2021 Bahrain Grand Prix Race Thread

neonfox65 said:Right, because Hamilton spent the entire race running off track. Honestly, nothing left to say there!

Even Ham mentioned he wasn't aware of the specific track limits rule.

But they actually gave them a warning during the race to stop doing it.
So where's the issue?

Look, Lewis was going off, and then Max started doing it too once he got the heads-up.
Both of them stopped once the official notice went out.

Raymond Anderson4 said:But they told them during the race not to do it.
What's the issue?

Look, Lewis was pitting, then Max pitted right after they told him to...
And both of them stopped once that notice actually came through.

Do you even realize when they told him? Halfway through the race. The FIA just keeps embarrassing themselves day after day...

neonfox65 said:But he said over the radio he was running wide in that corner for the whole race. He even mentioned he didn't know the rule existed.

Look, the rule is there. Drivers get flagged if they gain a time advantage compared to laps where they actually stayed within the lines—and if that happens during a qualifying lap, that lap just gets wiped. There’s zero reason to penalize someone unless they’re actually using it to cheat the clock. Plenty of drivers have played that game to save their tires during the toughest sections of the track. It seems Max just completely forgot that was an option.

neonfox65 said:But he literally said on the radio he was running wide in that corner the whole race. He even claimed he didn't know the rule existed.

Lewis Hamilton knew exactly what he was doing. Everything gets laid out during the driver briefing with Messi and the stewards before the race starts. They get told the same stuff I just told you, and then the drivers—Lewis included—and the teams just push the limit. They stretch those rules until they snap. It’s just how it works. Of course Lewis is gonna play dumb on the team radio afterward; honestly, it’s just him being smart.

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.

neonfox65 said:Do you even realize when they told him? It was halfway through the race. The FIA just keeps embarrassing themselves day after day.

The team actually came on the radio during the race and told him he couldn't go wide at Turn 4 anymore.
I’m certain that info made its way to Max, too.
But apparently, Max is the one at fault for going off track.

I honestly don't see the issue here. From that point on, Lewis Hamilton stayed within the lines and stopped going wide. Max was the one who got reckless while trying to overtake and lost the line.
I really don't get why people are making this such a big deal.

Look, everything Lewis Hamilton pulled off today was pure veteran savvy. He was dancing right on those track limits during the first half of the race because he knew the team would eventually step in and warn them to tighten it up. By doing that, he basically set the stage to knock Max Verstappen out of contention later on, allowing him to make up ground once his tires started falling off. Then, he positioned his car perfectly during that duel, forcing Max off the track and completely breaking his focus.

Top-tier driving. Max Verstappen was also absolutely phenomenal, but you can't just buy experience—you have to earn it over years. I am seriously looking forward to seeing more battles like this throughout the season.

Richard Walker38 said:Everything Lewis Hamilton pulled off today was pure veteran savvy. He spent the first half of the race dancing right on those track limits, knowing full well the team would just give them a warning later on. It was a calculated move to help eliminate Max Verstappen from the equation early, setting him up to make up ground once his tires started fading. Then, he positioned his car perfectly during the duel, forcing Max out of bounds and completely breaking his focus.

Top-tier driving all around. Max Verstappen was phenomenal too, but you can't buy experience—you have to earn it. I’m really looking forward to seeing more battles like this this season.

It looks to me like Max Verstappen's tires gave out even sooner than Lewis Hamilton's did. Even though Lewis Hamilton was on older rubber, he managed his pace much better. Max Verstappen burned through his fresher tires just trying to catch up.
I honestly wonder if Turn 4 was his one shot. That might have been it. Once you lose that grip, there isn't much left for a second attempt. He had one window, and Lewis Hamilton outmaneuvered him by baiting him toward the edge of the track. I get why Max Verstappen went wide; they were so close that he likely felt he had to widen his line to avoid a collision. Lewis Hamilton's FW and Max Verstappen's front tire were practically touching as they exited the corner. Lewis Hamilton stayed on the racing line, while Max Verstappen probably hesitated to cut back in for fear of clipping Lewis Hamilton.

neonfox65 said:Yeah, sure—like Hamilton was driving off track the whole damn race. As if!

Even Hamilton said he wasn't even aware of that track limits rule.

Buddy, if you lose, you get to be salty.

But being mad doesn't mean you have to look like an absolute idiot in front of the whole forum.

Nicholas Walker40 said:Well, I suppose one could ask you ☕

Indeed.

wiredfalcon2 said:I think Lewis knew exactly what he was doing, since everything was laid out during the driver briefing with Messi and the stewards before the race. They were told pretty much what I just told you, and then the drivers—Lewis included—along with the teams, just push those rules to the absolute limit. It’s pretty standard for Lewis to act clueless on the team radio afterward; I suppose that's just how he plays it.

That isn't about intelligence, though; it's more about character.

