2010 Spanish Grand Prix (Circuit of Americas)

crimsonstag84 said:I mean, I guess RB is only this fast because this specific track suits them. They probably won't be nearly as dominant once we hit Canada, Monza, or Monaco. Honestly, I think McLaren could actually give them a run for their money there. 🙂

It's true... I bet they're gonna be swapping things up with McLaren at some point during the season. 🙂

I guess RB might actually have an edge in Monaco since that track is all about massive downforce, and from what we've seen, they seem to be leading the pack in that department.

Patrick White63 said:oops 🤦 my bad

I hadn't really noticed until now, but he said "drrrrramatično" like 15 times in just the first 10 minutes of practice. It was actually kind of scary.

It's probably just more frequent 😁 but honestly, that catchphrase of his stuck in my head a long time ago too 😁

Joshua Newman2 said:Look, when you're talking car speed, you have to look at the whole lap, not just the straights. That stupid HRT is the second fastest car on the straight, yet they're a dozen seconds off on the total lap time. Red Bull obviously isn't the king of the straights, but since they're the fastest overall, it means they make up all that lost ground in the corners. You can't blame the car for what you're describing. If you're faster overall and faster in the turns, how can someone right behind you on a straight just start attacking? Only if you screwed something up somewhere...

Yeah, sure, Red Bull having the fastest lap isn't up for debate.🙂
If they didn't, they wouldn't be leading qualifying. But they struggle on the straights because you can't overtake in the corners—no car is that dominant.🤣
The real issue is that Red Bull can't keep up with the rest of the pack on the straights, and they have zero chance of overtaking under braking because they're still playing catch-up to reach them. Honestly, if they add that F-duct mid-season and get even more straight-line speed, this season is going to be incredibly boring. Even for me. Red Bull could become disgustingly dominant, and I've got a feeling they've already jumped ahead of everyone else. Once that F-duct shows up, that gap is just going to widen.

stormybadger8 said:Oh, absolutely—there’s really no debating that. It's a total given that Red Bull Racing is pulling off the fastest lap right now.🙂
If you take away that specific car, he probably wouldn't be sitting at the top of the qualifying sheets. He’s got raw speed in the corners, sure, but once they hit the straightaways, he hits a wall. You just can't find a way to overtake through the turns because the car lacks that decisive edge. It really goes to show that no single car is truly dominating the field right now; everyone is fighting for every inch of asphalt.🤣
The real issue here is that Red Bull Racing just can't seem to keep pace with the rest of the field right now. They're struggling to maintain a steady rhythm, and honestly, they don't stand a chance when it comes to braking performance. It’s like trying to catch up to a fast-moving train when you've only just stepped onto the platform—they're still playing catch-up while everyone else is already miles ahead.

There’s definitely some truth to that. If they don't nail the launch at the very beginning, it doesn't matter how much speed they pick up on the straightaways—nobody is going to be able to catch them, let alone overtake them. It's all about that initial burst.👍

placidsurfer9 said:it's probably just more frequent 😁 but his catchphrase definitely stuck with me too 😁

"drrrrramatično" is easily Blaž's most iconic line, right up there with "now the drama begins!"

It’s like watching the same movie on loop. Red Bull looks absolutely untouchable during qualifying, but then come race day, it’s as if they’ve suddenly frozen up. I can only hope they dodge those pesky penalties and mechanical failures this time around so they can actually deliver a solid performance.

Thomas Morales13 said:There's some truth to that, but if they don't blow it at the start, nobody's catching them—not even if they had a rocket engine on the straights.👍

They could, though. If their tires fall apart or they're forced into an extra pit stop, we won't know for sure because nothing has been predictable so far. We've seen three absolute chaotic messes and one race where everyone just played it safe.

Bottom line: if it doesn't rain at the United States Grand Prix, that's when we'll actually see who's got the real pace.

Qualifying went fine. If the race stays normal, we'll finally have our answers.
Everything else up to this point—including Red Bull's 1-2 finish—was just a result of the weather chaos, not actual car performance.

placidsurfer9 said:That’s true... I guess they might swap things up with McLaren at some point during the season🙂

I suspect RB might have the edge in Monaco since the track demands massive downforce, and from what we've seen, RB seems to be leading the pack there.

