22 more of them please :greengrin
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22 more of them please :greengrin
Now time for the MotoGP. This could be anyone’s race. Like to see Jack Miller do it.
That was something else wasnt it?Quote:
Originally Posted by BroxburnHibee
It was brilliant! I'm no fan of Hamilton but he showed his class in those last few laps.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lancs Harp
Made a bold prediction on a WhatsApp group before the race that there would be a safety car on lap 1 because of Mazepin crashing.
Going to make another bold prediction now - we won't see Mazepin in F1 again.
I’m bottom of the hibs league. Gasly losing his front wing was a disaster, he was my turbo driver. :greengrin
When the results came in and I saw my points I thought that I'd done pretty well only to find I'm 2nd bottom... :greengrinQuote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
Need Alonso to have better races.
The league is clearly unsafe to continue due to COVID so I think we stop it there. :agree:
Alonso was doing ok until he had to retire I thought.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sergio sledge
😂 that will require a vote and maybe a court case.Quote:
Originally Posted by Northernhibee
3rd bottom here. If Kimi, Russell and Gasly can start picking up points that would be grand :greengrin.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sergio sledge
I refuse to be demoted from my rightful position. I'll take it to Judge Rinder if I have to.Quote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
Is it too late to join the fantasy league?
I’m not sure, try and see if it will let you. The link and code is further up the page.Quote:
Originally Posted by bawheid
:tee hee::tee hee:Quote:
Originally Posted by Northernhibee
Imola this week, great track but a bit too narrow for modern F1 cars. Has anyone made any subs in the fantasy league?
Hamilton on pole, Perez second and Max third. 0.08 separate the first 3. Game on for tomorrow.
Different gravy from Lewis today. Not looked fastest all weekend and when push comes to a shove gets pole.Quote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
:agree: It’s what he does. Max made a mistake on his last flying lap and Lewis didn’t, he very rarely does. I reckon we’re going to see the best of Hamilton this year. As much as I want to see Max win the title, I’m looking forward to the battle.Quote:
Originally Posted by Northernhibee
Crazy scenes again😀
Good race. Think Russell will be in a bit of trouble with Mercedes - not worthy of a penalty from the stewards but think it was still more his fault than Valterri’s.
For Mazepin to finish over a minute behind his team mate in a half distance race essentially is embarrassing.
Supreme from Lando today too.
Formula E.
I don't like it, it's like sitting in the dentists chair listening to it, but in the absence of anything else I liked on the telly I've just watched the Valencia ePrix.
On a wet/dry track with a record number of safety cars (5) an exciting race was turned to farce as most ran out of electricity for the last lap!
Maybe not the showcase the electric car lobby were looking for.
Tune in again tomorrow, hopefully they will have an extra 50p for the meter.
That’s hilarious. You’d think they’d have some kind of contingency in place for the cars running low on electricity. :greengrinQuote:
Originally Posted by Jack
I don't mind formula e, the sound of it is a bit strange, but races tend to be exciting. Part of the strategy is driven by the need to keep energy consumption within a set limit each race.Quote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
Every time there is a safety car period the FIA reduce the amount of available charge to the drivers so that they have to manage their energy consumption through the race and can't just go flat out the whole time. It means the teams have to manage the set up if the car to try to maximise performance but also make it to the end of the race.
The race distance is 45mins + 1 lap, so the race distance isn't a set length.
The teams that ran out of energy are blaming the FIA for making a reduction so late in the race which meant they had no time to recover and the FIA are blaming the race leader at the time for going too fast under the safety car meaning that he crossed the line 15seconds before the 45mins, meaning the cars had to complete a lap more than the FIA had anticipated.
Given the cars all had enough charge to finish and they are just software limited, surely the FIA could have just not made the reduction in the last lap and let them race?
I’ve never actually watched a full race yet, but it seems they need to iron out a few problems so that it doesn’t happen again.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sergio sledge
Turkey replaces Canada this July.
Wasn’t the best race but Lewis showing he’s top dog.
Mazepin probably worst ever F1 driver.
