São Paulo Grand Prix (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) | November 12-14, 2021

Drew Bennett68 said:Well, isn't that just just typical? It turns out Hamilton's DRS failed inspection:

“The uppermost rear wing element adjustable positions were checked on car number 44 for compliance with Article 3.6.3 of the 2021 Formula 1 Technical Regulations,” Bauer noted. “The requirement for the minimum distance was fulfilled. But the requirement for the maximum of 85mm, when the DRS system is deployed and tested in accordance with TD/011-19, were not fulfilled.”

https://www.racefans.net/2021/11/12/...in-qualifying/

Talk about a bombshell!

This feels like such devastating news for the championship standings, doesn't it? I truly find myself hoping they won't hand down a penalty for this.

graniteharbor502 said:And honestly, isn't it quite remarkable when you stop to think about it—that one could actually lose a championship while driving a machine of that caliber?

Exactly.
I mean, if Max Verstappen was behind the wheel of that thing, he probably would've wrapped up the title ages ago, I guess.

gentlecobra23 said:The whole weekend felt like one giant mockery of Mercedes-Benz.
First, they rolled out with an illegal car—basically a "if we get caught, we get caught" gamble. Luckily for the rest of the civilized world, they didn't get away with it, though they still managed to dodge a bullet. Instead of the standard disqualification or starting from the pits, which is what should have happened, they got to start on the grid for the sprint race. That basically gave them an easy 25 laps to fix the mess they made the day before, leaving them with much less to deal with during the actual race. If it weren't for the fact that they exploited every single loophole imaginable to manipulate the weekend, Max Verstappen wouldn't have been overtaken for first place.
They pushed that engine to its absolute limit, and there's a good chance it won't survive all three remaining races. But then again, they don't need it to; they only need two. If they manage to win the next two with that machine, they can just bring back the engine from Mexico—which I doubt is actually broken, they're probably just saving it for the finale, assuming Max Verstappen's Honda even makes it to the checkered flag.
Lewis Hamilton’s whole "f...k them all" attitude, the constant calls to degrade him because of his race, and the way they're mocking the Brazilian flag by comparing him to little Ayrton Senna... it was disgusting to watch. It’s just bad for the sport.
Max made a mistake today when he was forced off the track, but honestly, it would be a joke if they penalized him for it, especially considering everything Lewis Hamilton has done to him all season while walking away with nothing more than ridiculous, meaningless penalties...

Even Red Bull Racing doesn't buy the idea that Mercedes-Benz intentionally used an illegal wing—mind you, we're talking about a 0.2mm difference—but of course, we have these forum geniuses here to explain it all to us.🙏

Drew Bennett68 said:Honestly, I just don't see Max finishing ahead of Lewis this Sunday. That Mercedes-Benz is absolutely flying right now, and on a track like this, there's nowhere to hide.

Yeah, just like he didn't finish ahead of him in Turkey or Mexico. In basically every race (except for Portugal), whenever Max was behind Lewis, his race pace was significantly better. Hamilton only managed to stay ahead through pure driving skill, like in Bahrain, or via strategy, like in Spain.

Some people might claim Max is just driving an average car brilliantly, but the facts tell a different story. His race pace is consistently superior to Hamilton's, regardless of whether he's leading or chasing...

When we sit down to debate who truly deserves the title of the greatest driver in all of Formula 1, does anyone else feel like the conversation just goes in circles? It’s one of those endless, beautiful arguments that keeps us coming back to the screen every single weekend. I mean, think about it. What are we actually looking for? Is it pure, unadulterated raw speed? Is it the ability to manage tires until they’re practically dust? Or is it that mental fortitude—that sheer, stubborn refusal to break under pressure? If you look at the legends, the criteria seem to shift depending on who you ask. One person sees a driver who can wrestle a temperamental car around a tight street circuit, while another looks for the technician who finds that extra tenth of a second through perfect telemetry. It makes you wonder, doesn't it? Can you ever really settle the score when the cars change every year, or is the "best" simply whoever happens to be sitting in the most dominant machine at any given moment? It’s a fascinating puzzle, and honestly, I don't think we'll ever stop arguing about it. kaže:
If we only realize it once it's already too late, then what was the whole point? Honestly, if you don't catch it when it's right in front of you, isn't it just a wasted effort at that stage? 🤣

What we’re seeing right now is that classic shift into full-blown Luxury mode...
Honestly, I think this might be the very first time all season that we’ve actually seen the real Lewis Hamilton show up. ☕
An angry, fired-up, and aggressive Hamilton... what can I say? It’s a sight to behold, isn't it?
Everything else this year has been such a blur of disappointment, hasn't it? But finally, we’re seeing it—this is hands down the absolute best version of itself yet. ☕

Well, I suppose even the blind have finally opened their eyes to the truth. It was only a matter of time, wasn't it?

That was an absolute masterclass in pure dominance. Honestly, did you see that? It was such a brutal display of power out there. Torger basically just stood aside and let him run riot, allowing him to steamroll through every single battle from the very first corner until the checkered flag. How do you even begin to defend against that kind of relentless pressure?

mellowtiger83 said:Even Red Bull Racing doesn't buy the idea that Mercedes-Benz intentionally used an illegal wing—mind you, we're talking about a 0.2mm difference—but of course, we have these forum geniuses here to explain it all to us.🙏

What the hell kind of 0.2mm are we even talking about? 🤣
First off, Toto is lying through his teeth about that being only 2mm long and wide. Second, you added it to the fifth one, so now we’re looking at 0.2mm. 🤣
I mean, even Toto Wolff couldn't tell you exactly how much we're talking about here. You can't exactly measure that kind of thing with a ruler or a micrometer.
And they don't even have the wing; it’s still sitting there in impound at NASCAR. 🙂