True, but traction and braking stability are the real keys here. Cornering speed isn't as vital since there aren't many high-speed turns outside of the tunnel and that chicane after the swimming pool, which is where RB really shines.🙂

Petrov’s starting 19th tomorrow because they had to swap out his car after that crash. Glock, de la Rosa, and Chandhok also got hit with penalties, but honestly, their grid positions don't really matter anyway.

Kimberly White63 said:Petrov starts 19th tomorrow because they had to swap his car after that wreck. Glock, de la Rosa, and Chandhok got hit with penalties too, but who cares about their starting spots?

I was literally just about to type 🤣

They slapped Ferrari with a fine, too http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/83436 but obviously left Alonso alone 😍

It’s like Max rejoined the FIA or something 🤣 😂

You watch qualifying and then—bam—a mountain of penalties right after.😂

stormybadger8 said:I was actually going to mention 🤣

They only hit Ferrari with a fine, too http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/83436 while Alonso walked away scot-free, of course 😍

It’s almost as if Max has some kind of influence within the FIA 🤣 😂

You watch qualifying unfold, and then suddenly there's just a mountain of penalties handed out afterward 😂

But honestly, how is Alonso to blame? It’s not his fault if the lollipop guy is blind 🙂

neonfalcon16 said:It’s the same old story. Red Bull owns qualifying, then they look completely stuck once the race actually starts. Hopefully, they dodge the usual mechanical issues this time so they can actually deliver.

That’s my fear too... I don't think they can screw up this many races in a row without it getting ridiculous.😁

mistybear87 said:it’s not like it’s Alonso's fault if the lollipop guy is blind, lol🙂

Yeah, I know he isn't🙂

Just messing around, but it kind of reminds me of the good old days—everyone getting penalized except for Ferrari.🤣

With this kind of dominance, Red Bull is turning into a bad Bull.

Joshua Newman2 said:With this level of dominance, Red Bull is turning into a Bad Bull.

It would’ve been way funnier if he just kicked a pony in the ass. 😬

Joshua Newman2 said:With this kind of dominance, Red Bull is basically turning into Bad Bull.

Looking at the photo, I don't know, it just looks like a GAY BULL to me. 😬 🤣🤣

mistybear87 said:it’s not Alonso’s fault if the lollipop guy is blind lol🙂

Does he personally lack eyes? Honestly, at this point, the drivers aren't even to blame. Why are they even sitting in that car?🙄

stormybadger8 said:it might have been more entertaining if they just kicked a thoroughbred horse in the ass😬

😂

🙂 🤣 🤣 🤣

Bradley Nelson2 said:Does he just lack basic situational awareness? I mean, seriously, looking at today's race, you can't exactly pin the blame on the drivers. If anything, the real question is why on earth they’re even sitting in that car to begin with? 🙄

At best, he’s only seeing what’s happening directly behind him. When you're peeling out of the pit lane, it's not exactly like you have the luxury of checking your blind spots, even if you actually had the chance to turn your head. 🤣🤣
That’s four whole seconds where he’s just standing there, staring at a lollipop, isn't it? Then, the second the guy finally lifts it, he slams the throttle to the floor and peels out. I mean, what kind of rearview mirror checking was that? That's some serious "lollipop man" energy right there, honestly. Total amateur hour. ☕

Not only are Red Bull's looking convincingly faster than everyone else on track (in qualifying), but what's even worse is that their massive gap isn't just because the rest of the field is mediocre or straight-up bad. Luckily, the Formula 1 championship is decided by races, not just qualifying sessions. And of course, considering how "lucky" it is that Red Bull's cars are unreliable during actual races (for whatever reason), that’s pretty much the only thing that could keep this season interesting after 10 or 15 races. Plus, since Red Bull's race pace doesn't actually match up with their qualifying speed, another reason why I don't think we'll see dominance like Brawn's last year is their "weaker" driver lineup compared to Brawn. To me, Sebastian Vettel is still too inexperienced and prone to mistakes compared to other top-tier drivers. Also, Mark Webber isn't exactly world-class either.

Basically, compared to how much Brawn dominated this time last season, I think there's a better chance now that Red Bull will blow this speed advantage in the race, giving one of the other title contenders a shot at grabbing it. But for now, Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber are the clear favorites to win, assuming it doesn't rain during qualifying or the race (or any other random weather crap).