MKlaus wrote: ↑03 May 2021, 11:20
ringo wrote: ↑03 May 2021, 02:56
shortened for lenght of quotes
it has become so predictable. those who like bottas, tries to find a way to make a point that russell is not good. they are so afraid to see bottas lose that seat.
this has been the worst start to a season for bottas of the 5 seasons he is with the team. even norris is ahead of him on points. there isn't even a competition. he is driving the best car and still couldn't shake off max in the first stint and became a casualty for an undercut (sort of). once lewis overtook, he disappeared. that's the kind of pace that car has. ultimately, he ended up 3rd in no man's land.
russell is driving a bad race car, which has been pointed by many people here. it's a difficult car with peaky downforce (as the team is trying something different) and almost impossible to follow a car ahead. you say latifi is improving? he was overtaken by Mick in a much slower car. besides, a young driver learns from mistakes and if that was a yard stick to measure, none of the champion drivers should have ever got a chance to drive for top teams.
i don't even understand why people try sounding logical for the sake of bottas. it's bonkers to be measuring russell in a bad car, ignoring what he did in a good car a few months back.
this.
Bottas is a mess. he should have flown away into the distance. Both Lewis AND Max had a lousy weekend, especially on saturday. Bottas started off well the entire GP weekend ever since FP1. He should have easily won this GP, faded into the distance from the start.
Ultimately Lewis had the better car than Max, AND Max made a mistake which cost him dearly. Still, DRS couldn't help him gain back that position and Lewis just catapulted away so to speak. Max in all fairness should have finished P3, but Bottas' total lack of talent resulted in Max making P2. I think it would have been questionable whether Max could have won the GP even if he did not make a mistake. Lewis imho more likely was simply waiting for Max to pass Bottas - which he would have anyway - whilst keeping a safe distance behind him and not run into eachother due to whatever reason. Bottas had a completely new car anyway after last weekend, he had all the best cards on the table.
If max didn't make that error, Lewis would have simply demanded for the team to let Bottas step aside so no time would be lost for beating Max P1, and i'm sure Bottas had no choice to obey anyway.
If we compare that to Russell, he made Q2 and QUALIFIED a WILLIAMS in P11.
He then managed to keep that position untill the safety car restart when he became subject to both cars with better grip, slipstream and eventually DRS. Dont forget IMOLA,
he was OVERTAKING BOTTAS in a MERC.
A frigging MERC.
Bottas is done and dusted.
Russell immediately shined last season when taking hamilton's seat.
he shined in a way that Bottas NEVER ever did, driving like it was the championship decider for him.
No matter how much was thrown at him. Russell is WDC material. Bottas is NOT. not even in a WDC capable car.
The only 'sad' thing that happened was the collision between George and Valterri. George didn't do any favours there.
No matter how you put it, THAT was a similar clash like between Rosberg and Hamilton in the past. Toto still has hammeroids and headache from that. It's exactly THAT which they do NOT want to see.
And let's be fair here, it's LIKELY Hamilton stays with Merc, but it always could end up being Russell-Bottas if Merc has no alternatives.
One thing DOES rule in favour of Bottas: he NEVER ever has or probably will put himself and the team in the sitation that Rosberg/Hamilton ended up in. And I don't think Bottas would have went for that Imola move in the Williams.
That said, Russell is like a shark that'll go for it. Bottas is like the slow lamentine.
The only problem Russell faces: does it benefit Mercedes to sign him if Hamilton's already there?
If the rules wouldn't change for 2022, i think Mercedes can take the risk of keeping Bottas, since the 2nd RBR driver isn't sufficiently threatening the WCC yet.
Another thing would be this:
Would Mercedes go with Russell or Verstappen for 2022?
Taking Verstappen aboard completely crushes RedBull.
It would force a lot of hands in the paddock.
Tactically, they then have both Mclaren's Norris and Ricciardo for the top 5, and to keep RBR and Ferrari away.
Both Aston Martins in the mix to mess about with Ferrari and RBR.
And two superstars in their mothership team with Hamilton and Verstappen. IF their 2022 car is less dominant than now, their talent will atleast correct a good amount of it.
RBR will be powerless. Perez is good, but they need supertalent. Tsunoda is way too inexperienced and too much of a ballistic missile. Gasly is good, like perez, but not supertalent. Albon has proven unworthy.
The only reasonable chance for RBR to replace max with would be:
Russell, Ricciardo, Norris. I don't think any of them would have any real interest though.
Mercedes should give Russell a good car 'to keep him aboard the family' but if Hamilton stays, there is little Russell can do to find himself in a good spot. They might replace Norris with Russell @ Mclaren, but then again, Norris is doing absolutely great so more likely to replace Ricciardo, but i think his contract is sorted.
The only wildcard could be Alonso. There is the final shocker possibility that, with Honda officially OUT of F1 in 2022, that Alonso gets a RedBull seat IF verstappen is gone. Alonso has the talent, and a RBR seat will certainly be better than Alpine.
there is no reason for russell to sit on sidelines, waiting for merc. if russell breaks free, marko would be waiting outside mercedes factory to sign him.
