2019 Bahrain Grand Prix (March 29-31)

mellowtiger83 said:Vettel talks a big game but he’s barely bringing anything to the table!!!

The only thing Vettel actually delivers is being six light-years ahead of everyone else while sitting in that cockpit.

I mean, if you look back at what they used to pull on Weber... though I have a feeling people might start paying him back with interest sooner or later.

I'm actually quite pleased. This won't be the same old Ferrari we've endured for the last decade—we finally have two top-tier drivers who will actually push one another. That is, assuming Sebastian doesn't crack under the pressure too early. If Bottas maintains his current form and Red Bull Racing stays within striking distance, they might actually have a hell of a season.

What are the odds that Pierre Gasly doesn't get sacked before we even hit Barcelona? 😬

It would be pretty wild if Torpedo actually made the move over there. xD
Honestly, looking back at how things shook out, I can't help but feel like Red Bull Racing really missed a golden opportunity there. They could have easily pulled off a lineup featuring both Daniel Ricciardo and Pierre Gasly. It feels like one of those "what if" scenarios that keeps you up at night when you're analyzing the grid.
Honestly, some of these kids are just way too intense.
I wouldn't be surprised one bit if Daniil Kvyat ended up back at Red Bull Racing. Honestly, if that happened, I don't think it would be all that shocking to see them climb higher than third in the Constructors' Championship by the end of the season. It’s a bold thought, I know, but I can actually see the logic behind it.

vividlynx68 said:I’m pretty satisfied. This won't be the same Ferrari we've been stuck with for the last decade. They'll have two top-tier drivers pushing each other to the limit. That is, assuming Sebastian doesn't crack early on. If Bottas keeps his edge and Red Bull stays relatively close, they might actually have a hell of a season.

What are the odds that Gasly doesn't even make it to Barcelona? 😬

It looks like business as usual to me. One elite driver and another who's just there to get slapped around.

stormybadger8 said:Not quite...
In the first lap, Max was only about 0.2 to 0.3 seconds behind Ferrari. By the second lap, he was 0.4 seconds faster, and by the third, he was a full second ahead.
That explains why Max’s times stayed consistent or even improved slightly, while Ferrari dropped off by half a second or more per lap. By lap five or six, they were in serious trouble, falling way behind Red Bull Racing, McLaren, Haas, and Renault...🤦

It isn't surprising that Red Bull Racing wasn't on Ferrari's level during qualifying. They usually perform much better during the actual race, and I expect we'll see that gap widen even more this season.
Honda is clearly doing great work; you could really see it in the Red Bull Racing race pace.

Red Bull Racing doesn't have a raw speed problem; their issue is tire warming.
That’s exactly why they struggle in a single qualifying lap, but they excel in race pace because they manage their tires so much better over a long stint.

Red Bull Racing having better race pace than Ferrari? Sure, maybe in the final third of the season, but Ferrari has been faster up until now. Honestly, I'm not sure where you got the idea that Red Bull Racing is typically faster in race pace.

The race simulations from Friday clearly showed Charles Leclerc was the fastest, so I still don't see why you're bringing Red Bull Racing into this.

You seem to think Red Bull Racing was significantly better than Mercedes in Australia. You're acting like Valtteri Bottas was the benchmark proving how much Mercedes was outclassed by Red Bull Racing during the race.
Plus, the simulations from Friday show Red Bull Racing is slower than Ferrari on average lap time. I have no idea where you found that claim about them being a second faster by the third lap.

stormyviper2 said:I think that was Grosjean, not Kevin.

Yeah, it’s definitely Grosjean. A report just came out regarding the penalty for him.

Max is going to have a rough time heading into Turn 1.

