2022 Formula 1 Season thread

[Apple fanboy]

The Mercedes car helps him win races. It’s the fastest car down the straights. If it wasn’t all the other cars would be challenging him to. It’s got nothing to do with if Lewis can race or not. Lewis doesn’t have the skills to drive a car with the same performance as a Williams and lap fifth place whilst leading the race.
Is performance helps Lewis get on the front row for instance.

Of course not. But he gets the best out of his car, whatever it is. Compare him to Bottas for consistency and pace. Or any other teammate.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

The Mercedes car helps him win races in ways like being the fastest car down the straights. If it wasn’t all the other cars would be challenging him to. It’s got nothing to do with if Lewis can race or not. Lewis doesn’t have the skills to drive a car with the same performance as a Williams and lap fifth place whilst leading the race.
Is performance helps Lewis get on the front row for instance.

Put any driver in a Williams of the last few years and they would struggle to finish in the points consistently. The Mercedes helps Lewis win races, the Red Bull helps Max win races, it’s obviously a complete package that gives drivers success. The difference with Lewis and Max is they are consistently better than their teammates over multiple seasons. They extract the best out of the car and it’s the reason they are top drivers. Put a mediocre driver in a Red Bull or Mercedes and I doubt they would have converted the performance into wins on a consistent basis that these two have. Well, we know this from both drivers teammates over the years who have won races but fallen into number two roles.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Put any driver in a Williams of the last few years and they would struggle to finish in the points consistently. The Mercedes helps Lewis win races, the Red Bull helps Max win races, it’s obviously a complete package that gives drivers success. The difference with Lewis and Max is they are consistently better than their teammates over multiple seasons. They extract the best out of the car and it’s the reason they are top drivers. Put a mediocre driver in a Red Bull or Mercedes and I doubt they would have converted the performance into wins on a consistent basis that these two have. Well, we know this from both drivers teammates over the years who have won races but fallen into number two roles.

Also part of the reason Mercedes has been so dominant is the feedback Lewis has given over the years to help develop the car to the package it was at the end of 2021. Now we can see how that plays out for 2022.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Also part of the reason Mercedes has been so dominant is the feedback Lewis has given over the years to help develop the car to the package it was at the end of 2021. Now we can see how that plays out for 2022.

A lot of that seems to be forgotten when viewers are squabbling over who is a better driver I find. These drivers are giving feedback every session and designers are considering preferences when these cars are designed and set up. Schumacher struggled when he came back largely because the Mercedes had been designed by a designer who hadn’t taken Michaels rather unique driving style into account. Apparently Michael liked a light rear end on the car and preferred to compensate once in the corner, whereas most F1 cars are setup the opposite way. It just goes to show how sensitive drivers can be to setups and how no one F1 car is the same. The feedback these guys give determines their success in effect.

The Mercedes has been a dominant car for most of the last decade and performance and driver choice is what has made the difference, no doubt.

 

[CWallace]

Lewis is 37 and driving one one of the best teams on the grid, can you really see him going to a lesser team at this point if his ability starts to fade?

If he still wants to race and the money is good? Why not?

As you noted, Vettel and Alonso both did for those reasons, so why not Lewis?

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

If he still wants to race and the money is good? Why not?

As you noted, Vettel and Alonso both did for those reasons, so why not Lewis?

I can’t see it and he’s hinted about retiring a few times over the past few years. I can’t see Lewis doing a Raikkonen and just making up the numbers for the money. He’s got commercial interests elsewhere too.

 

[Phil77354]

I can’t see it and he’s hinted about retiring a few times over the past few years. I can’t see Lewis doing a Raikkonen and just making up the numbers for the money. He’s got commercial interests elsewhere too.

I feel the same way. My guess is that he does return this next year, but unless he is able to be competitive and make a serious run at another championship, then I think he's done as much as he is able to do and he won't continue beyond that.

Still, who knows? Could be they have a great competitive fight this next year and he looses again to Max, but wants to give it one more try after that, if he thinks Mercedes can give him the right equipment.

