2021 AMG Mercedes F1 Team

[Big Tea]

Is it possible that RB may be 'borrowing' Alpha Tauri wind tunnel/CFD time to develop?

Absolutely not, that would be an instant WCC ban, and a hefty fine as well!

How do you police this though? It's so easy to share information these days, much easier than during the days of Stepney/Coughlan, etc.

What if AT engineer just dumps "RB" wind tunnel/CFD data on an anonymised file transfer website (i.e., WeTransfer), or uses personal email/cloud accounts? Does FIA have the manpower or systems to track all information flow, or monitor adequately what is being worked on at each factory in real time?

Don't forget, staff regularly switch between teams and probably facilities. Would a team take the chance that even if it is a few years down the line, someone will let it slip, or even deliberately disclose it due to a tiff?

The teams make their money by people wanting to be associated with them

[ringo]

Suzuka is out.. high potential redbull winning track.
Things are falling into place nicely. Mercedes need to focus on using Valteri to spoil Max's races.
If he qualifies p4 the lowest and gets a clean start, they can using him to force redbull's hand with strategy.
Perez looks like he will not get a handle on getting the best from the RB16B in q3, and more than likely will be outqualified by Norris or even Gasly. Mercedes must take full advantage of these times.

[mkay]

Suzuka is out.. high potential redbull winning track.
Things are falling into place nicely. Mercedes need to focus on using Valteri to spoil Max's races.
If he qualifies p4 the lowest and gets a clean start, they can using him to force redbull's hand with strategy.
Perez looks like he will not get a handle on getting the best from the RB16B in q3, and more than likely will be outqualified by Norris or even Gasly. Mercedes must take full advantage of these times.

I'm not sure I agree that Suzuka was a 'high potential' RB track. It's a front limited track with a lot of medium/high speed corners, abrasive surface and Pirelli's C1-C3 range. I think it would have been a tight affair with Red Bull, judging by performance at Silverstone, and perhaps even better for Merc as temps would have been a lot cooler (and we know that at Silverstone, Merc performed better than RB in colder temps).

IMO, it would be a lot better for Merc if either Brazil and/or Mexico get cancelled, rather than Suzuka.

Don't forget, staff regularly switch between teams and probably facilities. Would a team take the chance that even if it is a few years down the line, someone will let it slip, or even deliberately disclose it due to a tiff?

Very good point. Especially given what happened in 2007...

[El Scorchio]

Suzuka is out.. high potential redbull winning track.
Things are falling into place nicely. Mercedes need to focus on using Valteri to spoil Max's races.
If he qualifies p4 the lowest and gets a clean start, they can using him to force redbull's hand with strategy.
Perez looks like he will not get a handle on getting the best from the RB16B in q3, and more than likely will be outqualified by Norris or even Gasly. Mercedes must take full advantage of these times.

I'm not sure I agree that Suzuka was a 'high potential' RB track. It's a front limited track with a lot of medium/high speed corners, abrasive surface and Pirelli's C1-C3 range. I think it would have been a tight affair with Red Bull, judging by performance at Silverstone, and perhaps even better for Merc as temps would have been a lot cooler (and we know that at Silverstone, Merc performed better than RB in colder temps).

IMO, it would be a lot better for Merc if either Brazil and/or Mexico get cancelled, rather than Suzuka.

Don't forget, staff regularly switch between teams and probably facilities. Would a team take the chance that even if it is a few years down the line, someone will let it slip, or even deliberately disclose it due to a tiff?

Very good point. Especially given what happened in 2007...

I wouldn't count out the idea of Brazil or Mexico getting cancelled, TBH. Even the US race.

[ringo]

The covid wave may settle down by then.
But it's very easy for 2021 to go from being a classic year to a dissapointing one if it was cut too short and the title fight ended abruptly.

As for Bottas..what's really been his issues in the races?
Is it is sevond stints just arent strong, or does he lose the rythm and his pace generally degrades after 1/3 of the race?

No Bottas bashing please.

[mkay]

Suzuka is out.. high potential redbull winning track.
Things are falling into place nicely. Mercedes need to focus on using Valteri to spoil Max's races.
If he qualifies p4 the lowest and gets a clean start, they can using him to force redbull's hand with strategy.
Perez looks like he will not get a handle on getting the best from the RB16B in q3, and more than likely will be outqualified by Norris or even Gasly. Mercedes must take full advantage of these times.

