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6 Aug 2020, 15:46 (Ref:3993360) | #1 | ||
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Can Alexander Albon survive at Red Bull?
With so many self-inflicted practice shunts and clumsy race collisions, can Alex Albon defy statistics and keep his seat at Red Bull?
On paper, several drivers in (and out of) the F1 paddock are better qualified to support Max Versatppen's charge at Mercedes-AMG - including the fast improving Pierre Gasly who seems to be drawing as much strength from his successor's weakness as his own superior pedigree. Is another Gasly/Albon swap imminent? Or is it time to look beyond Red Bull Junior Team alumni? Perez perhaps? |
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6 Aug 2020, 15:51 (Ref:3993361) | #2 | ||
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Has Gasly improved that much? A couple of decent performances. But he failed to shine before he was demoted. Personally, I would stick with Albon. He has the raw pace and he's still a youngster. You mention 'several' drivers. Who else did you have in mind? (Please don't say Di Resta!.... ).
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280 days...... |
6 Aug 2020, 16:31 (Ref:3993366) | #3 | ||
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Don't worry, I definitely wasn't going to say Di Resta or any other F1 "old boy".
Formula 1 is supposed to be the pinnacle of international motorsport. The best of the best. In theory at least, every F1 driver should have the potential to win the championship. So there should be no room for once great drivers who are now long past their "use by" date (sorry Kimi) and only the very best young drivers should make the grade. Like Micheal, Lewis, Seb, Max and Charles - drivers capable of steering a decent car to victory from the off. Lando and George certainly have the potential, given the right equipment. But Alex already has the right equipment and rarely sees which way his younger team mate went. |
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6 Aug 2020, 16:38 (Ref:3993367) | #4 | ||
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I suspect that most team mates would be in the shadow of Max. Rather like Seb before him, Red Bull is his team and any team mate will be a definite #2. You say Michael and Seb? Are you looking back historically? Personally, I'd love to see George Russell in a competitive car.
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280 days...... |
6 Aug 2020, 16:45 (Ref:3993368) | #5 | ||
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Maybe first Red Bull needs to analyze why the driver of the 2nd Red Bull car is not performing the way he should.
* is he just not good enough: i.e it is Albon's fault and Gasly's fault before him? * is he put under too much pressure? Is it too overwhelming to be Verstappen's teammate? * is it a car/setup problem where the car is developed in a way that Verstappen likes (or doesn't mind) and is it difficult to drive for the other driver? * is Red Bull currently not capable to run 2 cars at a competitive level? * is it a matter of focus: does the team concentrate on making Verstappen's car faster so he can maybe fight for wins later on rather than try and improve the car to suit Albon's style? Is it a combination of some or all of the above? Red Bull probably knows, and if they don't I think they better try and find out. Depending on the answers to the above * replacing Albon by Gasly may be a part of the solution or may be just a status quo with just a different name above the garage door. * replacing Albon by Perez, Hulkenberg, Vettel ... may be a soluton or just more of the same |
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6 Aug 2020, 16:53 (Ref:3993369) | #6 | ||
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6 Aug 2020, 17:08 (Ref:3993371) | #7 | ||
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Yes, historically the best drivers have always been the ones capable of upsetting the establishment on arrival. Drivers with a proven track record in junior formulae. Too many of today's drivers are in F1 for reasons other than pure merit - the sport/sponsor wants to boost viewing/sales in new countries, ex F1 racer dad, dad owns a team etc.
Couldn't agree more about George Russell. Lando Norris is rather special too. Between them they claimed 8 junior titles on their way to F1 and have career race win rates of 11.8% and 20.8% respectively. (Alex Albon is the only Red Bull F1 driver never to have won a car racing championship and has won only 4.8% of the races in his career so far - the lowest of any Red Bull, Torro Rosso or Alpha Tauri driver past or present!) Last edited by Columbus; 6 Aug 2020 at 17:13. Reason: typo |
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6 Aug 2020, 18:11 (Ref:3993386) | #8 | |
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The problem is who can replace him? Whilst Ferrari and Merc can go outside of their contracted drivers, see Sainz at Ferrari, Red Bull seem to only want Red Bull drivers in their car.
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6 Aug 2020, 19:09 (Ref:3993398) | #9 | ||
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It seems that having Toro Rosso / Alpha Tauri has painted the senior Red Bull team into a corner in tha regard.
