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dumbseee · 11 months

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insecurity.

f1 au/fic: in which, lando and y/n have been dating for a few months, but fans are still talking about y/n’s past relationship. making lando feel insecure and questioning y/n’s feelings for him.

lando norris x singer!reader

(fc: jess alexander)

note: english isn’t my first language so excuse me for the mistakes this might have xx ALSO it’s the first time that i’m actually writing something so i hope it’s not too bad lmao. thank you for reading my aus btw <3

liked by landonorris, maxfewtrell, danielricciardo and 2 799 009 others.

y/n: happy birthday to my sun, you’re such a beautiful soul, i’m so proud to call you mine. i love you to the moon and back and promise to always love you.

landonorris: i love you more baby

danielricciardo: we’re at practice and he’s crying btw

fan1: they’re so absjdkdoldel

fan2: mama y papa

fan3: he always smile so brightly when he’s looking at her :(

fan4: i’m sorry but i can’t help but think about y/n’s ex… on the same day last year she was posting pictures of him

fan5: @.fan4 don’t do that… it’s about lando, not her ex

fan6: am i tripping or she also used to call her ex, her « sun »??

fan7: @.fan6 WHAT

fan8: @.fan6 no she didn’t?

lando sighed and threw his phone on his bed. of course he saw all the tweets about you and your stupid ex, how could he ignore them when it was all over the internet. people were speculating about if he was a rebound or a toy for you. lando was hurt, he always thought that you were way out of his league anyways so he should’ve seen it coming, right? you were an amazing and worldwide known singer, with your angelic voice and heartbreaking lyrics. you sang with your heart which made anyone who was listening to you, fall in love immediately.

that’s what happened with lando. he was always a big fan of yours, singing your songs on top of his lungs at parties, and following every single news about you, he even went to your concerts. one day, he went viral for singing your song on the radio with his engineer, he also happened to have made it to p3, which he said was because you were his lucky charm. the video was published online and went viral, you saw it and immediately found it adorable. the rest was history.

when you guys hard launched your relationship to the world, the big majority was happy for you two, happy to see you smile and happy to see that lando managed to get his crush. but a small minority saw that relationship as a rebound for you, saying horrible things about how you never loved lando and how you would dump him in a few months to go back to your one true love, your ex.

lando saw it all. and he hated it.

"lando? are you okay?" you asked, when you went to check in on him. he was supposed to bring a few blankets so you guys could watch a movie together. but he was taking way too much time so you went to see if he was okay.

"do you love me y/n?" he asked you, and the sadness in his eyes almost made you cry. lando’s eyes was what you loved the most about him, with his smile of course, but his gorgeous green eyes were full of emotions, you could drown in them and feel every little thing he was feeling just by looking at him.

"what are you talking about? of course i love you lando." you say, taking his hand in yours and softly kissing his knuckles. you saw him close his eyes and sigh deeply. you pushed him on the bed and sat next to him. "what happened?"

"it’s stupid, don’t worry about it." he finally looked up at you and faked a smile but it didn’t fool you.

"lando. tell me." you were still holding his hand and with your free hand you started to caress his cheek. he closed his eyes again and melted against your touch.

"your fans are still talking about your past relationship and how i’m nothing but a rebound to you." he said it in such a low tone you almost didn’t hear him. but sadly you heard his words and you could feel your heart shatter at how your fans words affected him. "i know that you guys stayed together for a while, and i know that you wrote good songs about him, i listened to them all, but… if you still love him you can-…"

"lando norris." you said in a serious tone, which startled him. "how am i supposed to love anyone else when you stole my heart and refuse to give it back?" his eyes lit up a little by your words. "and i literally wrote 56 songs about how much i love you so you better listen to them all once again and never doubt my feelings for you ever again, boy."

liked by landonorris, carlossainz55, charlottesiine and 6 808 009 others.

y/n: ‘you are in love’ is officially out ;) little gift from me to you sweet lan <3

maxfewtrell: lando listened to it and locked himself in the bathroom to cry

landonorris: @.maxfewtrell FAKE NEWS

danielricciardo: i wish someone would write 57 songs about me…

heidiberger_: @.danielricciardo excuse me? (great song btw y/n!)

liked by y/n.

fan1: ZKSKSLXPODOSOZ

fan2: y/n making haters eat their words with one song: queen behaviour

fan3: i hope haters will stop hating on lando now how can you say that y/n is using him as a rebound

fan4: CALL 911 IM ON THE VERGE OF DEATH

fan5: y/n writing a love song for lando on his birthday :(

fan6: i love them so much pls

fan7: that whole drama about her ex was so dumb, they broke up for a reason and y/n also wrote songs about how awful he was to her towards the end of their relationship, why do you guys want her to go back to that dog?

liked by y/n.

