Good day all. I've been timing my foray into this forum for a bit and it makes sense to do so for the build-up to the European part of the season when all things F1 get dicey.
Two things for the record. 1. I'm a Lewis Hamilton fan (toying with the obvious). 2. I once roamed the cyber halls of this forum…lets just say I'm now returning in a witness protection-like capacity, new identity and all. (Don't ask
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So, on the heels of the 4th race of the season, I find a couple things interesting. There is all this talk by teams of catching Mercedes AMG as if they, Ferrari, Red Bull and company, plan to bring upgrades for the foreseeable future while Mercedes AMG sit on what they have and the only thing to worry about is spilling tea into their Royal Doulton saucer. Nico's recent awkward declaration that Mercedes AMG will likely increase the gap come Spain may have gone down the way of fine print but I suspect he can pull out the "I told you so!" card at the end of the Spanish GP. It honestly wouldn't astonish me if players like McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari brought some two to three tenths gains while the Silver Arrow showed up with four to five. I love a good competition as much as the next chap but I struggle to see teams making the kind of progress that draws them closer to inhaling W05 exhaust fumes. OK, the skeptic could see Nico's comment as gamesmanship and discount it, coming from a guy who doesn't exactly strike fear in the hearts of any. But they should find it worrisome when Lewis says "the car feels like part of my skin"…particularly after watching the last three displays of pure control over races. Barring what he had to do in China's wet qualifying and being caught on the wrong tyres against Nico at the end of the Bahrain race, his three wins told a troubling tale. Least fuel used of the top teams, better tyre management and he didn't need to venture near his usual comfort spot on the knife edge limit to eek out an advantage. He may very well have a tough day or two down the road where he has to work hard for a result but so far, it doesn't bode well for the rest. They have work to do. (Nico too…and by his body language of late, he knows it.)
The other thing I find interesting is this somewhat destabled F1 paddock. Ron up in arms about a poach gone bad, Red Bull not harmonious on the Mercedes point about additional sanctions from Australia, and therefore taking creative license with the best places to hide the Mercedes three-point star, sour notes within Ferrari leadership…namely, what prize in the way of team governance lies behind door #2, consternation over what F1 is vs. should be…noise, turbo, domination, et al, and the ever growing popularity of the game, Fill In The Blanks, "_________ is faster than you!" (now heard twice in two successive races by two different teams). This is all very sophisticated stuff. The only thing missing is a spinoff TV show, Housewives of F1. I've always pondered the origins of the term "F1 circus." Consider me now informed.
Show of hands…are we having fun yet?!!!
