2011 Canadian Grand Prix - July 31st

Actually, I think I’ve figured out where the catch lies. Following his second pit stop, the team radio mentioned he needed to manage 25 laps on that specific set of tires. He was already starting to struggle after about 17 or 18 laps, so since they knew he’d have to pit twice more anyway, they decided to take advantage of those red compounds—assuming they were even faster at all.

In my opinion, he really should have used up two sets of mediums to make up for that extra pit stop. He was driving so fast; who knows how that could have ended up...

Maria Lopez said:hm. :carlos:.

😁

whoops

🤣 🤣 😁

Eric Clark88 said:all those statements they made just five or ten minutes after the race ended? They’ve all been filtered through the Public Relations Department machinery, so I don't take much of what they say at face value.

Actually, a good portion of those comments were made right in front of the cameras in the media pen, so there isn't quite as much room for PR bullshit there, is there?😉

It seems like the McLaren Public Relations Department probably keeps a folder of five or six pre-written statements ready just to cover Hamilton's usual "mishaps," and they simply relay them over the radio like "statement A, can you hear me, statement A". 😁 🙏 😂 🤣

Chris Ortiz said:I actually think I figured out the catch. After his second pit stop, they told him over the radio he had to pull off 25 laps on those tires. He was already falling off the pace by lap 17 or 18. Since they knew he’d have to pit twice more anyway, they just used those faster reds. Assuming they were even faster.

In my opinion, he should've burned through two sets of yellows to make up for that extra pit stop. He was fast, too—who knows how that would've played out...

What do you mean two yellows? He already burned through two sets during Q1 and Q2.😳

Hamilton was the only one who finished both Q1 and Q2 on yellow tires.

Maybe that would've been a brilliant tactic if the race stayed dry and the track was hot, but damn, it wasn't. In the end, it was just a handicap.

stormybadger8 said:It’s wild how he burned through two sets of mediums—once in Q1 and again in Q2. 😳

Lewis was actually the only one who finished both Q1 and Q2 sitting on those medium tires.

In a perfect world—say, if the track stayed bone-dry and the asphalt was scorching—that might have actually worked out as a strategic advantage. But unfortunately, it wasn't—it just ended up being a massive handicap.

Don't they get three sets of hards and three sets of softs (well, four, if you count them that way)? 😕

Quote : Rain

redheron12 said:Don't they have three sets of hards and three sets of softs? Or maybe four, if you count them that way. 😕

He really should have... he totally blew two sets of yellows during qualifying. 🙂

I guess maybe they were operating on some kind of crazy logic where they thought someone could just run about 30 laps on the super softs and match what Vettel and Button did on the softs? 😂

Maybe he was saving his tires so much that he ended up being a bit slower on the softer compound? In my opinion, if he was already on the super softs and then went back out again, he should have burned through them for about 10 or 11 laps, built up a 10-second gap, and then caught up right behind Sebastian Vettel. I honestly doubt he wouldn't have won... if it hadn't been for that spin. 😢

🤔

crimsonstag84 said:They really should have... he wasted two sets of yellows during qualifying 🙂

What if they were following some bizarre logic—sending someone out to pull about 30 laps on the super softs, hoping they could match what Vettel and Jenson Button did on the softs? 😂

Maybe he was nursing those tires so much that he ended up being just a bit too slow on the softer compound? Personally, if he was going to run the super soft and then go again, he should have burned through them for 10 or 11 laps to build a 10-second gap—then pit right behind Vettel—and I honestly doubt he wouldn't have won... if it hadn't been for that spin... 😢

🤔

Yup, that was the strategy, though it wasn't just the spin that messed things up—it was the fact that, say, Vettel and Button were pulling laps on the yellows nearly as fast as Fernando Alonso was on the reds during those few laps before the rain hit (likely due to the track cooling down). I find it hard to believe Lewis would have built enough of a cushion to pit and still reclaim the lead... 🤷

Honestly, I even felt like the yellows were outrunning the reds at certain points. 🤔

Keith Rodriguez27 said:I honestly thought the yellows were faster than the reds at certain points. 🤔

Probably just track conditions... if I remember right, a light drizzle started hitting one section of the circuit too...

Anyway, screw the tire talk and why he had to stick with his teams—it’s still hilarious to me how they can drop two different statements at two different spots within minutes of each other.

