[morini]

Didn't get to see it unfortunately. Won't get to see FP2 live either as I have an interview at 2pm (video call, I hate video calls). Will try to catch up later.

I see from the results it looks close.

[Jody Barton]

Well FP2 was a tad more illuminating. Merc does dialled out the twitchy arse & they seem much, much better. Looks like RBR are running their engine in a much lower mode given the Alpha Tauri speeds in the traps. But it does look like advantage Mercedes at this point. Race pace nip & tuck though. So we'll see, but I wouldn't bet against Mercedes on the back of that session.

---

PS. Only just seen your message in Morini, good luck with the interview.

[NeilP]

No punches pulled in a Wolff interview with Sky after FP2. Red Bull actively poaching Mercedes staff. Personally I have no issue with it this going on in every single area of business. I was in my younger days involved in this type of move too.

This is going to make the rivalry between Red Bull and Mercedes a lot spicier and I suspect it could get very nasty during the season and I look forward to that. It will not happen this year but man I want to see Horner and Marko destroyed next year my hatred grows by the day!

[Jody Barton]

Did not see that, I'm back at the desk again finishing some stuff off before the weekend. I'd heard that RBR had approached a lot of the Merc engineers on the PU side, but not heard much more than that really. You got anymore details?

[NeilP]

Did not see that, I'm back at the desk again finishing some stuff off before the weekend. I'd heard that RBR had approached a lot of the Merc engineers on the PU side, but not heard much more than that really. You got anymore details?

Not much Jody, it has been reported somewhere (it was not a source named on the TV program of Sky). But apparently Mercedes have had to double some of their staff salary to keep them from moving on to Red Bull. It involved a large amount of people I was only half listening but I thought I heard 100 mentioned.

Wolff also confirmed Bottas will see out the whole season unless he gets the Flu!!!!

EDIT: https://us.motorsport.com/f1/news/horner...y/6504090/

[morini]

Watching FP2 recording.

Sandbags R us or what? No way are Ferrari and Alpine that close on 1 lap. Do I watch the rest or turn it off now the low fuel runs are done? Anyone know the long run story? Not sure I want to watch the second half as Croft is getting right on my tits.

[morini]

PS. Only just seen your message in Morini, good luck with the interview.

Yeah, cheers. They told me on the call I got through and there will be another interview next week. But, I'm not sure I really want to go back to full time permie work if I'm honest. Contract market is a bit dry though as the government have well and truly f*cked that right up, so I'll have to weigh up the pros and cons. Part time would suit me as I want to do "something" but unsure whether I want a 5 day grind. Guess if I do get it then I could stick it out for a few years to keep the Mrs happy. I'm "getting under her feet" (apparently)

[forzaferrari]

 It involved a large amount of people I was only half listening but I thought I heard 100 mentioned.

Wolff: Mercedes F1 boss Wolff said he felt no frustration over the moves, adding it was “pretty obvious” where the talent would lie for an engine division being established in the UK.
“If you want to set up an engine factory in the UK, there is only one, and that is us,” Wolff said on Sky Sports F1.

“We have 900 or so employees there, and if we are fishing out 15 of these or so, that’s pretty normal.
“But they went mainly after manufacturing staff, so it’s not really performance. I guess they want to build up the company.
“But credit to the project, it’s a Mount Everest to climb. I’d like to have a fight with Red Bull power units.”
Wolff went on to reveal that Red Bull has “in all approached 100 people or so, and they got 15 maybe.”

[morini]

Wolff: Mercedes F1 boss Wolff said he felt no frustration over the moves, adding it was “pretty obvious” where the talent would lie for an engine division being established in the UK.
“If you want to set up an engine factory in the UK, there is only one, and that is us,” Wolff said on Sky Sports F1.

“We have 900 or so employees there, and if we are fishing out 15 of these or so, that’s pretty normal.
“But they went mainly after manufacturing staff, so it’s not really performance. I guess they want to build up the company.
“But credit to the project, it’s a Mount Everest to climb. I’d like to have a fight with Red Bull power units.”
Wolff went on to reveal that Red Bull has “in all approached 100 people or so, and they got 15 maybe.”

That, I agree with

Most of the Red Bull derived comments are media spin.

[forzaferrari]

 They told me on the call I got through and there will be another interview next week. But, I'm not sure I really want to go back to full time permie work if I'm honest. 

Must be something in the air, I had an online interview just over 3 weeks ago and got word on Monday I had got the position....they were slightly miffed when I turned it down (only wanted to see if I still had my bullshitting abilities  )