Nope, Carlos to Mercedes...
Motorsport Off Topic Thread
- Thread starter Shimmy
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2026 will be won by the team with the best engine.
If Merc have the best engine they still have to beat McLaren.
True, but Merc will build their engine to work with the rest of their car, so they'll have an advantage McLaren don't.
It's given them such a massive advantage over the last 3 years....
Huh? Merc have beaten McLaren in every one of those years.
As far as I understand it the Mercedes engine comes complete with the gearbox and has to use the same rear suspension design but not necessarily aero parts, I believe Ted Kravitz once stated so, and the customer engines, as decreed by fia rules, must have the same power outputs as the works team.
It also maybe that the turbo position, battery location and radiators all somewhat dictate the rear design of customer cars as well.
F1 to discuss changing the point structure next week. The new proposal will offer points down to 12th place, with the points the same down to 7th, but then going 5-4-3-2-1 rather than 4-2-1-0-0.
Seems a small but worthwhile improvement to me, it'd be good to see the lower end teams getting more to fight for.
Seems a small but worthwhile improvement to me, it'd be good to see the lower end teams getting more to fight for.
Agree that it's a good change - often the lower teams will sit at 0 for several races so it would be nice to see them have some exchanges.
Apparently they need six teams to back it: Williams, Sauber, Alpine and Haas are surely all going to back it. Alpha Tauri should back it, but they're Red Bull puppets so they won't back it unless Red Bull do, and I think Red Bull are one of the least likely teams to back it.
So I guess we need two out of Merc, McLaren, Aston, and Ferrari to back it. Merc probably will, since they tend to be willing to do stuff to help the smaller teams and they have a good relationship with Williams. Ferrari probably won't, I think, and I really have no idea which way McLaren will fall. Aston should realise that it will benefit Stroll.
So I guess we need two out of Merc, McLaren, Aston, and Ferrari to back it. Merc probably will, since they tend to be willing to do stuff to help the smaller teams and they have a good relationship with Williams. Ferrari probably won't, I think, and I really have no idea which way McLaren will fall. Aston should realise that it will benefit Stroll.
Feels fitting that Stroll will now be able to contribute points because they're lowering the bar.
I guess all of the top teams would be reluctant given that, if they're in a winning position in the future, they'd want to minimise competition. That being said, it goes both ways depending on how the race unfolds so should be generally favourable.
I've often believed that a condition of Ferrari engine supply is that you will be expected to vote the same way as Ferrari in any FOM vote. Not sure if that's still the case, but I see no reason Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari or McLaren should be voting against this if they're expecting to be at the sharp end, not scrapping for 10th or 11th.
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Hülkenberg will take a 30-year old record at his next grand prix: the most races without a win. Adding to his current most races without a podium.
Shame for him that he's never even lucked into one with all those races under his belts. A lot of average drivers, at least if they are in a midfield car,manage to luck into a win.
Relatively few do, I think, and it's never just luck. Hülkenberg has been unlucky, but I think he's been there long enough and had good enough cars at time that not landing a podium by now is very much down to him. A win a little less so.
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I don't really see why it wouldn't be in the interests of the bigger teams to back it; it makes zero difference to them if
I reckon AT will be keen to vote it through at it would help them massively given they seem to be almost always floating around that 10-14th place.
Hell the way things are going with such a competitive field (behind Red Bull) it could benefit any of the rest of the grid
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Because it makes lower point finishes more valuable, so the advantage of coming 5/6 over 8/9 is reduced. If you're fighting for 3rd that makes a difference to them. The narrower points systems make the biggest teams more secure.
I think it’s two fold for him. He’s unlucky to have never won a race yet lucky he’s been able to race for so long in F1. He’s probably seen loads of racers come and go by this point.