I don't think he's quite done enough yet to get himself proclaimed as the worst (or even top five worst) but he is sliding in the rankings. Inoui, Ide, Deletraz, Rosset - can think of quite a few 90s and 00s pay drivers that just now are worse.Quote:
Originally Posted by patch1875
At least he didn’t crash today. It’s quite annoying that he’s taking the seat of a potentially talented driver because he’s can afford to pay to drive. F1 should find a way to fund these teams better, the big teams should put their young drivers in the smaller teams and pay for it. I presume this is what’s happening with Russell and Schumacher, but there needs to be more of it. Guys like Mazepin and Latifi aren’t bringing anything to the sport other than money.Quote:
Originally Posted by patch1875
Formula 1 has always had untalented pay drivers, in fact it allowed many teams like Minardi, Arrows, Footwork, Forti, Pacific and the like to operate. In fact, I miss teams like that because on the once in four season occasion that a team like Minardi won a world championship point it felt like they'd won the title.Quote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
It's just now that the grid is smaller and that there are a lot less privateer teams that it's more noticeable IMO.
I know what you’re saying, but at that time you had charismatic privateers and playboy drivers. The pay drivers now are driving for established teams and offer nothing. The guys you talk about brought entertainment to the sport, guys like Mazepin are just getting in the way and denying a drive to a more talented drivers. F1 has changed so much in the past 20 years and not always for the better, guys like Hamilton are unbelievably talented, but have zero personality.Quote:
Originally Posted by Northernhibee
Good to see the driVers doing a parade lap at Monaco today, a chance for the ordinary fan to wave at them from the stern of their yachts. :greengrin
Usual Monaco Sunday drive round the streets.
Good to see no mercs on the podium.
Pity Leclerc couldn’t start.
Clearly the drivers and the F1 paddock love Monaco...I’m sure it’s great for the insiders and the connected.Quote:
Originally Posted by patch1875
As a spectator event for the TV audience it’s brutally boring.
Really think it’s time for it to either change or gtf. But as per the above I think there will be a lot of resistance to that from the vested interests that it suits just now.
Glad it’s out of the way and we can get onto the craziness of Baku!
I watched most of it, just reiterated how boring it was, but to be honest that’s pretty much how F1 is almost all the time....occasional bursts of excitement in a mostly monotonous predictable borefest.Quote:
Originally Posted by RyeSloan
Think for drivers it’s all about the qualification the race is pretty much a formality if nothing goes wrong. It’s where F1 shows it money a one big party weekend must be great if you can afford it.Quote:
Originally Posted by RyeSloan
Azerbaijan next time which can be a pretty good race.
I recorded it and watched it last night. Once the pit stops were out of the way it was a procession, I ended up fast forwarding it to the last 5 laps. I can’t see it being dropped due to the prestige that comes with it, but it’s the most boring race of the year.Quote:
Originally Posted by RyeSloan
It's been terrible for years and I'm not sure how they could change it as they won't leave there luxury holiday. Perhaps time trialsQuote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
Leclerc drives a decent first stint in Q3 and has provisional pole. The final stint he's way behind Verstappen and Bottas and they've only just gone through the first sector. The Ferrari crashes, stops the session and Ferrari take pole. The only thing that didn't go to plan was the damage to the gearbox. They deserved all they got.Quote:
Originally Posted by patch1875
Monaco, dull as the race is, is going to stay on the schedule. Far too much money and wheeling and dealing done with the sponsors high rollers.
There’s very little they can do, even a reverse grid wouldn’t make much difference. It can sometimes be an exciting race if it’s wet and we get a few crashes, but that’s pretty rare these days.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stairway 2 7
Monaco highlights the worst of the current F1 issues. The cars can’t run close behind each other without overheating and wrecking tyres, and they’re so wide and long at the moment that the narrow track at Monaco means passing is virtually impossible.
I think it’s a bit of a pisstake that they run at about 3/4 speed to make the tyres last and no one tries to do anything about it, because it’s one of the big name weekends.
the powers-that-be keep making noises about making the cars easier to run close together and race, but nothing is changing in that regard at all.
i see Max Mosley has died
Max Mosley: Privacy campaigner and ex-motorsport boss dies at 81 - BBC News
Former motorsport boss Max Mosley, who later became a privacy campaigner, has died aged 81.
Ex-Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone said it was "like losing a brother".
Mr Mosley, who had been suffering from cancer, led motorsport's governing body the FIA from 1993 to 2009.