Or how about this - suppose Ferrari fields a great car this next season and they turn out to be at the top of the pack. Do you think Lewis would move to Ferrari to finish his career with another championship with them? Most drivers seem to covet driving for Ferrari at some point in their career, and even with Lewis's long-term partnership with Mercedes, who could fault him for doing that??

 

[Apple fanboy]

I feel the same way. My guess is that he does return this next year, but unless he is able to be competitive and make a serious run at another championship, then I think he's done as much as he is able to do and he won't continue beyond that.

Still, who knows? Could be they have a great competitive fight this next year and he looses again to Max, but wants to give it one more try after that, if he thinks Mercedes can give him the right equipment.

Or how about this - suppose Ferrari fields a great car this next season and they turn out to be at the top of the pack. Do you think Lewis would move to Ferrari to finish his career with another championship with them? Most drivers seem to covet driving for Ferrari at some point in their career, and even with Lewis's long-term partnership with Mercedes, who could fault him for doing that??

I think Lewis would be up for that if Ferrari had the best car, but I can’t really see them ditching their two young guns for a driver (as good as he is), in the later stages of his career.

 

[Glideslope]

I can’t see it and he’s hinted about retiring a few times over the past few years. I can’t see Lewis doing a Raikkonen and just making up the numbers for the money. He’s got commercial interests elsewhere too.

Lewis has consistently stated over the past few years his desire to spend significantly more time with his Philanthropic Organization Mission 44.

I could see this being a strong reason in itself to not race in 22.

 

[CWallace]

If Lewis does not want to race this year, I would think he would have already informed the team of that and they would be sourcing a replacement.

And there is no way that could be kept quiet.

So, IMO, he will be in the car at Barcelona when season testing begins.

 

[Apple fanboy]

If Lewis does not want to race this year, I would think he would have already informed the team of that and they would be sourcing a replacement.

And there is no way that could be kept quiet.

So, IMO, he will be in the car at Barcelona when season testing begins.

Sound logic. Can’t disagree.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Lewis has consistently stated over the past few years his desire to spend significantly more time with his Philanthropic Organization Mission 44.

I could see this being a strong reason in itself to not race in 22.

I think we’ll see Lewis on the grid this season but beyond that I don’t know. I’d be very tired having done it for as long as him and having won so much. F1 is a life and I’d hate to see him hanging around in an uncompetitive car into his early 40’s. Give someone else a turn I say. I’m excited to see what Lando and George bring in competitive cars.

 

[Grey66]

Of course Lewis will be on the grid in 2022, he must be loving all the attention of the will he/won't he debate. Think if he had won the record 8th title last year he may not have been, but he must also realise 2022 will be a super competitive year (assuming cars are at similar levels and no one team has a massive advantage) and the future will continue to be, he knows deep down 2021 was probably his best chance of the 8th WDC and we all know how that turned out....

 

[Apple fanboy]

Of course Lewis will be on the grid in 2022, he must be loving all the attention of the will he/won't he debate. Think if he had won the record 8th title last year he may not have been, but he must also realise 2022 will be a super competitive year (assuming cars are at similar levels and no one team has a massive advantage) and the future will continue to be, he knows deep down 2021 was probably his best chance of the 8th WDC and we all know how that turned out....

To be honest with some engine reliability in 2016, 2021 could have been his 9th!

 

[CWallace]

To be honest with some engine reliability in 2016, 2021 could have been his 9th!

And if he had not stuffed up that pit entrance at China, 2007 could have been his first.

 

[Phil77354]

To be honest with some engine reliability in 2016, 2021 could have been his 9th!

And if he had not stuffed up that pit entrance at China, 2007 could have been his first.

Well, sure!

But heck - look - I'm still chaffed about Massa losing by 1 point, 2008 in Japan (to Lewis).

Come on, Lewis is great, sure, but wouldn't it have been terrific if Felipe had won that one Championship? That would have been much more impactful, as far as I"m concerned.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Well, sure!

But heck - look - I'm still chaffed about Massa losing by 1 point, 2008 in Japan (to Lewis).

