[Misc] F1 2021

[Hugo Rune]

Red Bull certainly found more between Friday and Saturday then Merc did. I'm wondering if Hamilton ran with his engine in a slightly reduced performance mode and whether he's going to be compromised on the engine side of things for the remainder of the season. Wolff has admitted they've got a reliability niggle that's emerged and on the engine supply front they're under a lot of pressure (3x new Merc engine for Austin, Merc-related grid penalties are starting to stack up now).

If Merc have decided they want to avoid any more grid penalties for Hamilton, they might be running his engine slightly conservative to prevent the niggle developing.

The Mercedes looked great on Friday but the unusually high track temperature on Saturday & Sunday saw the Red Bull being much the fastest car. This meant that the race was Verstappen’s to lose which he almost did with a terrible start that would have seen him down to third of Bottas was about.

The issue for Hamilton for the rest of the season is now hot tracks as the Mercedes clearly does not like them. The hotter the better for the Red Bull though.

 

[Vankleek Hill Seagull]

If Lewis wins this year I suggest it will be his most satisfying title but I can’t see it now, but who knows? Thrilling season.

If Lewis doesn't win the title this year, he won't get another chance as George will be more competitive in the Mercedes compared to Bottas. And Max can only improve.

 

[Icy Gull]

If Lewis doesn't win the title this year, he won't get another chance as George will be more competitive in the Mercedes compared to Bottas. And Max can only improve.

George may well be quicker but he is nowhere near ready to go for a title yet…imo.

Anyway I can’t warm to him either so it’ll be Norris for me when Lewis retires

 

[Audax]

If Lewis doesn't win the title this year, he won't get another chance as George will be more competitive in the Mercedes compared to Bottas. And Max can only improve.

Hard to say after this season. The cars are going to be very, very different. Drivers are starting to talk a little about exactly how different (based on simulator work) and it sounds to me like we could see everything we "know" about which drivers are top, which are darn good, and which are journeymen (or indeed pay drivers only) turned upside down and inside out next year. Or everything could stay the same.

Remember back to the start of this season, when we had the following:

- Sainz struggling to show his value in the Ferrari as he adapted
- Ricciardo struggling in the McLaren (and still struggling depending on circuit)
- Alonso taking time to get up to speed in the Renault
- Vettel looking poor against Stroll early in the season

... and then imagine the struggles those 4 drivers had happening to every single driver on the grid. Even amongst those four above we saw differing amounts of struggle, differing rates of improvement, etc. Next season is going to be rather interesting IMO.

 

[Marty___Mcfly]

Great work from the Mercedes. Perez pooched it.

Pundits hyped Red Bull so much for this weekend. I’m always thinking- Merc are just so solid I always expect them to be in front.

 

[A1X]

Mercedes are a bit like Man City, they have blips but they usually find a way to win. That rear wing looks like it’s a big problem for the Red Bulls, assuming it is an issue and not mind games.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Bottas getting his parting revenge in. Ridiculous squeezing Hamilton on the inside and leaving the outside free. All he needed to do was cover the outside.

 

[Marty___Mcfly]

Right can Merc redeem themselves on pitstop strategy and do something here?

 

[Bold Seagull]

Right can Merc redeem themselves on pitstop strategy and do something here?

Can’t see it, Verstappen has excellent pace, they had to cover him off and didn’t. Brilliant driving by MV, absolutely nailed his start and turn 1

 

[Bold Seagull]

A drive worthy of a world champion so far by Verstappen. He has pretty much nailed every single of his 24 laps so far. Coverage is concentrating on other battles but he is driving the wheels off that RB.

