Formula 1 Thread

snowinberlin said:

F1 isn't a sport IMO.  Just people driving cars

Is that right.

snowinberlin said:

F1 isn't a sport IMO.  Just people driving cars

Sounds like you know as much about F1 as you do about horse racing. 

Entertaining yesterday.
Always adds a little extra spice when the rain is that kind of “will it? won’t it?” and it tests the teams and their ability to change plan quickly. (The Mercedes garage’s slow reaction to Hamilton’s damage was astonishing.)
Hamilton made an error that made him look human, albeit on the wrong tyres. His second mistake later on was more his own fault as he was desperately pushing too hard to try to get something out of the race.
Verstappen drove well but remember he also made a mistake and spun off.
His greatest boost was that he had the perfect combination of good luck and strategy in the pit stops, which was the difference between finishing first and nowhere.
As much as I would rather not see Vettel do well, he grabbed the opportunity to steadily progress through the field with both hands and did a good job. Ok, he was helped by the safety cars stopping him being too far behind, but you can only race in the circumstances you find yourself in. It further reinforces that he is an excellent driver when there is little or no expectation on his shoulders.

Biggest successes of the day were the unsung drivers just behind him - Kvyat, Stroll, Sainz and Albon did nothing wrong and took their opportunity. Real shame that Stroll didn’t get a podium, but he’ll be made up with a fourth place.

Always enjoyable when you call something - the brains in the garage then call it different - and you get proved right. Happened yesterday when Mercedes left Hamilton out during one of the safety car periods, arguing that 'you have a 5-second time penalty so you would lose track position'. I thought that was a bad call because you obviously lose far less time making a stop during a safety car than at full race speed, so as stop-go penalties go it's as near as you get to a free one. He also would have had more time on fresh tyres to make up the lost places. Lewis than pitted two laps later, after the SC period was over and everyone was back going full tilt, and he lost a shedload more places and emerged from the pits as the back marker. Made me smug for a nanosecond. Until it occurred to me that those engineers and strategists do what they do for a very good living from the sport and I don't.

Redhenry said:

Can we change the title, i keep thinking its the musical

This!

MuttleyCAFC said:

kielyskickingboots said:

Always enjoyable when you call something - the brains in the garage then call it different - and you get proved right. Happened yesterday when Mercedes left Hamilton out during one of the safety car periods, arguing that 'you have a 5-second time penalty so you would lose track position'. I thought that was a bad call because you obviously lose far less time making a stop during a safety car than at full race speed, so as stop-go penalties go it's as near as you get to a free one. He also would have had more time on fresh tyres to make up the lost places. Lewis than pitted two laps later, after the SC period was over and everyone was back going full tilt, and he lost a shedload more places and emerged from the pits as the back marker. Made me smug for a nanosecond. Until it occurred to me that those engineers and strategists do what they do for a very good living from the sport and I don't.

Its risk and reward though. It is harder to make that call from the front. Had they made some risky calls that backfired, they would have been even more heavily criticised. i think Hamilton - great driver that he is, is a little bit to blame here too. He is not slow to question strategy, sometimes with the benefit of hindsight. It probably makes the strategists more cautious.

MuttleyCAFC said:

Yes, it was harsh but the rules are the rules in F1 at the moment and that has benefited him too in the past. It was a bad day at the office for Hamilton, but I can't see anybody coming close to stopping him winning the title. Bottas is probably his biggest rival in that respect and he didn't score any points either!

Hamilton got 2 points as the two Alfas were downgraded in the results, giving Lewis 9th place. So as it turned out, Hamilton’s worst performance and result of the season saw him extend his championship lead by 2 points!

Incredible drive by Lewis......absolutely fan bloody tastic!

The tables were turned completely from last week. Hamilton was in a clear second place which allowed a free roll of the dice. When you are leading, you don't roll the dice. Great race.

Verstappen is a great driver, whether we like him or not.

JiMMy 85 said:

Exiled_Addick said:

Excellent race, for very different reasons to last week’s chaos. Magic final stint from Lewis and Merc’s strategists redeeming themselves from Germany. 

I still cant stand Verstappen, almost as much as I dislike Christian Horner’s smug face, so never sad to see Red Bull lose but it’s good to see a team with the combination of car, driver, and pit wall team capable of giving Merc and Hamilton a genuine test. Ferrari are quick but every weekend seem to be found lacking in one department or other.

I can’t stand Verstappen either. I think it’s as simple as me hating his face. Horner bothers me less, I think he’s pretty sensible/ honest. 

Horner is okay a lot of the time. He’s come out with some stupid stuff from time to time though. I think a lot of my dislike goes back to the days when Red Bull had the dominant car. Like you with Verstappen, I also just have an irrational dislike for his face. 

Verstappen is undoubtedly talented, but he also comes across as an arrogant cocksure prick. To be fair, he’s 21 and if I met the 21 year old me now I’d probably think he was a dickhead too. 

If Leclerc vs Verstappen is to be the next big rivalry in F1 though, I think I have already chosen my side. 

Exiled_Addick said:

JiMMy 85 said:

Exiled_Addick said:

Excellent race, for very different reasons to last week’s chaos. Magic final stint from Lewis and Merc’s strategists redeeming themselves from Germany. 

I still cant stand Verstappen, almost as much as I dislike Christian Horner’s smug face, so never sad to see Red Bull lose but it’s good to see a team with the combination of car, driver, and pit wall team capable of giving Merc and Hamilton a genuine test. Ferrari are quick but every weekend seem to be found lacking in one department or other.

I can’t stand Verstappen either. I think it’s as simple as me hating his face. Horner bothers me less, I think he’s pretty sensible/ honest. 

If Leclerc vs Verstappen is to be the next big rivalry in F1 though, I think I have already chosen my side. 

Leclerc has had 33 starts and 2 poles already. This was Verstappen's first pole in his 93rd GP.

Addickted said:

Exiled_Addick said:

 Ferrari are quick but every weekend seem to be found lacking in one department or other.

Wait until the Ferrari's get to the next two GPs after the summer break. Both Spa and Monza will suit their engine.

Agree - but save for those races, they are too far back to get into either championship. Too many tracks they will struggle at