F1 2021

[RadioactiveWaste]

Apparently I was wrong on the RB contract sutuation with Albon, he has been released by Red Bull, although they do apparently have an option to resign him in future (when he's learned all the mercedes engine secrets ? )

[RadioactiveWaste]

OK, so after listening to the Race's podcast this evening it's all pretty vague about Albon's future relationship with Red Bull in terms of contracts and options.

In the old times this kind of stuff was easy and we could all be working out how the Red Bull Powertrains engine was going to be plumbed into the Williams 2023 car, Driver+engine was a move Frank pulled a few times.

Anyway, the main point being I think everyone's fairly happy he's got another shot at it. Hopefully Latifi ups his game as well - he's becoming solid if unspectacular, although qualifying vs Russell was very one sided he wasn't that far off him him in terms of race performance (i.e. they both got as far as the williams could get them).

[RadioactiveWaste]

As it's a sprint race weekend, qualifying is a 17.00 today, sprint race tomorrow and GP on Sunday.

Looking good for merc, as expected, but 4/10ths up on Verstappen (on softs) on medium tyres is a huge gap after FP1.

Gasley looking racey as well as the McLarens.

 

 

[RadioactiveWaste]

I like the sprint race. I don't like the knots F1 ties itself in to try to not call it a sprint race, no it's sprint qualifying for grand prix...

Anyway, advantage mercedes.

Bottas, Lewis, Max, Lando, Danny Ric, Gasley, Sainz, Leclerc, Perez, Giovinazzi for the sprint race.

Bottas has a new engine and will have a penalty on sunday but not for the sprint race.

If i was a betting man, my money would be on Hamilton being totally dominant in both sprint and the GP. Even if he's not, toto will just order Bottas out of the way. No matter how good Max is, his car is not quick enough on this track, I wouldn't be surprised if the McLarens get past him.

[Comrade 86]

8 hours ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

I like the sprint race. I don't like the knots F1 ties itself in to try to not call it a sprint race, no it's sprint qualifying for grand prix...

Anyway, advantage mercedes.

Bottas, Lewis, Max, Lando, Danny Ric, Gasley, Sainz, Leclerc, Perez, Giovinazzi for the sprint race.

Bottas has a new engine and will have a penalty on sunday but not for the sprint race.

If i was a betting man, my money would be on Hamilton being totally dominant in both sprint and the GP. Even if he's not, toto will just order Bottas out of the way. No matter how good Max is, his car is not quick enough on this track, I wouldn't be surprised if the McLarens get past him.

Think Hamilton was still trying to find Radio 1 on the radio when the lights went out. Mercedes as a team are making too many errors. Poor strategic calls, sloppy pit stops, even the typically dependable Hamilton. I hate the sprint race concept to be honest but Lewis has gift-wrapped pole position for Verstappen and could end tomorrow with a double figure points deficit to claw back. Frustrating! 

As for the main race, with Bottas starting from the rear of the grid, Toto and co will need to have a clear plan as Verstappen will leave the 2 McLarens in his dust. This race could be over inside 3 laps ?

[Rev]

15 minutes ago, 86 Hair Islands said:

Think Hamilton was still trying to find Radio 1 on the radio when the lights went out. Mercedes as a team are making too many errors. Poor strategic calls, sloppy pit stops, even the typically dependable Hamilton. I hate the sprint race concept to be honest but Lewis has gift-wrapped pole position for Verstappen and could end tomorrow with a double figure points deficit to claw back. Frustrating! 

As for the main race, with Bottas starting from the rear of the grid, Toto and co will need to have a clear plan as Verstappen will leave the 2 McLarens in his dust. This race could be over inside 3 laps ?

Just get Bottas to hang back, and accidentally run Max off the road while trying to lap him.

[Comrade 86]

4 minutes ago, Rev said:

Just get Bottas to hang back, and accidentally run Max off the road while trying to lap him.

Not sure he'd get away with that twice in one season buddy! ?

[RadioactiveWaste]

To he honest, if they're going to have sprint races, have sprint races, award points (say the old 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 system), then either have a GP qualifying separately or have qualifying set the grid for both. I think the thing that irks me about "sprint qualifying" is it dilutes the nature of qualifying - which is an important skill - but is not sufficiently rewarding of itself as a race.