The reg changes next year (postponed by Covid from this year) are designed to address the issue with following closely.Quote:
Originally Posted by McD
Proof will be in the pudding of course as the teams are pretty cunning in finding new aero downforce...which in turn makes following difficult!
As for Monaco. You and others are correct I think, it’s a big thing for those in and around the F1 show so unlikely to be dropped.
But even so as a spectator sport I’m not sure they can continue to completely ignore the fact that for everyone else it’s a bit of a farce. Somehow they need to revise the track to at least allow the possibility of an overtake.
Liberty seem to be more open to accounting for the ‘show’ so maybe even precious Monaco might have to bend?
Quote:
Originally Posted by RyeSloan
yeah I agree mate, the changes coming are expected to be a bit of a sea change, let’s hope for closer racing and overtaking :greengrin
also agree about Monaco and Liberty, they seem to be more open to experimenting, and I think Monaco will at some point soon have to make some adjustments, even with their sacred cow status
Not F1 obviously but looks like a full house watching the Indy 500. Great to see.
Baku is usually good. Looking forward to it.
It’s been brilliant so far. If the race is anything like the practice and qualifying we’re in for a cracker.Quote:
Originally Posted by BroxburnHibee
The most exciting qualifier ever?!?Quote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
Was superb and amazing that a qualifying session can be 100x more interesting than the previous race!
What a track Baku is. A serious challenge or what!
It’s got to be up there. We could easily see a record amount of safety cars tomorrow.Quote:
Originally Posted by RyeSloan
I fancy a very exciting race tomorrow.
Gasly to win after another safety car and red flag strewn race.
It could easily be a case of who is passing the pit lane when a crash happens that wins it. My money is on Sainz if his car is ok after his crash today.Quote:
Originally Posted by Northernhibee
That was a big shunt for Stroll there. It must have been terrifying at that speed.
That's a shame.
Somebody at Pirelli is getting sacked in the morning.
Well that didn’t disappoint. Hamilton had a mare on that restart.
Absolutely delighted to see Seb getting his mojo back. F1 is better for him.
Brake bias switch stuffed Lewis…he’d actually done Perez on the restart.Quote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
Gotta love Pirelli tho…just when you think the race is done up pops a tyre failure to spice it up nicely!!
I’m not sure it is a let off; Perez showed how vital it is to have a number two driver who can mop up if your title challenger fails to score.Quote:
Originally Posted by Blurry Face
Pirelli have a lot of questions to answer after that.
Baku is fast becoming my favourite track. Always seems to provide a cracking race!
I’m beginning to wonder how patient Merc will be with Bottas.Quote:
Originally Posted by Northernhibee
He seems to be having more and more off days and clearly knows his card is marked.
I get they probably don’t want to upset their team dynamic just as Red Bull are starting to seriously challenge but none the less it does seem increasingly odd that they have a better driver pottering about in a Williams while their number 2 grumps his way from one underwhelming performance to another.
Botta’s is just Lewis wingman he was hung out to dry in qualifying providing a tow, it’s a one car team this year with Max much more of a championship threat.
It’s been a one man team in all but name for the whole time Bottas has been there.Quote:
Originally Posted by patch1875
As for the qualifying this time…well they take it turn about so it was just bad luck for Bottas it was on a track that the tow means so much.
But that’s a recurring theme..Bottas and his ‘bad luck’. The difference this season though is that Bottas is being posted missing far too often. Merc have built their success by normally having two cars in the mix…this helps box in Red Bull on strategy with their single Max car.
But if Perez is going to get up with Max to support him then Merc can’t afford for Bottas to be posted missing so often as he has recently.
That might change as the tracks come back to the Merc strengths but Bottas must be thinking his coat is on a shoogly peg if he doesn’t step up in the next 2 - 3 races.
I can’t imagine that Lewis will be happy about Bottas being slower than even the Alfa Romeos at a race when it looked like he’d need a favour to take points off Verstappen.Quote:
Originally Posted by RyeSloan
Max made a barbed comment last year about it not being any use if his team mate finished half a minute behind him.
I'm disappointed about Bottas, I always thought of him as being fairly quick with Williams when they had that 1 or 2 year period of being half decent, but since he has been at Mercedes he's been sub standard at best.
