2021 Emilia Romagna GP (Imola) | April 16-18

Looks like I missed the absolute chaos unfolding yesterday. 🤣
Luckily there’s a replay out there so I can catch up on at least some of what went down.

Gary Palmer8 said:If one chooses to emphasize a particular point three times over, does that truly lend it any more weight? I often find myself wondering if such repetition actually serves to strengthen an argument, or if it simply dilutes the essence of what was intended to be said in the first place. Is there not a certain futility in circling back to the same thought repeatedly, as if the sheer volume of the assertion could somehow compensate for a lack of depth? I find myself wondering, quite sincerely, whether one’s presence here truly carries any weight at all, or if perhaps I am simply drifting through these discussions without ever truly making an impact. Is there even a point to contributing when one feels so utterly inconsequential? It seems that, in this vast expanse of discourse, my voice lacks any semblance of relevance.
Haha, well, if you look closely at the wreckage, wouldn't you say he was actually missing a decent chunk of his front wing?
Is it not truly remarkable how a simple, three-letter expression can encapsulate such a vast spectrum of human emotion, even when stripped of all surrounding context? One finds oneself wondering, in the quiet moments of reflection, why we feel the need to distill our amusement into such a brief, almost clinical abbreviation. Is it perhaps a defense mechanism against the overwhelming nature of modern digital communication, or simply a way to signal agreement without the burden of further elaboration? It is quite amusing, really.

How is it that those bitter little haters can be so incredibly loud and obnoxious about the fact that our guy managed to fight his way all the way up to second place, while Botko was essentially just out there taking a scenic tour of the track in that exact same car? Is it even possible to comprehend such a blatant lack of perspective?

Is he truly any more significant than any other regular contributor on this forum? To put it quite plainly, you aren't offering any more insight or weight than he is. Might I suggest that you direct your attention toward what is actually happening out on the track, rather than dwelling so intently on the various personalities within this community?
Is it not a profound misconception to assume that everyone who fails to find enthusiasm in the driving performance of a driver—one who quite literally veered off the track and demolished his own car—is merely acting out of pure, unadulterated malice? Must we always label dissent as hatred?

stormytiger4 said:Looks like I missed a total disaster yesterday. 🤣
Lucky enough that there's a replay out there—definitely going to catch up on what I missed.

Yeah, honestly—between the two best drivers on the grid, you can't even tell who messed up worse. Was it Lewis Hamilton overtaking a backmarker, or Max Verstappen spinning out under the safety car? Honestly, Max was only saved by how much mercy that guy behind him showed...

graniteharbor502 said:He’s about as relevant as any other guy on this forum—basically, you aren't any more important than him. Just focus on what’s happening on the track instead of obsessing over the users.
Not everyone who wasn't thrilled with a driver spinning off and wrecking his car is a hater.

That's true—I honestly don't get why people are trying so hard to prove Lewis Hamilton messed up when everyone else saw it too and feels the same way. 😁

But you have to admit, that point B thing was easily one of the most ridiculous F1 takes you've ever read... I mean, they'd be measuring the gap in minutes! 🤣

stormytiger4 said:Looks like I missed total chaos yesterday. 🤣
Lucky there's a replay so I can catch at least some of the madness.

Man, you missed the race of the decade. Absolute masterclass.

Gary Palmer8 said:a) Repeating yourself three times doesn't make you right if you aren't even part of the conversation.
b) lol, he was missing a chunk of his front wing.
c) LOL

I don't get why the haters are being such cowards just because the guy managed to pull into 2nd place, while Botko was basically out for a Sunday drive in the exact same car...

I still think Amanda Kelly messed up the registration, though. He did have that bit of front wing missing, but I doubt it played a massive role in his pace. He was losing ground to Max Verstappen, but even without the damage, I don't think he would have actually threatened him.

Roger Wright94 said:Yesterday's setbacks:

a) He was bullied at the start by Max Verstappen (who was in P3). Simply bullied.

b) He fell too far behind Max early on while the track was still quite wet.
At least 1.5 seconds per lap. In those conditions, his gap to Max would have grown to minutes by the end.

c) That excursion off track? Pure arrogance. I suppose he’s gotten too used to being able to overtake whenever and wherever he wants with this car. This time, he overplayed his hand.