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scrollonso · 2 months

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First Kiss (Race 2)

A strollonso AU where 18 year old rookie Lance Stroll falls helplessly in love with the notoriously mean world champion. (1.4k words, no warnings) [@v3lnys]

last part - masterlist - next part

Quali came to an end once again, the feeling slightly tamer than the first time as Lance pulled back into his side of the garage, Nico not far behind.

He was slightly disappointed he qualified p10 but it'll be fine as long as he can actually finish this race (and hopefully get points for the team this time.)

He heard Nico talking to his engineer on the other side of the garage and decided to go over, not having much to do on his side.

"Seriously, the wheels locked up like twice. You were watching and I know you noticed so the fact that you're ignoring the issues is bullshit-"

Maybe not the best time to stand around.

He decided instead of hanging around with Nico he'd just walk around the paddock, his race suit hanging by his hips as he walked by the other teams garages, seeing how busy everyone else on the paddock was. He could tell some people were quick to go home but he wasn't ever in a rush to get back to his hotel room, it was usually boring anyway.

"Ah, Lancito, I was just looking for you" There it is. The voice Lance looks forward to hearing as soon as the race week starts, and most likely the reason he decides to stay back as late as he does

"Nando, Hi" He flashed a smile at the long haired driver, stoping in his tracks so they could walk together

"Nando?" The shorter man echoed, catching up to Lance as they both continued walking, steps in sync as they made their way around the paddock

"Well, I figured it was only fair for me to give you a name since you gave me one" Lance nodded as he spoke, afraid the older man had a problem with it, it was quite childish, he wasn't sure why he even called him that, Fernando worked just fine, it was a silly nickname

"I like it, Sounds good coming from you." Fernando smiled up at Lance, wrapping an arm around his shoulder to pull him down to his level "Guess we are friends now, eh? Coworkers do not usually have special names for eachother"

Lance nodded again, he supposed Nando was right. He turned to look at him as he continued to speak, rambling about many things but all Lance could think about was how good he looked. He'd never really examined the Spaniard like he was doing now, sunglasses propped up on his head, holding his hair out of his face, it seemed like he had just shaved that morning, the shadow of his facial hair barely visible, his lips curved slightly upwards as he talked, his hair curling in every direction but somehow he made the messy look seem intentional

"What hotel do they have you staying at, Lancito?" Was the first thing Lance really heard after spending god knows how long just staring at Fernando. How embarrassing.

"Uhm- Mövenpick? I think, Otmar has my keycard somewhere." Lance hummed, having lost the keycard to the hotel in Bahrain Otmar had decided it was best to put Nico and Lance in the same room and "look after" Lances keycard until they headed back.

"Ah, I see. I didn't realize they'd put drivers in different hotels."

"If you miss my company so much you're welcome to come along, you know I get special priviliges because of my dad" Lance joked, at this point he was so used to people belittling him to just being his fathers son that he had started to do it as well

"Ah, don't say that Lancito" Fernando almost scolded him, moving his hand to tap the back of his head "You forget I'm world champion, I could buy another hotel ticket if I wanted to."

Lance laughed, nodding in agreement, there wasn't anything stopping Fernando from doing anything really, after he left the paddock he could go wherever, do whatever, it's not like he signed away his soul to F1 so moving hotels wouldn't be a big deal "I know, I know, but if you ever want free stuff, Mr. World Champion, you know who to ask" Lance hummed, taking his turn of having his arm around Fernandos shoulder "These are the perks of being friends with a nepotism baby"

"I'll take your word for it then" Fernando laughed, accepting the change of positions, it wasn't very comfortable reaching up to drape an arm around Lances shoulder anyways.

A comfortable silence fell over them, neither feeling the need to add anything more, it was odd, how well they had clicked. They got along better together than either of them did with their teammates but no one was complaining. Lance liked having someone to go to outside of the Racing Point garage and Fernando liked having someone he felt like this towards, whatever "this" was. They were snapped back to reality when Otmar finally found Lance

"God kid, I was looking for you. Nico's about to head back so I figured now was a good time to give you the key" He pulled out a think black card and handed it to Lance "Don't lose it this time, alright?" He asked, not letting to just yet.

"Alright, I'll attach it to my arm, okay?" Lance joked, turning back to Fernando "Think about it, really, if your hotel gets boring you're more than welcome at mine." He said before making his way out of the paddock, catching up to Nico so they could leave together

Odd was all Otmar thought, he didn't realize his driver had gotten so close to Fernando, he'd thought maybe it was just press, or maybe some plan the Spaniard had, but he had nothing to gain from staying late and just sitting next to him.

Lance tried not to be disappointed when night came and went and Fernando had decided not to come, it was silly, but a part of him was looking forward to seeing him outside of the paddock, outside of the blue and yellow.

They were so busy before the race that Lance hadn't even managed to catch a glimpse of the Spaniard let alone talk to him, before he knew it interviews were over and he was in his car, lined up in the fifth row, Nico barely behind him.

Fernando was right in saying Malaysia was going to treat him better, he had managed to make up three places and actually get points for his team in his second grand prix.

