The 2019 F1 Countdown Thread

[CoolJetta3]

Oh and the car from my birth year...

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[CoolJetta3]

Hey was that the girl from The Bourne Identity standing next to Toto?

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[Burnette]

Don't forget Bottas who came all the way from the back. 2 more laps he would've had a chance at the podium.

True, last race you put it all out there.

I have to give major props to Red Bull/Honda/Verstappen. What a year, way better than most, even myself would have predicted.

And on the #driversmatter note Verstappen has grown, his best year in the car. Juxtapose that with Vettel while just saus on TV that he could have done better. What a snit year he's had. They can make a difference for good or ill.

[Burnette]

Looks like the race horse took a piss pre race.

Ferrari is under investigation for Leclerc's fuel level being different from what Ferrari declared it was:

A report from FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer issued less than an hour before the start of the race said the fuel declaration of Leclerc's car was checked before he left the pitlane.

According to Bauer, there was a "significant difference" between the declaration of the team and the amount of fuel inside the car."

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...start/4605298/

[roman16v]

:

After only getting 1/5 right for qual, lets see if the race is any bettter.

1. Verstappen
2. Hamilton
3. Leclerc
4. Albon
5. Norris

Your predictions?

Ugh, 1/5 to close the season. Well, it's a long time until March 15th, 2020...

[Smooremin]

Overall a boring ass season. Germany and Singapore were the real only fun races. Oh and Malaysia was good too. But even as a LH fan, man that was boring.


Hopeful next year there is more competition and excitement. As has been said numerous times, they need an injection of excitement back into the sport.

[roman16v]

Overall a boring ass season. Germany and Singapore were the real only fun races. Oh and Malaysia was good too.

Malaysia hasn't been on the calendar since 2017...

[Burnette]

The progress Red Bull made with Honda was phenomenal. And Verstappen came into his own this year. Still some immature mistakes and publicly burning Ferrari bridges he may wish to cross one day but a solid effort, enough to too Ferrari in the driver's championship.

Ferrari was a show unto itself. Seeing the rise of Leclerc this year was awesome. For a bit Ferrari had power and went on a pole winning streak. The fall of Vettel was hard to watch, desperate and clumsy unbefitting of his title. Then Ferrari as a team imploding, blundering pit calls and on track strategy, the highlight of Vettel three wheelin' at the US GP...

Carlos Sainz, Norris and McLaren righted the ship without the self imposed chosen one, Alonso. Congrats to them for their efforts.

Ricciardo, IMO he had to leave Red Bull but wow, what a struggle. Personally and on the team.

Albon had some wrecks but showed flashes of something more. He's still far off from Verstappen, the bar is high for him next year.

Ghastly turned out like I thought, he's a lower tier driver, happy fir him though that he found a place at his level to stay in F1.

[Burnette]

Malaysia hasn't been on the calendar since 2017...

It's the complaining that's important, not actually watching it

[CoolJetta3]

This was lol. Norris fake cryinghttps://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5de411424f2b6/5b0ns.mp4

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[Burnette]

Toto has put a number on it, 75% chance Hamilton stays in the silver car. Hamilton still makes it sound like he and Toto's deals are tied:

"Asked what percentage he would put on Hamilton staying with the Silver Arrows in 2021, Wolff, who has overseen five of Hamilton’s six world championship triumphs, replied: “I am leaning myself out of the window here, and I would rate it at 75 per cent.

“I hope that our relationship continues but there is a 25 per cent chance we are not in control of."

"I know Toto is looking at his options in terms of his own future,” added Hamilton. “Only he knows what is the best thing for him and his family. So, I am waiting to see what he is doing with that."

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breaki.../--967739.html

[Double-V]

Ferrari fined for the breach of the fuel regs, Leclerc keeps the podium.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/14...clerc-keeps-p3

[Smooremin]

Malaysia hasn't been on the calendar since 2017...

Sorry, meant Bahrain.

It's the complaining that's important, not actually watching it

[Burnette]

Ferrari fined for the breach of the fuel regs, Leclerc keeps the podium.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/14...clerc-keeps-p3

I was wondering if they were going to take Leclerc's position . The commentators joked that the stewards didn't want anything to review because they were anxious to get to the parties

[Elite_Deforce]

Conspiracy theory: They are running no DRS just to see how the race plays out and what this formula can do with no help.

Also why was Kvyat just using DRS? I guess if the control tower can't detect it, they could just open it whenever

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I was thinking, "Gee, pretty embarrassing, especially since this is where DRS started. Must be rigged!" I quite liked it, personally.

