it would be great if another brit took out Verstappen. imagine Lando making a mistake at the first corner and wiping Max out accidentally on purpose. Do it for your country Lando
dont fuck with the brits Max
More likely that will be Russell's job. Part of his new Merc contract.
I thought that but he’ll be about 15th on the grid so won’t even smell Max until he’s being lapped. Could do it then I suppose, with a brake check maybe
Get the feeling that at least one of them will be a DNF.
I think you're right - and assuming it isn't as a result of a deliberate collision taking both out then you would think Max is the one more likely to make a mistake.
FIA really have to let Max know that if he takes out Hamilton dishonestly in the last race, he will be deducted points. It has been a great season but it needs to end cleanly whatever the outcome.
It looks like they have done this. Max will not be happy!
FIA really have to let Max know that if he takes out Hamilton dishonestly in the last race, he will be deducted points. It has been a great season but it needs to end cleanly whatever the outcome.
It looks like they have done this. Max will not be happy!
The problem will be that if Max takes Lewis out and finishes in the points they would have to both disqualify him from the race AND deduct further points in order to prevent him from taking the championship. I can't see them doing that.
FIA really have to let Max know that if he takes out Hamilton dishonestly in the last race, he will be deducted points. It has been a great season but it needs to end cleanly whatever the outcome.
It looks like they have done this. Max will not be happy!
The problem will be that if Max takes Lewis out and finishes in the points they would have to both disqualify him from the race AND deduct further points in order to prevent him from taking the championship. I can't see them doing that.
If Max takes out Lewis but is able to continue, we will find out how good a team mate Valteri is!
Cant see how Red Bull will be quicker here with the three long straights now. They were even having a faster second sector than Mercedes yesterday (where the longest is) so feel they're definitely playing games
Red Bull gone for a much lower downforce setup to make up for the power deficit which has resulted in a negligible top speed difference between the two.
Which is an impressive indication on the natural downforce in the car for the twisty bits.
I do think Max will start on the softs, with Lewis on the mediums. Meaning he will be off the line in a shot and ready to go peak Schumacher into turn one
Red Bull fans already foaming at the mouth on Social Media after Hamilton didnt get another reprimand (and 10-place grid penalty) after blocking Mazepin in FP3 - Ignoring the fact that Verstappen did the same on Raikkonen in FP1
The slipstream took a couple of tenths off the lap, so by my reckoning Verstappen was still nearly 2 tenths faster overall.
Regardless off who you support, that was a hell of a lap
Indeed it was - props for a stunning lap. The Dutch going crazy in the stands. It’s big for motorsport in the Netherlands - they have never had a title winning driver I don’t think
The slipstream took a couple of tenths off the lap, so by my reckoning Verstappen was still nearly 2 tenths faster overall.
Regardless off who you support, that was a hell of a lap
Indeed it was - props for a stunning lap. The Dutch going crazy in the stands. It’s big for motorsport in the Netherlands - they have never had a title winning driver I don’t think
Nick de Vyrs won the Formula E this year
He was the first Dutch Driver to win a World Championship
First blood to Red Bull. An unexpected and sudden swing in their favour. The difference between Pérez and Bottas perhaps the most telling. Have Merc sacrificed some qualifying performance for a better race setup?
It’s been a tortoise vs the hare kind of season - one last chance for Hamilton’s playing the long game approach to pay dividends.
Verstappen will be sharpening his elbows overnight.
Will be a fascinating race and strategy will now have a big part to play.
My prediction is Hamilton will go deep on the Mediums and then have a tyre performance offfset late in the race. One or two moments of drama to come and perhaps this will be settled on track with only a few laps to go.
Red Bull, to be fair, have generally nailed strategy all year. Mercedes have, by contrast, looked caught on their heels numerous times and have been sub par this season.
Today was a case in point. The tactic of using Perez to tow Verstappen, then recharge to have his own flying lap next time seems such obviously good strategy that I can’t quite fathom why Mercedes didn’t either think of it themselves, or copy it.
Hamilton and Verstappen have both been excellent (with some dodgy moments!) but Mercedes have been second best strategically all year.
Red Bull, to be fair, have generally nailed strategy all year. Mercedes have, by contrast, looked caught on their heels numerous times and have been sub par this season.
Today was a case in point. The tactic of using Perez to tow Verstappen, then recharge to have his own flying lap next time seems such obviously good strategy that I can’t quite fathom why Mercedes didn’t either think of it themselves, or copy it.
Hamilton and Verstappen have both been excellent (with some dodgy moments!) but Mercedes have been second best strategically all year.
Not sure it’s quite as clear cut as that. I think it was possibly true early in the season (e.g. the Monaco eff-up) but they’ve got better and Merc have out thought Red Bull at times this season too, particularly the races that Hamilton has won by being on fresher tyres late in races.
That’s what has made this season so good. At times Hamilton has been the best driver, at others it’s been Verstappen. At times the Red Bull has been the fastest car, at others it’s been the Merc. And at times Red Bull have been smarter on strategy and others Merc have.
Whoever wins tomorrow will deserve it, as long at it’s won cleanly, because you can make an argument for both teams being the best overall at different stages of the season.
Ok, can someone in layman’s terms explain how Verstappen starting on softs will affect the strategy of the two teams?
It just means he will have to time his first pit very carefully. He will have to manage the degradation of the tyres. Normally, starting on softer tyres than your opponent will mean you are likely to be able to undercut your opponent (ie pit before he does) but still get out in front of him.
But in this case, he will have to time his pit stop very, very carefully. Because he won't want to get out of the pits in front of Hamilton as Hamilton passes the end of the pit lane. He will want to get out of the pits at exactly the same time as Hamilton passes the end of the pit lane. That way, when he crashes into him and takes them both out of the race, it looks completely accidental.
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Bet Mercedes will be pitting Bottas ahead of that last lap.
Max was whining on the news earlier that he is being unfairly treated - maybe it was Christion Horner in a Max mask!
Just got to hope the race is a fitting end to a fabulous season.
Which is an impressive indication on the natural downforce in the car for the twisty bits.
I do think Max will start on the softs, with Lewis on the mediums. Meaning he will be off the line in a shot and ready to go peak Schumacher into turn one
Regardless off who you support, that was a hell of a lap
He was the first Dutch Driver to win a World Championship
Mercedes on the other hand can enjoy a one stop.
Will the Championship end with Verstappen hunting Hamilton on fresher tyres like what we saw at Barcelona earlier in the season?
Verstappen will be sharpening his elbows overnight.
My prediction is Hamilton will go deep on the Mediums and then have a tyre performance offfset late in the race. One or two moments of drama to come and perhaps this will be settled on track with only a few laps to go.
Hamilton and Verstappen have both been excellent (with some dodgy moments!) but Mercedes have been second best strategically all year.
But in this case, he will have to time his pit stop very, very carefully. Because he won't want to get out of the pits in front of Hamilton as Hamilton passes the end of the pit lane. He will want to get out of the pits at exactly the same time as Hamilton passes the end of the pit lane. That way, when he crashes into him and takes them both out of the race, it looks completely accidental.