Yeah....100% on the money.....it's a game of who can break the rules and get away with it.
Bram
Bram
The Official 2021 F1 thread....
- Thread starter SFNSXguy
- Start date
Reading a story linked from the face page, it talks about the use (and perhaps abuse) of tire warmers to alter measured pressures and the tech directives from the FIA.
Tires do seem to be the bane of F1. I don’t know if it is the nature of the beast or a sign of the times. Skirting the rules (perhaps even breaking them) is as old as racing. All it takes is money and time. At what point does (did) moving to spec tires become an effort in bending rules and advanced engineering. The Michelin / Bridgestone tire wars produced a different type of rules exploitation and at times tire failures.
Maybe the new cap on money will force teams to eliminate (or reduce) the loophole departments.
Tires do seem to be the bane of F1. I don’t know if it is the nature of the beast or a sign of the times. Skirting the rules (perhaps even breaking them) is as old as racing. All it takes is money and time. At what point does (did) moving to spec tires become an effort in bending rules and advanced engineering. The Michelin / Bridgestone tire wars produced a different type of rules exploitation and at times tire failures.
Maybe the new cap on money will force teams to eliminate (or reduce) the loophole departments.
Michelin withdrew because the FIA wouldn’t allow them to change the rules to compensate for the Michelin shortcoming.
As I said, tires are the bane of the sport. Or at least part of the bane.
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2005 Indy F1 race. I believe F1 left the US the year after because of low ticket sales. 2015 race at COTA hurt Austin for a few years because of a storm. By 2019 COTA was packed. So far the 2021 race is still a go.
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That was a big marketing mess for Michelin and I believe they've paid back all tickets.
Back to the coming race in France: Bottas was far ahead of Hamilton in FP1+2. Some say that it was just his answer to the rumors of the press that he will be dismissed for Russell next year. If so, he might also refuse to play the water carrier for the other MERC driver he played for so long (which could also help RB). But HAM was also slower in Monaco.
Botas has one lap speed. He is, however, not usually able to sustain the pace for a whole race. He is treated as a number 2 by Merc, and he is pretty good at being a team player.
I think Merc needs to act sooner than later about Russel. The uncertainty does not help Botas want to be a team player, and from the looks of the driver market, there isn’t room anywhere for him to land.
I think Merc needs to act sooner than later about Russel. The uncertainty does not help Botas want to be a team player, and from the looks of the driver market, there isn’t room anywhere for him to land.
good race...great strategy by RB, however I believe that MERC should have pull VB for a tire changes...ie making him a two stop.
Bram
Bram
That was fun! I feel for Bottas, it’s obvious Mercedes doesn’t respect his opinion.
In some later part of race I thought RB did wrong strategy for Max but fortunately they were right.
Amazing how Max made up for the time(few seconds) and came out in front of Lewis after his box stop.
Finally we have 2 teams with equal cars.
Amazing how Max made up for the time(few seconds) and came out in front of Lewis after his box stop.
Finally we have 2 teams with equal cars.
The Bottas situation reminds me of when Rubens was at the top of his game, but is a second driver. Couple that with a close driver’s championship, Bottas will have to stay behind Hamilton.
All of them at MERC seemed really surprised but what happened with LH pit stop timing. I did not fully understand Brundel's explanation.
As to VB, there is no doubt the guy is fast and up to the challenge but I always believed he is not at the top of his game when "wheel to wheel" racing. Today it was more his team failing him. Somehow I think there is plenty of time left in the season for MERC to get back to the top.
As to VB, there is no doubt the guy is fast and up to the challenge but I always believed he is not at the top of his game when "wheel to wheel" racing. Today it was more his team failing him. Somehow I think there is plenty of time left in the season for MERC to get back to the top.
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BOT has been the sacrifice to urge RB to an early pit stop. It might have been a one stop race as PER was only stopping once. After MERC following VST for 10 laps so closly the chances shrunk that their tires would last til the end of the race. When VST pushed the yellows (-2 sec every lap), the gap to HAM became nearly constant five laps before the end of the race. Maybe just a cooling phase for VST and a hammer time for HAM but I was not sure if he gets him in the end.
Don't forget that those four drivers were driving circles around the rest of the field. MERC is clearly not in the position of easily homerunning its cars anymore like in the last seasons.
Don't forget that those four drivers were driving circles around the rest of the field. MERC is clearly not in the position of easily homerunning its cars anymore like in the last seasons.
Yeah early day in the WC battle.....Merc will always win on the development side of the house, Plus Lewis driving abilities, VB have to step up and be a better #2 , like the Job Perez is doing, picking up all the points after 1 & 2, make it an easy for RB to win the CC.
Ferrari, already stop the 2021 development, not saying that this would have made a difference.
Bram
Ferrari, already stop the 2021 development, not saying that this would have made a difference.
Bram
We can hope for mixed conditions!
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Starting grid:
1. VST med
2. HAM med
3. NOR soft
4. PER soft
5. BOT med (+3 due to his wild drift in the pit)
6. GAS soft
The start will be pretty interesting. NOR can set HAM, GAS can set BOT under pressure. Both MERC think they can win the race.
EDIT Sunday 10:30: light rain to be expected.
1. VST med
2. HAM med
3. NOR soft
4. PER soft
5. BOT med (+3 due to his wild drift in the pit)
6. GAS soft
The start will be pretty interesting. NOR can set HAM, GAS can set BOT under pressure. Both MERC think they can win the race.
EDIT Sunday 10:30: light rain to be expected.
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Good drive by Mad Max and RB, congrats.....MERC beaten fair and square
Bram
Bram
Looks like RB has the upper hand at the moment. Time will tell if Merc finishes strong, which they usually do, or if RB can break through unlike Ferrari a few years ago when they would take a lead into the summer break only to suffer some type of failure.
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None of them are Ferrari. RB always got faster in the 2nd half.
The actual info is that RB is developing parts until the end of the season while MERC already concentrates on 2022 which leaves HAM in an uncomfortable situation when he asked MERC for more parts and Dr. Wolff said no (drive with what you have, you spoiled winning racedrivers.
) HAM is the most expensive race driver out there and he is free to give up some of his salary to allow MERC do more parts. 
Well, they are not far behind and we've only seen 1/3 of the races this year so far. A peel aftertaste remains ...
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Well I think with the Budget Cap's introduced this year, no one team will be able to spend monies on developing parts.
What I have read, is that there is a two token system that the Teams can use to develop a certain parts of the car. RB/Honda have used one Token to develop the engine, whereas Merc have not use any of their Token thus far, therefore, I believe that MERC will be using those Token soon....when don't know.
Bram
What I have read, is that there is a two token system that the Teams can use to develop a certain parts of the car. RB/Honda have used one Token to develop the engine, whereas Merc have not use any of their Token thus far, therefore, I believe that MERC will be using those Token soon....when don't know.
Bram
Cough, cough!
