This forum contains threads to discuss teams themselves. Anything not technical about the cars, including restructuring, performances etc belongs here.
No. Is the opposite, perez had to accept contract conditions, in order to have a seat in 2021. He must play for team goals this season, otherwise is out immediately. You can be sure. Perez can enjooy himself by destroying Stroll and maybe vettel and Ocon in each gp.
important this year we will see hamilton against two redbulla (afyer few races when perez will adapt to car), instead of verstappen against two formidable mercedes. That will be the key factor in my opinion at the end. Bottas is surely to underperform with respect to all best drivers in the grid, ricciardo leclerc and alonso included
The interesting question, with regards to Red Bull, is Perez's performance relative to Max. If he's close, I expect some fireworks. That would play in to Mercedes's hands in the title fight.
Indeed, and if he's not close to Max he won't be much use in a battle against Mercedes unless redbull is quicker than Mercedes.
It's going to take a fair bit of aero reworking to get the car to work with higher rake. Would it be worth it to pursue? Still think it's mind games, they just won't be dominant, although I wouldn't mind seeing McLaren giving Mercedes a run for its money.
2022 would be better to focus on given the budget cap.
Maybe it's a car that works well when it's not windy and cool as is. The race pace seems to be there or thereabouts, low fuel seems to be an issue. Perhaps what RBR had to deal with last year.
This year RBR is better prepared than Mercedes and Mercedes is on the back foot. If they have to develop to become properly competitive, their resources will be stretched thin next year.
This year can be toxic for both RBR and Mercedes if they push too hard and are close for the WC
While Alpine, Ferrari and McLaren will focus 100% on 2022
The same can be applied to the midfield pack because it's so close that any development could be the edge changes the order of that group.
There are some interesting trade off games to be played in the midfield. If you're sufficiently funded to be at the cost cap without the need for the prize money to "top up" your accounts, finishing lower down the title table gives you more time in the wind tunnel and CFD. Which potentially gives an advantage in the early part of the new regulation regime.
If you are more fortunate than others, build a larger table not a taller fence.
This year can be toxic for both RBR and Mercedes if they push too hard and are close for the WC
While Alpine, Ferrari and McLaren will focus 100% on 2022
The same can be applied to the midfield pack because it's so close that any development could be the edge changes the order of that group.
There are some interesting trade off games to be played in the midfield. If you're sufficiently funded to be at the cost cap without the need for the prize money to "top up" your accounts, finishing lower down the title table gives you more time in the wind tunnel and CFD. Which potentially gives an advantage in the early part of the new regulation regime.
It's going to take a fair bit of aero reworking to get the car to work with higher rake. Would it be worth it to pursue? Still think it's mind games, they just won't be dominant, although I wouldn't mind seeing McLaren giving Mercedes a run for its money.
2022 would be better to focus on given the budget cap.
Maybe it's a car that works well when it's not windy and cool as is. The race pace seems to be there or thereabouts, low fuel seems to be an issue. Perhaps what RBR had to deal with last year.
This year RBR is better prepared than Mercedes and Mercedes is on the back foot. If they have to develop to become properly competitive, their resources will be stretched thin next year.
I agree about the 2022 dilemma, but I would wait before crowning RB already. There’s no denying they are as good as they’ve ever been in the hybrid era. And the Merc seems to have issue (seems being the operative word), but we don’t know the severity.
However, nearly the same thing happened last year with RB seeing itself at the top only to get crushed come the first GP - Mercedes has a knack for making you believe they are down and out. Furthermore, testing this year was short and unconventional, meaning even less conclusions about pecking order can be drawn.
It's going to take a fair bit of aero reworking to get the car to work with higher rake. Would it be worth it to pursue? Still think it's mind games, they just won't be dominant, although I wouldn't mind seeing McLaren giving Mercedes a run for its money.
2022 would be better to focus on given the budget cap.
Maybe it's a car that works well when it's not windy and cool as is. The race pace seems to be there or thereabouts, low fuel seems to be an issue. Perhaps what RBR had to deal with last year.
This year RBR is better prepared than Mercedes and Mercedes is on the back foot. If they have to develop to become properly competitive, their resources will be stretched thin next year.
I agree about the 2022 dilemma, but I would wait before crowning RB already. There’s no denying they are as good as they’ve ever been in the hybrid era. And the Merc seems to have issue (seems being the operative word), but we don’t know the severity.
However, nearly the same thing happened last year with RB seeing itself at the top only to get crushed come the first GP - Mercedes has a knack for making you believe they are down and out. Furthermore, testing this year was short and unconventional, meaning even less conclusions about pecking order can be drawn.
