Poll: Qatar Grand Prix 2021, Lusail - Race 20

[englishpremier]

I don't think Max has anywhere to go. With the driver salary cap coming in, no team is going to run two top drivers. Merc have the strongest line-up on the grid next year, Ferrari have Leclerc ably backed by Sainz. McLaren have their golden boy in Norris, and the proven talent of the hugely popular Ricciardo. Alpine maybe? But would Max want to gamble on them? Aston could be a possibility if they get their act together next year but would Max want to go to a team where he's sitting next to the son of the boss? William may be able to drag themselves to mid-table respectability with their new funding, but they're not going to championship contenders; ditto Alfa; and Haas are a joke.

Oh, not heard about the driver salary cap. How does that work given a driver might have say $100m sponsorship form Santander, with 70% of that going to the team and the rest to him. I presume it's just the teams themselves that will have a maximum limit they use to spend on their drivers and will choose how that is distributed across all their drivers.

Lies! Haas have put all of their 2021 efforts in to 22, they’re bound to be successful.

Even if Haas fount 1 second a lap on the field, I still wouldn't back them to win the WDC or WCC. Firstly they have Mazepin. Secondly they have the slowest pitstops of any team on the grid.

 

[bayo000]

Bottas' radio, just skip to 3:35, doesn't sound interested anymore.

 

[Mr Jack]

Bottas' radio, just skip to 3:35, doesn't sound interested anymore.

The guy just lost a podium due to a sudden tyre failure at the worst point in the lap, how do you expect him to sound?

 

[englishpremier]

Why would he sound interested at 03:35 he was already out of the race, so there is nothing for him to be interested in.

Sounds like he had to lift and coast pretty much most of the way through the GP, no wonder he wasn't as quick as might be expected.

 

[bayo000]

I mean in general not just this race.

 

[englishpremier]

I mean in general not just this race.

I'm not sure about that, sounds like he's more annoyed about his luck or mechanical and other issues that seem to plague him and not Lewis. Perhaps he got Schumacher's old car and mechanics

In general I'm usually not interest in the old thing when the new thing has been sealed. Never understood why employers didn't just put me on gardening leave.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Love these de-briefs

 

[Scam]

plus I've always wondered whether there are WDC matters in max's contract.

What do you mean?

 

[BlizzardX]

What do you mean?

Just something I recall from the days when RB promoted him out of Torro Rosso fast as others where looking to poach and the need to create a championship winning car, I just wondered whether RB would prioritise the WDC over the WCC to retain Max and have it in the contract.

 

[Scam]

Just something I recall from the days when RB promoted him out of Torro Rosso fast as others where looking to poach and the need to create a championship winning car, I just wondered whether RB would prioritise the WDC over the WCC to retain Max and have it in the contract.

Sorry, I don't follow. You mean have a clause whereas he can remove himself from the contract if he doesn't win the WDC?

 

[SoliD]

Sorry, I don't follow. You mean have a clause whereas he can remove himself from the contract if he doesn't win the WDC?

In essence yes, without penalties for leaving.

 

[utajoker]

was getting excited for a race this weekend thinking we are only 2/3 in the triple header

 

[Scam]

In essence yes, without penalties for leaving.

Sounds very unlikely for a driver to have such a clause no? Any evidence of other drivers getting that?

 

[SoliD]

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-performance-clause/

and was talked about but never confirmed 100% that Alonso had one at Ferrari.
Although with it being this close if he doesn't win I suspect the contract would be fulfilled for this year, always come down to Lawyers anyway. PRobably has to be way off the pace to be able to invoke the clause.

 

[Mr Jack]

Although with it being this close if he doesn't win I suspect the contract would be fulfilled for this year, always come down to Lawyers anyway. PRobably has to be way off the pace to be able to invoke the clause.

If it's really "World Championship contender" then it's clearly fulfilled. It's by-the-by anyway, no way Max can arrange a satisfactory seat for next year at this point in the season. However, if he doesn't win with Red Bull eventually he's going to start looking at going elsewhere.

 

[Scam]

However, if he doesn't win with Red Bull eventually he's going to start looking at going elsewhere

How long has he been with them? I'd find it funny for him to stomp off to another team and find himself languishing in the midfield. Abandoning the second fastest car on the grid (currently) with no hope of driving the fastest, seems a little.. rash.

 

[MissChief]

How long has he been with them? I'd find it funny for him to stomp off to another team and find himself languishing in the midfield. Abandoning the second fastest car on the grid (currently) with no hope of driving the fastest, seems a little.. rash.

Reckon Mercedes would have him alongside Russell or Ferrari alongside Leclerc.

 

[DeliciousStorage]

Sounds very unlikely for a driver to have such a clause no? Any evidence of other drivers getting that?

Vettel had a get-out clause in his Red Bull contract.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/24182/9502143

 

[Greboth]

Reckon Mercedes would have him alongside Russell or Ferrari alongside Leclerc.

I think it's impossible to predict the future of driver movements as so much depends on who comes out on top of the new regs.

However, if Russell performs as well as (almost) everyone expects him to then come Hamilton retiring Russell and Verstappen in the same team would be exciting. However, while Merc don't have a contracted number 1, they do seem to prefer this team dynamic so not sure they'd want 2 number 1 drivers so to speak. I think currently Norris is a better shout for Mercs second seat when Hamilton retires.

As for Ferrari, that would mean getting rid of Sainz which I don't see happening. LeClerc is held up as this amazing driver (which I'd mostly agree with) but Sainz is matching him this season so I don't see the logic of swapping out Sainz for Verstappen.

We're discussing this like Red Bull won't be the team to beat next year however assuming somewhat similar situation next year to this. Then I think McLaren is Verstappens only out of Red Bull as Ricciardo is under performing in that car and, as above I could see Norris moving to Merc.

Though ultimately we're back to who will slump or soar with the new regs.

 

[MissChief]

I think it's impossible to predict the future of driver movements as so much depends on who comes out on top of the new regs.

However, if Russell performs as well as (almost) everyone expects him to then come Hamilton retiring Russell and Verstappen in the same team would be exciting. However, while Merc don't have a contracted number 1, they do seem to prefer this team dynamic so not sure they'd want 2 number 1 drivers so to speak. I think currently Norris is a better shout for Mercs second seat when Hamilton retires.

As for Ferrari, that would mean getting rid of Sainz which I don't see happening. LeClerc is held up as this amazing driver (which I'd mostly agree with) but Sainz is matching him this season so I don't see the logic of swapping out Sainz for Verstappen.

We're discussing this like Red Bull won't be the team to beat next year however assuming somewhat similar situation next year to this. Then I think McLaren is Verstappens only out of Red Bull as Ricciardo is under performing in that car and, as above I could see Norris moving to Merc.

Though ultimately we're back to who will slump or soar with the new regs.

I have this feeling that one of Red Bull or Mercedes will end up dropping back closer to the midfield and perhaps one or two teams will make a jump up the field. We just don’t know, and even after the conclusion of testing I’m not sure we’ll know that well either. It wasn’t until Bahrain in 2014 after the safety car that we, and the rest of the teams realised just how far Mercedes were ahead of the rest. You could almost feel the attitude change in the rest of the pit lane when they pulled out a ten second gap in a couple of laps while fighting each other.