I'm not sure I agree that Suzuka was a 'high potential' RB track. It's a front limited track with a lot of medium/high speed corners, abrasive surface and Pirelli's C1-C3 range. I think it would have been a tight affair with Red Bull, judging by performance at Silverstone, and perhaps even better for Merc as temps would have been a lot cooler (and we know that at Silverstone, Merc performed better than RB in colder temps).

IMO, it would be a lot better for Merc if either Brazil and/or Mexico get cancelled, rather than Suzuka.

Don't forget, staff regularly switch between teams and probably facilities. Would a team take the chance that even if it is a few years down the line, someone will let it slip, or even deliberately disclose it due to a tiff?

Very good point. Especially given what happened in 2007...

I wouldn't count out the idea of Brazil or Mexico getting cancelled, TBH. Even the US race.

The only way the US race gets cancelled is if the Federal government completely shuts down borders again (unlikely), or if the Austin area cannot guarantee ICU beds for F1 (remains a remote possibility at this stage).

Brazil and Mexico, I agree, are in a far more precarious position than the US at this stage, given lower vaccination levels, higher positivity rates and death/capita.

[El Scorchio]

I'm not sure I agree that Suzuka was a 'high potential' RB track. It's a front limited track with a lot of medium/high speed corners, abrasive surface and Pirelli's C1-C3 range. I think it would have been a tight affair with Red Bull, judging by performance at Silverstone, and perhaps even better for Merc as temps would have been a lot cooler (and we know that at Silverstone, Merc performed better than RB in colder temps).

IMO, it would be a lot better for Merc if either Brazil and/or Mexico get cancelled, rather than Suzuka.



Very good point. Especially given what happened in 2007...

I wouldn't count out the idea of Brazil or Mexico getting cancelled, TBH. Even the US race.

The only way the US race gets cancelled is if the Federal government completely shuts down borders again (unlikely), or if the Austin area cannot guarantee ICU beds for F1 (remains a remote possibility at this stage).

Brazil and Mexico, I agree, are in a far more precarious position than the US at this stage, given lower vaccination levels, higher positivity rates and death/capita.

Definitely. I think for the US, it would end up having to be F1's decision to not hold the race if they were concerned about keeping all the travelling staff 'safe' in a state where I believe vaccination rates, mask wearing and general enforcement of measures are low- and I can't see them having no spectators. I totally agree that Texas or COTA aren't going to call it off unless it's enforced by a higher power. They are seeing a real rise in cases there at the moment though.

[Just_a_fan]

It seems strange discussing race cancellations when here in the UK things are feeling much more "back to normal" for the man on the street. Yes, there are still medical issues, but for most it feels like we're heading out of the pandemic at full speed. It's a shame that Japan has been cancelled as I do like the track.

[Marty_Y]

This is veering off topic from the Mercedes team imo.

I think the main problem with some races in certain countries is not the country's ability or willingness to go ahead with the race it's the fact that certain countries are on red travel lists, meaning that teams have to quarantine for days when they leave which is unviable because it disrupts the timetable for the race after.

[zibby43]

I don’t know why this made me laugh so hard, but it did.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CSwRMRXF ... =copy_link

[erudite450]

I don’t know why this made me laugh so hard, but it did.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CSwRMRXF ... =copy_link

What's that, Zibby? I don't have an Insta account

[zibby43]

I don’t know why this made me laugh so hard, but it did.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CSwRMRXF ... =copy_link

What's that, Zibby? I don't have an Insta account

Just some funny Toto Wolff content from the team.

[maxxer]

Toto might have been naughty

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/91930/te ... ading.html

[Just_a_fan]

Toto might have been naughty

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/91930/te ... ading.html

The only interesting bit of that article is the comments section below it. That's a monkey cage of trolling and abuse, right there.

[NathanOlder]

Toto might have been naughty

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/91930/te ... ading.html

The only interesting bit of that article is the comments section below it. That's a monkey cage of trolling and abuse, right there.

Very much so, although I am guilty of engaging in arguments with some of those clowns. Some time late at night , I just fall in to the troll traps