Tedious season alert
It's possible Bahrain exaggerated Red Bull's advantage. They clearly have the best car, but it appears they may have been in a better place to deal with some unique demands at Bahrain - and thus the advantage may be smaller at other circuits. I'm also still expecting RBR to be dragged back as the season progresses. The other teams all have a lot more wind tunnel and CFD time for working on new developments, which should translate (for at least one team) into closing the gap. Aston probably best placed to do that - being 2nd fastest (race pace) already and having only finished 7th in the WCC last season means they have a significant development time advantage to start this season. They just need to use it well (which, I hope, they should - they've got Dan Fallows properly embedded in the team now, along with some other very good hires).If that was the template for the season, I may well lose interest for the first time ever. Mercedes appear to have dropped an unforgivable ricket with their lack of progress which has both drivers accepting they have no chance of winning races already. Aston with more than 50% Merc components progress over the winter must be a source of great embarrassment to Mercedes, who have lost quite a few top people I think?
I can see Red Bull disappearing into the sunset every race. One or both Ferraris breaking down most races, Aston picking up the pieces and Mercedes hoping that the McClarens keep breaking down so they occasionally have a sniff of the podium.
Let’s see what the next race brings.
It doesn't - which does mean RBR can spend the money they can't spend on Wind Tunnel / CFD on other things, which could allow them to claw back some of the deficit. I'm still expecting them to struggle to develop the car at the same rate they managed last year. Wind Tunnel and CFD are *so* important in modern F1, if you've got money to spend, then you spend it on wind tunnel / CFD first where possible.@Audax you might be able to answer this, but does the extra wind tunnel / CFD time work in conjunction with the cost cap? By which I mean are they allowed to spend more money as well as time? if not its kind of pointless right?
That was like a real life version of me playing F1 on the playstation.Also bonus comedy points for Ocon racking up the multiple time penalties.
He didn't deliberately rig it. What he did was panic under pressure and cocked up (multiple times). If you trace all the way back to the first incorrect decision he made (not ordering lapped cars to overtake as soon as it was safe to do so on lap 56) and then correct it, you'd get the same end outcome of Verstappen being right behind Hamilton with a big tyre advantage for a 1 lap shootout.[...] that Masi rigged the finale to hand the title to Max when he is now going to win the next however many.
Refusing to let Perez to pass him to win a race was the moment I lost any lingering respect for the twatUgh, a shame for the season to be so uncompetitive up top, I can't stand Max. I understand that people hated Merc when they were dominant but I mean, at least Hamilton seems like a generally decent guy. I don't hate Max because he wins/is dominating, I cannot stand him because he seems like a massive dick, plus his dad is a complete tosser. Given how utterly dominant they now are, it makes it even stupider that Masi rigged the finale to hand the title to Max when he is now going to win the next however many.
If you only watched it to see who would win, I agree. Otherwise ... take the Red Bull's out of the equation and it was a cracking race. Alonso's overtakes to claim 3rd were worth the watch alone, but there was plenty of action throughout the grid (ignoring Red Bull).The race was a snoozefest, I was hoping based on the practice sessions that Alonso might have been able to mix it with the Red Bulls but there was no contest. F1 have done a great job publicising the sport in recent years but these new regulations haven't seemingly acheived the desired effect of bringing the field closer together.
There were a few decent battles, Alonso's overtake on Hamilton was a thing of beauty, however unless you support a specific team I'd imagine the majority of viewers are most interested in who wins/who will win the championship. Max winning the championship seems pretty much guaranteed to me after 1 race, even if RB do experience a few reliability issues like last year... That can't be good for the sport.If you only watched it to see who would win, I agree. Otherwise ... take the Red Bull's out of the equation and it was a cracking race. Alonso's overtakes to claim 3rd were worth the watch alone, but there was plenty of action throughout the grid (ignoring Red Bull).
Even if we don't ignore Red Bull, there's not been much talk of it but Verstappen had some sort of issue in his car. Was hoping for a repeat of last year and a late-race failure taking him out of the race.
This, except you forgot to mention the even bigger dick that is Horner, plus the others in Red Bull. Very unlikable team generally.Ugh, a shame for the season to be so uncompetitive up top, I can't stand Max. I understand that people hated Merc when they were dominant but I mean, at least Hamilton seems like a generally decent guy. I don't hate Max because he wins/is dominating, I cannot stand him because he seems like a massive dick, plus his dad is a complete tosser. Given how utterly dominant they now are, it makes it even stupider that Masi rigged the finale to hand the title to Max when he is now going to win the next however many.