Andrew P Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 O.K. So my question is this = If LH REALLY wanted to move, why would he announce it so early? It would make no sense, and deprive him of internal knowledge, and the emphasis would switch to GR if a championship was to be decided between the two of them. I really cant see any logic. BUT, BUT BUT I was wrong when I said he SHOULD NOT leave McLaren. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted February 1 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 1 21 minutes ago, Pete the Elaner said: I am not mistaken. I urge you to not be blinded by their not so recent history. Their last 6 titles were due to 1 man: Jean Todt. Many credit Schumacher for building the team but if Todt had not been there, Schumacher would never have signed for them. If you remove Todt's influence, the last of their other 9 titles was in 1980. That is over 40 years ago. Todt was pushed out the season Raikkonen won his title, He & the team he built were driven out by their management's desire for control, That management structure is still there & they have not won anything since. More pertinently, it is why they have not won anything since & therefore why it is the wrong team to be at to win a driver's title. Constructors title is of little concern to a driver considering switching teams. I will try not to be blinded sir. To suggest that the Schumacher Years and all the success was down to one man, Todt, is a little simplistic. There must have been many people contributing to all that success both at the circuits and back at the factory. Schumacher was a truly great driver, Brawn was a great Technical Director, Jean Todt was a great General Manager (he joined in 1994) and so on. Oh and the car was eventually (after four years) good enough to win the Constructors Championship and so on. I agree that Ferrari, like many teams over the years, are good at shooting themselves in the foot, for example Mclaren or in the distant past BRM, thats the way it can be with any human activity. I look forward to Ferrari making a big step this year and competing with Red Bull for the title, however as Murry Walker* would have said, "I am probably wrong, I often am". * I met the wonderful Mr Walker when I worked at Salisbury NHS Trust Hospital and he was, as we all suspected, a truly lovely chap. Kind regards, 30368 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
didcot Posted February 1 Author Share Posted February 1 (edited) Edited February 1 by didcot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tomparryharry Posted February 1 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 1 Lewis Hamilton, changing to Ferrari.... No doubt got a hot deal on a Fiat Panda.... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 Hamilton should have gone to RB then we see some proper racing. Perez cant cope with the pressure ,and was a very sad sight at the end of 2023, I doubt he will last half the current season. Albon return ??. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
didcot Posted February 1 Author Share Posted February 1 Don't know why this came to mind! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulleidboy100 Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 Call me cynical, but if LH does leave Mercedes at the end of the 2024 season, you can bet your bottom dollar that 2025 will be the year that Mercedes hit top form and are the car to beat. 1 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
298 Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 10 minutes ago, didcot said: Don't know why this came to mind! Like no driver has ever moved teams before. If anything, there were team principles who encouraged it....(eh Frank?) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete the Elaner Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 1 hour ago, 30368 said: I will try not to be blinded sir. To suggest that the Schumacher Years and all the success was down to one man, Todt, is a little simplistic. There must have been many people contributing to all that success both at the circuits and back at the factory. Schumacher was a truly great driver, Brawn was a great Technical Director, Jean Todt was a great General Manager (he joined in 1994) and so on. Oh and the car was eventually (after four years) good enough to win the Constructors Championship and so on. I agree that Ferrari, like many teams over the years, are good at shooting themselves in the foot, for example Mclaren or in the distant past BRM, thats the way it can be with any human activity. It was entirely down to him. Todt built the team. It took him 7 years to turn them from a shambles to winners. He persuaded Ferrari management to sign Schumacher, Brawn & other key people. They would have formed a winning team with whoever wanted them most & Todt made sure it was his team. He then sheltered them from blame when things went wrong, which is another thing we have not seen since he left. The management felt he had too much power so forced him out & changed there structure to stop any principal having the same power How many drivers titles have they had this structure brought them? They seem to be good at finishing second. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Sidecar Racer Posted February 1 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 1 (edited) I wonder if pen and paper have been done and he's now obliged to go . Imagine next year and the Merc blitz's all opposition and he wins his 8th , Ferrari is nowhere but he has to go , cue very depressed Lewis . Edited February 1 by Sidecar Racer 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Sidecar Racer Posted February 1 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 1 4 hours ago, 30368 said: If I may, whilst Ferrari, like all teams, have their ups and downs, I beg you to consider that you may be mistaken in your view. 16 Constructors titles and 15 drivers titles suggest otherwise. But nothing since 2007 drivers and 2008 constructors , despite having has Alonso and Vettel as drivers . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete the Elaner Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 14 minutes ago, micklner said: Hamilton should have gone to RB then we see some proper racing. Perez cant cope with the pressure ,and was a very sad sight at the end of 2023, I doubt he will last half the current season. Albon return ??. Never going to happen. He may want to go there, but the team would not want him & I am sure neither would Verstappen. When 2 team mates fight for the title, it gets nasty. The only exception I can think of is Lauda & Prost, although I am too young to remember that properly: Mansell & Piquet Senna & Prost Hamilton & Alonso Vettel & Webber Hamilton & Rosberg As watchers we may not like it, but a clear No1 & 2 is the best way to secure the drivers title. McLaren would have walked it in 2007 if they had adopted this, but Ferrari snatched it by supporting Raikkonen. 1 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 Also would LH have the freedom to do his own thing, NOT WEAR Ferrari merch when arriving at the circuits, and party all around the world with his Dog by his side? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 2 minutes ago, Pete the Elaner said: Never going to happen. He may want to go there, but the team would not want him & I am sure neither would Verstappen. When 2 team mates fight for the title, it gets nasty. The only exception I can think of is Lauda & Prost, although I am too young to remember that properly: Mansell & Piquet Senna & Prost Hamilton & Alonso Vettel & Webber Hamilton & Rosberg As watchers we may not like it, but a clear No1 & 2 is the best way to secure the drivers title. McLaren would have walked it in 2007 if they had adopted this, but Ferrari snatched it by supporting Raikkonen. I agree , however who wants to watch Versatappen or whoever the current "top gun" win all the time . It is totally boring its supposed to be entertainment !! Sadly it is now all mainly about whoever has the most money . Hands up, I much prefer BTCC nowdays !! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 I was massively surprised to read this, feels a big risk for LH but as Fernando Alonso once said when he left Ferrari for Mclaren "If you are not winning then it doesn't matter if you are 2nd or 10th" and I suspect Lewis has decided that Ferrari is worth a gamble. The reality is Red Bull will probably win this year again and 2025. Moving to Ferrari for 2025 is really a stepping stone ahead of the major changes in 2026, one presumes that Vasseur etc have shown him a vision of what 2026 will look like, how they are planning to trounce the field etc, just like Niki Lauda did in 2012 to get him away from Mclaren. As to who replaces him, I guess the team are looking for someone who can work with George but be as close as possible to a championship winning driver: - Sainz is obvious candidate who would be a solid driver looking to support the team in the long term. - Ricciardo - Has the popularity vote with the fans but how close back to his peak is he? - Fernando might be banging on Toto's door for that final crack at the 3rd championship but I can see him and Russell creating fireworks and Fernando has at most 2 years in him? - Albon - Hmm not sure, he seems to be rated but is he potential champion material Other wilder options - Norris - Maybe Merc would have the pockets to buy him out of their Engine customer - Bottas - "Valteri, it is Toto.. We need you back" 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
didcot Posted February 1 Author Share Posted February 1 47 minutes ago, 298 said: Like no driver has ever moved teams before. If anything, there were team principles who encouraged it....(eh Frank?) Very true. Frank and Patrick were very tough. A certain Mr Hill would tell you that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
didcot Posted February 1 Author Share Posted February 1 For those with Sky F1, an F1 special at 6.00pm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 Merc confirm. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/68169534 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/39435691/ferrari-confirm-lewis-hamilton-driver-2025-f1-season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 4630 Posted February 1 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 1 Well I hope it works out for LH, I really do. It’s all very well developing and having a potential race and championship winning car on the grid, but consistent success also relies on teamwork at the circuit in the pits, the garage and back at the factory. And equally it requires a race winning strategy at each circuit. One that’s flexible and blends proactivity with a reactive approach as each race unfolds. Based on their previous shortcomings, it’s Ferrari’s approach to race strategy IMHO that I think LH could ultimately find frustrating. I hope I’m proved wrong. 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 9 hours ago, didcot said: Very true @Hroth If is true doesn't Lewis know Ferrari is where world champions go to retire. Team Frinton? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 The question is, would he be going if he believed Mercedes had sorted the car out? Is this a final opportunity to race for Ferrari before retiring or an acknowledgment that the 2024 car is still lagging too much to deliver a title in the next two seasons. Will be interesting when it comes to tactics as the team should now favour Russsel unless Hamilton darts out of the blocks in race one. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
298 Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 3 hours ago, 37114 said: As to who replaces him, I guess the team are looking for someone who can work with George but be as close as possible to a championship winning driver How long is George's contract for? (Edit- another 2 years). I wouldn't rule out Hulkenberg or Albon, possibly ending up with David Beckmann from F2... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted February 1 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 1 (edited) So where is Sainz going to go in 2025? AM or RB? Edited February 1 by newbryford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted February 1 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 1 5 minutes ago, newbryford said: or RB? Which one? 🤪 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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