It felt great, even though it wasn't a podium like Fernando had gotten getting points waa a big deal for the rookie (driver and team).

The debrief went smoothly considering how both Nico and Lance finished the race with no major problems, as they gathered their things and the team started to leave the garage one by one Lance couldn't help but notice the blue in the corner of his eye. He turned his head and smiled when he confirmed it was in fact Fernando

"Good-" Lance started, trying to beat Fernando to congratulating eachother was proving to be difficult

"You did great, Lancito" Fernando commented, walking into the garage now that it was practically empty "Your overtakes are pretty decent for a nepotism baby, eh?"

Lance laughed, hitting Fernandos arm "Guess you did pretty good for a world champ then, huh?" It was nice, the banter they had, if anyone else joked with him jow Fernando does he was sure he'd take it the wrong way but with how Fernandos treated him since they met he had no doubt in his mind that every jab he made towards him was lighthearted.

"Any plans before Australia, Lancito?" Right, Lance had forgotten there wasn't another race for two weeks

"I'm not sure, I always end up somewhere though" He laughed, leaning on the counter behind him, using his hands to prop himself up "How about you, where are you going, Nando?"

"Me and Mark, Mark Webber, were planning on spending the break in Australia together"

Right, he forgot Fernando was close to Mark, the driver who's seat he took.

"Could you tell him I'm sorry?" Lance hesitated to speak, wondering if the Australian was mad at him for ending his career early

"He doesn't mind, trust me, if he wasn't okay with ending his career he would've signed with someone else." Fernando consoled the younger, patting his shoulder after he finished "Don't worry your pretty little head, alright?"

Lance laughed, shaking his head at the comment in efforts to ignore the pink tint covering his face "Alright, Nando."

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formula365 · 3 years

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Champions in the making - Emilia Romagna GP review

The breakthrough kid

It is not always possible to pinpoint the exact moment in which a driver goes from young promise to champion in the making. There can be breakthrough performances, in which a driver lays down a marker and announces himself to the world, but more often than not the progression is so gradual over a number of seasons that the driver eventually makes it to the top in slow steps, a sink filling up drop by drop from a leaky faucet.

But every once in a while, we get to witness a breakthrough moment, one of those weekends that, when looking back into a career, will be seen as a pivotal moment in which the promise has come good, which removes the doubt of whether that potential will be fulfilled. Moments like Sebastian Vettel winning in a Toro Rosso, or Max Verstappen becoming a Grand Prix winner on his Red Bull debut; we knew, there and then, what they would become.

It wasn’t his maiden win, but this is what we witnessed this weekend from Lando Norris.

Coming into this season, the young Brit knew this could be a make or break year for him. He had done really well to match his more experienced teammate in his first two seasons, but the challenge with his new partner was at a different level. No disrespect to Carlos Sainz, who is definitely a talented driver, but Daniel Ricciardo is a proven race winner, someone who had driven for Red Bull and been considered by Mercedes and Ferrari. The Aussie had spent the last two seasons destroying Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon, no slouches themselves, which meant there was a risk for Norris to be swallowed up by the Honey Badger’s performances.

His first two seasons had shown glimpses of his talent, but also a certain on-track shyness, in contrast to his expansive personality off it. He himself admitted during pre-season that he needed to improve on his aggressiveness and push harder on wheel to wheel battles; he had to drive the car ever closer to its limits. After a couple of seasons maturing and honing his skills, now was the time to be a more imposing figure behind the wheel, including within his own team.

Bahrain had already shown glimpses of that. He started the race behind his teammate, but passed him early on and never looked back. Imola, though, was something else. McLaren didn’t have the right set-up throughout Friday and both drivers seemed to be struggling, but on Saturday Norris looked to be one with his car. Bar a small mistake on his last run, he would have not only out-qualified his teammate, but also Verstappen in a much faster Red Bull. The track limits infringement left him P7 on the grid, but on Sunday he would more than make up for the mistake.

He had blistering pace from the get-go, to the point that he radioed his engineer when stuck behind his teammate to ask to be let through. In a moment that could be defining for the season, Ricciardo did let him through and then saw the youngster disappear down the road in the chase for the Ferraris. On the restart, he made light work of Leclerc (with much faster tyres, to be fair) and then fought Hamilton hard for several laps until the lack of grip on his rubber forced him to concede.

Overall, Norris showed a wide array of his skills at Imola: blistering one-lap pace, attacking, defending, tyre management, determination to come back after the mistake on Saturday, even authority in the team when he asked to be let through his teammate. A complete performance that leaves no doubt about his talent: he has the skills to be a future champion, the only question remaining is whether he will have the consistency to deliver over a full season. Given his mental approach - he is very open to speak about mental health - it seems he is addressing that side of his driving as well.

Until now, Norris had been the fun kid with a turn of pace, the meme-generator and half of a McLaren bromance. The end of the partnership with Sainz might have been a liberating factor for him: in order to be taken more seriously, the banter has to take second place to his driving, and with Ricciardo also looking to leave his more goofy side in the background, this can be the perfect time for Lando to do the same and let his driving do the talking. He certainly did that this weekend.

