Dutch GP (Santa Monica) - September 3-5, 2021

Jacob Castillo70 said:There is a massive difference between "Lewis's pit error" and the command "don't go for the fastest lap." They are two entirely different issues.

James Vowles is nothing more than a complete sycophant.

At Indianapolis, they called Sergio Perez in for a pit stop during those final laps, completely wrecking his strategy and hurting his race result.
All just to shave one extra point off Lewis Hamilton for the fastest lap.

Formula 1 is a team sport.
Whether it's "Lewis's pit error," "don't go for the fastest lap," being told to "park it on the side," or "hit the pits again"—it's all the same thing.
Anyone who doesn't get that, or refuses to accept it? They don't belong on a team. Not one of them.

Jacob Castillo70 said:Valtteri looks completely defeated. He’s absolutely crushed.

Msm, it’s hardly any surprise when the idiots at Mercedes-Benz treat you like a fool.

He acts like he’s spiraling—like he can't even wrap his head around fixing things when everything goes south, he just sinks like a stone.

Such a shame, but that's Formula 1 for you—there's always some new kid waiting to jump down your throat.

I just hope this track hasn't signed some long-term deal with Formula 1. It’s way too narrow—hardly any actual room to make a move or overtake anyone.

Strange that Lando Norris didn't get slapped with a penalty for that contact with Sergio Perez—it felt a lot like what we saw in Austria where things just bump and grind. Plus, it definitely messed up his aero.

Fernando Alonso had a solid run; looks like he made a move right at the start.

The track itself is engaging and offers plenty for the drivers to work with... but when it comes to pure on-track action, it felt a bit lackluster. It wasn't exactly a total procession, but it was... relatively dull.

Don't get me wrong... any race is a win for a true Formula 1 fan, even last week's Belgian Grand Prix (in a way), despite the feeling that it "hardly even happened."

fadedwalker18 said:The track itself is engaging and offers plenty for the drivers to work with... but when it comes to pure on-track action, it felt a bit lackluster. It wasn't exactly a total procession, but it was... relatively dull.

Don't get me wrong... any race is a win for a true Formula 1 fan, even last week's Belgian Grand Prix (in a way), despite the feeling that it "hardly even happened."

I'm with you on all points—but man, he really went overboard with that whole thing about the Belgian Grand Prix.

Amy Castillo4 said:I just hope this track hasn't signed some long-term deal with Formula 1. It’s way too narrow—hardly any actual room to make a move or overtake anyone.

As long as this track keeps bringing in the money, it'll stay on the Formula 1 calendar.
Looking at the sea of orange fans in the stands, and considering how many years Max Verstappen still has left, I'd say we'll be seeing this place for a long time.
Unless something crazy happens at Assen.

Did Sergio Perez make a mistake at the start? It felt like he dropped back a notch at one point. Still, it was a solid drive from him considering how tough it is to overtake on this track.
Max was incredible, and Lewis Hamilton was right there with him, constantly putting pressure on the Red Bull Racing pit wall.

Pierre Gasly had a predictably great race. For him, the secret to consistency over these last three races has been crushing qualifying—getting the heavy lifting done on Saturday so he can just close it out on Sunday.

Fernando Alonso looked great, while Esteban Ocon seemed to struggle with how slow Alonso was during the opening laps.

Raymond Anderson4 said:Did Sergio Perez make a mistake at the start? It felt like he dropped back a notch at one point. Still, it was a solid drive from him considering how tough it is to overtake on this track.
Max was incredible, and Lewis Hamilton was right there with him, constantly putting pressure on the Red Bull Racing pit wall.

Pierre Gasly had a predictably great race. For him, the secret to consistency over these last three races has been crushing qualifying—getting the heavy lifting done on Saturday so he can just close it out on Sunday.

Fernando Alonso looked great, while Esteban Ocon seemed to struggle with how slow Alonso was during the opening laps.

Yeah—he flat-spotted those hard tires while chasing down Nikita Mazepin, which forced an early stop for mediums.

Amy Castillo4 said:I'm with you on all points—but man, he really went overboard with that whole thing about the Belgian Grand Prix.

To be fair... I did exaggerate my statement.
But since I used quotation marks, you could interpret it however you like.

The Belgian Grand Prix wasn't much of a race, but it was certainly a Grand Prix weekend. Since Formula 1 is always Formula 1 in my book... and that Sunday... was a (scandalous) Formula 1 event...

...by pure coincidence, I didn't actually get a chance to watch the event on Sunday...

...because if I had been watching, I would have been... absolutely livid... even more than during the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix. 🤣🤣

Raymond Anderson4 said:Did Sergio Perez make a mistake at the start? It felt like he dropped back a notch at one point. Still, it was a solid drive from him considering how tough it is to overtake on this track.
Max was incredible, and Lewis Hamilton was right there with him, constantly putting pressure on the Red Bull Racing pit wall.