The biggest thing here is the very short testing - we have no idea what sort of plans teams ran this time.
It's going to take a fair bit of aero reworking to get the car to work with higher rake. Would it be worth it to pursue? Still think it's mind games, they just won't be dominant, although I wouldn't mind seeing McLaren giving Mercedes a run for its money.
2022 would be better to focus on given the budget cap.
Maybe it's a car that works well when it's not windy and cool as is. The race pace seems to be there or thereabouts, low fuel seems to be an issue. Perhaps what RBR had to deal with last year.
This year RBR is better prepared than Mercedes and Mercedes is on the back foot. If they have to develop to become properly competitive, their resources will be stretched thin next year.
I agree about the 2022 dilemma, but I would wait before crowning RB already. There’s no denying they are as good as they’ve ever been in the hybrid era. And the Merc seems to have issue (seems being the operative word), but we don’t know the severity.
However, nearly the same thing happened last year with RB seeing itself at the top only to get crushed come the first GP - Mercedes has a knack for making you believe they are down and out. Furthermore, testing this year was short and unconventional, meaning even less conclusions about pecking order can be drawn.
Mercedes was half a second ahead of RBR in testing.
It's going to take a fair bit of aero reworking to get the car to work with higher rake. Would it be worth it to pursue? Still think it's mind games, they just won't be dominant, although I wouldn't mind seeing McLaren giving Mercedes a run for its money.
2022 would be better to focus on given the budget cap.
Maybe it's a car that works well when it's not windy and cool as is. The race pace seems to be there or thereabouts, low fuel seems to be an issue. Perhaps what RBR had to deal with last year.
This year RBR is better prepared than Mercedes and Mercedes is on the back foot. If they have to develop to become properly competitive, their resources will be stretched thin next year.
I agree about the 2022 dilemma, but I would wait before crowning RB already. There’s no denying they are as good as they’ve ever been in the hybrid era. And the Merc seems to have issue (seems being the operative word), but we don’t know the severity.
However, nearly the same thing happened last year with RB seeing itself at the top only to get crushed come the first GP - Mercedes has a knack for making you believe they are down and out. Furthermore, testing this year was short and unconventional, meaning even less conclusions about pecking order can be drawn.
Mercedes was half a second ahead of RBR in testing.
I know that. But RB definitely thought that the gap would be a lot closer than it ended up being. Not sure if it's from the latest season of Drive to Survive or recent retrospective comments from RB leadership.
Point is, the conclusions you seem to draw so firmly may end up being completely wrong. Good news is, only 96 hours before we get some real answers.
It's going to take a fair bit of aero reworking to get the car to work with higher rake. Would it be worth it to pursue? Still think it's mind games, they just won't be dominant, although I wouldn't mind seeing McLaren giving Mercedes a run for its money.
2022 would be better to focus on given the budget cap.
Maybe it's a car that works well when it's not windy and cool as is. The race pace seems to be there or thereabouts, low fuel seems to be an issue. Perhaps what RBR had to deal with last year.
This year RBR is better prepared than Mercedes and Mercedes is on the back foot. If they have to develop to become properly competitive, their resources will be stretched thin next year.
If they are half a second behind it would definitely be unreasonable to keep pouring time and money into 21.
If they are equal or slightly infront then it becomes a hard choice.
The impressions out of testing definitely seem like a reversal of fortunes from last year, even down to the fact that the (suppousedly) slower car is also hard to drive.
I personally don't think the car is slow, I think it will be like last year for RBR, the car will be fast but hard to drive, and on race pace it will probably be right up there. It may get outqualified by McLaren occasionally though. Hamilton will be able to fight, but he'll have a hell of a time, it will be an important year for him because he will be tested. Winning is possible, but unlike the last 7 years, he'll have to deal with pressure from his rivals. Bottas will fare similar to Albon and Gasley, mixing it up in the midfield unless the car qualifies well. It's harder to get past the midfield cars because neither Red Bull nor Mercedes is as far ahead as they were last year, they can no longer lap the field at 3/4 race distance.
Then again I could be wrong, McLaren typically sandbags heavily in testing, it's their way, they make it a point to never make headlines during testing. However the long runs and speed traces show they have a fair bit in hand, then again Mercedes could have been sandbagging even more. They admitted they were carrying a fair bit of fuel.
From my simulations, a very fast car on long runs should be capable of mid 34's low 35's. That is assuming the cars have lost some performance from last year. If the performance is similar, on heavy fuel loads the pace should be low 34's finishing in the 32's.
