OT: F1 - Hamilton to Merc, Perez to Macca?

nich
nich Posts: 888
edited September 2012 in Commuting chat
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/19755236

Looks like all the rumours might be true.

I'm not sure what to make of this. I think Perez in a Macca might dominate. I think Hamilton in a non-race winning car will get in a strop, and maybe quit F1.

So for this to be true, I think Merc really must have something up their sleeves - maybe with the new engine regs? or maybe they've pumped tons more money into development?

Hmm hmm hmm. Initially thoughts are 'wtf are you thinking Hamilton'. But if he gets a race winning car, I'll be happy :)

Comments

  • peat
    peat Posts: 1,242
    Yep, it's all about 2014 and the new engine regs. Merc have had the new engine on the test-bench for months already and are thought to have stolen a march. It will be embarrassing if they don't dominate.

    Hamilton wise - He had to get away from Mclaren to prove himself. But, i think 'brand Hamilton' will swallow him up and spit him out. He'll have his own clothing line, release an album, have a nervous breakdown, take a year out then come back strong. Hamilton for 2017 WDC!
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Hamilton to Mercedes is more of a commercial decision than a sporting one. IMO. Mercedes while a front runner have always looked a pretender to the Championship (along with Lotus) whereas Ferrari (mostly because of Alonso as opposed to the car in recent years), Maclaren and Red Bull have looked like Championship winning teams.

    Hamilton appears to be driving with a maturity he hasn't shown before and maybe he might be able to build a team around him and dominate outside as well as inside the race track. But I get the impression that his brand will eat him up and he'll spend the next 3 years being the playboy.

    Personally I don't think he should have split with his Dad, under normal circumstances I think its important for every son to go it alone and grow up, Hamilton hasn't and hasn't needed to. His Dad gave up his job to steer his early career, he was then handed over to Maclaren... I think Anthony Hamilton would have kept him grounded during his rising star years and by now - between 2008 and now - he would have won at least another Championship.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    OK so the merry go round begins. I think Di Resta will go to Ferrari or Lotus (Grosjean is a gonna).
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • peat
    peat Posts: 1,242
    No way, Grosjean is Boullier blue-eyed boy (he's managed by Boullier's group, Gravity).

    Lotus will remain unchanged i reckon, unless Kimi gets bored again.

    Sauber's choice will be interesting considering that they were grumbling about replacing Kobayashi.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Sauber will take Massa presumably.

    I imagine it was quite simple. McLaren said "we want to pay you less and make you do more sponsorship" and mercedes went "we'll pay you what you're on now and do a lot less sponsorship than you've ever done".
    _
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    I think it has to do with image rights more than anything else. Hamilton is there to help Mercedes raise their profile, presumably its AMG range (wouldn't surprise me if the 2014 car has AMG written all over it or the team is rebadged AMG). Mecedes is there to help Hamilton make more money. Hopefully winning a Championship will be found somewhere in the middle.

    Either way we're going to find out how much better and faster Hamilton is than the rest because I don't think his car will be.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • Paul E
    Paul E Posts: 2,052
    They have won a championship with Button, how people forget recent history (same time different name and with less money)
  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    Paul E wrote:
    They have won a championship with Button, how people forget recent history (same time different name and with less money)
    It wasn't so much with less money though, they had Honda money to develop the car and picked up the Merc engine at the last minute. The double diffuser gave them a huge lead which lasted around half a season, and Button coasted to the title as they faded through the tail end. Not to say Button didn't make the most of the opportunity, he dominated when he had a car able to do so and was a deserving champion. I'd give that title to Honda as much as Merc though.
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  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Didn't Honda pour something like £250mil - or as much as they could to develop a car that could win the championship and then (business/commercial decision at the top) later decide to leave F1 due to the recession etc. Brawn then persuaded them to hand over the car as it was finished
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • twist83
    twist83 Posts: 761
    I think the Merc decision has a massive amount riding on the new Engine Regs. Expect lack lustre performances in 2013 and if Merc pull it out for 2014 with the new Regs then a new championship for Lewis.

    With them being an engine supplier as well I can likely see this happening. Not sure about Perez taking his seat though. Probably came cheap mind....
  • Paul E
    Paul E Posts: 2,052
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    Didn't Honda pour something like £250mil - or as much as they could to develop a car that could win the championship and then (business/commercial decision at the top) later decide to leave F1 due to the recession etc. Brawn then persuaded them to hand over the car as it was finished

    The year before to develop that car, the season they won they had little money to run and develop the car more which is why it was tight at the end of the season but he had built up such a large number of points as a buffer he wasn't overtaken by the end
  • walkingbootweather
    walkingbootweather Posts: 2,443
    Hamilton spotted test driving a Merc.

    Can't see Red Bull or McLaren losing too much sleep to be honest.
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  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Paul E wrote:
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    Didn't Honda pour something like £250mil - or as much as they could to develop a car that could win the championship and then (business/commercial decision at the top) later decide to leave F1 due to the recession etc. Brawn then persuaded them to hand over the car as it was finished

    The year before to develop that car, the season they won they had little money to run and develop the car more which is why it was tight at the end of the season but he had built up such a large number of points as a buffer he wasn't overtaken by the end
    I'm not sure how your post relates to what I'm saying, unless you are attempting to continue the story of how Brawn GP won the Championship...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brawn_GP

    The BGP001 was originally designed with the intention of becoming the Honda RA109. In fact, owing to the poor performance of the Honda team in 2008, the team made a relatively early start in designing the 2009 car. However, following Honda's withdrawal, development of the car continued, in the hope that the team would be somehow rescued.

    Eventually, the car was appropriated by the newly-formed Brawn GP team, and modified to accommodate a Mercedes-Benz engine in place of the expected Honda engine.

    Yes, during the 2009 season Brawn had no more money to develop the car further but its initial development, by Honda, was why it was so dominant at the beginning of that season.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Racing_F1#2008

    The team continued until the end of the 2008 season, when Honda again exited the sport, unwilling to continue the Brackley-based team's $300 million budget and staff of 700 during an extended period of global economic crisis.
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    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • Paul E
    Paul E Posts: 2,052
    The team was essentially the same one that won as brawn and just changed it name, that's all I was saying, the structure of the team didn't change much barring people being made redundant etc.
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Paul E wrote:
    The team was essentially the same one that won as brawn and just changed it name, that's all I was saying, the structure of the team didn't change much barring people being made redundant etc.
    You gave no mention to a team in the post responding to mine.

    Your post:
    The year before to develop that car, the season they won they had little money to run and develop the car more which is why it was tight at the end of the season but he had built up such a large number of points as a buffer he wasn't overtaken by the end

    My post to which the above was a response:
    Didn't Honda pour something like £250mil - or as much as they could to develop a car that could win the championship and then (business/commercial decision at the top) later decide to leave F1 due to the recession etc. Brawn then persuaded them to hand over the car as it was finished

    I struggle to see how the two even relate in the course of a conversation.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • Paul E
    Paul E Posts: 2,052
    Do you understand now though? that's all that matters cause I am not posting another reply trying to explain something that has been explained clearly by now.
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    No not really, but yes Paul you are right....
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game

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