Shrieker wrote: ↑07 Sep 2021, 17:59
Do you guys think this is going to be the strongest driver pairing on the grid next year ?
Looking at what he has managed to do the past season(s) I definately would believe so.
I would definately argue that it's a stronger pairing than what they're having now anyway.
The only stronger pairing i would believe would be Hamilton-Alonso or Hamilton-Verstappen.
A great deal is also down to the car though, that must be said.
For example, put Hamilton and Russell in the Haas and it's the same driver pair, but it's lost all it's strenght due to the fact that they have no appropriate material to get into 'battle' with.
Either way, looking at the competition, there doesn't seem to be such a 'strong' combo.
Verstappen-Ricciardo @ RedBull a few seasons ago would be a pairing that would rival Ham-Rus.
With how Ricciardo has been doing @ Mclaren up untill now however i wouldn't say that it looks good though.
If Ricciardo could handle the Mclaren like he did the RB paired to Max, then I would be also inclined to believe that Norris-Ricciardo is another bold and brutal combination.
Unfortunately though, that is not actually happening. It's not that the material is not sufficient, and it's not that Ricciardo isn't sufficient.
And this then is also an element that matters quite a lot.
In theory, Hamilton-Russell is to be a mighty combination. Will it turn out that way however remains to be seen, especially with the 'new' formula next season.
Things can change completely. Vettel was more than mighty with the blown diffuser Bulls, but was a bit lost when that changed. Same can happen with Hamilton in 2022, but that is the same for Russell, Norris, Verstappen etc.
As for harmony....that's a bit of a stinker.
I honestly don't think Lewis-George is going to be problematic at all, but it's all down to chemistry.
You would think Norris and Ricciardo would be the funniest, humourous lighthearted pairing on the grid ever,
but instead they seem to be pretty much at full opposite and can't bare eachother (perhaps a bit exegerated).
Sainz-Verstappen also seemed to be a combo that did not work harmoneous at all,
yet Sainz worked perfectly well with Norris and seems to work with LeClerc fantasticly too,
and Verstappen worked fantastic with Ricciardo, and seems to work well enough with Perez too.
Alonso seems to work well with Ocon too, but with Hamilton things did not work well at all - it reminds me of Hamilton-Rosberg.
Likewise, i think Vettel-Bottas (if paired) would be an interesting combo, but something tells me it would be totally unharmoneous. Despite Bottas-Hamilton works, and Vettel-Raikkonen works.
Also, something also immediately ticked off between Bottas and Russell, i would think Bottas-Russell could actually be a very fishy atmosphere, and instead Hamilton-Russell could work much better.
However, i think the combo Hamilton-Russell is one of the most envysome right now and is going to be a strong asset for Mercedes.
Definately stronger than Verstappen-Perez and Sainz-LeClerc.
Based upon the past seasons, i would say again that Hamilton-Russell is a pairing as powerfull as Verstappen-Ricciardo, but with even better material, and definately is reminiscent of Hamilton-Button even though Button was vastly more experienced and mature, but i would feel Russell is actually sharper in speed than Button.
I would think the only combo that would be stronger if it were to happen would be Alonso-Vettel.
That might actually even work as a pair.
