's contract with Williams will allow Merc to call him up as that would deprive Williams of their only driver that might actually manage to score them a point

[SiLo]

Vandoorne is testing in Formula-E and then flying to Bahrain. He will most likely drive but his neck is gonna be so sore.

[Just_a_fan]

I've never got peoples obsession with Hulk

He does have a reasonable record across his career, to be fair. Won the feeder series on his way up, won at Le Mans. Is a safe pair of hands with decent speed.

[e30ernest]

I've never got peoples obsession with Hulk

He does have a reasonable record across his career, to be fair. Won the feeder series on his way up, won at Le Mans. Is a safe pair of hands with decent speed.

This. Also, he has been the driver that has taken over the other drivers who has had Covid this year so he has hands-on experience with the current cars. He's probably a very safe bet for Mercedes.

[f1jcw]

I've never got peoples obsession with Hulk

He does have a reasonable record across his career, to be fair. Won the feeder series on his way up, won at Le Mans. Is a safe pair of hands with decent speed.

I'm not disputting he was a okay driver in the feeder series and did okay as a safe pair of hands in F1.
But for some it seems beyond this

[adrianjordan]

If it was just a reserve driver, or Hulk for that matter, I think we would have heard by now.

I think the delay is Merc trying to work out a deal with George.

They could offer Williams something in return and, as others have said, it is unlikely to effect Williams' standing in the WCC.

[Manoah2u]

For Williams...there is a guy named Robert around...

you've got to be kidding right.

He ended with a semi-beef with Williams, hasn't driven all year long,
and is leaving F1 again. this makes no sense.