I think in previous seasons he did what they needed, gained enough points to get 3rd in the constructors and get Mercedes over the line to win the double.
Now though that they have real competition from Verstappen and Red Bull that have two good drivers they need more from Bottas and I just can't see how he can provide that.
Max V Lewis again tomorrow.
Paul Ricard has produced zero entertainment previously but maybe might be worth a watch this time around with the Red Bulls n Mercs so closely matched.
Very good race Red Bulls are looking like contenders.
Great racing between the two top teams, I fair enjoyed that.
Rules get tightened up again (tyres) Ferrari not in the points for the first time this season. Coincidence?
Think Mercedes got that right. If they went toe for toe in terms of strategy then they wouldn’t have won, and it nearly paid off. A shower of rain or a safety car would have done it for them too.
Another day, another ‘unlucky’ one from Bottas.
Not sure why he thinks having that kind of spin in the pit Lane is not deserving of a penalty…it was dangerous to the max and lucky no one was hurt.
Max looking imperious again and Merc just not able to get on terms.
Superb again from the tow British young guns. Russell somehow getting that Williams 8 thousands away from Q3 and Norris will be needing a new seat fitting considering how much he has his team mate in his back pocket.
I think we could be in for an unexpected winner today. A tough track to get out of DRS range due to how short a lap it is and two or three good passing opportunities.Quote:
Originally Posted by RyeSloan
Another win for Verstappen, will be interesting to see how Hamilton mentally handles the increasing gap in the standings.
That was desperately dull.
Well quali was more exciting than last weeks race.
Lando and Russell doing unbelievably well again.
And no Merc in the top 3…when was the last time that happened?
Verstappen with a 32 point gap on Hamilton now, he had no answers today.
Merc have an upgrade coming for Silverstone..they better hope it’s a good one!Quote:
Originally Posted by CloudSquall
Great race from Lando today.
Lando will be a world champion in the next 5 years.
I’m not sure of that. Mercedes have Lewis with Russell waiting in the wings, Ferrari have Leclerc and a good youth set up, Red Bull have Max and I don’t see much changing line up wise in a #1 driver position.Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveHFC
McLaren will need to get back to the very front for that to happen. Fingers crossed though, as I would love to see them win titles again.
I see lots of talk recently about Mercedes unable to match Red Bull for the moment. Seems to back up my earlier assertion that its the car that makes champions and not necessarily the driver. Or has Verstappen suddenly become a better driver than Hamilton? You can't have it both ways.
Max is at a level with Lewis currently, don’t think many will argue with that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bangkok Hibby
Whether he can stay a decade or more at the top obviously remains to be seen. And you can’t take away the fact that Lewis has seven world championships…and not all of them in the fastest car. One obvious example being the Ferrari in 2018.
But you can’t just take one great driver and compare him to another and say it’s just the machine. You just need to look at their team mates performances in the same equipment to see that it’s not just the driver OR the machine, it’s a combination of both. That’s always the way in motorsport and especially in Formula 1.
So I think you are making an argument that doesn’t need to be made. Everyone knows that to be a world champion in F1 you need a damn fine car, it can’t be done otherwise.
That machine still needs to be expertly piloted though over many many races and Lewis has proven time and again that he’s right up there in being the best at doing exactly that.
You have to be a good driver in a good car to become a champion. Albon was in the same car as verstappen last season and was miles behind him, Bottas has had the same car as Hamilton for years and hasn’t laid a glove on him. It’s pretty simple to understand that you need to have a good car and be a good driver. Red Bull seem to have the best car this season but they wouldn’t win the title if they had Mazepin and Latifi driving for them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bangkok Hibby
Russell to be confirmed for the Merc 2nd seat at Silverstone.
It’s not hard to see why Hamilton isn’t over the moon about having Russell in the same team next season. If Bangkok hibby reads this, how can you explain the difference between Russel and Latifi if it’s all down to the car?
Hi, I'm actually not a big F1 fan so unsure what you mean. I take it Russell has been given a Mercedes job over Latifi? Good for him.Quote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
Can I just say I have never once said some drivers are not better than others and its all down to the car, don't read something I haven't said. What I have said is the car makes champions. Now I understand that Hamilton is better than Bottas but if they were both driving for Arrows for example Hamilton would still be the better driver but never world champion.