Talking points

* My oh my, do we have a fight on our hands. Verstappen v. Hamilton is already becoming such a compelling story it is hard not to make it the subject of every race review and preview; the feeling is that this will be a fight for the ages, that we will have a season to be remembered for many years to come. This time around it was the Dutchman who had the upper hand, with a superb start to go from P3 to P1 into Tamburello. He gave no quarters to Hamilton on the outside and then managed the race beautifully, although he was left unchallenged in the second half after Hamilton’s crash. The game is most definitely on.

* The reigning champion may have given some small signs of the pressure getting to him. Mostly unchallenged in recent years, Lewis made an uncharacteristic mistake when lapping back markers and then seemed to have had a scrambled brain moment as he struggled to get out of the run-off area. He is human, after all, some might have thought. The red flag gave him the opportunity to reset and come back to re-claim P2 and a podium place he would have certainly lost otherwise. He showed his mental resilience then, but it will be interesting to see how he (and Verstappen as well) will manage the pressure of a title fight (hopefully) over 23 races.

* One of the big talking points post-race was the massive crash between Bottas and Russell. Approaching Tamburello, drivers hit speeds above 300 kph, so it’s no surprise it was a nasty one, and that both drivers felt the other should have done more to avoid it. Controversy aside, the big question has to be why was Bottas defending P9 from a Williams. Like Monza, Turkey and Sakhir last year, when the Finn gets caught up in the midfield he struggles to move forward, and even manages to fall further back. To make matters worse, in all these races his teammate was caught in similar situations and had no problem cutting through the field. When the dust settles, Bottas will certainly have some soul searching to do.

* How good is it to see McLaren and Ferrari fighting each other for top spots? The two historic teams collected all positions from P3 to P6 and seem to be a step above the rest of the midfield contenders. This is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, rivalry in F1’s history, and it’s great for the sport to see it reignited.

* The only midfield team that seems to have the pace to challenge them is AlphaTauri, but they are struggling to convert their pace into points. Tsunoda ruined his weekend with two (very rookie) mistakes, while Gasly’s race was ruined by the decision to start on full wets. He still made a great recovery drive to finish P7, but this felt like another missed opportunity for AlphaTauri, specially at a track they know so well. They have a genuine shot at finishing in the top half of the table, which is Franz Tost’s goal for the team, but in order to achieve that they have to start using their pace to score points.

* If AlphaTauri will be left ruing their weekend, Williams will be doubly so. With two drivers qualifying in the top 14, they had genuine hope to score points for the first time since the crazy rain-soaked German GP in 2019, but two crashes negated their shot. Latifi barely got going so we will never know what he could have achieved, but Russell was clearly in the mix and will be left pondering how high he could have finished if he had been a bit more cautious. With scoring opportunities so limited, that might have been the wiser approach.

* The second Red Bull continues the saga of the topsy-turvy weekends. One of the narratives for Albon in 2020 was that he was not able to have a clean, incident-free weekend, and that was limiting his results. Perez is going down the same path, and although he did manage to salvage a P5 in Bahrain, here he was left empty-handed. It’s still very early, and the signs from the first race were positive, but for Red Bull to challenge Mercedes he needs to be up there consistently.

* Ahead of the season, very few people would have betted for Stroll and Ocon to be beating their teammates, either in qualifying or in the race. The two youngsters are showing that world titles (a combined 6 after all) aren’t a guarantee of continued success.

* On that topic, it is worth noting that most drivers that are newcomers to their respective teams are struggling at the moment. Sainz at Ferrari is the exception; Perez, Ricciardo, Alonso and Vettel are all underperforming, some more than others. This quartet is uber-talented, though, so expect them to get closer to their teammates as the season progresses and they become more accustomed to their new cars.

* Curb your enthusiasm, Yuki. We love to see his on-track flamboyance: he is one of the most exciting drivers to hit F1 in the last few years, but it can work against him too. He needs to find a balance but two races in these growing pains were to be expected. Once he finds that balance, he will be one hell of a driver.

Driver of the day: Lando Norris

Moment of the day

The battle between Hamilton and Norris. The young Brit managed to hold off the 7-times champion for a handful of laps, with tyres well past their expiry date and no DRS; Leclerc, for comparison, was on mediums and was passed by Hamilton on the first lap he didn’t have DRS. Norris’ positioning was perfect and he was brave on the brakes. Eventually the lack of grip and Hamilton’s bravery led to the inevitable, but Norris put up an excellent fight.

#imola gp #lando norris #lewis hamilton #max verstappen #mclaren #ferrari #valtteri bottas #george russell #alpha tauri #williams f1 #sergio perez #yuki tsunoda #lance stroll #esteban ocon

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f1ismyreligionandvettelismygod · 5 years

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Here's my essay - because Sebastian Vettel deserves better...❤

Now I like to think I'm not a person who tries to embellish things and overreact when things are not right. I also keep to what I know, keep as factual as possible and I always make sure there is substance - that there is a reliable source to back up what I say.

