Formula One 2018 - General Thread

[grober]

I suspect that Ferrari F1 team may be only now beginning to miss the steadying hand of the late CEO Sergio Marchionne on the tiller?
Former Ferrari chief Sergio Marchionne dies

 

[Dryce]

5, 6 world championships for Lewis, maybe 7 ?

After yesterday's qualifying lap?

You're thinking only 7?

That said - I think it's a reasonable supposition that LH has got at least 3 very good years left and maybe 2 or 3 good years.

So if his team and car can deliver then I think he's now 80:20 to get WDC number 5 this year, and 50:50 for the next three years, and maybe 20:80 for the two years after that.

So a reasonable punt at 2.7 WDCs (including number 5) - so 6.7.

Which I think means very likely to get 6 with a good chance of number 7.

 

[Deleted member 131833]

Qualifying was spectacular but have to ask if if he turned up the wick on the engine to achieve it, hope by thrashing engine he does not suffer for it later on the second last race if the engine packs up and he is penalised for fitting a new engine.

Ferrari were seen to have the most powerful engine and expected to win pole, just shows that you must never listen to the so called experts on television

 

[GeeJayW]

Qualifying was spectacular but have to ask if if he turned up the wick on the engine to achieve it, hope by thrashing engine he does not suffer for it later on the second last race if the engine packs up and he is penalised for fitting a new engine.

Ferrari were seen to have the most powerful engine and expected to win pole, just shows that you must never listen to the so called experts on television

Given how surprised the team seemed to have been about his first Q3 lap, I don't think he had more than the usual MB party mode. What he did do was put together an almost flawless lap that he was unable to repeat/improve on. Singapore is a track where like Monaco, the driver can make a difference. Most of the time the drivers including Lewis make a few small mistakes each lap as they explore the limits of what is possible.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

...........just shows that you must never listen to the so called experts on television

Not just the experts on the tele, Ferrari themselves expected this would be their weekend.

 

[Dryce]

Qualifying was spectacular but have to ask if if he turned up the wick on the engine to achieve it, hope by thrashing engine he does not suffer for it later on the second last race if the engine packs up and he is penalised for fitting a new engine.

Watch the fastest Q3 laps from MV and LH.

My *interpretation* of watching the driver is that MV is more on the edge than LH. LH looked smoother than his Q1 and Q2 laps. LH was a lot faster than VB - who presumably had the same engine options. VB was slower than SV.

I think on that basis LH pulled out something quite personal and special over and above what his car was delivering.

Ferrari were seen to have the most powerful engine and expected to win pole, just shows that you must never listen to the so called experts on television

This was probably more about tyres.

I'm guessing that Ferrari was less happy on the 'Super' soft tyres. So they really wanted to run the race on 'Ultra' and 'Hyper'. Probably two stops.

Ferrari were probably wanting to start on Ultras - giving them the strategy options that suited hem in the race. Q2 performance put that on ice. Then it went from bad to worse with LH getting pole then he could dictate the pace of the race to suit MB (and RB) strategy.

I suspect that while he focus is understandably on LH - the drive by SV was probably remarkable but overlooked. While the slower pace helped him - he managed to keep the Ultras going for longer than LH had to nurse his Supers.

And the blue flag issue is also probably more about tyres too. Closing to 1.2s with a back marker shouldn't trouble a Ferrai or MB even at Singapore - unless it is because doing so would mess with your tyre management.

 

[bob6600]

Qualifying was spectacular but have to ask if if he turned up the wick on the engine to achieve it, hope by thrashing engine he does not suffer for it later on the second last race if the engine packs up and he is penalised for fitting a new engine.

Ferrari were seen to have the most powerful engine and expected to win pole, just shows that you must never listen to the so called experts on television

They always turn it up in Q3 (or Q2&3 can't remember) to strat mode 11 or 'party mode'. It basically gives full beans hence they don't use for long periods for the reasons you stated. Ferrari also have the ability this year to turn the wick up in qualy where as previously their engine did not have the capability to do this, which is why Mercedes powered cars have had the best engine up until now.

Lewis hooked up every section in his lap, no wheelspin, no snapping just the right input from him at every corner. His prep was also bang on for that track, the slow inlap prepped the tyres just as he needed them. Ferrari did a fast out lap and must have taken some life out of them. Coupled with making some minor mistakes, Ferrari could not come close to Lewis although no one expected Lewis to be sooo far ahead!

In reality, there are 150 points left on the table and Seb needs to win them all (if there are no retirements) to win the WDC.

 

[Deleted member 131833]

Missed the qualifying so will have to agree with posts above, do not have sky sport anymore because of price increases so have to depend on channel 4 . Just when it is going to be very interesting, I will have to read reports on bbc and watch highlights

Have to try and get catchup on the q3 lap Hamilton won pole position.