Overall a boring ass season. Germany and Singapore were the real only fun races. Oh and Malaysia was good too. But even as a LH fan, man that was boring.

And Brazil... and Italy... and Japan... Austria... arguably today's race as well. Honda winning for the first time in years... Toro Rosso getting a few podiums. Vettel doing Vettel things.

Pretty difficult to label it as a boring season, let alone a "boring ass" one. Perhaps the first few races and France, but I had fun otherwise.

[Burnette]

Toto says more:

Wolff said he and Hamilton have “talked very openly” about Ferrari’s grand stature within F1, and he understands the temptation for Hamilton to end his outstanding career in the famed red of Ferrari.

“There will be components such as financial incentives that will play a role. … I still think a driver of that level will always know that he can make an impact on a team,” Wolff said. “When he left McLaren to Mercedes, it was said that it wasn’t the right move, and it proved to be right [move]. So I don’t think I want to make a mistake of underestimating Ferrari’s potential.”

https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/spo...ve-to-ferrari/

[CoolJetta3]

Sainz is the first driver since 2015 to finish in the top 6 and not be driving Mercedes, Ferrari, or Red Bull. McLaren is doing well turning it around

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[Burnette]

Sainz is the first driver since 2015 to finish in the top 6 and not be driving Mercedes, Ferrari, or Red Bull. McLaren is doing well turning it around

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I gave them props too, they got it back in track and IMO they have a pretty good driver line up.

And they don't want Alonso back either

[Woodski]

Overall a boring ass season. Germany and Singapore were the real only fun races. Oh and Malaysia was good too. But even as a LH fan, man that was boring.


Hopeful next year there is more competition and excitement. As has been said numerous times, they need an injection of excitement back into the sport.

Brazil and Germany were future classics for sure.

[tbvvw]

Brazil and Germany were future classics for sure.

Shame that a Germany GP won't be on the calendar in 2020, and based on the Mercedes appetite for supporting it (they won't anymore, even though it's only an easy 90 min drive from the HQ), or SAP's desire (a past title sponsor)...Hockenheim is pretty much out in the cold with so many other races already packing the calendar and with France and the Dutch GP coming back.

No money, no racey....

[300_munkeys]

Sainz is the first driver since 2015 to finish in the top 6 and not be driving Mercedes, Ferrari, or Red Bull. McLaren is doing well turning it around

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While Sainz had a good year, if Red Bull had the same second driver the whole year he probably would have finished 7th.

[maxbhp]

Toto says more:

Wolff said he and Hamilton have “talked very openly” about Ferrari’s grand stature within F1, and he understands the temptation for Hamilton to end his outstanding career in the famed red of Ferrari.

“There will be components such as financial incentives that will play a role. … I still think a driver of that level will always know that he can make an impact on a team,” Wolff said. “When he left McLaren to Mercedes, it was said that it wasn’t the right move, and it proved to be right [move]. So I don’t think I want to make a mistake of underestimating Ferrari’s potential.”

https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/spo...ve-to-ferrari/

Toto wants to follow Lewis to Ferrari..... just saying

[Burnette]

Toto wants to follow Lewis to Ferrari..... just saying

I'm not sure what to make of it honestly. Hamilton for sure wants to know if Toto goes or stays, Toto is the glue and the vision and those would be big shoes to fill. And Hamilton may or may not get on with that new person. So I'm sure Toto's fate plays some part on Hamilton's decision.

Toto on the other hand has said that he would be the first to congratulate Hamilton if he left and Toto's focus would be to find a driver to keep the team going.

I have zero idea who's bluffing

But I will say this, IMO Hamilton shouldn't go to Ferrari without Toto and key team engineers. Ferrari is a terrible team with a good car, they need better minds in the headsets.

[Metallitubby]

IMO Hamilton shouldn't go to Ferrari

I agree with this much.

[Burnette]

Where the hell is Vettel going to go if he's out at Ferrari in 2021? It's no secret that Ferrari wants to keep Leclerc for his talent and youth, and for Binotto to say of Hamilton, "knowing that he's available in 2021 can make us only happy", well, that's kinda harsh and to the point.

Verstappen is in the mix too though, he'll go wherever Hamilton isn't and that could be Ferrari.

A lot can happen in a year, Vettel could find his form of old next year. I would love to see that too. But if he tanks next year like he did this year, it's over for his time at Ferrari.

He says he's not done though. I just can't imagine where he would end up after Ferrari.