Similarly "decent" jockeys become champions when given a top stable jockey job.
Phenomenal from Russell yet again!Quote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
Nice move from Williams to give him a solo lap in Q3…Russell, the crowd and the sponsors loved that!
145,000 expected on Sunday unreal numbers
You make a bit of an obvious point as of course in motorsport you need a very good car to be a champion. That really goes without saying.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bangkok Hibby
As you say you can’t be a champion jockey if you are riding donkeys just as much as you can’t win the Americas Cup sailing a dinghy. Any sport that involves man and machine needs the machine to be very good indeed if you are to be a world champion at it.
The difference with Hamilton though is that he has done it so consistently across such a long time and beaten almost every team mate that’s taken him on. Also as previously suggested he’s beaten better cars along the way. Obviously the Merc has been the best car on a number of occasions but on the flip side you don’t get the best car year after year if you are not one of the best drivers!
Even when he lost out to Rosberg you can put that down to mechanical failures. He was better than Rosberg and easily winning more races in the same car…the fact Rosberg didn’t have the cahoonies to try again shows you all you need to know on that front.
And again today Hamilton showed just how good he is. Delivering in front of a massive crowd to get his first non pole pole of his career [emoji1787]
That said it will be very interesting to see what Russell can do in the same machine as Lewis. Absolute quality that lad for sure!
I’m not really sure what point you’re trying to make then. It’s blatantly obvious that the driver with the best car has a better chance to be world champion than a driver with a worse car. The best drivers end up in the best cars, the best jockeys end up on the best horses. Russel hasn’t been given the Mercedes drive yet, but he qualified in the top 10 while his team mate in the same car was miles behind, that’s because Russell is a better driver.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bangkok Hibby
What do we think will happen in the sprint race? Hamilton suggested it might be a bit of a procession with drivers not wanting to risk anything for the main race on Sunday. I can’t see that happening, these guys are hard wired to race and if an opportunity presents itself they’ll go for it.
Was wondering that myself but on the flip side of you wipe out in the sprint race then you massively impact your GP.Quote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
I’m not sure anyone quite knows how this will work but I’m minded to think that it’s a mistake linking the sprint race to the GP start positions for these very reasons.
If there is to be a sprint race (not sure I’m 100% on the concept) then it should be the opposite and jeopardy free in the sense that risks and adventure are encouraged rather than one mistake compromising your ability to influence the main event.
My point was made back on page 6. "The car makes the champion" Nice to see you're finally agreeing with me. A quick check shows in the 63 years since the constructors championship started the champion driver has raced for the winners 54 timesQuote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
I think it was more along the lines of if you are in the best car you can’t fail but be Champion ergo Hamilton is not really so great after all…maybe I’ve misconstrued your point? But if not I’m still not buying that view [emoji2957]Quote:
Originally Posted by Bangkok Hibby
A champion will be in the best car most of the time but to be in the best car most of the time you tend to be champion material.
To be a champion many many times over you need more than just the best, or one of the best, car(s).
We’ve not got long to find out.Quote:
Originally Posted by RyeSloan
I think that would have worked better at half the length with points for the top five drivers to make it worth more of a risk to send one.
Still enjoyed it though.
Pretty enjoyed that myself.Quote:
Originally Posted by Northernhibee
Longer sprints will not be sprints tho and as we saw today if you want flat out racing the tyres simply won’t last.Quote:
Originally Posted by Northernhibee
I think the distance was about right.
Might work better next year when the cars can follow a bit easier as really F1 just now is it set up for sprints hence why the main GP’s are often all about the pit stops and long strategy.
Was no disaster though and I’m sure it is much better for the crowds attending to get something meaningful across the 3 days.
Red Bull showing the best and worst of the sprint qualifying, you can either win yourself pole at the 2nd attempt or send yourself to the back of the pack.
That was a big shunt for Verstappen there, I think Hamilton will end up with a penalty for causing it.
I’m thinking racing incident but I wouldn’t be shocked to see him get a penalty here.Quote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
Given the penalties handed out recently I think Hamilton will get one.Quote:
Originally Posted by marinello59
Was great to watch (not that it lasted long). Was fully expecting them to crash.
Fully expecting Tom Cruise at Easter Road on Thursday. He's been at every other main sporting event. 😁