Williams didn’t want to distract Latifi from F2 campaign with early deal

16 comments on “Williams didn’t want to distract Latifi from F2 campaign with early deal”

1. 

   JohnS
   3rd December 2019, 1:29

   Law of unintended consequences. By banking the turn at Zandvoort’s they have to raise the tire pressure. So now the cars will be in a untested, or little used, configuration. Maybe this was done to throw randomness into the race. Is Bernie still around?
2. 

   socksolid (@socksolid)
   3rd December 2019, 1:37

   I think williams just kept rejecting latifi’s money as long as they could just to guarantee they got as much out of him as they could. It is not like latifi had options.
3. 

   Jimmi Cynic (@jimmi-cynic)
   3rd December 2019, 4:45

   We also wanted to afford Nicholas for the opportunity to continue the F2 campaign and focus on that rather than being distracted by any earlier kind of announcement.

   Also… his first payment to the team just cleared the bank.
4. 

   Jere (@jerejj)
   3rd December 2019, 7:36

   ”I really don’t like how the addition of the banking at the final corner seems to be done purely to extend the DRS zone.”
   – Again, the DRS-zone on the S/F straight won’t be able to start any earlier than the exit of the last corner given its steepness and high-speed nature, which combined with DRS isn’t a workable mix. Silverstone’s Abbey steeps less, and yet it was still problematic with DRS, so it’d only be worse with Zandvoort’s banker. 130R and Blanchimont also steep less, and the same with Suzuka’s full-throttle stretch between the hairpin and Spoon, which has never become an activation zone.
   1. 

      Qeki (@qeki)
      3rd December 2019, 10:29

      I kinda like that banking. It’s something like Eau Rouge at Spa, 130R in Suzuka, it’s the one thing that comes to my mind about Zandvoort. Also in some way it has the same flow to Brands Hatch. Which isn’t a bad thing?
   2. 

      Jason (@jmwalley)
      3rd December 2019, 21:33

      @jerejj, I believe you may be misunderstanding how the banking influences the cars.

      A banked turn requires less steering input, which is why it is used so often on American ovals. Less steering input allows the cars to go faster and means it will be more like a “straight”. If a corner is sufficiently banked for them to drive flat out, it will likely mean they can have DRS open.

      The steeper the banking, the more usable DRS becomes. Hence the last corner having Daytona Speedway level banking.
      1. 

         Jere (@jerejj)
         4th December 2019, 8:06

         @jmwalley While I get what you’re meaning, I’ll stick with my point. Zandvoort’s banked final-corner doesn’t look like it could necessarily be taken flat-out with DRS-activated when looking at the images. Better to place the activation-point at the exit of the corner to eliminate any potential unnecessary safety risk that placing it earlier could bring in to the game.
         1. 

            Jason (@jmwalley)
            4th December 2019, 18:30

            @jerejj, fair enough. Regardless, I hope the banking improves the racing and ability to overtake. I am hopeful, but time will tell.
         2. 

            Pete (@repete86)
            6th December 2019, 0:27

            I could be wrong, but isn’t the activation point after the banking? I thought this was to make it possible to be close enough to take advantage of it by allowing multiple lines and for cars to follow closer through it since the straight is so short.
5. 

   ColdFly (@)
   3rd December 2019, 8:09

   This Latifi guy, what has he achieved so far?
   Is he really that ‘average’ as the stats make me believe?
   – He’s older than most current F1 drivers yet has never won a series he raced in.
   – His first year in F3 he ended up behind Wehrlein (who only raced in 10% of the events) and was handsomely beaten by Kvyat in the same car.
   – The next year he was hopelessly 10th, beaten by Ocon, Verstappen and Giovinazzi. Even within his championship-winning team, he was only 3rd best.
   – When driving in FR3.5 he never finished ahead of Mehri; later in F2 Merhi also finished ahead more often than not.
   – And now in F2 he needs 3 full seasons (and the best car) to end as runner-up in the series, whilst being beaten along the way by: Leclerc, Russell, Norris, Albon.

   I’m very disappointed about Williams. Have they fallen so far that this is the best they can get?
   1. 

      Phylyp (@phylyp)
      3rd December 2019, 8:20

      Very interesting stats, @coldfly, and seems to tie in with @jimmi-cynic ‘s comment :)
      1. 

         Jimmi Cynic (@jimmi-cynic)
         3rd December 2019, 10:13

         Thanks, @phylyp. In our loose concord agreement, @coldfly handles the sporting side, while I prey on the commercial angles. ;-)
   2. 

      George O'Donnell (@georgeod)
      3rd December 2019, 13:04

      It’s difficult to judge Latifi. He came to car racing very late, unlike most of the drivers who he has competed against in the junior categories. Maybe someone like Damon Hill is a fair comparison – he entered F1 in his late 20s after a junior career where his results ween’t spectacular.
      1. 

         Jere (@jerejj)
         4th December 2019, 8:07

         @georgeod Early-30s actually. He debuted in F1 in 1992, the year in which he turned 32.
6. 

   Neil (@neilosjames)
   3rd December 2019, 13:40

   We also wanted to afford Nicholas

   And Nicholas wanted to afford you. And he could. Match made in heaven.
7. 

   pastaman (@)
   3rd December 2019, 13:43

   How are we supposed to take the W Series seriously when the champion only gets a drive in Asian F3

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