The footage makes it obvious. We’re talking centimeters here, maybe even more. The gauge is slicing right through the wing and moving up and down like that. There is zero chance this is just a millimeter issue. 🙂
Look, the gauge isn't just there for show or to be pushed through haphazardly. It actually has to withstand some serious pressure so it doesn't blow out the other side. And don't get it twisted—it’s not measuring millimeters here. It’s binary: it either passes or it fails. That's it. 🙂


Look, it’s pretty obvious we're talking about some kind of design flaw, a mechanical failure, or whatever else you want to call it...
I'm not even going to touch the whole "DRS opening wider on one side" debate. The rules are what they are. I honestly don't get why Toto Wolff is making such a massive scene over it. It's ridiculous.
Same kid, same story with the fuel. Doesn't matter if you're missing a whole liter or just a tiny fraction at the end of the race—if you're under the limit, you're disqualified. Period.

Just saw a killer take on this whole DRS situation: "Every single weekend, Mercedes comes up with a brand new strategy to throw away a championship." 😵

Jason Campbell70 said:In over 200 races, Perez has managed exactly one front-row start.
Need me to elaborate?

Perez is mostly just mediocre with the occasional flash of talent. Why they kept him at Red Bull Racing is a total mystery—probably just because a wealthy Mexican sponsor keeps the lights on. Honestly, Gasly would’ve been a much tougher fight against Mercedes-Benz, but nope, better to just kick a guy out of the seat if he doesn't deliver results the second he sits down. You reap what you sow ☕

mellowtiger83 said:Even Red Bull Racing doesn't buy the idea that Mercedes-Benz intentionally used an illegal wing—mind you, we're talking about a 0.2mm difference—but of course, we have these forum geniuses here to explain it all to us.🙏

Speaking of tiny deviations, I think I remember a disqualification involving Sauber... if I'm not mistaken? I can't quite place the specific race or season, but the context feels identical...

It looks like the DRS opened up way more than it was supposed to—do you think they’ll actually penalize him with a last-place start tomorrow?

Stay tuned.

Mercedes was "insanely fast," yet Red Bull took the fastest lap?
OK.

stormybadger8 said:What the hell kind of 0.2mm are we even talking about? 🤣
First off, Toto is lying through his teeth about that being only 2mm long and wide. Second, you added it to the fifth one, so now we’re looking at 0.2mm. 🤣
I mean, even Toto Wolff couldn't tell you exactly how much we're talking about here. You can't exactly measure that kind of thing with a ruler or a micrometer.
And they don't even have the wing; it’s still sitting there in impound at NASCAR. 🙂

The footage makes it obvious. We’re talking centimeters here, maybe even more. The gauge is slicing right through the wing and moving up and down like that. There is zero chance this is just a millimeter issue. 🙂
Look, the gauge isn't just there for show or to be pushed through haphazardly. It actually has to withstand some serious pressure so it doesn't blow out the other side. And don't get it twisted—it’s not measuring millimeters here. It’s binary: it either passes or it fails. That's it. 🙂

Look, it’s pretty obvious we're talking about some kind of design flaw, a mechanical failure, or whatever else you want to call it...
I'm not even going to touch the whole "DRS opening wider on one side" debate. The rules are what they are. I honestly don't get why Toto Wolff is making such a massive scene over it. It's ridiculous.
Same kid, same story with the fuel. Doesn't matter if you're missing a whole liter or just a tiny fraction at the end of the race—if you're under the limit, you're disqualified. Period.

Just read this, man 🙂, I didn't make any of this up

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/992193...lton-wing-saga

Regardless, whether it was 0.1 or 1cm, they earned the penalty and served it.

So, here’s the thing: if he starts from the back tomorrow and somehow manages to claw his way up to, say, 10th place, he's looking at a penalty for that.

Perez struggled today, and Red Bull just didn't have the pace to make a move on the cars ahead. It’s hard to argue for an overtake when you're fighting poor exits coming out of Turn 12 and simply lack the top-end speed compared to the rest of the field. Honestly, looking at how those two are performing together, I'm not sure how anyone can expect them to find a way past Carlos Sainz.

Thanks to Hamic for the win, now I can spend the whole night just soaking up all these comments 🍿🙏🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

If the Drag Reduction System was truly left open too long, then a penalty has to be issued. I really hate seeing this happen, though—it’s such a shame when things get decided by technicalities instead of letting the championship be settled out on the track.

What the stylist pulled off today was like watching a world-class quarterback enter his veteran years. He can’t churn out elite performances every single week anymore, but he can still find that spark to channel his old self every once in a while. That’s exactly what happened here. He clearly let that recent penalty fuel him, because he finally delivered a solid performance for the first time this season. Honestly, he's been making uncharacteristic mistakes all year, but today? Today he actually showed up.

0.2mm? Honestly, how is anyone supposed to measure something that fine using that little spatula they use to scrape everything along? Ha ha.

Drew Bennett68 said:It looks like the DRS opened up way more than it was supposed to—do you think they’ll actually penalize him with a last-place start tomorrow?

Stay tuned.

A penalty would mean sitting out for a week; we aren't going to go changing the rules mid-stream right now...🙂

Sam Clark75 said:Perez is mostly just mediocre with the occasional flash of talent. Why they kept him at Red Bull Racing is a total mystery—probably just because a wealthy Mexican sponsor keeps the lights on. Honestly, Gasly would’ve been a much tougher fight against Mercedes-Benz, but nope, better to just kick a guy out of the seat if he doesn't deliver results the second he sits down. You reap what you sow ☕

Without Slim's cash, Perez would be driving the Red Bull car only on PlayStation this season.