I remember fearing the "too much to lose/ not enough to gain" dynamic might make these dull, and apart from Fernando at Silverstone that's been the case.

What has sprint qualifying achieved? Made things more difficult for Hamilton, destroyed Gasley's chances, same as Perez buggered his British GP by spinning in the sprint race.

Anyway, for saying all that, over a grand Prix distance I still think Lewis has enough to get past the McLarens it's a case of can Verstappen build enough of a lead to stay out ahead of Lewis. In free air the Mercedes is clearly faster at Monza.

Still, down the order, can Giovinazzi hand in the top ten this race, can Checo get up past Gio and the Ferraris and fight tth McLarens?

Will Ferrari have the pace to mix it up, or will they just be where they are, slower than McLaren but better than the midfield?

How far will Gasley get? How far will bottas get?

Alpine Vs Aston Martin could be entertaining.

Still, in the end, they're all driving round in circles.

 

[RadioactiveWaste]

Just to dive in and say two things:

Honey Badger.

Racing incident.

Oh, and more points for Georgie boy.

[Comrade 86]

1 hour ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

Just to dive in and say two things:

Honey Badger.

Racing incident.

Oh, and more points for Georgie boy.

Come on RAW, that was a blinder compared to the most likely outcome. had a bit of everything  ? so happy to see McLaren on the rise again. They also have two of the nicest lads on the grid driving for them which makes it all the sweeter.

Disappointed that Hammy lost an opportunity to wipe out the deficit but that was offset by the hilariousness of Verstappen's bewilderment as he finally realises that other drivers can slam a door too. 'Doesn't he realise I need room!!!' Priceless!

Great too to see an unfettered Bottas unleash some of the latent racer in him that secured him a seat at Mercedes in the first place. He'll have some fun at AT next year, I reckon. 

[RadioactiveWaste]

1 minute ago, 86 Hair Islands said:

Come on RAW, that was a blinder compared to the most likely outcome. had a bit of everything  ? so happy to see McLaren on the rise again. They also have two of the nicest lads on the grid driving for them which makes it all the sweeter.

Disappointed that Hammy lost an opportunity to wipe out the deficit but that was offset by the hilariousness of Verstappen's bewilderment as he finally realises that other drivers can slam a door too. 'Doesn't he realise I need room!!!' Priceless!

Great too to see an unfettered Bottas unleash some of the latent racer in him that secured him a seat at Mercedes in the first place. He'll have some fun at AT next year, I reckon. 

Totally agree with all of that.

I was also kind of shocked/not shocked at Max's "just gonna leave my car parked on my oponent's head and wander off, no, not even a look to see if he's alright" stay classy......

[Comrade 86]

3 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

Totally agree with all of that.

I was also kind of shocked/not shocked at Max's "just gonna leave my car parked on my oponent's head and wander off, no, not even a look to see if he's alright" stay classy......

He's a horrible little **** to be honest. All the fuss he made over Hamilton's celebrations while he was getting a once-over from the medics and then he goes and does that. Hypocritical beyond belief.

He should watch how Lando twice held off Lewis in a slower car by racing hard but fair and showing incredible skill in the process. There's a lesson in there for him somewhere!

[RadioactiveWaste]

2 minutes ago, 86 Hair Islands said:

He's a horrible little **** to be honest. All the fuss he made over Hamilton's celebrations while he was getting a once-over from the medics and then he goes and does that. Hypocritical beyond belief.

He should watch how Lando twice held off Lewis in a slower car by racing hard but fair and showing incredible skill in the process. There's a lesson in there for him somewhere!

I thought Max was over egging that a bit at the time, Lewis had been told "he's out of the car and unhurt" when he was celebrating and i very much doubt he'd have celebrated the same if he'd been told "Max is in the hospital, they're worried about the 51G impact".

Horner post race was saying racing incident this time. Toto also thinks racing incident. Max thinks if other people don't get out of my way that's their fault if they get a car on their head. Seriously though, the halo did it's job today.

 

 

[Comrade 86]

6 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

I thought Max was over egging that a bit at the time, Lewis had been told "he's out of the car and unhurt" when he was celebrating and i very much doubt he'd have celebrated the same if he'd been told "Max is in the hospital, they're worried about the 51G impact".

