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GP247 - Monza - SauberHopefully this will end long awaited suspense.As for the timeline to decide the driver. “I think we’ll decide as soon as possible, without a doubt, because we have to set up the team for next year and for the future. We also have to stop any speculation, because it’s not in our interest,” concluded Binotto.
Almost as quickly but not quite as far as Mercedes fell after 2021. Of course it could not be said that Mercedes has yet fully recovered, certainly not to their previous dominance. They are still not at a level to call themselves consistently a a top two team. Of course it drove their team to fracture, lose key personnel and ultimately their multi championship winning driver. Having had their previous Champion walk out on them days after his success. They currently run 4th in the Constructors Championship
Well, the truth of the matter is, all principals ride wave generated by someone else (Max, Leclerc, Newey, Stella...and many more, that includes Brawn). Toto is no exception. I don't however spent much of my time thinking what's going on with Mercedes team. I've felt in love with magic Max produces on the track. I don't spent (waste my) time over what CH says or does. RB is a place of work where Max operates, and for me there is nothing more to it.Everso Biggyballies wrote: ↑4 weeks agoHow did Toto manage to retain his position as Team Principal? Oh of course, he is a majority owner of the team. Living on a reputation forged over running a dominant team.
https://www.grandprix247.com/2024/09/06 ... tappen-f1/Nico Rosberg, the 2016 Formula 1 Champion, claims George Russell’s future at Mercedes is not safe with his boss Toto Wolff still targeting Max Verstappen.
Ever since Lewis Hamilton announced his departure to Ferrari in 2025, the worst-kept secret within the F1 paddock was that Wolff was courting Verstappen, trying to lure him to Mercedes, which was a possibility given the controversy that rocked Red Bull with Christian Horner’s sexting scandal in addition to the civil war that erupted within the team in which Jos Verstappen was an active member, not to mention the departure of Adrian Newey.
I also think Max will win WDC (unless disaster strikes), but comfortable? Sorry, but comfortable it will be not. Last two races Max was down on the Finish line, and I have my doubts suddenly he wiil move on the podium. Much will depends how McLaren will play their cards. Piastri can make himself pretty wide, and hold Max for enough time to have Norris building gap and slotting ahead of RB after pitstop. McLaren is fast, RB...little less so.Everso Biggyballies wrote: ↑3 weeks ago Lando was never going to win in Monza once he and McLaren collectively talked each other out of a one stop race. Maybe the Piastri thing cost 3 points to Norris, but as Lando himself says he made mistakes of his own in the opening lap.
Realistically McLaren are targetting the WCC. With an 8 points per race (nearest whole numbers, its actually 7.75) it is a big uphill climb to do the WDC although clearly it is possible.
However with Mercedes admitting their car is heading downhill and less drivable with the last update, and Red Bull believing they have found their own 'smoking gun' I think Max will ultimately be a comfortable WDC this year. McLaren have admitted they have upgrades they are fearfull of introducing because of the risk of joining others (ie RB and Merc) who have overdeveloped areas trying to find hundredths of seconds, and in turn losing the overall balance of the car and losing tenths. Ultimately upgrades making the car to erratic and difficult to set up. Upgrades that effectively are too knife edge to be a risk free path to performance. Red Bull now know their upgrade simulations and CFD are not being replicated physically on track.
Of course, Red Bull may have to step backwards in development to actually move forwards in performance.. Ironically it seems Sergio has been telling them of the issues since Miami and they only listened to Max who now is agreeing with Sergio. So only now are Red Bull close to fixing their issues. Maybe had they listened to their much maligned #2 earlier in the piece.... of course that Max can get more out of any car than others makes any such claim a bit of an open ended one as obviously Max is gaining more from even the knife edge car than others.
However, clearly Max should have maybe listened more to Sergio's observations than trying to drive round the points Sergio has beensince Miami saying.
Let's hope so. I am not saying Max must win every race just to please me, but the champ sunk as deep as he was recently is degrading whole game. If rivals want appropriate his title, lets do it in cars with winning potential.erwin greven wrote: ↑3 weeks ago The next two races won't show much improvement, but then it should improve.
I don't know about Sauber's hiring criteria, and how Theo fits in, but still, Sauber has only one seat available. What about the others? One wonders if there should be on age limit, or years served in the series and forcing rotation that way. Hamilton and Alonso had their shot. That's two out right there.(Motorsport-Total.com) - When it comes to the open Sauber cockpit for the coming year, a surprisingly rare name is mentioned: Theo Pourchaire. The Frenchman actually has the ideal conditions. The 21-year-old is the reigning Formula 2 champion and has been part of the Sauber Academy for years. And alongside Nico Hülkenberg, Pourchaire could learn a lot.
And yet he seems to be on the sidelines in the fight for the cockpit. He was not even allowed to play the Friday training for the Swiss - Ferrari junior Robert Schwarzman was surprisingly allowed to do so in Zandvoort. (Isn't Schwarzman a Russian?)
"I don't know. I did my best on the track. Surely there are people who say that it doesn't look great when you win Formula 2 in the third year, but I won it at the age of 20," he says. "I'm the youngest race winner in Formula 2 and Formula 3. I don't have to prove anything at all. I only need one option, nothing more.”
But they don't always exist in Formula 1. Predecessor Felipe Drugovich is also one of the drivers who have won Formula 2 and have not yet had a chance. However, other drivers such as Logan Sargeant, Guanyu Zhou or recently Franco Colapinto have received them, although they did not win the Formula 2.
"If you're in my position, that looks unfair, of course," he has to admit. "I think it's also unfair to Drugovich, for example. He won the title, but it is as it is. This is the Formula 1 world," says Pourchaire.
Theo Pourchaire: I wonder every day why I don't get a F1 chance. Pourchaire has been a Sauber junior and test driver for several years Zoom Download
"It's a little sad, but I'm still here and deserving my chance," Pourchaire said. "I hope I can get them one day. I'm ready to give everything. I just have so much passion for this sport," he emphasizes. "I'm not asking for anything. I just want a seat and a steering wheel and my chance in the car."
