The floors sparking on the main straight during the lap 35 restart is one of the coolest things I've seen in racing.
I only hate AM because they employ Stroll. I now hate Alpine because they hired the cheater Who do y'all hate?
Fair enough, the tires genuinely confuse me. why did Ferrari go Hard compound at the end? Did George’s softs survive 20 laps because Piastri was so far clear, he basically had clean air? Is there really much of a difference between soft/medium?
How did George not get a penalty for opening DRS when he was 10 seconds back? Thr ESPN car tracker things is awful. Half the time it shows gap to leader as if anyone cares the 9th place car is 40 seconds back of the leader instead of 0.8 back from 8th. And then it doesn't always show tire choice. Just put interval between cars and leave tires on there and leave it alone. Staying out for Max showed to be a good move. Impressive by George to make the softs go like 25 laps.
Like I get that it was accident and I get that they were having issues with the car but I don't get how they can let that slide. That was a self inflicted mistake and they just let it slide.
Apparently he slowed down immediately to give the time back. (Believe he was slower that lap as a result as well)
This is where they got screwed by the safety car. Medium was the perfect tire for what was left, but they had to use a different compound and they said they couldn’t get the softs til the end. George with the benefit of free air was able to baby his til the end. The Mercedes is also a faster car at this point and better on the tires.
The transponder on George’s car along with a lot of other electronic issues meant not only could TV not track him for the live timing, but DRS couldn’t detect him either so he had to do it manually. He did give the time back which is why he wasn’t penalized.
Yea knew he was having issues and doing it manually but he was 9 seconds back. Didn't realize he gave the time back right away, that makes sense.
There is probably a better argument to be made that having electronics failing to the degree that you don’t know what’s gonna happen no matter what button you push probably isn’t safe for everyone around you and the car should have been retired.
You gotta have a hell of a lot of faith that newey can conquer the 2026 regs quickly and make a 180 happen at Aston right away to pick them over mercedes. Maybe he does. But they're quickly becoming a bottom feeder and I can't imagine max wants to wait on a rebuild...
some of this is prisoner of the moment. Max won the drivers title easily last year and they would’ve won constructors had they had anyone with a pulse in the second seat. Newey is one of the best minds F1 has ever had or will have. Aero isn’t the reason RB is behind McLaren. And you’re going to see RB right back at the top of things after Spain. Read into that what you want.
agreed, however newey didnt conquer mercedes during the previous regs and with so many feeling like merc will be on top with the 2026 regs it seems like the smarter route than a team currently floundering -- and one where you'd have lance as a teammate.
I don't think Max gives one fuck about constructors titles... and so the point about Lance is probably not relevant to the discussion. I do think 2026 is a brand new world in F1, the engine changes are massive and so are the aero changes so I wouldn't shit on AM and the insane amount of money Daddy Stroll has poured into the team with 2026 in mind.
Those comments are hilarious. "Best situational awareness!", "nobody else would have noticed!" He's a great driver but the other guys have eyeballs and would see the car next to them jump forward too
This would theoretically close the Verstappen to Mercedes door. Which isn't too surprising, it's been pretty widely speculated that if he does leave it will be to Aston Martin with Newey/Honda and a massive contract
It’s all somebody else’s money but going rate for a P5 driver is 30? Max must be on 75 and Lewis on 60 plus the huge check he extracted for his foundation. I wonder what Gasly / Albon type guys make? Sainz in the Williams? Is Charl 30 or 50?
Best I can find for top 4 is Verstappen - 65 Hamilton - 60 Leclerc - 34 Alonso - 20 Spoiler Rank Name Team Reported salary 1. Max Verstappen Red Bull $65 million 2. Lewis Hamilton Ferrari $60 million 3. Charles Leclerc Ferrari $34 million T-4. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin $20 million T-4. Lando Norris McLaren $20 million 6. George Russell Mercedes $15 million T-7. Carlos Sainz Williams $10 million T-7. Pierre Gasly Alpine $10 million 9. Alex Albon Williams $8 million T-10. Nico Hülkenberg Sauber $7 million T-10. Esteban Ocon Haas $7 million 12. Oscar Piastri McLaren $6 million 13. Lance Stroll Aston Martin $3 million T-14. Yuki Tsunoda Racing Bulls $2 million T-14. Kimi Antonelli Mercedes $2 million T-14. Gabriel Bortoletto Sauber $2 million T-17. Oliver Bearman Haas $1 million T-17. Liam Lawson Red Bull $1 million T-19. Jack Doohan Alpine $500,000 to $1 million T-19. Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls $500,000 to $1 million
I mean it's pretty easy to argue George in that 3/4 spot of best driver rankings based on his driving so far this year.
George is certainly amongst the tier below Max -I see it as: Max . . . . . [group in no particular order] Oscar George Lando Charles Lewis He's equally fast to this group, if he continues to focus on the little mistakes / lapses, he could end up on top of this heap - with a competitive car
Eh Charl has proven a bit more to this point, but George is definitely having his best season so far and if he continues like this he's easily worth the money.
I agree about Charles, but he's had his share of concentration lapses too. Plus, has arguably had the better car the last few seasons & held claim to the teams #1 driver position... and the benefits that come with it All factors I considered while lumping that group all together - On any given weekend, one of them could win the GP
I'd probably still put Lewis atop that next group, but unsure how much him playing "test driver" role last season for Mercedes & learning the Ferrari this season has played a role in his results. It's clear he's getting acclimated this season... but has he regressed, or was he merely being a good teammate last season? I dunno
Eh he hasn't really had those lapses since 2022. And anyone who has followed Ferrari closely during the last few years knows that no one is given #1 status. George was actually given #1 treatment last year after Lewis announced he was leaving and again this year. Let's take 2023 when Mercedes finished 2nd in the WCC and Ferrari 3rd (409-406) so as close to even machinery as you could expect behind the dominant Red Bull. Charles finished tied for 4th (teammate was 7th) with Fernando while George finished 8th (his teammate was 3rd). Entering this season George had 3 wins and 14 podiums in his entire career. Charles had 3 wins and 13 podiums in 2024 alone.
Side note, I’m getting ozempic vibes from Max lately. Maybe it’s just age. Maybe the car is heavy and Yuki is actually just a weight savings.
I gave the edge to Charles earlier, but I’ll still bite—these guys have had very different career paths. Charles has been in F1 since 2018 and with Ferrari since 2019, giving him more time and experience with a top team. George entered a year later in 2019 but spent three seasons at the back with Williams before joining Mercedes in 2022. Charles had the benefit of growing with his team before 2022 (when his consistency improved), while George is just now reaching that level with Mercedes. I’d still take Charles today, but it’s important to consider context when comparing careers.
He had twice as many podiums that season as his next best season, highest point total, and highest WDC ranking.
George isn’t in tier 2 and it’s crazy for anyone making that case. Making blunders fighting for a drivers title is a bit different than making blunders fighting for 7th on the grid. Let’s not be a prisoner of the moment with George. S tier: Max A tier: Charls, Lewis, Oscar B tier: Lando, George currently. could see Lewis in B tier but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt with the change in car.
I still think Fernando is at least B tier in the right car, he showed it in 2023 when they were competitive the first half.
That’s two years without knowing… But I think that’s a fair slot to put him. Probably out Hulkenberg in this spot as well. It’s a shame a top team never gave him a legit shot
There’s very little separating your group B & C - I merely lumped them together for now. Time will tell
https://www.motor.es/formula-1/informe-chungo-traido-futuro-2025107728.html Basically the new engines will require a lot more electrical power than the car can generate thru braking and runs out of power in some straights