Sebastian Vettel has been put under the microscope for years now and this season, even more than ever. The media and social media have been really going for it. They have a tendency of being very harsh and critical, based on his performance and from what they take from what is said about him from the people who know him best. However, it is almost never actual fact. They are taking what they hear and see and distorting it into what they want us to hear. They splice official statements from Ferrari, (which we know that Ferrari never give away much information anyway) so it suits the media's unfounded and untruthful articles. This allows for speculation, rumours, untruths, hate and trust and belief in the man, which has a major impact on his status and reputation, not only as a driver but as a person too. We rely on our papers and online media to inform us and give us reliable information but sadly, when it comes to Sebastian, it's normally giving him a dressing down, even when he's performed. Negativity seems to be the weapon of choice.

I remember when he first came to F1, they sung his praises. They would ask who this new kid was, who would shake hands with everyone he came into contact with - even the sound guy holding the boom for a TV interview. The guy was liked. He showed he had talent and a personality. He would put in the results in his first full season in F1 in 2008. He then introduced us all to his trademark finger as he made his mark by securing his maiden pole position and victory at Monza for a team that was midfield and hasn't had another win since. For a driver to do that in his career and then go on to be one of the most successful drivers in the history of the sport is very rare. Most drivers are in a top team before they make their mark. Vettel was the exception. He bucked the trend. This bode well for him as he joined an up and coming top team in the shape of Red Bull, in 2009, with him winning their maiden victory in China, only having raced 3 races with them and beating his well established team mate Mark Webber, who had already spent 2 full seasons with them. In fact it would take another victory from Vettel at Silverstone before Webber finally clinched maiden win at the Nürburgring. That's some achievement for somebody so young and so new to the sport. And he wouldn't be very far behind the runaway winner of the championship in 2009, winning again in Abu Dhabi and securing podium finishes and good points. The guy had talent and wasn't about to give up. So before the real success came to him he was stamping his authority, this guy meant business and he wasn't planning on going anywhere but up.

So he has already made an impression not only on himself but his teams, the F1 circus, the media and the fans and all in the space of 2 and a bit seasons. He caught the attention of the F1 world and in the most positive and captivating way because not only could this boy race, he was a thoroughly nice bloke to boot. That in itself was a recipe for success.

Then in 2010 his real success would start with a drivers world championship winging its way to him at the last gasp. He had competition too with at least another 4 drivers vying for the title until a few races before the end. And wasn't even one of the favourites at all throughout the season, even when it reached the last race, he was 3rd in line most likely to be champion statistically. And he never lead the championship either. 2011 he completely dominatated even outscoring his team mate Webber by well over 100 points, who came 3rd to Jenson Button who was also trounced by over 100 points in his McLaren. 2012 like 2010 saw a very interesting season but was mainly Ferrari's Fernando Alonso's to lose. Sebastian at one point being over 40 points adrift of Alonso with only half a dozen or so races left. He powered back though to make it the most exciting end to the season. And 2013 was just another show of his power and dominance winning 13 out of 19 races and again trouncing his team mate having almost double the amount of points 397 to 199. No one can deny this man of his achievements. He completely annihilated his team mate. That's not luck.

With the recent scrutiny over Vettel's performance and questioning whether he is now just a shell of his former self is being bounced back and forth across the F1 community. When it looks that way, things aren't always necessarily as they may seem. People may say he's lost it, he's being outwitted by a better driver in Hamilton and being shown up by his much younger new team mate Leclerc. When this may have some basis of truth behind it, I don't think these are the real reasons for his supposed demise.

2014 was a tough season for him. The new hybrid era had arrived, which was harnessed by Mercedes, he had a new team mate in Daniel Ricciardo and I'm almost certain that the tragic skiing accident involving Michael Schumacher had a massive impact on his season. He didn't win a single race that year. His worst season victory wise (not including his half season in 2007.) 2015 saw him make his move to the team of his dreams and it showed everyone that he hadn't lost his ability, winning 3 races for Ferrari. 2016 saw no wins again for the German but Ferrari as a team never won a race, they just didn't have the car and were beaten, not only by Mercedes but Red Bull too. Ferrari seemed to get some order back in the team in 2017, with Vettel winning 5 races for them. With a difficult team to beat in Mercedes, Vettel was now the first driver to split the Mercedes drivers for the championship, a task that was seeming almost impossible. And in 2018, again, Vettel came second in the drivers championship to Hamilton, with 4 race wins.

I think, regardless of what happened in between with mistakes and errors, both from himself and the team, that the facts speak for themself. Also, I stand firm in my belief that since the hybrid era, that unless you are in a Mercedes, it is practically impossible to win a world championship. But Seb has been the only one so far that has given it the fight and came second on 2 occasions. Yet he is the one who heavily criticised for trying.

