Posts by wiredseal7

Raymond Anderson4 said:Checking the forecast—looks like we're looking at smooth sailing tomorrow, or at most, just some clouds.

Man, if they could just standardize the strategies, we might actually get an interesting, tight race. I’m genuinely curious to see how Lujo, Max Verstappen, and Valtteri Bottas handle starting out on mediums. 😈

Haha Sergio Perez messed up Max's run 🙏 - you can see it all in their faces—he just blew his fast lap.

Starting on softs means he has to turn that into a lead... and then who knows. It's cold out, so maybe the softs aren't even a bad call for the race.

+1 for lifting the ban. I don't get why they're so bent out of shape—acting like they’re some kind of saints themselves. He isn't even that much of a difficult character—not by global standards, anyway.

Just hope @Justin Bieber doesn't stay banned for a full week; he was just being chill and friendly toward those sensitive little Eurovision Song Contest tunes.

So...
https://thejudge13.com/2021/04/01/ha...ahrain-result/
😂 😉

<Looks like they're even tweaking Zandvoort just to give Max an edge...
https://www.insideracing.com/formula...t-for-dutch-gp
😬 />

neonfox65 said:The FIA is just plain clueless when it comes to the rules. Since when are you supposed to overtake a driver and then just give the spot right back? It doesn't happen anywhere. I can't think of a single legitimate racing series where that's a thing. It’s a joke. If Max hadn't cut a corner, it would've been a problem, but he just widened his line—exactly what Lewis Hamilton did 29 laps ago. That's just how it works when tracks are this narrow. And honestly, why even build tracks like this? Sebastian Vettel was right—these new tracks look like parking lots.

The FIA needs to just let them fight, like Max Verstappen vs Charles Leclerc in the United Kingdom. What does anyone outside the track have to teach them about actual racing? In NASCAR, they don't even have referees, which is exactly what I like—it's pure racing.

But here, they nitpick every little bit of contact and then wonder why there's zero overtaking. It's because you aren't encouraging it—you're punishing it.

Well, it wouldn't be without refs, otherwise everyone would just wreck each other and people would win championships by smashing opponents. The issue is that the rules are too broad and poorly defined. For example, what counts as "gaining an advantage" if you're already ahead? Or does a defending driver get an "advantage" if they go off track while trying to hold their position? I haven't seen them penalize that.

And don't forget, Lewis Hamilton was probably ready to slam into the rear of Max Verstappen just to spin him out since he was closing the door on the corner.
He'd likely just get a 5-second penalty and still walk away with the win, even though he could have totally wrecked his rival's race.

The real issue is that those kinds of collisions aren't punished properly—like when Lewis Hamilton got handed two 5-second penalties for hitting Alexander Albon—and that just encourages aggressive positioning. You end up stuck behind someone who stays on the inside, waiting to collect your rear bumper if you're even half a car length behind.

If they actually factored in the average pit stop time plus a 10-second penalty—maybe even a points handicap depending on how much damage they caused the other guy—people would drive a lot differently.

Lando Norris has an interesting take on that controversial overtake:

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/81052...p-a-place.html

''Max is already easily in front. He comes off track due to oversteer, but he was already in front and had already made the action. He could have taken his foot off the gas to get control, but then he would have lost the lead again''

shadowmarlin22 said:Plus, he’s a driver who lacks the dirty tricks of Schumacher, Senna, or any of those other legends—he's actually insanely clean.

Except for when he runs wide for 29 laps just to keep his lead over the guy behind him.🤣

Raymond Anderson4 said:I don't trust H&M. Helmut always has excuses ready for missed opportunities.

Onboard footage showed him switching the engine to mode 10 during those first 10 laps. We can't say for sure if it made a massive difference, but it doesn't seem crazy that cutting power could help with the issues he mentioned—like if the rear tires were spinning too much.

neonfox65 said:If Max hadn't gone wide, they would've collided

He'd have ended up like Alexander Albon did last year in Austria--just another casualty of the chaos.

Yeah, he could've pulled an "Albon." Maybe that's what Lewis Hamilton was banking on—hoping Max Verstappen would try to squeeze him at the apex, leaving room for a front tire collision to send him spinning.
Max went wide, which was the right call, but he misjudged it and caught the curb just enough to kick him off the track. If he’d found even a tiny bit more speed, they’d be neck-and-neck going into the next sequence of turns—where, if you look at how Alpine vs. Red Bull Racing plays out, the car on the left usually holds the advantage.

By the way, Helmut Marko mentioned that Max Verstappen had to dial back the engine power because of that differential issue, so he wasn't running full tilt during the battle. You could tell Lewis Hamilton was slightly quicker on the straights before Max Verstappen hit the DRS, which is likely why.

graniteharbor502 said:Just look at Perez's lap times and the gap—it makes everything obvious. He couldn't even match Bottas's pace, and Bottas still had enough left in him to pit one more time just to snag the fastest lap.

Perez really should've been fighting for the top ten.
Even during free practice, he was just nursing those tires for moments like this—otherwise, he would've just ended up stuck behind someone else.
Bottas was constantly trailing Verstappen by at least three seconds, pushing his limits from pit to pit—you could tell when they asked him to pick it up, he simply didn't have it in him.

Richard Green73 said:It doesn't track for me—turn 4 comes right after that long straight, so anyone cutting it could have braked later and carried way more speed into sections 5 and 6. I'm certain they could've squeezed out some extra time there.

Of course they could—better line, better tire wear, all that. Maybe that's why Lewis Hamilton was actually able to hang with Max Verstappen during that first stint (he had those nine little excursions at turn 4 on the mediums) and pull off a clean undercut. A tenth or two makes a massive difference when the cars are this close.