 

[Dryce]

I'm guessing that Ferrari was less happy on the 'Super' soft tyres. So they really wanted to run the race on 'Ultra' and 'Hyper'. Probably two stops.

I suspect that while he focus is understandably on LH - the drive by SV was probably remarkable but overlooked. While the slower pace helped him - he managed to keep the Ultras going for longer than LH had to nurse his Supers.

I should have said 'Soft' rather than 'Super'.

Brain fade - thinking one tyre compound level up from 'Ultra'. Supers are red walled and were not available at this race. Softs are yellow. Doh!

 

[Nat]

Another great result for LH with a flawless weekend that made SV look like he hadn't arrived.

 

[GeeJayW]

Another great result for LH with a flawless weekend that made SV look like he hadn't arrived.

Lewis and MB definitely put it all together this weekend, against most people's expectations too. To be honest, I think Ferrari have struggled a bit since James Allison left. Seb can still pedal, but if they're not quite getting things right on the pitwall, the results won't come.

 

[Nat]

Ferrari seem to be over thinking, so maybe some mistakes? Good for LH

I still think SV is a great driver and better than MV - maybe Seb stayed out of his way to avoid a DNF? Wise move? Some points are better than none.

 

[Stratman]

Ferrari seem to be over thinking, so maybe some mistakes? Good for LH

I still think SV is a great driver and better than MV - maybe Seb stayed out of his way to avoid a DNF? Wise move? Some points are better than none.

Exactly what I thought at the time. Twice he was alongside Verstappen going into a corner and twice he gave way.

 

[wu56Shoozz]

But what about Perez?? Needs an eye test I think and a ban until sorted. I mean two shunts in one race that just stupidity at its worst.. If the front wing is "quarter of a mill" EJ's words not mine, what damage did he do to the three cars??

 

[GeeJayW]

But what about Perez?? Needs an eye test I think and a ban until sorted. I mean two shunts in one race that just stupidity at its worst.. If the front wing is "quarter of a mill" EJ's words not mine, what damage did he do to the three cars??

Looked like he opened the steering for the collision with Ocon. Certainly didn't leave any room and as for not knowing Ocon was there... yeah right, pull the other one. I haven't seen the whole race, so don't know what he did for the second incident. I like Perez (met him when he was in F3), but he can be cynical behind the wheel at times.

 

[Dryce]

I still think SV is a great driver and better than MV - maybe Seb stayed out of his way to avoid a DNF? Wise move? Some points are better than none.

SV is a great driver. I think if he had a sniff of second place then he wouldn't stay out of MV's way - he'd have a go.

Yesterday was about tyre management. The race pace and apparent timidity of the top drivers was about tyres. Once LH was on the soft tyres then SV stuck on the ultras knew he had to tip toe round the circuit for the next 45 laps or so. Maybe if he had managed to stay ahead of MV we would have seen him put up a defence for a while - but at what cost - chances are his tyres would have expired quicker and we'd have seen him have to pit again - and he'd proably be behind KR and VB and DR..

If SV had got pole on Saturday we would likely have seen a faster race with Ferrari tyre strategy. Ferrari apparently blocked him from making a second run in Q2 on the Ultrasofts - he believed he could have set a time that was good enough to get to Q1. Consider if he had been third on the grid on Ultras - at the initial pace dictated by LH he would have had a lot left in them to do an overcut on LH and MV - and that would have left Ferrari dictating when they made their first stop.

This race was won and lost on Saturday.

 

[Nat]

Fair point although I'd imagine if it was LH he would have told them he was coming in for another pit stop. What was the gap? 39 seconds or something crazy and a pit stop was 20 something seconds. At least on fresh tyres nearing the end of the race he could have made a spirited drive and at least tackled MV. Poor choices by his team.

I'd imagine both LH and SV would be happy to stay behind MV in the next races and take some points while not taking the chance that MV would take them out which he has proved he is sadly quite good at.

 

[GeeJayW]

Just watched the second Perez incident, this time with Sirotkin... Not impressed Sergio, not impressed.

Sirotkin demonstrated later on why he shouldn't even be in F1 at all.

 

[Dryce]

Just watched the second Perez incident, this time with Sirotkin... Not impressed Sergio, not impressed.

Seems quite petulant on track at times. Which seems to be at odds with his ability at other times to keep a cool head and drive a very managed strategy.

Sirotkin demonstrated later on why he shouldn't even be in F1 at all.

????

I thought his tyres were gone when he had his later incident.

 

[GeeJayW]

????

I thought his tyres were gone when he had his later incident.

I guess so. Maybe I'm doing him a disservice, after all he is unfortunately driving a bit of a tractor this year.