Given how Valtteri Bottas seemed to be in his own world all weekend, there isn't much to go on regarding the car's actual pace. It’s entirely possible—likely even so—that Lewis was the one providing that extra push. I'd say Lewis was neck-and-neck with Red Bull, though I can't be certain about Mercedes.

That said, Mercedes had at least half a second (probably more) advantage in race pace over the rest of the field. So, watching him fight from P8 or P9 up to P2 over roughly twenty laps? It was about as impressive as a clay pigeon shoot!
Out of pure decency—respecting myself first and then Lewis as a driver—I would never publicly boast or celebrate something like that.

Fine.

Gary Palmer8 said:Look at these haters acting like jerks just because the man dragged himself to 2nd place, while Botko was basically out for a Sunday stroll in the same car...

Exactly.

An eruption of excitement, people already preparing their victory posts... and then, as Lewis Hamilton carved through the field, that joy slowly curdled into pure rage.
And then, to really rub salt in the wound, a flat spot in the penultimate lap.

Lewis Hamilton is currently piloting the premier car on the starting grid, though one must wonder if that truly speaks to his individual prowess. While he certainly appeared to be slicing through the competition with ease, it is worth noting that he didn't even come close to matching the pace set by Max Verstappen. Furthermore, had George Russell not collided with Valtteri Bottas, is it not entirely plausible that Valtteri might have actually secured some decent wing setup on a dry track?
And then there is the matter of the immense stroke of luck Lewis enjoyed after his excursion toward the barriers, a fortunate turn of events precipitated quite directly by the collision between Russell and Bottas. Given those circumstances, I find myself struggling to see any profound reason to indulge in excessive celebration regarding his driving performance today.

stormybadger8 said:This penalty just perfectly highlights how incompetent both the officials and Massia are. 🤦
An absolute disgrace. 😵

The penalty itself is clear as day; there's no debating that...
It was obvious to anyone watching that Stroll didn't just overtake Gasly off-track—he literally cut the corner entirely...
We aren't talking about him clipping the edge of the track; Stroll was several yards wide of the line. 🤦

And what’s truly pathetic is receiving a penalty after the race for something that happened back in Lap 7!
They had Will Buxton and the rest of the crew on F1 TV pointing it out clearly during the post-race coverage, and then the officials act surprised, wondering why they seem so blind and incapable...
Honestly, where are these officials? What kind of amateurs are we dealing with if they can't spot something this blatant and fail to make a call during the actual race for such a simple, obvious infraction?

Then there's the situation with Vettel, which is even more absurd. The rule is straightforward—there's no room for interpretation. If the tires aren't on the car in time, you get penalized. Period.
So why does it take them nearly half the race to make the call? And to deliver it right after he pits, when he could have already served the penalty?
They effectively ruined his pit sequence and turned what should have been a 10-second penalty into a 30-second loss due to their own delay...
Sure, Vettel's race was already a mess regardless, so maybe it doesn't matter much here. But if this happened to Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton, the media would be tearing them apart, and everyone would be demanding Massia's resignation...

The guy is a walking disaster. Race after race, he shows just how inept he is. Between the delayed calls and the bizarre, questionable decisions from the stewards, it's a mess...
And all Massia can do is ramble like an incompetent politician, acting as if 6, 12, or 24 hours isn't too long to make a dead-simple decision on a penalty. 🤦

Everyone who got penalized deserved it.
All the penalties were proportional to the errors made.
The officiating stayed consistent with what we've seen before.

Why all this bitterness?
Take it easy, you don't need this.

Raymond Anderson4 said:He was losing ground to Max Verstappen, but even so, I don't think he posed any threat to him.

Red Bull had the better car during that wet opening stint.
There wasn't much Hamilton could do about it, though his attempt to stretch the intermediates one lap longer than Max Verstappen was actually quite impressive.
Shame about that messy front-right tire change.

graniteharbor502 said:Lewis Hamilton is driving the best car on the grid. Just because he’s slicing through the field in a noticeably faster machine doesn't mean much when he couldn't even touch Max. If Russell hadn't taken out Bottas, there's a decent chance Valtteri would have actually had a shot at some dry track performance.
And let's not forget the massive stroke of luck Lewis had after spinning out and getting intimate with the barrier—luck that was handed to him on a silver platter by the collision between Russell and Bottas. Honestly, I don't see much reason to go crazy over his driving.

