Formula One topic

[Jeroen]

With the free testing sessions in Spain behind us and the first Grand Prix for the 2015 F1 season coming up next weekend, I guess it is time to give this topic a jumpstart again.

Five months have passed since the his horrific crash of Marussia driver Jules Bianchi in the Japanese Grand Prix. Even though the drugs to keep him in an artificial coma were ceased, apparently his condition has not improved. Jules is still unconscious but able to breathe on his own. That sadly doesn't sound very promising at all.

Of course my eyes were on rookie Max Verstappen who did well at Jerez, but still needs to prove he is mature and good enough to hold his own in a race. We're keeping our fingers crossed!

The real soap opera is taking place around Sauber, who contracted 4 drivers and is now in court hastily making up excuses for their current way of dealing with the team and especially their choices regarding the drivers. It all sounds weird to me. Let's hope things get sorted in the upcoming days and then hope we're off to an entertaining season filled with challenges. Myself, I think I'll stick to the historic Grand Prix races...

[polov8]

Can't wait for the season to begin! Looks like it'll be Mercedes schooling everyone again, but I think Williams, Ferrari and red bull are looking a bit closer both to each other, and to the Mercs. Hopefully McLaren will sort out their issues, find some pace and be right up there too. Alonso has been ruled out of the first race due to his concussion, so magnussen is back for now.

Manor Marrussia seem to have pulled out a miracle and managed to get themselves a place on the grid, I doubt they'll be even as close to the rest as they were last year, but at least they're on the grid.

[Jeroen]

Been a while I see! So, as a Dutchman, what do you guys think of Max Verstappen? Up to last weekend he has performed way better than was to be expected based on age and experience, even winning his 2nd Grand Prix with Red Bull. But last weekend at Spa showed a different side. At the start, choosing the inside at the La Source hairpin, that is where there was room and I think we all would have done the same thing. The Ferrari's closing in on him after initially (apparently) going too wide made things impossible, he had a wall right next to him and he did not have many other options imo.

But that must have frustrated him and at a later stage that was probably what caused his frustrated behavior letting go of the gas at three quarters of Raidillon, the longest and fastest straight of the track. That was outright dangerous and unacceptable imo. No issue with defecding your position but at that stage of the race it is useless trying to keep a faster car behind you for one, and in this way is unacceptable as well.

I think he Max Verstappen is very skilled and has a lot of potential, but he's not there yet. He should watch out not to become another Andrea de Cesaris or Eddie Irvine.

Any thoughts, or other favorites? Still think Hamilton is the best out there at the moment (or the best combo as the car is pretty unbeatable as well) and he did an impressive job driving to the podium from the last row.

[Duracel79]

All my opinion, so please don't take any of this as gospel or take offence

Over all I've been very impressed with Max, he has pace and has managed to be the first team mate to trouble Ricciardo in Qualifying and has beaten him in some races as well. Still lots to learn and his defending has really ruffled the feathers of the f1 old boys.

For the first corner at Spa, there was a gap so any real racer would go for it, although with more experience he may of thought about the saying: You can't win a race at the first corner but you can definitely lose it. Was a risky move which didn't pay off. Kimi tried to leave room but Sebastian didn't expect there to be two cars inside him, he left room for one. Sebastian could of stayed wider and kept his momentum round the outside preventing contact and probably track position over both Max and Kimi. He chose to turn in hard for which contact was made. My opinion was a racing incident with no one person at blame, IMO only Raikkonen was blameless, and I'd lean towards it being mainly Seb's fault.

Max's defending of Raikkonen on the straights was a bit harsh, for me this is where he needs to improve. He waits for a move from behind before making his move, he needs to pre-empt his opposition and make an earlier move than he did, force them round the outside. I didn't think Max braked or lifted off, the closing speed with slipstream and DRS assist was maybe 20kph which is a significant difference in F1.

I think with all the fresh engines, the championship is Lewis's to lose. Best package at the moment agree with you there Jeroen. I found it interesting that Nico Rosberg struggled to get a gap on the rest of the field in Qualifying, could this be as he normally gets data and setup from Lewis and in Spa Lewis only worked on race setup. We will see if the 0.75sec gap to Red Bull returns with Lewis fighting for Pole again in Monza. Not long to wait.

Lets hope the aero changes and scrapping of engine tokens allows the field to close up next year and makes the championship a real fight.

Cheers

Ben

[Jeroen]

Guess we're on the same page sir. First curious what the remainder of this season will bring us, this should set a basis for next year.

[uwbuurman]

What can we say... just great, what a race Max Verstappen raced today. All criticasters, all whining other drivers must have seen what he did today. Fabulous driving!!

The race itselve was a drama, with 2 red flags and 5 safetycar situations.

[Jeroen]

Fully agree. We have seen questionable actions from Verstappen the past races. But if a bad decision on tyres throws you back to the 16th spot, and you plough yourself through a field of the best drivers on this planet, all the way up to 3rd spot, and in no time, you are one true brilliant driver and a very likely world champion for 2017. Not because you're Dutch, but because you're brilliant.


And ok many Dutch people are brilliant of course

[Jeroen]

By the way I was also impressed by the respects paid to Felipe Massa by ALL the F1 teams. Pity he had to finish this way at his home GP but somehow the word wasn't out yet, that left curb just before the straight was slippery

[uwbuurman]

Correct, very impressive and deserved! Actually, that was the good side of the second pitlane closing. There was time to do the honours.

[Jeroen]

One of my all time heroes, Niki Lauda, 3 times F1 World Champion, has passed away last night at the age of 70. RIP Niki.

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[uwbuurman]

Amen. Hero, F1 driver in times when cheating death was daily business. And in Lauda's case, it was a close call. 43 years later it caught up with him...

RIP Niki.