He really needs to get past Mercedes as quickly as possible; he can't afford to let KMag slam into him. xD

This should be interesting. xD

I totally skipped qualifying, but I’ll catch the replay later to see how young gun Charles Leclerc absolutely smoked Sebastian Vettel and if McLaren pulled off exactly what I called—both of them landing in the top 10 🙏

Timothy Castillo6 said:https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/s...port-lvmrlv2dm
Sebastian Vettel: Formula 1 is basically just a massive circus and a money grab now, not even a real sport anymore

Honestly, Sebastian Vettel could just pack his bags and walk away from the whole thing once his Ferrari deal wraps up, especially since he's clearly fed up with how these Formula 1 regulations are turning everything into a joke

Let him go, honestly, nobody’s gonna miss him except maybe some total loser who lives in their basement
🕺

Putting little Mick in that seat would be a fantastic move—Ferrari is looking better than ever right now. 😁

Timothy Castillo6 said:https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/s...port-lvmrlv2dm
Sebastian Vettel: Formula 1 is now more a show and a business than a sport

Sebastian Vettel could walk away from the sport after his Ferrari contract ends amid growing concerns with the Formula 1 regulations

Coming from a guy who signed a $50 million a year deal based on the idea that Formula 1 is just a massive show designed to collect sponsors like Pokémon cards.

I mean, even at Red Bull, he’s basically been living on nothing but cheap peanuts and a few cans of beans. xD

After qualifying in Melbourne, half this forum decided the season was basically over already because Mercedes is just too dominant.

Today, seeing how Sebastian Vettel lost out to some younger kid in qualifying—people are already calling for him to retire immediately—they’re out here analyzing his facial expressions the second he stepped out of the car, claiming he’s "about to snap"...
It’s funny how people try to draw massive, long-term conclusions from a single session. If Lewis Hamilton had stumbled today, they probably would have branded him a total fraud or a washout by now...
Forum logic is a strange thing.

As far as I can tell, the only thing settled is Gasly's situation.

Gasly in 2018: 1:29.329
Gasly in 2019: 1:29.526

🤣

Robert Cox46 said:After qualifying in Melbourne, half this forum decided the entire season was basically over because Mercedes is just too dominant.

Fast forward to today—after Sebastian Vettel loses out to some younger kid in a single qualifying session, everyone is already pushing him toward retirement. Now, they’re out here analyzing his facial expressions the second he gets out of the car, claiming he's "about to snap"...
It's funny how people can pull long-term conclusions from one single session. If Lewis Hamilton had stumbled today, they probably would have branded him a total fraud or a lost cause by dinner time...
Forum logic is a strange thing.

they're drawing massive, sweeping conclusions that shift every single time qualifying rolls around🤣

☕☕ Honestly, I couldn't have asked for anything else from Bahrain.

It feels like Ferrari's playground these last few seasons—just totally dominating the track.

cosmiccyclist8 said:they're drawing these long-term conclusions that seem to shift every single time qualifying rolls around 🤣

Well, I don't think you can really wait for qualifying to see that. I mean, honestly, seeing Sebastian Vettel struggle like that is basically a definitive diagnosis in itself, if you ask me.

🙂

Richard Walker38 said:That little blonde from Williams doing the interview is actually quite cute—I guess. 😍

Daniel Castillo76 said:A photo?

crimsonhawk23 said:I'll probably download it later—then I'll grab a screenshot. 👍

mellowtiger83 said:Go ahead—post that picture of the spider.

darkmarlin16 said:🙂

cosmiccyclist8 said:what were they even doing to Weber

On one hand, you're posting pictures of various drivers, yet on the other, you demand strict adherence to "Multi21."

You can't have it both ways. You can't chase glory and play by the rules simultaneously.

Either be a driver or be an obedient follower. Make a choice.

It appears Ferrari has finally sorted out their Power Unit issues, and suddenly they’re back to total dominance. 🤦
Toto Wolff remains a legend, though perhaps wearing those glasses has caused him to lose his vision entirely. 🤣

Sebastian Vettel was already under scrutiny for sluggish pace following that sudden braking maneuver.
The FIA seems incapable of maintaining any semblance of objectivity; it feels like they are once again conspiring to protect someone's supremacy.
The Bottas 2.0 we saw in the USA has reverted to being nothing more than a number two driver; it truly seems as if that initial victory at Mercedes was merely a handout, especially since Lewis snatched 8 points away from him.