As for the errors that he and the team have made over the years... it's very easy for a rival or an onlooker to criticise and say, well you should have done it this way or that way. When you are fighting for a win and ultimately a championship, you are relying on 3 main factors: yourself, your team and your car. If these 3 things become unhinged even in the slightest way, it becomes an uphill battle to get the results you desire. And when the team that you are trying to beat hasn't been beaten in 5 and a bit years, the pressure of winning becomes even greater. If we take a look at the last few years we can see that Seb has worked extremely hard to get the results that he has. He's had to push, he's had to take risks, he's made the car do things he probably shouldn't have been able to do, it's the only way he he can try to beat the Mercedes. But unfortunately pushing hard and giving it your all takes it's toll on you mentally and physically. There is only so much catching up you can do before you begin to wonder if you will ever see the end. It's a bit like those dreams where you are running but you appear to be getting nowhere. That is what it's been like for Vettel. It's not for a want of trying, it's just completely impossible to get anywhere when the team you are trying to beat is pretty much perfect. That's why you see him make mistakes; spinning, going off the track, brushing with other cars, crashing with other cars. Because he's having to push the car to the limit - push himself to the limit. Mercedes have a comfortable cushion which allows them to breeze a race. They can get their front row lockout and then sail off into the distance with engine management. The only pressure they're put under is from their team mates. And even then its not like they have to worry about it. If you have the machinery underneath you, that's half the battle. When you know your car is going to be fast and that you can conserve your engine and turn it up when it's needed, all you need to do then is keep the car on the track. That's the only pressure you are put under. Unlike with the rest of the field, where they have to fight for positions and push their cars to the limit for even a glimmer of hope of getting a good result.

So, for all the scrutiny and criticism that Vettel gets, if we take a step back and actually look at what he's up against, he's the only one currently that's showing a fight and trying to get more than the maximum out of himself, the car and the team. He is not just the hunter, he is the hunted. When he is desperately trying to catch a team which is untouchable, he has the added pressure of keeping a team like Red Bull behind him. He has it from all angles. There is only so much though that a driver can keep doing to try and beat the the most successful team on the grid. When you think you have caught up, they suddenly turn it up a notch. It's a common case of, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. This must be incredibly frustrating when you are within touching distance but it slips out of your grasp at the last - every time. The mental effects this must have on a driver must be soul destroying, when you know you are doing everything in your power, putting your all into it and getting more than what you should out of the car, only to be outrun and then made to look like an amateur because you've actually had to race the car. It is very unfair to say that Vettel has been making all these mistakes and that he must be losing his touch. If he had the car under him, I don't even doubt for a second that I'd be writing this.

And of course because he is the only one who seems to be giving it 100% every race, sometimes it doesn't work out. We used to see errors right, left and centre from every driver up and down the field because they were at the limit pre-refuelling/pre-drs/pre-hybrid/pre-multiple compound tyres etc. And because of tyre/fuel/engine management, it's sad to say they are not pushing the cars like they used to. However drivers like Vettel and Hamilton, who are now classed as the veterans of the sport remember the times of pushing to the limit. These cars don't allow the same kind of racing anymore. So whoever has the car which has the best aero package, is the one who can afford to turn the engine down and then up when needed. And if the aero is good it looks after the tyres. These are 2 key ingredients that Mercedes have harnessed - the hybrid era and a convenient private test with Pirelli, all they needed was to shape their car around it and hey presto, there's nothing any other team can do. That's the biggest advantage of all.

So to sum up (for now) Sebastian Vettel still has it. He hasn't lost it. He never will. I believe it's the fact that no matter how hard he tries he will never be able to beat the car that has been moulded to dominate the hybrid era. And I believe that's why he seems so downbeat, he's not become undone. There's only so much chasing and fighting you can do, when all you seem to do is hit your head off a brick wall - that's got to be just a little bit soul destroying. If he wasn't great he'd be nowhere - but he's always there!

#my essay #sebastian vettel #ferrari #my hero #he will always be my hero #sick of all the bullshit we hear about him #here are the facts #no lies #he deserves better #fk the media #fk the non believers #f1 #formula 1

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jesusvasser · 6 years

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Automobile + Watch Guide

PALM SPRINGS, California — Rocks slide all around as I look out of the Range Rover Velar’s window. The professional driver in the passenger seat is an ex-Camel Trophy terrain-challenging competitor; he tells me to move the wheel a little to the left, then a little to the right, and then to give it a shimmy as we plow through rutty roads high on San Gorgonio Mountain.

On my wrist is the newest collaboration between watchmaker Zenith and Land Rover, the $8,700 Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Range Rover Velar. With its black ceramic-coated aluminum case and brushed gray dial offsetting copper-colored hands, it’s a handsome piece. This watch is all the more special because it’s powered by a classic movement, the El Primero, which in the watch world is akin to a classic Porsche flat-six and is one of three movements that changed the modern watch industry.

The Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Range Rover Velar features the classic automatic El Primero 400B movement housed in a 42mm case made from black ceramic-coated aluminum.

Later that evening, chatting about cars and watches, Land Rover’s nattily dressed chief design officer, Gerry McGovern, who sported a gold Audemars Piguet Royal Oak on his wrist, remarked: “People don’t really need these things—cars and watches—but they desire them.”

That desire and connection between watches and motoring began in 1919 with Vacheron Constantin. Vacheron was one of the first manufacturers to the flip the movement and crown 45 degrees so drivers could better read the time while keeping their hands on the wheel. In 1919 the dial was aligned to the left, and then in 1921 it flipped to the right. Although these driver’s watches couldn’t time laps like a chronograph, they sure looked good behind the wheel of a Bugatti Type 30. They still do; Vacheron Constantin has sent out a slew of reissued Historiques American 1921 over the past few years, which dazzled even the most jaded collectors.

Land Rover design boss Gerry McGovern sees similarities between the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the cars he helps to create.

Not until the 1950s, though, and the launch of the hand-wound Valjoux 72 chronograph movement, did the idea of watches and cars begin to burrow deep into the minds of watch and car collectors. That movement powered, among other things, early Rolex Daytona, Heuer Carrera, and Universal Geneve Compax models, classic and much sought after automotive-themed watches from the golden age of hand-wound chronographs. Later—but before the quartz-watch revolution of the 1980s put the classic Swiss watchmaking industry under threat—the 1970s saw the release of the workhorse Valjoux 7750 and ETA 2824 movements, many of which power the grail watches now on collectors’ wrists. Although many high-end watches have shifted toward in-house-developed movements, the vast majority of today’s watch internals are still based on the design of these two movements. The situation isn’t much different than Pagani or Aston Martin using engines sourced from AMG, as these movements, like the engines, feature their own custom parts and tuning.

Although these objects’ mechanical souls have much in common, anecdotal evidence suggests a car person is often a watch person, yet watch people are rarely into cars—and not for lack of trying on the part of watch brands.

“Like a lot of car dealers, my first big watch purchase in the mid-1980s was a Rolex Presidential, in yellow gold, of course,” says Ed Tonkin, an affable Portland, Oregon-based watch collector. “It’s a wonderful watch but very cliché, as every car dealer has one strapped to his wrist.” From there, Tonkin amassed an insane collection of more than 400 rare watches from Greubel Forsey, Audemars Piguet, and the first “super watch,” a Ulysse Nardin Freak #1.

Tonkin’s family owns the oldest Ferrari dealership in the U.S. and also collects cars, including a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTS, a 1986 Ferrari 288 GTO, and a two-tone red and black 1953 Ferrari 212 Vignale Coupe.

Tonkin also has an affinity for automotive-themed Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore models, like his pair of F1-themed examples—one each for drivers Rubens Barrichello and Juan Pablo Montoya. “I like to collect watches that appeal to me aesthetically, and with the APs, I love the connection to cars—where the pushers look like brake pads and the movements like clutch pieces,” Tonkin says. “I had a visceral reaction to these watches when I first saw them.”

It is in this tempest that car and watch companies keep launching collaborations. Sometimes it’s as simple as choosing colors, dials, and case materials and calling it a day. Other times, watchmakers develop new tools and technologies to appeal to car enthusiasts. Take, for example, British brand Bremont’s range of Jaguar watches or the long-standing Bentley and Breitling partnership. Each stands on its own as a wonderful example of watchmaking, even if you don’t own one of the cars. Bentley, though, has extended the collaboration from the wrist to the dashboard with the Mulliner Tourbillon by Breitling, the optional and over-the-top $168,100 diamond-studded mechanical clock available across the Bentayga SUV range.

“The art of handmade British carmaking and the tradition of great Swiss watchmaking have much in common,” Alison Lacy, senior licensing manager at Bentley, says. “There stretches an invisible connection, a common appreciation of mechanical perfection.”

What’s so special about a red dial? A lot in this case: Ed Tonkin’s F.P. Journe got its paint directly from Ferrari, courtesy of ex-F1 team boss Jean Todt.

Eneuri Acosta, COO of the popular online watch publication Hodinkee, says that “it’s a new fairly new phenomenon, this idea of using watches and cars as a way to build off each brand’s ethos.” Acosta worked in marketing for Cadillac before moving into the watch industry. “Look at the classic watches of the ’60s. These were plain and simple tool watches. Now the watch, along with the car, is viewed as a luxury, aspirational product.”

Spike Feresten, who hosts “Spike’s Car Radio” on PodcastOne, wryly says he has “more than some, less than others” when asked how many cars he owns. But when it comes to his watch collection, which he’s pared down to a single watch box, he says, “It could be tool watches or tool cars, the first thing I am drawn to is the aesthetic. It’s all about the patina. Look at a vintage Rolex 5513 or 1680—it’s the patina that makes me feel good for some reason. That aged dial, that creamy lume, they make me nuts.”