Have you ever seen a single mature discussion or sensible comment on this place? It all boils down to people swinging between extreme worship and total bashing, fueled by nothing but childish fanboy hysterics and hateful bickering.

graniteharbor502 said:Lewis Hamilton is driving the best car on the grid. Just because he’s slicing through people doesn't mean much—he wasn't even close to Max. If Russell hadn't taken out Bottas, maybe Valtteri would've actually had a shot at some podium glory on a dry track.
And let's not forget how much luck Lewis had after flying off and getting cozy with the barriers—luck provided by that Russell-Bottas collision. Honestly, I don't see much reason to hype up his driving.

If Mercedes really had the best car, Bottas would be standing on podiums all day. But clearly, that's not happening.

We've seen what Mercedes looks like without Hamilton. The race at Imola 2021 was basically the same story as the one in Shakir, except you've got the GOAT in the cockpit. Despite all the absolute chaos they've dealt with, he still grabs second, snags fastest lap, and stays right in the points lead.

No George Russell, no Valtteri Bottas, and honestly, not even Max Verstappen could pull that off. Nobody. Maybe if you go back to the FIA from the mid-90s, but that's about it.

I knew exactly what kind of driver he was back at Melbourne 2007—some people still haven't figured it out even after Imola 2021.

graniteharbor502 said:Lewis Hamilton is driving the best car on the grid. Him slicing through the field just because his car is visibly faster doesn't mean much when he couldn't even touch Max. If Russell hadn't taken out Bottas, there's a chance Valtteri might have actually seen some dry track action too.
And let's not forget how incredibly lucky Lewis was after hitting the barrier—luck that came courtesy of the collision between Russell and Bottas. I don't see much reason to go crazy over his driving.

You're just being a hater.

On the subject of Lewis's driving, I'd add one thing:
There’s a big difference between being (really) happy about a result.
And glorifying a drive (in a dominant car against absolute pushovers).
IMO, maybe Lewis's driving was fantastic. But given the current conditions and the equipment he had, I'm pretty sure half the grid could have pulled off that same result.
So, the hype from Lewis's fan club stays strictly within that fan club.

Anyway, I want to hear from the rest of you guys here. What do you think about Lewis's performance and what he managed to pull off during those last 20 laps yesterday? Was that actually a realistic achievement, or was it something reserved only for aliens!?

ruggedhawk20 said:... besides the fact that we have a GOAT in the cockpit who, despite all the chaos and bad luck hitting the team, still managed to grab P2, snag the fastest lap, and stay in the points lead...

What kind of chaos is he talking about? 😵Is there some higher power at work here???

He lost his starting position to third place on his own!
He spun out for no reason at all!

Bottom line: he’s entirely responsible for the mess he found himself in through his own mistakes.
On the flip side, if it weren't for a lucky break (you know, "fate"), he never would've even touched P2.

Roger Wright94 said:You're just a hater.

On the Lewis driving thing—just to add my two cents:
There’s a massive difference between being (super) stoked about a result.
And glorifying a drive when you're in a dominant car cruising past absolute nobodies.
IMO, maybe Lewis's drive was fantastic. But given the current conditions and the gear he's working with, I'm pretty sure half the grid could've pulled that off right now.
So yeah, the "Lewis Fan Club" can stay as hyped as they want, but they're basically just celebrating the same old story.

Anyway, let's hear it from the rest of you guys on this forum—what's the verdict on Lewis's driving and how he handled those last 20 laps yesterday? Was that actually peak performance, or was it some alien-level stuff that nobody else could touch!?

Well, looking at Bottas...

A guy getting paid $15,000,000 a season. Clearly, we were witnessing some GOAT-level, extraterrestrial driving there.

Or are you trying to tell me Bottas is just some irrelevant nobody who doesn't set any kind of benchmark?

But hey, someone is signing off on that $15,000,000 paycheck year after year. You really think they're paying that much for nothing!?

$15 million for a total wash? Come on, use your head.

ruggedhawk20 said:Sudec thinks it's based on Bottas...

So we're talking about a driver getting paid $15,000,000 a season. Clearly, we were witnessing some kind of GOAT-level alien performance here.

Or are you trying to tell me Bottas is just some irrelevant nobody who doesn't set any standard?

But hey, someone is signing off on that $15,000,000 paycheck year after year. You really think they're paying that much for a nobody?