Whatever, it doesn't matter. The main thing is that the gentleman won this race. As far as I'm concerned, he can go ahead and win the next one too (assuming it's a wet one, obviously). ☕

William Bennett53 said:it’s probably just the PR department at McLaren keeping a folder of five or six canned responses ready to cover for Lewis Hamilton whenever he hits a snag, basically just feeding him lines over the radio like, "statement A, you hear me? statement A". 😁 🙏 😂 🤣

🤣

crimsonstag84 said:Perhaps he was being overly cautious with his tire preservation, which might have cost him some pace on those softer compounds? In my estimation, if he had started on the super softs and then switched back to them later, he should have been able to burn through them for about 10 or 11 laps, build up a gap of more than 10 seconds, and pull right up to the back of Sebastian Vettel's gearbox. I truly doubt he wouldn't have secured the win if it weren't for that spin... 😢

Exactly, that’s precisely what I was thinking, though I find it hard to believe he could have built such a massive lead. Aside from those first 15 laps—which is just classic Jenson Button, always taking a little while to find his rhythm at the start—he was consistently a bit quicker than everyone else. Honestly, I think it would have been a struggle for even him to manage to stretch those yellows out for 20 laps.

Maria Lopez said:yeah

so here's what Martin Whitmarsh had to say about it:


McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh: "That's The way to celebrate. Jenson Button drove a great race, he was calm, he was cool, he gave great information. It was one of those great wins in difficult conditions. It was a team decision for Lewis Hamilton to go on to inters - it was raining, his tyres were shot and there was rain on the radar. Half The Cars came in and did The same thing. Clearly with hindsight you'd make a different call, but he stayed calm, picked up another couple of places and important points. "He's a guy who wants to win and as his reaction shows, he's dealt with the situation so well."

and hey, he basically said exactly what you were thinking
it's just total confirmation of what you already figured out yourself, really
he isn't even talking the way he used to anymore, it's weird

edit: found Hem'sstatement

this is like a completely different Hamilton🤷

redheron12 said:Honestly, why are we even wasting breath debating the importance of those intermediate tires? It’s a complete non-issue when you consider that Lewis Hamilton's race was essentially handed to him on a silver platter the moment his pit stop crew opted for the softs instead.

The intermediate tires were absolutely shredded, leaving them completely squared off; had the rain intensified even slightly, he might have actually managed to claw back the deficit caused by that disastrous tire choice. 🤷

He didn't actually lose anything, really; he might have slipped behind guys like Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, but he would have surrendered those positions regardless if he'd been forced into a pit stop for fresh rubber. Perhaps the only driver who could have actually caught him was Alonso... maybe. 🤷

So, there was absolutely zero risk involved—he had nothing to lose—yet he still managed to let a victory slip right through his fingers. 🙂

Exactly. If he had just opted for the medium compound—and if I recall correctly, they had three sets available—it wouldn't have been much of a setback even with worn mediums from Q1; he would have cruised to victory without breaking a sweat. In theory, those softs should have been about eight-tenths faster, which over a stretch of twelve or fourteen laps provides more than enough cushion to reclaim the top spot, and even if he didn't, he could have easily overhauled anyone struggling on old mediums by utilizing the fresh softs.

WTF 😕

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9tF7...embedded#at=78

God, these idiots are literally flying off the track while the Renault is on fire and the marshals are trying to douse the flames. I honestly don't get what Williams and STR were thinking here.😲>





Holy crap, they're driving through debris and coming within inches of a burning car and the firefighters.😲>

Everyone else is actually staying in their lane and keeping distance from the wreck, but apparently, that's too much to ask for these guys.😕>

There are a few more passing by, but they're moving so fast I can barely catch them on camera to see who's who. Pretty sure one was an RB or STR and maybe a Lotus.🤷>

Are they finally hitting the track? 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buK3oheWknQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP2Lj...embedded#at=36

🤣🤣🤣

Honestly, Lewis Hamilton pulled that off pretty well, especially considering what happened up there. 😬🤣

mistybear87 said:hitting the pits? 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buK3oheWknQ

Honestly, hadn't even thought about it. 😵

stormybadger8 said:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP2Lj...embedded#at=36

🤣🤣🤣

Honestly, Lewis Hamilton pulled that off quite well—especially considering what happened with the driver mentioned above 😬🤣

If I recall correctly, that other driver was handed a three-race ban because of that incident 🤣

So, it isn't just that Lewis Hamilton executed it perfectly—he actually managed to get away with it much more easily 😁

stormybadger8 said:I honestly hadn't given it much thought at all 😵

🤣🤣
Are you trying to cure your fingers with beer? 😬