They're kind of stuck with the youngsters unless they want to hire from outside and therefore admit the conveyor belt isn't working as well as it should. Perhaps it'd be better to keep the senior team and simply sponsor another team to take their latest youngster, like Red Bull used to do back before they had their own team? |
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6 Aug 2020, 19:38 (Ref:3993405) | #10 | ||
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I think the problem is Gasly and Albon just are not up to the level(yet) that Ricciardo was, nothing to do with the team really, but a case of not having the right talent available when Ricciardo decided to leave.
both Gasly and Albon needed more experience but were promoted to early wich is only possible with exeptional talent like Max or Charles |
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6 Aug 2020, 21:08 (Ref:3993421) | #11 | |
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To answer the original question: yes.
This year is not the norm. If he's not with RBR next year I'll buy a pint. I'm not saying who for, I'm just buy a pint! |
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6 Aug 2020, 21:33 (Ref:3993427) | #12 | ||
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7 Aug 2020, 06:49 (Ref:3993457) | #13 | |
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Ricciardo most probably copped the same treatment so he walked. Verstappen is his favorite child and I can't see anyone avoiding the same treatment as second driver so the second seat at RBR will continue to be a poisened chalice if Marko doesn't change. DR had the advantage of being proven and sought after so he could afford to give them the middle finger.
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7 Aug 2020, 08:53 (Ref:3993472) | #14 | |||
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Quote:
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7 Aug 2020, 08:55 (Ref:3993473) | #15 | ||
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Marko really did not appreciate Sainz seniors comments in the Spanish press about promoting Max over Carlos, and it was Carlos(and/or his father) who decided they did'nt want to wait anymore at Toro Rosso and left for Renault.
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7 Aug 2020, 09:11 (Ref:3993479) | #16 | ||
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...And it worked out well for him,, now out of /away from the toxic Marko influence and after a hiccup at Renault, now with a good future on his own terms.
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7 Aug 2020, 09:47 (Ref:3993492) | #17 | |
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Exactly, Danny and Carlos saw the light and decided that they would be better off going their own way.
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He who dares wins! He who hesitates is lost! |
7 Aug 2020, 10:03 (Ref:3993500) | #18 | |
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Red Bull seem to basically be Benetton in the Schumacher days.
Avoid that second seat like the plague youngsters. |
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7 Aug 2020, 11:58 (Ref:3993529) | #19 | |
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The problem is you need to prove yourself there or you have nowhere else to go. That’s how Sainz and Ricciardo have got other seats
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He who dares wins! He who hesitates is lost! |
7 Aug 2020, 13:29 (Ref:3993548) | #20 | ||
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I agree, there’s no curse on the second seat. If you’re good enough, it’s an incredible opportunity to prove your worth in a top-three car - albeit in a supporting role. No one is expecting the #2 driver to take points away from Max, but if Red Bull wants to take the fight to Mercedes and Ferrari for either title, Verstappen needs a wing-man capable of taking points from Hamilton, Bottas, Leclerc and Vettel. Next season, they’ll have an ambitious Ferrari-mounted Sainz - with a point to prove - to contend with.
Gasly wasn’t good enough and Alexander Albon - who has the weakest CV of any Red Bull/Torro Rosso/Alpha Tauri driver - probably wouldn’t even be in F1 if he hadn’t switched to Thai nationality (son of ex-BTCC racer Nigel, he was born and raised in the UK and thanks to mum had much of his racing career funded by British tax payers!). Red Bull needs to forget Marko’s failing Junior Team ladder and remember its radical roots. Time to recruit some real talent from elsewhere. Hire Perez or Vettel? Make Norris an offer he can’t refuse? Or look further afield to Formula E and beyond? There are plenty of drivers out there with the skills to get the job done. |
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7 Aug 2020, 13:47 (Ref:3993556) | #21 | ||
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Quote:
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7 Aug 2020, 13:55 (Ref:3993561) | #22 | ||
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It's just my opinion. |
7 Aug 2020, 14:40 (Ref:3993567) | #23 | |
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I’d go further and say most of the FE grid are F1 rejects
And yes, you need a strong head and be able to stand on your own two feet when you drive for Red Bull. They ain’t one for lending a helping hand when times are tough |
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He who dares wins! He who hesitates is lost! |
7 Aug 2020, 15:02 (Ref:3993569) | #24 | ||
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7 Aug 2020, 15:08 (Ref:3993570) | #25 | ||
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I'm just waiting for another "Max" to land the 2nd seat. Sparks will fly..
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