$15 million for a non-entity? Use your head.

I talk about Formula 1 constantly, and I have pretty clear stances. Including my stance on Bottas.

Did it ever occur to you that this was just a (really) bad weekend for Bottas?
That he simply didn't deliver his usual standard?

I spoke highly of Lewis's driving (though apparently, that’s blinded you), so you missed it. Take a closer look at my previous posts.
I think he drove great, but I don't see it as some massive achievement to beat the other 6 or 7 drivers in this year's Mercedes who are a class below him—drivers who were all bunched up right behind him without huge gaps.
And I'm fairly certain half the grid could have done the exact same thing. I didn't say everyone, I said "at least half the grid."

Hot take here

1) Red Bull is just on another level. A total class act compared to the rest. Max Verstappen already admitted it—when you're in a car that dominant, you’re way more relaxed and making fewer mistakes.

2) McLaren is an absolute rocket. Too bad they don't have anyone actually capable of driving it right now.

3) Mercedes and McLaren are basically in the same ballpark.

4) If Lewis were in that McLaren, he’d have the exact same results—same 41 points, no question. Performance-wise, those two cars are neck and neck.

It sucks, honestly. McLaren is being driven by two Bottas clones—one's Lando Norris and the other's Daniel Ricciardo. That’s why you aren't seeing the car's full potential.

ruggedhawk20 said:I find myself holding a rather different perspective on these matters.

1) It is quite evident that the Red Bull is a dominant machine, sitting in a class entirely of its own compared to the rest of the field. Even Max Verstappen himself has acknowledged this reality, noting that when one is behind such a superior car, it allows for a much more relaxed approach, which naturally leads to fewer errors.

2) While the McLaren is an exceptionally capable car, it seems, quite lamentably, that they lack the specific talent required to truly exploit it.

3) As for Mercedes and McLaren, they seem to be hovering somewhere in the middle ground.

4) Had Lewis been behind the wheel of that McLaren, would we not have seen essentially the same results, perhaps even those same 41 points? Since both cars occupy a similar performance bracket, wouldn't the outcome remain largely unchanged?

It is simply unfortunate. The McLaren is being piloted by two drivers who feel like mere versions of Bottas—one is Lando Norris and the other is Daniel Ricciardo—and consequently, the true potential of that vehicle remains tragically untapped.

The McLaren is currently being driven by two individuals who didn't commit a single error during the race, and frankly, wouldn't have finished anywhere near Hamilton if Russell and Bottas hadn't collided. That is really all there is to say about the situation...

Furthermore, Lewis had his front wing replaced while the red flag was flying, so any damage to the wing was effectively neutralized for the second half of the race.

ruggedhawk20 said:I’ve got a different take on this.

1) Red Bull is just dominant. They're in a completely different league. Even Max Verstappen admitted it—he said having a car like that lets him relax more and make fewer mistakes.
2) McLaren is an incredible car. It's just a shame they don't have anyone in the seat to actually use it.
3) Mercedes and McLaren are just hovering somewhere in the middle.
4) If Lewis were driving the McLaren, he’d have the exact same results and those same 41 points. Performance-wise, the two cars are basically neck and neck.

Whatever. McLaren is basically being driven by two Bottas's right now. One is Lando Norris and the other is Daniel Ricciardo. You just aren't seeing what that car can really do.

This is fine.
It's good to have an opinion. It's even better to have a different one.

1. I'm not convinced yet. I'd say it's championship material, sure, but it's nowhere near dominant.
2. Great car, great drivers.
3. A hard NO on that.
4. Definitely not.

ruggedhawk20 said:When you're pulling in $15,000,000 a season, you'd better deliver. It was clearly just that GOAT's alien-level driving.

So, I heard a rumor that Bottas is pulling in $15 million. Honestly, at this point, nothing in this sport actually surprises me anymore. 🤔 Come on, ruggedhawk20, take a second to think about that. Are you sure you aren't overreacting just a little bit?

ruggedhawk20 said:So, someone’s hand is signing off on that $15 million paycheck year after year. You really think he's just doing it for the pocket change? Give me a break.

It’s not about the cap.
So, let's talk about that mindless drone being operated by remote control.
If they’re dropping more than $5 million on him, it isn't about talent. It’s just a way to make sure Toto has a little houseguest he can keep on a very short leash.