 

[Icy Gull]

Red Bull too good for Mercedes, easy win for Max but Lewis did well to keep Perez behind him. I think this season is over and we have a new world champion. I hope Mercs decision to bin improvements this season pays off next year with the new regulations coming in. Mercs appear to have checked out on this season

 

[Bold Seagull]

Red Bull too good for Mercedes, easy win for Max but Lewis did well to keep Perez behind him. I think this season is over and we have a new world champion. I hope Mercs decision to bin improvements this season pays off next year with the new regulations coming in. Mercs appear to have checked out on this season

I’m not sure that is Merc spin - I think they’ve thrown the kitchen sink at getting pace into this car and taking the championship this far. Today’s race was won imho through pissing Bottas off who had no reason left to fight for the team. Today he gifted Max the outside, did absolutely nothing wrong as a driver, but nothing for his team either.

It also looked an easy win, but it was only easy because Max put the pace in when it mattered and negated any pit stop tactics - it’s what Lewis has done many times in making a win look easy when actually you’ve put some seriously good laps in to get there.

 

[Marty___Mcfly]

Yes looks like it will need something dramatic maybe- like a DNF from Max, to get Hamilton back into it this year [emoji17]

Next year - no idea what will happen with everyone running a new car design, could shake things up. Not that optimistic that it will make overtaking easier but wait and see.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

Red Bull too good for Mercedes, easy win for Max but Lewis did well to keep Perez behind him. I think this season is over and we have a new world champion. I hope Mercs decision to bin improvements this season pays off next year with the new regulations coming in. Mercs appear to have checked out on this season

Merc has been way too dominant over the past few years, time they moved over and let Mclaren, Ferrari and Red Bull have some fun.

Why do you love Merc so much

Ps, it's not over yet, sounds like you're playing Hamilton mind games!

 

[Icy Gull]

I’m not sure that is Merc spin - I think they’ve thrown the kitchen sink at getting pace into this car and taking the championship this far. Today’s race was won imho through pissing Bottas off who had no reason left to fight for the team. Today he gifted Max the outside, did absolutely nothing wrong as a driver, but nothing for his team either.

It also looked an easy win, but it was only easy because Max put the pace in when it mattered and negated any pit stop tactics - it’s what Lewis has done many times in making a win look easy when actually you’ve put some seriously good laps in to get there.

Mercs haven’t had an update since Silverstone? Red Bull have I believe? Good point re Bottas at the start though

 

[Bold Seagull]

Mercs haven’t had an update since Silverstone? Red Bull have I believe? Good point re Bottas at the start though

I guess my point is RB started the season faster and Mercs have closed the gap or at the very least kept with RB. Now they may not have had big physical updates but that car has been improved over the season. RB have gone all out with this car with updates for this title but I’ve only seen the gap between them narrow - suggests to me Mercs have been putting a lot into their own car too.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

It's looking increasingly likely that it'll be Max's title. For the most part he's driven really well so you can't begrudge him it.

The hope has to be that the new regs for next year create a situation where there are a number of teams in contention for the drivers title. Probably too much to hope for but imagine Max and Lewis being challenged by Russell, Norris, Ricciardo, Sainz and Leclerc. Not only would it be a fascinating title battle but it'll be a lot of fun watching the intra team battles.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Yes, Max likely to be champion and fully deserved

Bottas showed why he's being binned off. I don't buy, not fighting for the team, just not good enough in the key moments

Hoping next year will have more cars in the mix, but I reckon we'll see Lewis and Max fighting it out again for the title.

 

[A1X]

Max and Lewis are clearly the standout drivers, as evidenced as recently as last race at COTA where those two zoomed off even from Perez (he was there this week only because the track was much more suited to Red Bull than Mercedes), but it would be good to see a third or even fourth team join the mix. A four-way fight between Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren would be epic.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I guess my point is RB started the season faster and Mercs have closed the gap or at the very least kept with RB. Now they may not have had big physical updates but that car has been improved over the season. RB have gone all out with this car with updates for this title but I’ve only seen the gap between them narrow - suggests to me Mercs have been putting a lot into their own car too.

I think I see it that way. Merc have the resource to focus on both 21 and 22 whereas, for example. Haas famously don't.

Whilst it was enjoyable last night going from the Liverpool game, straight to F1 and then NFL in the sports viewing man cave, all I really needed to watch in this race was the first two turns on lap 1. Solid from Max but you're 100% right about Bottas.