F1 - 2023 Season

Nothing to worry about in the end. I think that all the greats of the last 40 years are ruthless in their pursuit of winning and they wouldn’t be winners if they weren’t. To label Max and not the others is a mistake.

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I think Max is one of the best drivers we have. He is also as arrogant on the track and just as dangerous as some former greats who wouldn’t hesitate to put you in the wall if it benefits him. Schumacher and Vettel, nice guys off track, spring to mind.

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Agree with both previous. Some also forget that in 2021 he was in an inferior car and had to push the limit a lot more. Also he had not won a WDC yet. The same people would have burnt down all the previous greats on here as well. But now they are put on a pedestal and all the hairy moment of their racing have been forgotten.

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I don’t think it was just in 2021. People seem to look at the countless driver moves in RB as the drives being totally outclassed by Max, but when they get to other teams they soon to do ok. I think the RB car was a bit of a dog for 2 or 3 years and only Max could get anything out of it. I really don’t think he gets the credit he deserves for that and everyone assumes it’s just the second driver performing badly, whereas I believe Max was making the car look much better than it was. Now the RB is a much better car, Max is streets ahead and still comprehensively beating his teammate.
Max is very much like Marc Marquez in that respect in that the Honda is pretty un-rideable by just about everyone but Marc, but in Moto GP there are other people on identical bikes (Satellite teams), that highlights the issue even more.
Max is the best driver in the F1 paddock by some margin and while the RB is so good it’s hard to see him losing. Only mechanical reliability looks like it could stop him. I’m no fan of Max but you can’t help but admire his driving ability.

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I agree with much of what you say.

However, I think Max would have his hands full if Leclerc or Hamilton (or possibly Norris) were in the other Red Bull. Max is certainly a massive talent – a generational talent, as Andrew Benson [BBC F1 writer] puts it. You have to applaud what he’s doing.

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I’d agree with Hamilton and Norris (and would add Alonso) but LeClerc, as good as he is, still makes a lot of unforced mistakes.

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Agreed.

I’m not convinced Norris, while good, is quite up there (yet). But indeed Hamilton and Alonso IMO are, LeClerc isn’t.

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A while ago I thought Norris was, then I did not for a long time, but after the last two weeks I am back to my initial thoughts. They gave him a good car and instantly he scores two second places. Perhaps you are right but he is looking really solid at the moment.

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Great to see so much agreement on here. It took a long time for a British forum to accept Max’s talent. Really pleased we are all appreciating an era which will be looked back at as a great one with a few of the best drivers in history up against each at different stages of their careers, I believe Piastri will be up there too in a short while.

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Max, for sure is less adventurous than Marc. But I agree I see a bit of similarity.
Honda is not doing that great this year tho ( Motogp ) where Ducati dominates. I guess it offsets lacklustre Ferrari in F1. :upside_down_face:

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Speaking of Alonso, it looks like he sort of driving passively in Hungary. His race demon did not show up.

Let us spare a moment for those Honda power trains. I’m sure they have contributed in no small part to RBS and and mr Verstappen’s achievements.

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And it was very evident that when Honda and Mclaren acrimoniously parted ways the chassis was as poor as the engine. At the time I remember both were blaming the other for all the problems rather than working together to identify which problems belonged to either party. Then RB made an inspired move to get Honda into the “B” team for a year and then once it was clear the engine was on an upward trajectory into the “A” team. And now RB is on the verge of more titles this year.

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Vasseur in response to that:

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There is of course still an expectation that Mercedes SHOULD be the front running team amongst their fans and with the team itself. Which I find totally natural after so much success. And over a certain amount of time Red Bull’s time will also stop at the front. Only then it may not be Merc taking over again, look at Ferrari, Williams, Maclaren…

So I suppose they are being hit by the reality of not being the winning team and when RB’s time stops I am sure Horner will be making similar comments in the immediate aftermath.

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Great comment from Vassuer.
Toto always talks rubbish. Same for Hamilton. Constantly whining because he no longer has a car a second quicker than everyone moans the car is undriveable whilst being the second quickest car there, probably. The others must cringe and would swap in an instant.

I think rubbish talking is in every team principal’s contract :grin:

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Oh dear :sweat_smile:

Jolyon Palmer with some great analysis of Zhou/Alpha Romeo’s awful start…