Pierre Gasly had a predictably great race. For him, the secret to consistency over these last three races has been crushing qualifying—getting the heavy lifting done on Saturday so he can just close it out on Sunday.

Fernando Alonso looked great, while Esteban Ocon seemed to struggle with how slow Alonso was during the opening laps.

Perez actually ended up with great tactics because he was smart enough not to burn his tires out early...
Vettel played it the same way, pitting early while the guys ahead got stuck in a train...

You've got guys in 1st and 2nd putting in laps 2-3 seconds faster than the pack in front.
And then they run straight into Nikita Mazepin and Nicholas Latifi...

That’s where it counts. Perez managed to clear them relatively fast, but unfortunately, Vettel couldn't even get past Nikita in time...

Then Max, Lewis, and Valtteri came charging through, forcing him to move under blue flags, which completely trashed his strategy.🤦
If he'd cleared the traffic, he would've cruised into points easily, because with that stint, they actually caught everyone up to Carlos Sainz.
The gap between Vettel and Lando Norris was about 20 seconds, right before the pit stops and before Max arrived...
Basically, everyone in that order would have likely come out behind Vettel after the pits, but screw it, he missed the chance to pass Nikita in time and then bled about 10 seconds over the next few laps.🤦
Perez didn't get stuck; he just bolted ahead, and that's why he finished in the points.

So, was Sergio Perez actually the better driver there? 🙂
Is Perez showing more promise? 🙂

I'm asking on behalf of a friend....🙂

Linda Peterson43 said:So, was Sergio Perez actually the better driver there? 🙂
Is Perez showing more promise? 🙂

I'm asking on behalf of a friend....🙂

Tell your friend he’s overreaching with that comparison. Perez is sitting in a car that is easily a full second faster than Vettel’s, let alone compared to the backmarkers he’s slicing through.

Vettel simply couldn't manage it; he tried to force the pace until he spun out. Even Stroll couldn't mount an attack against a Williams in that exact same machinery.

Is Perez a good driver? Certainly, given he's in F1. But once they paired him up next to Max Verstappen, his perceived talent level took a hit.

Saying Sergio Perez flat-spotted his tire is a massive understatement, seriously. You could see those white threads fraying from all the way back on the camera feed 🤣

*Spotted.

George Russell just got slapped with a speeding penalty in the pit lane. It’s going to be really interesting to see if Mercedes keeps making these same kinds of rookie mistakes next season. Honestly, the guy isn't championship material because he just can't maintain a high level over a long stretch. He’ll have these brilliant bursts of speed, sure, but overall he spends more time messing up than actually driving clean. He nearly took out Fernando Alonso right at the start today.

After those two absolute disasters from Mercedes and that one mess with Pirelli... everything feels back in balance again

Congrats to Max

wiredseal7 said:He didn't really slow down once he posted that fast lap—if anything, he just forced his teammate into the pits.

Sergio Perez was breathing down Alonso and Carlos Sainz's necks during those last couple of laps—too bad they didn't show what they had.

Fresh tires and an empty tank—he still managed to snag it even with the slowdown. But let's be real, Lewis ended up pulling away by a full second and a half. He definitely choked in that final sector; his time was 1:12:54 while Lewis's 1:11:09 was way ahead.

Sam Clark75 said:He acts like he’s spiraling—like he can't even wrap his head around fixing things when everything goes south, he just sinks like a stone.

Such a shame, but that's Formula 1 for you—there's always some new kid waiting to jump down your throat.

.........

First off, if anyone had any doubts about George Russell stepping into that Mercedes seat next year, they can toss those doubts out the window after watching how lackluster Valtteri Bottas's fastest lap was just two laps from the finish. It practically forced his crew to call Lewis, who ended up snatching back a potentially valuable point in the final lap. That tragicomic indecision was highlighted when he backed off halfway through the lap the second Mercedes dropped his kryptonite over the radio. He lost a few tenths in the middle sector and then slowed down even more in the final sector just to ensure he wouldn't cause any headaches for his teammate later. As a result, Lewis ended up with a lap that was a full second and a half faster. So, if you thought we were going to see a "determined" Valtteri playing for pride and hunting fast laps to bolster his legacy, think again; he’s leaning into a different kind of exit. He’s leaving, for sure, and he probably already knows his days at Mercedes are numbered, but he’ll depart in his signature style—half-hearted, strictly professional, and without an ounce of spirit or grit.

.......

🤮

honestly, whether it’s Valtteri grabbing it or me, it’s pretty much a wash

It's just like Lewis during the race: "Guys, I seriously need that one point."🙂