F1 2019

[Dryce]

I was just watching the F1 midweek debrief in SkyF1 and they showed radio messages just before Q3 qualifying. Vettel had asked to go behind the Mercs so he could get the tow. MB told their drivers to go but stop for a practise start. This was Vettel overtook them and they remained at the back of the line. At the time I thought WTF are they doing as the timing will be tight but it was a brilliant tactic again from Mercedes.

MB strategist who seems to be getting the credit for this is James Vowles - who was in that odd situation of apologising to LH over the radio at Austria last year over the pit stop (or lack of pit stop) strategy.

 

[Bellow]

Trouble with Lewis is that he needs to have his back to the wall before he can get his best stuff out.

Someone tell Lewis there's a wall creeping up behind him.....

As for VB, Lewis knows he's a threat and as long as it stays fair I think it will be a great contest.

Shaping up that way. More today - should be interesting....

 

[bob6600]

Toto must be having nightmares of Barcelona 2016. Lewis knows he can't be 'as nice' to Bottas as he was in Baku. Should be an interesting start if they both get away well

 

[Bellow]

Aye, it'll be keeping Toto on his toes!
Can't quite work out the psychological game LH is playing with VB - only that he will be playing at least one.

 

[GeeJayW]

Aye, it'll be keeping Toto on his toes!
Can't quite work out the psychological game LH is playing with VB - only that he will be playing at least one.

I dunno. If VB doesn't play dirty, Lewis has got to find a (hopefully) fair way of beating him. Right now VB is in the zone and Lewis is a bit rattled. As you say, it's shaping up to be a great contest between the two of them. Disappointing that Ferrari were a second off the pace yesterday, they have work to do without doubt.

 

[Stratman]

Mercedes would make good roadies...

"One two, one two, one two"

 

[Nat]

Great result for LH and for MV. (I never thought I'd say that about the latter)

WTF were Ferrari thinking of? The drivers do so well up to the race then have any decent result thrown away like an amateur outfit.

 

[anglaslt]

I watched the race on RTL. I don't speak German so I may have missed something but I thought the safety car was unnecessary for such a minor coming together. Wouldn't a virtual safety car have been enough and fairer?

Until then it was shaping for an interesting finish with Hamilton's rear tyres beginning to shred. Another good result for Mercedes but the safety car neutralised the race.

 

[bob6600]

Ferrari are making some strange decisions. They didn't do themselves any favours in this race.

Nice to see Dr. Z on the podium at his last race

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Disappointing that Ferrari were a second off the pace yesterday, they have work to do without doubt.

Story of the last 10 years with Ferrari....

 

[GeeJayW]

I watched the race on RTL. I don't speak German so I may have missed something but I thought the safety car was unnecessary for such a minor coming together. Wouldn't a virtual safety car have been enough and fairer?

Until then it was shaping for an interesting finish with Hamilton's rear tyres beginning to shred. Another good result for Mercedes but the safety car neutralised the race.

Too much gravel/debris on-track for a virtual safety car IMHO, so for me the right call was made. In any case MB could have brought Lewis in for a set of softs and got him out ahead of the red cars and MV had to stop again anyway and given the pace on a new set, VB would have needed to stop again anyway too. So after corner one, likely to be win for Lewis anyway.

 

[Stratman]

Sad state of affairs when the best sounding car on track is the safety car.

 

[GeeJayW]

Sad state of affairs when the best sounding car on track is the safety car.

When we went to Melbourne in 2014, the F1 hybrids were the quietest cars of the weekend. The Aussie V8's, Porsches and an 'old' Red Bull F1 (V10 I think) all sounded much better. Mr. Brundle said that the current cars are now loud enough to just about warrant wearing earplugs trackside.

 

[leef44]

Too much gravel/debris on-track for a virtual safety car IMHO, so for me the right call was made. In any case MB could have brought Lewis in for a set of softs and got him out ahead of the red cars and MV had to stop again anyway and given the pace on a new set, VB would have needed to stop again anyway too. So after corner one, likely to be win for Lewis anyway.

MV and VB had already made their tyre changes just before the safety car. Lewis was losing a second per lap on VB just before VB pitted. Had there not been a safety car, LH would have come out about 2 secs ahead of VB. It would have made a more interesting end to the race but LH looked like he had it in the bag either way.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Watched first 2 laps then switched off.

Didn't miss much

 

[Bellow]

I dunno. If VB doesn't play dirty, Lewis has got to find a (hopefully) fair way of beating him. Right now VB is in the zone and Lewis is a bit rattled. As you you say, it's shaping up to be a great contest between the two of them. Disappointing that Ferrari were a second off the pace yesterday, they have work to do without doubt.

Normal service has resumed it seems. Will VB be able to respond?

 

[GeeJayW]

Normal service has resumed it seems. Will VB be able to respond?

All came down to the start and the first corner. LH can do worse and VB can do better. Game on I reckon.

 

[Mactech]

I watched the F1 this week on a really big screen at Blenheim Palace, from the comfort of an XJ220 I've never done that before!
Must admit my eyes kept wandering to the most concours car I think I have ever seen. A beautiful 1933 SS Coupe across the way. The owner wouldn't even entertain the 220 as a straight swap to drive home
The Mercedes stayed at home this weekend, not 'good form' at a Jaguar do, apparently

 

[Stratman]

Touching

 

[grober]

Zandvoort confirmed for 2020- down principally to a resurgence of interest in the sport because of Max Verstappen? Hanoi in Vietnam also on the list. The irony of an American media company implementing this when they used to bomb it nightly [ known as Ho Chi Minh city during the Vietnam conflict] will be lost on many younger forum members.

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