Norris put up a hell of a fight, but once Lewis crossed the start line with about a 0.650 gap, the race was essentially decided. Just a few laps earlier, he held an 0.8s lead, and it all came down to that tiny one-and-a-half tenth difference determining whether Lewis could make the pass or not.
Ferrari focused on damage control today, but they drove a clean race.
Stroll turned in another solid performance; you don't really notice him out there, but he’s getting those points.
Perez might actually pull off a podium finish here—maybe even snagging second place right behind Max if he nails this restart and keeps his head straight for the rest of the race.
If you ask me, I think Russell is to blame here. He had plenty of room to work with, but it’s like he wasn't even aware of his positioning—he just hugged the far right side of the track instead.
ruggedhawk20 said:Sergio Perez could actually take this race. That is, if someone doesn't run him off the road at the start. He’s got Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc breathing down his neck, and honestly, you never know which one will cause more chaos.
I'm with you on Leclerc, but I have to disagree regarding Verstappen. Right now, Max is more likely to lift off the throttle than risk a massive collision in Turn 1.
Max Verstappen claims he lost his pole position advantage in the first sector, but looking at the data, his first sector in the second lap was actually a bit slower than the first. It’s funny to me because he didn't even mention the final sector, where he actually lost significantly more time compared to his first lap. Honestly, I think Max Verstappen was just feeling a bit envious and was desperately trying to claw back that lead.
Sergio Perez put in a phenomenal lap; he absolutely crushed the first sector.
Regarding this: Red Bull Racing is significantly faster through high-speed corners, and maybe even a bit quicker in the mediums. In the slow corners, they're pretty much on par with Mercedes. As for traction out of those slower turns, Red Bull seems to have the edge in some, while Mercedes holds its own in others. It's hard to say for sure. During those stretches hitting 280 or 290+ km/h, Mercedes shows better acceleration at those speeds, leaving Red Bull trailing behind.
The areas where Red Bull Racing really pulls ahead are those high-speed corners, which is definitely where they're making their margin right now. However, Red Bull needs to start pulling away more decisively. They're already neck-and-neck with Mercedes in certain segments, and considering we're only at the second race of the season, that’s not a great sign for Red Bull.
I've been checking the forecasts, and it looks like we're in for some pretty calm weather tomorrow. At worst, we might just see some clouds rolling in.
If it rains tomorrow, please don't tell me Max might overcook it. He gets so aggressive when he wants something that he might make a silly mistake, just like what happened in Turkey last year. For Red Bull, the priority is getting a clean start. If Max manages to jump ahead slightly, there’s really no need to take unnecessary risks and hunt down Sergio Perez, unless his launch is so good that he's already ahead before they even hit the first turn. I have nothing against Max, but it’s been quite a while since he’s actually gone wheel-to-wheel with his teammate right from the start of a race.
stormybadger8 said:Not at all, there's no way that's going to happen. Sergio Perez could have easily led the race from the very first corner. Sergio Perez is starting on softs, while Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are opting for mediums.
Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly are running on softs... If Sergio Perez manages to knock Lujo out right at the start, we might actually see some chaos. It’s not even entirely out of the question that Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc—and honestly, Pierre Gasly too—could get caught up in it. If things go south, we could end up seeing the full Mad Max side of the race. 😁
If Sergio Perez finds himself stuck behind Lewis after that first turn, he’s going to have a really tough time making a move. Regardless of how the tires hold up, the straightaway isn't long enough to make it easy. The driver out front basically has to give him a little breathing room by pulling a better line out of that final corner. Even the turns leading up to the start line are tricky for anyone following behind. It’s tough to stay on the tail of the car in front when the track layout keeps pushing you off line.
Look, Max Verstappen, it doesn't work like that. If you want to beat Lewis, you have to deliver a top-tier performance in every single qualifying session and every single race.
Alfa Romeo is a bit of a letdown so far, but I’m still holding out hope for better race pace. I just want to see at least one of the Alfa cars finish ahead of both Williams Racing cars.