Horner post race was saying racing incident this time. Toto also thinks racing incident. Max thinks if other people don't get out of my way that's their fault if they get a car on their head. Seriously though, the halo did it's job today.

Just been given a 3 place grid pen for next race LOL My sense was that he was never going to make that overtake where he tried it and he knew it. Toto typically less hysterical than Horner who was noted as quite tight-lipped after the event ?

[Rev]

As soon as Horner opened his mouth post race, you knew RB were on the defensive.

Very muted in his defense of Max, and keen to push the racing incident line.

It's one of those incidents that looks worse the more you look at it, it went from racing incident to avoidable collision over the course of the afternoon and various replays, and I guess the stewards have even better camera angles than the viewing public.

Lewis ceded track position once, he wasn't doing so again without due cause.

It was fantastic to see the Maclarens bring home the one two though.

I'd have preferred it the other way round, being a Brit, but Danny Ric is so likeable I'll let him off.

 

 

[RadioactiveWaste]

Yeah, just seen it. Not upset about it.

I'm sure Verstappen fans will be ragin about it ? (seriously, some of them are toxic - i rate him as a driver of genuine WDC calibre but he's not an easy like). Perhaps he'll be less of a knob after he's won one?

My feeling was really leave it go as a racing incident, but then my judgment on a lot of things that end up with penalties is they were racing incidents, live with it. However, i do agree with enforcing track limits and Perez can't argue about overtaking off the track, and post race basically said he did't want to give the plae back because bottas was getting close.

 

[Zag zig]

Great result for McLaren, like @Revwish it was Norris being a Brit but Danny Ric is a nice guy racer.

Hamilton wasn’t at fault at all in my (maybe bias) eyes, so a 3 place grid penalty only works in his favour if he finishes the race in Russia; therefore it’s a very lenient punishment. For all I like the Dutch fans, I’m starting to dislike Max’s ego and make space for me at all costs. That’s not race craft, it’s dangerous uncontrollable arrogance and he needs to adapt or he’ll do someone a serious injury - how would he have felt if that halo hadn’t done its job? Bit of a tool how he stomped off.

Good day for Bottas and Russell too, happy for both of them.

[Gaspode]

1 hour ago, 86 Hair Islands said:

Come on RAW, that was a blinder compared to the most likely outcome. had a bit of everything  ? so happy to see McLaren on the rise again. They also have two of the nicest lads on the grid driving for them which makes it all the sweeter.

Disappointed that Hammy lost an opportunity to wipe out the deficit but that was offset by the hilariousness of Verstappen's bewilderment as he finally realises that other drivers can slam a door too. 'Doesn't he realise I need room!!!' Priceless!

Great too to see an unfettered Bottas unleash some of the latent racer in him that secured him a seat at Mercedes in the first place. He'll have some fun at AT next year, I reckon. 

I posted on here a few years ago when they were struggling that the McLarens always have a decent chassis and would be competitive with a decent engine - taken a while, but really delighted with the result today.

As for Mardy Max - I don't care what's gone on before, his actions could have killed another driver today and he couldn't even be bothered to check if Hamilton was o.k. as he sulked back to the pits - what a scummy human being.....

Edited September 12, 2021 by Gaspode

[JoetheRam]

Get in Danny Ric! 

Feels like a culmination of McLaren's rebuild under Zak Brown. Hopefully a sign of things to come next season with the regulation changes. 

HAM v VER - blame = 30/70 - Hamilton's corner in my opinion and Verstappen should have given it up the moment Hamilton forced him wide into turn 1 - which he was entitled to do. Hamilton could have given him more space into turn 2 but that wouldn't have mattered if Verstappen had done the correct thing first. Don't think a penalty is really warranted though.

Even Bottas did a great job for Merc today too.

Classic GP.

[RadioactiveWaste]

33 minutes ago, JoetheRam said:

 

HAM v VER - blame = 30/70 - Hamilton's corner in my opinion and Verstappen should have given it up the moment Hamilton forced him wide into turn 1 - which he was entitled to do. Hamilton could have given him more space into turn 2 but that wouldn't have mattered if Verstappen had done the correct thing first. Don't think a penalty is really warranted though.

 

That's about where I am with it after seeing it again.