race-week

[race-week]

Norris on Sprint Races

"I don't think it's too bad for us as drivers, honestly. I don't think we can be the ones to complain at all.

"It's the hundreds of mechanics and engineers that have to travel so much. It's not healthy for them. It is not sustainable.

"So, the problem is not with us. People should look out more for the rest of the team."

[X]

#f1 #lando norris

[race-week]

What do you think would be the better option for Sainz, Mercedes or Audi?

Okay, let’s be realistic here.

The current Mercedes set up is kind of far from the Mercedes team that won multiple championships in a row.

Realistically neither Mercedes nor Sauber/Audi are going to be properly competitive before the new regulations and even then there’s no guarantee.

If Sainz goes to Mercedes there is no doubt in my mind that he’ll be used as a ‘seat warmer’ on a 1 year or 1+1 year contract, until Antonelli is deemed to be ready.

If he goes to Sauber for 2025 he’s got a year to get settled into the team, plus he already knows people there (Seidl for example). Then it becomes Audi for 2026 and he’s likely to get a longer term deal with Sauber/Audi than he would at Merc.

Toto Wolff has made it very clear that his future plans lie with Antonelli and drivers have egos and hearing that Wolff thinks the future is with Antonelli will likely put other drivers off.

#al’s asks

[race-week]

Someone blindfold him then.

[race-week]

#f1

[race-week]

^ maybe this is why it reminds me of 2013

What happened in the early/mid 2010s that’s similar? (I only started watching a couple of years ago so no clue what it was like back then!)

Tbh I don’t know what in particular it is, just similar vibes.

I’d say it kind of feels like 2013 esque

[race-week]

Fun Fact:

Hulkenberg is the first Haas driver to get a drive with another team afterwards

#f1

[race-week]

You think Merc will really bring in Kimi for next season??? Wouldn’t they be better off putting him in Williams first?

I love also that Schumacher and Vesti are never even considered by Toto, it seems 🙃 Why are they even part of the team at this point.

I don’t think it’d be a good choice but I think it’s something that Wolff may do in desperation

He’s not going to offer any driver a long term contract, he’s likely going to offer a 1 year deal (he offered a 1+1 to Hamilton) and this isn’t preferable to a driver at all. This is apparently what caused issues in a contract negotiation with Sainz.

Especially when you think Mercedes aren’t really a top team anyone, they are an upper midfield team at the moment, so taking a 1 year deal with them vs a multi year deal for another midfield team is a far worse offer.

Also there’s no guarantee that Williams would take Antonelli. They’ve said in the past that they want to focus on their own junior program and not spend their money and resources training someone else’s junior who is just going to leave.

#al’s asks

[race-week]

What happened in the early/mid 2010s that’s similar? (I only started watching a couple of years ago so no clue what it was like back then!)

Tbh I don’t know what in particular it is, just similar vibes.

I’d say it kind of feels like 2013 esque

[race-week]

Hulk going to Sauber is very "fork found in kitchen" behaviour tbh

Yeah I was expecting it, just announcement came earlier than I expected. It’s only April

[race-week]

judging by the kick off during pre-season and now this only 5 races in, how chaotic do you think summer break will be?

Tbh I expect that the majority of the seats will probably be filled by summer break, both the teams and drivers are likely to want to get things wrapped up quite quickly to avoid missing out, and the teams wanting to keep their drivers will likely grant them contract extensions within the next few weeks

Tbh a lot of the chaos comes from media speculation and there isn’t an awful lot to speculate on, most of the seats available are for midfield and lower teams. Like we’ve already had the ‘big move’ of silly season with Hamilton to Ferrari.

My thoughts

Red Bull: Verstappen & Perez

Ferrari: Hamilton & Leclerc (confirmed)

McLaren: Norris & Piastri (confirmed)

Aston Martin: Stroll & Alonso

Mercedes: Russell & Antonelli

VCARB: Tsunoda/Ricciardo & Lawson

Sauber: Sainz & Hulkenberg

Williams: Albon & *

Haas: ** & Bearman

Alpine: Ocon & Gasly (?)

* The other Williams is an unknown for me, I think they may stick with Sargeant, maybe Zhou, or maybe someone else entirely (I’ve seen Gasly rumours)

** Haas I think could be Magnussen, Bottas or Zhou

#al’s asks

[race-week]

Hulkenberg has had such a weird career path, and out of all the drivers you could predict would be in F1 nearing his forties I don’t think he’d be one (he’ll turn 39 in 2026)

Like he joined F1 in 2010, didn’t have a drive in 2011, then got a seat for 2012, moved around a bit and then lost his seat at the end of 2019. Had a couple of reserve appearances, comes back in 2023, and now in 2025/2026 he’ll be at a proper world team

[race-week]

Tbf there’s something weird in F1 at the moment that is somewhat reminding me of like the early to mid 2010s

[race-week]

So according to Chris Medland (who i trust) Hulkenberg is now going to Sauber from 25 and Audi 26, what's your thoughts on that?

and what happens to the rest of the grid?

I expected that to happen.

Hulkenberg has connections with Audi and he’s also known as being a really good development driver.

From the beginning I could see Sauber/Audi going with either Sainz or Hulkenberg (perhaps both)

But I think Hulk would be a good signing for them especially in the transition

#al’s asks

[race-week]

If I had a nickel for every time Lewis Hamilton changed teams and Nico Hulkenberg joined Sauber, I’d have 2 nickels, which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it happed twice

[race-week]

#f1

[race-week]

[X]

This is about the potential of points down to P12 for next year

From the sounds of it, the smaller, lower ranking teams were in favour. Ferrari and Red Bull didn’t have much of an opinion, so this delay means that either Zak Brown or Toto Wolff (or both) kicked up a fuss.

Place your bets

#f1

[race-week]

“Newey is said to be unhappy about the power struggle in the team and does not want to be completely pushed into the RB17 Hypercar project”

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