Come on, Lewis is great, sure, but wouldn't it have been terrific if Felipe had won that one Championship? That would have been much more impactful, as far as I"m concerned.

I’d not have had a problem with that. Massa always came across as a nice guy

 

[CWallace]

Yeah I was disappointed when he lost the WDC, especially after winning the race in front of the home crowd (nothing against Lewis, but after all the disappointment Massa had endured due to Ferrari team orders, it seemed karmic for him to win the WDC for them).

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Well, sure!

But heck - look - I'm still chaffed about Massa losing by 1 point, 2008 in Japan (to Lewis).

Come on, Lewis is great, sure, but wouldn't it have been terrific if Felipe had won that one Championship? That would have been much more impactful, as far as I"m concerned.

Not at all for me. After 2007 I was fully behind Lewis during 2008 and the FIA stepped in a few times that year to give Felipe an advantage. Mosley really didn’t want a McLaren world champion and Ferrari had the most consistent car in terms of pace. Lewis fought hard that year too and after witnessing him at Silverstone, I knew he deserved it more.

 

[iDron]

Clearly nobody can predict how Lewis will finish out his career. I certainly do can hardly imagine what it is like to compete at that level and have accomplished so much.

I was thinking about recent champions and how they have managed their careers after becoming World Champion.

Sebastian Vettel is a four-time World Champion and he has continued to race for almost a decade following his final championship, at times with competitive cars but more recently has not been competitive at all. Still, he carries on - is it the enjoyment of racing, the financial rewards, or something else that motivates him to continue in F1 even when he surely knows there is little chance of great success.

Fernando Alonso, over 15 years since his second World Championship, after leaving F1 and winning Lemans twice, returns to F1 and places 10th in the drivers standings. Does he continue to race because he really believes that there is going to be a realistic chance for another World Championship, or is it for the love of the racing, the financial rewards, or something else?

Kimi Raikkonen won a single World Championship in 2007, also left F1 for a couple of years and then returned for ten more years in F1, some years i competitive cars and others not. I feel like Kimi was racing for his own satisfaction and enjoyment, and finally left when he decided that he had accomplished everything that he could.

Michael Schumacher also left F1 for a few years and did continue racing for 5 years following his final championship.

Back to Lewis, I wonder what his path will be and if he will follow other past champions who did continue to race after their peak years, for whatever reasons motivated each of them. My guess is that he will take a different path.

Well it also just is a job and its what they are good at. Vettel was in his mid 20s and he had 4 WDC in his pocket. I don't think he had that much of philantropic work going on. He was already a millionaire. What else would he have spent time with at the time?

Most drivers do it like that. Nico Rosberg was an exception, but he fought 10 years to finally become world champion. He was in his 30s, just got a baby, had a wive and probably knew it would have been hard to repeat the success. Lot of respect for that decision. I guess would he have won that at 5 years younger, he would've continued.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Well it also just is a job and its what they are good at. Vettel was in his mid 20s and he had 4 WDC in his pocket. I don't think he had that much of philantropic work going on. He was already a millionaire. What else would he have spent time with at the time?

Most drivers do it like that. Nico Rosberg was an exception, but he fought 10 years to finally become world champion. He was in his 30s, just got a baby, had a wive and probably knew it would have been hard to repeat the success. Lot of respect for that decision. I guess would he have won that at 5 years younger, he would've continued.

I think Nico didn’t only quit because he knew he’d not beat Lewis again, but because of the toxic atmosphere in the garage. There was lots of internal stuff going on that year that made it unpleasant for all involved. Having a no 1 and a no 2 driver makes things much easier in the garage.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Our first reveal.

Guessing they will still be making up the numbers.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Our first reveal.
View attachment 1954444
Guessing they will still be making up the numbers.

Looks slow….

 

[Pezimak]

Haas reveals first new-look 2022 Formula 1 car | Autocar

Team is the first to reveal its car for the new season, which should be more competitive, thanks to new regulations

www.autocar.co.uk

Interesting wheel designs, also the back has a very low height with a wide wing.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Looks slow….

Looks lapped!