F1 2024: Chinese GP - Shanghai (Apr 21)

[Sneaky Pete]

Originally Posted by HeelToeShift

Max was 17 when he entered F1 and that was when Ric was at his peak in F1 and was quite good. Yet Max with almost no experience had the same number of wins and 1 less podium. Ham was what? 23? Huge difference in maturity. Let's also not forget that Ham lost to Ros who wasnt that good.
Let's compare that to Max at 23 years, where he, in an inferior car, not only beat Ham, but put up a better season than Ham ever had? His car is not at all dominant if you look at the stats - he is. Stats of 1-2 finsihes, gaps to the rest of the field all place the w05/06 ahead of both the RB18/19 and w11 is right there too.

The simple facts are that in modern F1 all the truly naturally talented drivers excelled the moment they first raced in F1...Senna, Schumacher, Alonso, Hamilton.
Verstappen didn't...sure he has learnt to win races in a dominant car but he struggled alongside Ricciardo who is a capable driver (but nothing special) both of them in a Red Bull that was capable of winning races.

It was interesting when Horner threatened to have Alonso or Sainz in to replace Perez...that was an explicit threat to Verstappen that Horner could take away his privileged position as #1 driver with an average team mate....and reverse the roles with Verstappen as the #2 driver.
Around the same time... Verstappens car had a rare mechanical failure...maybe just a coincidence...but how quickly did Jos suddenly stop shooting his mouth off.

[Killed by Death]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

I wouldn't mind Stars in Bars so long as they drank IPA

What’s ur favorite IPA I can get here in the colonies? I’ll try one

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by Sneaky Pete

The simple facts are that in modern F1 all the truly naturally talented drivers excelled the moment they first raced in F1...Senna, Schumacher, Alonso, Hamilton.
Verstappen didn't...sure he has learnt to win races in a dominant car but he struggled alongside Ricciardo who is a capable driver (but nothing special) both of them in a Red Bull that was capable of winning races.

It was interesting when Horner threatened to have Alonso or Sainz in to replace Perez...that was an explicit threat to Verstappen that Horner could take away his privileged position as #1 driver with an average team mate....and reverse the roles with Verstappen as the #2 driver.
Around the same time... Verstappens car had a rare mechanical failure...maybe just a coincidence...but how quickly did Jos suddenly stop shooting his mouth off.

Max has the most legendary karting career ever seen and every great out there said he was a century level talent. Again, Nikki Lauda said this while working for MB but never said anything even half that good about Ham? Why? It is wasn't for massive hp advantage MB enjore for 8 years Ham would only have 1 cheat WDC under his belt. Imagine if Ham didnt have a 'Max cant drive here because I'm afraid of losing to him' clause?
How in the world did Ham lose to a less than avg driver in Ros?

None of those other guys were even on the F1 radar at 17 like Max, and there's a lot of reasons why.

Sorry but there is a lot of delusion if you think Max isnt a much more special talent than anyone in F1. I can guarantee no one would have been able to learn as quickly or do what he has at this age in what equates to a solid car but no one that has any dominant trait other than the driver. You don't set records like he has without massive amounts of talent and a level of consistency F1 has never seen before from any of the greats before him in Clark, Prost, Fangio, Mansel, Senna, or Sch. He is the single best since Sch by a country mile.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

What’s ur favorite IPA I can get here in the colonies? I’ll try one

Greene King IPA is an easy drinking ale, best drunk cool but not ice cold like lagers.