The FIA claims they had eyes on a couple of drivers constantly monitoring that corner, saying everyone except one person stayed within the limits most of the time. Either the stewards were blind, or they were just being stingy about Sir Lewis Hamilton's minor infractions.

Anthony Baker84 said:He should've been shown the door ages ago—the real issue is finding a decent boss to replace him.

Just swap him out with Helmut Marko from Red Bull Racing.

neonfox65 said:Sure, you might not overtake him, but you can certainly snatch 6 seconds by clipping the limit 29 times.

The stewards claimed they weren't going to hand out penalties, then turned around and gave him a warning. Give me a break. Who are they trying to fool? Even Lewis Hamilton said he wasn't even aware of where the track limits were.

Typical FIA. They didn't bother updating the rules while Lewis was busy hitting the limits 29 times—only when Red Bull finally noticed what was happening. Honestly, the fact that it took them 29 laps to notice, combined with how this whole race is being managed, is enough reason for Christian Horner to be looking for a new job.

neonfox65 said:I think I got a bit turned around there—was actually talking about Turn 4.

Check this out: https://twitter.com/SmilexTech/statu
pogledati ovaj https://twitter.com/SmilexTech/statu

Absolute joke.

Yeah, especially considering he pulled that move during such a critical out-lap right after leaving the pits. If you don't call that "gaining an advantage," then what exactly do you call it?

First pit call for Lewis Hamilton—they tell Max Verstappen he's being pitted (and late at that, after the straight)—but then nothing. They don't even tell him to push; they just stick to some pre-planned strategy that clearly isn't working.

Bottom line: the incompetent strategists over at Red Bull Racing (*cough* Christian Horner *cough*) blew this race despite having the faster car—maybe they only held onto it during the first stint. Mercedes played it perfectly; they did everything they could and pulled it off by the skin of their teeth.
Kudos to them, but Red Bull needs to get their act together and learn from this—this season won't be easy if they keep throwing opportunities away like this.

wiredfalcon2 said:Lewis knew exactly what he was doing—it was all laid out in the driver briefing with Messi and the stewards before the race. They were told exactly what I just said, and then the drivers, Lewis included, along with the crew, push those rules to the absolute limit. It’s standard for Lewis to play dumb on the team radio afterward; it’s just how he operates.

He sure knew the rule when it suited him, haha.

Good fight, that's what we're looking for.

I'm not so sure they should have given the position back. He went off, sure, but he was already ahead and they didn't give him any room to breathe.
Max Verstappen was fast, but that tire delta just wasn't enough—if he'd had a few more laps, he could have made it work on the softs...

Raymond Anderson4 said:The intro look makes him seem like he’s already retired.
They could have at least put some effort into his styling.

Still, he squeezed everything out of that car—and let's be real, that's no small feat on a track like this.

True, Lewis Hamilton lost about a tenth and a half when he was being chased through turn 10, but even a perfect lap wouldn't have closed the gap. Being four tenths off in qualifying isn't nothing—even if Mercedes made us think otherwise back in 2020.

It’s the whole package that matters here—everything from the driver to how well they nailed the car's aero, right down to Honda's "rocket engine." Even Mercedes is admitting they're running a bit light on power due to the ERS. Honestly, I don't think anyone had that kind of advantage in this era unless Ferrari was cheating with fuel flow.

Mercedes will definitely make a comeback; I'm still giving them a slight edge for the title. Especially if Checo Pérez doesn't pick up the pace soon. Word is MB is bringing a new floor to Imola, and if that works, Max Verstappen is going to feel the heat.

But the competition isn't just sitting around waiting for them. Looking at AT, it seems like Honda still has a little more room to grow with the engine. On the flip side, McLaren didn't exactly shine yesterday like everyone expected. It’s possible MB is aiming for four power units just to stay competitive early on—basically making sure the midfield doesn't eat their points (looking at you, Valtteri Bottas).

Dana Murphy4 said:Charles Leclerc is great too—just hoping he doesn't decide to ram someone else during the opening lap again.😁

We all know who's sitting right in front of him, lol.
Honestly, those top three are probably just terrified of anyone ruining their weekend.☕

ruggedhawk20 said:It’s going to be tougher for Max than it was back in 2020—but honestly, the title is already Lewis Hamilton's. Just give it up on any other scenarios and start looking toward 2022.

🙂

Of course, they’re still stuck in sandbagging mode. 🤣

ruggedhawk20 said:Two and eight, Neighbor—two and eight.

Seriously, though—it's not like Mercedes with Lewis Hamilton is some bottom-tier squad losing to lesser teams. They don't mess up tactics, and their cars aren't falling apart. Anyone sitting in a Red Bull Racing seat right now—ever since Max took over—would have about as much chance at a title as someone hitting the Powerball jackpot.

Max managed to handle that Mercedes-Benz even with the floor damage—just adjusted on the fly during that last lap. It really goes to show how much he struggles when qualifying doesn't go his way.

Sergio Perez had a rough start. He got left behind—partly because of the tire strategy mess with those mediums. But if he finds a good rhythm or catches a lucky SC, he’ll be clawing at the back of that top three pretty quick. Still, he's no Alexander Albon...

And yeah, Carlos Sainz ended up losing out to Charles Leclerc at the end. ☕

Mercedes—they're something else. Despite all the issues, they still managed to snag 2nd and 3rd—which looks even better when you consider how disappointing the Aston Martin was.

According to some "big data" breakdown over at formula1.com:
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...LTkmONPOx.html

Red Bull Racing was up by 0.01 in qualifying
while Mercedes-AMG had a +0.19 edge during the race
👍