I used to laugh at Lance, too, but I think he did well last year and finally got past the learning curve. It took him longer than most.
Perez deserves the shot at Red Bull. After saving force india and helping solidify racing point to be stiffed out of a seat would have been a tragedy after the season he had. Albon goes to German Touring circuit and be a reserve Red Bull driver. He just wasn't consistent enough, but showed some great flashes.
I don't think its money since he's got several containers full of the stuff. I think its how much time spent on what off track team/sponsor commitments. Wants to pursue his diverse interests.
I agree. He got the ride before he was ready because of daddy, but he's earned his spot. True he kept his seat because of daddy to the detriment of Perez, whom I would have chosen over Lance approximately 100 times out of 100. He's another that shows some truly brilliant flashes and big balls.
I agree about Albon's inconsistency. He made almost as many bonehead moves as Grojean, a guy who is lucky to be alive after that explosive crash in Bahrain. Grojean never got past that learning curve. I think the only reason he lasted so long in F1 was personal backers with boatloads of money, which btw Perez has in droves, with Carlos Slim as a personal sponsor.
Grosjean's crash and survival was one of the most terrifyingly awesome testaments to engineering technological excellence I've ever seen. He has talent, had crap luck, made some true boneheads, but I understand something broke on his car which would explain why it looked like he just accelerated straight into the Armco barrier. Its impossible to get to an F1 seat without money either daddy or corporate sponsor. I keep telling myself that is why I never became the World Champion of my dreams.
Yes, something broke ... because he pulled a bonehead move as usual and got his suspension busted by slamming into another car. It was 100% driver error. When I saw that giant explosion of fire, I was sure he was dead. It had me shaking until the cameras showed him in the medical car, awake and talking. You are so right about the engineering, and the vastly improved safety of the monocoque. If not for the halo, this would be a different conversation.