Just so we don't start equating being an asshole with being smart, let's not 🤣

He played it exactly how he wanted to—ruthless. Honestly, seeing that kind of nerve is pretty damn satisfying to read about.

cosmicridge5 said:It’s not about how smart someone is. It’s about who they actually are deep down.

Look, if we start trying to link being an absolute asshole to having a high IQ, then we're already lost. 🤣

Honestly, Lewis Hamilton is one of the cleanest drivers out there. When he's wheel-to-wheel with people, he rarely pulls any dirty moves, which is a hell of a lot more than you can say for most other champions.

bluepuma9 said:The rule is there—drivers get a warning if they gain time by cutting corners without actually leaving the track limits, and if it was their fastest qualifying lap, that time gets wiped. There’s really no reason to penalize someone if they aren't gaining an advantage on track. Plenty of drivers have used that tactic to save their tires during the toughest sections of the circuit... clearly Max just didn't think of it.

Oh, please. He "didn't think of it"? He was obviously trying to cheat. It feels like the rules apply to some people and not others. Just imagine Red Bull Racing telling Max, "Hey, you can cut the corner too." Then the other guy gets a warning halfway through the race and plays dumb, saying, "I didn't even know that was a rule, I've been driving like this all day." Give me a break...🤦🤦

ruggedhawk20 said:Look, man... if you lose, you've got every right to be pissed.

But being mad doesn't mean you have to make a fool out of yourself in front of the whole forum.

In my book, the only ones looking foolish here are the FIA. But let's be real—they can't pull these kinds of stunts every single race. Red Bull has a lightning-fast car, and Max Verstappen is just incredible. As for Lewis Hamilton? He's finished.

And everyone seems to forget that Max Verstappen was fighting the whole race in a "broken" car. He had some kind of issue with his differential...

Raymond Anderson4 said:I think Max’s tires were shot, even more so than Lewis Hamilton’s.

No way. Honestly, Lewis Hamilton’s tires were actually in worse shape. He ended up going wide right before the duel, which basically handed Max Verstappen an even earlier opening than anyone expected.

That’s just pure experience from Lewis. He played it perfectly and his defense was absolutely masterclass.

ruggedhawk20 said:I honestly don't know what's going on with poor F1. To me, it feels like he’s suffering from some kind of accelerated aging disorder. He looks old, drives like an old man—he just seems like the oldest driver on the entire grid. And even Alonso, Kimi Räikkönen, and Lewis Hamilton seem older than him. Yet, they all act much fresher and sharper. Even though they might be chronologically older, they all feel biologically younger than he does. It's like F1 is carrying at least 50 biological years on his shoulders, despite only being around 34 or 35.

He’s got a wife and kids, too. I can almost see his wife sending him a WhatsApp message right before the race starts: "Hey honey, once you're done racing, let's go pick out those new curtains and the entryway paint I saw on Instagram."
Well, maybe try staying focused then.
🍿

Lewis and his tires. Given how much pace he can find in qualifying, that might actually be his biggest edge during the races—not to mention he’s a master at defensive driving, though we haven't really needed to see him making overtakes much over the last seven or eight years.

It could be an interesting season if we get to see Max Verstappen under some real pressure. He’s got the single-lap speed, but still...

neonfox65 said:Throughout the entire race, Lewis Hamilton keeps drifting off at that same corner, and then—once Max Verstappen finally maneuvers past him—the FIA decides he has to give the spot back. Honestly, either the FIA needs to be consistent from the jump, or they should just let them actually race. This "track limits" thing is easily the most nonsensical rule ever conceived. It’s not even like he cut the corner—which would warrant a penalty—he just widened his line, which is exactly what Lewis was telling the team over the radio all day. Basically, the FIA is a massive👎👎👎👎👎👎

If I caught that correctly, Hamilton went wide at Turn 4, while Max Verstappen did it at Turn 1.
In case you weren't aware, the drivers meet with the stewards before every race to agree on which corners will be strictly penalized for crossing the line and which ones won't. Rules aren't universal for every single turn—it depends entirely on the circuit.

Today, Lewis explicitly stated that Turn 4 wouldn't be penalized—and he played it to his advantage. Max Verstappen's issue? He probably paid closer attention during that pre-race briefing, which is something he failed to utilize here. That's why Lewis is playing it smarter.
As for Max, he went wide at Turn 1 while attempting the pass. It's reminiscent of what happened to Kimi Räikkönen a couple of years back when he cut the chicane on the final lap—I can't recall the specific track, but he cruised into the podium positions only to have the stewards strip it away.

Richard Walker38 said:Not really. Lewis was struggling with his tires, and honestly, he just spun out before the duel even happened. That gave Max Verstappen the opening to close the gap much sooner than anyone expected.

It really comes down to Lewis Hamilton's experience, though. He handled himself perfectly and put on a masterclass defending that position.

That mistake at Turn 10 might not have been about the rubber. If I recall correctly, he missed his braking point and locked up. You could actually see it happen during the broadcast.