Like many collectors, Feresten doesn’t like when his watch matches his car too closely, but there’s always something for those who do. “I think Hublot did what it took to have a Ferrari-labeled watch that a Ferrari guy actually wants to wear,” ablogtowatch.com founder Ariel Adams says. “You also don’t need to be a Ferrari owner to enjoy it.”

Like Spike Feresten says, well-preserved vintage watches like this Rolex Submariner ref. 5513 often wear patina as proudly as some Pebble Beach entrants.

Ultimately, car-branded watches like the Zenith Velar exist to highlight the two companies. “Why do fans of beautiful cars often also have a pronounced weakness for high-quality wristwatches?” Zenith CEO Julien Tornare asks. “Maybe because they always exhibit their owner’s taste and values everywhere they go.”

For those who forge their own way and aren’t beholden to the past, there is one small watch company that holds an outsized presence on the wrists of, shall we say, higher-net-worth individuals around the world.

“I want to be the best. With McLaren, I wanted the world’s lightest chronograph Tourbillon. We start with these concepts.”

Richard Mille is the founder of his eponymously named brand and the maker of the Richard Mille RM 50-03 Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph Ultralight McLaren F1, whose name is as long as its $1 million price tag. “Even when I was young, I always loved cars and aircraft and bikes,” Mille says. “Though I am not a technician, I love extreme technique, and I always thought the high-end watch business was a little boring—you know, where they just copy watches from the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries.

“I was always captivated by high-performance and racing cars, and I thought that it would be very interesting to have a more drastic and cutting edge, something sharp, and something without any compromises,” Mille continues. “Where a lot of brands approach watches and cars in a first-degree manner—you know, a strap that looks like a tire or hands that look like a steering wheel—I always felt that was a gimmick, and I don’t like gimmicks.”

Mille’s approach is working, as he can’t keep stock on dealers’ shelves.

“In 2015, I sold 3,500 pieces,” he says. “[We did] 4,000 in 2017 and [will do] 4,600 pieces in 2018. The demand is much higher than what I can produce. The more I raise my prices, the more I sell. I went to one of my boutiques, and I only had eight watches to sell. It’s a good problem to have, but I can only sell what I can produce, and I can’t sell the watches until they are complete. I won’t prostitute myself.” Then, Mille admits with a laugh, “That said, I didn’t know when we launched that we would sell. At the price—starting around $180,000—there was no information on the segment.”

But Mille thinks he knows what is behind his company’s success. “The pillars of most high-end watch brands are very boring, where they are always contemplating the past, which is nonsense,” he says. “All modern watches are made with computers. From day one I have been open to sport and to niche lifestyles, and every time I do something and with every segment I go into, I want to be the best. With McLaren, I wanted the world’s lightest chronograph Tourbillon. We start with these concepts.”

Mille is also the sponsor of one of the greatest automotive events in the world, the Chantilly Arts & Elegance just outside of Paris. “I am a car collector, too, and I think this is why my wife wants to kill me sometimes,” he says. “I have a collection of [race] cars from the 1960s to the 1990s, including a Porsche 917. When it comes to my clients, 90 percent of them are crazy about cars, and we all share that same crazy, crazy passion.”

The post Automobile + Watch Guide appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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eddiejpoplar · 6 years

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Automobile + Watch Guide

The Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Range Rover Velar features the classic automatic El Primero 400B movement housed in a 42mm case made from black ceramic-coated aluminum.

Land Rover design boss Gerry McGovern sees similarities between the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the cars he helps to create.

What’s so special about a red dial? A lot in this case: Ed Tonkin’s F.P. Journe got its paint directly from Ferrari, courtesy of ex-F1 team boss Jean Todt.

Like Spike Feresten says, well-preserved vintage watches like this Rolex Submariner ref. 5513 often wear patina as proudly as some Pebble Beach entrants.

“I want to be the best. With McLaren, I wanted the world’s lightest chronograph Tourbillon. We start with these concepts.”

Mille’s approach is working, as he can’t keep stock on dealers’ shelves.

The post Automobile + Watch Guide appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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jonathanbelloblog · 6 years

Text

Automobile + Watch Guide

The Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Range Rover Velar features the classic automatic El Primero 400B movement housed in a 42mm case made from black ceramic-coated aluminum.

Land Rover design boss Gerry McGovern sees similarities between the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the cars he helps to create.

What’s so special about a red dial? A lot in this case: Ed Tonkin’s F.P. Journe got its paint directly from Ferrari, courtesy of ex-F1 team boss Jean Todt.

Like Spike Feresten says, well-preserved vintage watches like this Rolex Submariner ref. 5513 often wear patina as proudly as some Pebble Beach entrants.

“I want to be the best. With McLaren, I wanted the world’s lightest chronograph Tourbillon. We start with these concepts.”

Mille’s approach is working, as he can’t keep stock on dealers’ shelves.

The post Automobile + Watch Guide appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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