Reply With QuoteYeah, it’s going to be difficult to tell where the cars are on the circuit from onboard shots during the race - it feels a bit like a bobsleigh chute.
There are bound to be stoppages (yes, Nikita, I’m talking about you!).
Well chaps, just two races left. So it’s off to Saudi Arabia and a new circuit, which based upon FP1 looks terrifying to be honest. A track with very little runs offs, solid safety barriers and an estimated average speed of 155mph. That said the drivers seem to like it, which is what actually matters.
It reminds me a bit of Sochi, Barcelona, Singapore and most Formula E tracks. Certainly exciting, but any accident will mostly likely result in long safety car periods or red flags, because cleaning up the debris will take time. As for overtaking, it does have 3 DRS zones, but I only see one actually being used. There are a couple of high braking corners at either of the track which will provide the brave drivers with an opportunity to “send it”, but lock up and they might find themselves in the wall.
Personally I just want a good clean fight, with none of the drama and BS we have seen recently.
Have a great weekend.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Yeah, it’s going to be difficult to tell where the cars are on the circuit from onboard shots during the race - it feels a bit like a bobsleigh chute.
There are bound to be stoppages (yes, Nikita, I’m talking about you!).
With no run off this could encourage another dangerous move from max, knowing that contact between him and Lewis could suit him, a DNF for both drivers would mean he could finish second in the last race and win it.
Sorry if being a bit cynical!
Originally Posted by ellsy_79
It’s a valid point, but I would be just as worried about Perez and Yuki, I don’t think Gasly would potentially ruin his career to support Max. But an alternative POV could be Bottas, or Norris or George helping the Mercedes cause. Anyway fingers crossed it will not come to anything like this.
Looking at the comparison between Max and Hamilton’s fastest laps, it looks like Max is really on the limit where as things are a little easier inside the Mercedes. What would be interesting to know is whether Hamilton is using his Qatar Engine in FP1/2 or whether they are running the Brazil engine. But I have no doubt that the Brazil engine will feature in qualifying and the race.
In other news, there is a lot of speculation whether Max will take another engine, either here (which makes the most sense) or in AD, with it turned up to 11. All will be revealed tomorrow.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
You are not wrong, but it was LeClerc who didn’t disappoint and wrote his Ferrari off. (Not the first Ferrari to get written off in the Middle East)
Mazepin however did spin and was almost collected by Hamilton, but no damage to either car.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
In my humble opinion, the Saudi circuit is dangerous and there will be a big crash.
Definitely going to be a big crash. Someone (cough Mazepin cough) will spin just after one of the many blind corners and someone will slam straight into him. I really hope that doesn't happen.
Can also see Max nudging Hamilton into a wall but without touching him, just a gentle squeeze.
Its an opinion shared by many including Damon Hill, especially because of high number of blind corners which could result in multi-car pile-ups. That’s assuming of course we get through qualifying, which looking at the speed deltas between those cars prepping for their fastest laps, those on fastest laps and those slowing after their fastest laps, might be tricky.
It might be the first time we see the safety car having to come in for a tyre change.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Ha!
It’s something which has been discussed at length on the F1 forums, but personally I don’t think it will happen unless Max gets really desperate and sees his Championship starting to vanish (so not until AD),
But I believe that the FIA (along with F1 and Liberty) will have given all drivers/teams some very strict “guidance” regarding this and the possible associated penalties, which could include DSQ from the Championship, loss of championship points, suspension of Super Licences and perhaps a massive fine for any team involved. It would be really bad for the sport if this was to happen as it would arguably bring the sport into disrepute.
Finally, Max isn’t an idiot, he understands that if he wins the WDC by cheating (whether real or perceived) he will lose sponsors and his marketing appeal, so will cost him money big time. Currently he is a young brave talented underdog, taking on a 7xWDC and the might of Mercedes, but if he wins by cheating he will become the Lance Armstrong of F1.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Well, what a day.
Firstly Hamilton gets called into the stewards for failing to slow down on double waved yellows, during FP3, which was resulted in a reprimand. Which wasn’t really a surprise given the yellow light was on a about a second, and which looking at his on board camera actually looked white in the twilight. As for the guy waving the flags I still couldn’t see him despite Sky adding a red circle. How a driver is supposed to react at that speed and in that time frame is anyones guess, but I imagine Horner might have something to say about, especially as Max got pinged for the same thing in the previous race.
More serious was a near collision between Hamilton and Mazepin also in FP3, caused by the team failing to inform Hamilton that he was approaching on a fast lap until the last seconds. Hamilton wasn’t punished, but Mercedes were fined 25k of it. Hamilton did apologise to Mazepin for the lapse.
I imagine the stewards will have a busy night, because Norris was held up by Perez during qualifying and Bottas and Kimi managed hit one another during qualifying. Sainz managed to put his car into the wall before declaring the Ferrari was “undriveable”. As for Q3 - it was epic. Hamilton set a fastest time, but Max was really on it (and would have beaten it) had he not locked up before oversteering in the wall. I have ways known Max was very talented, but for the first 2 sectors of his final qualifying lap, were breathtaking and really demonstrated his bravery and total commitment. Very impressive indeed.
Assuming Max hasn’t wreaked his gear box, he will start 3rd behind Bottas and Hamilton and Leclerc will line up along side Max. The drag down to Turn 1 and 2 will be rather spicy, especially if Max outbreaks himself. Let’s hope this doesn’t happen.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Fingers crossed that Max has a gearbox change. That will really spice things up
One of the most enjoyable qualis for a while.
Max was so close to a transcendent lap, but I suppose it’s the second example this season of the wafer-thin but critical difference between two world-class drivers, one after his 8th title and the other his first.
That track is mental. I challenge anyone to watch continuously via an onboard view and not to throw up after half an hour!
Last edited by drmarkf; 4th December 2021 at 22:25.
Overtaking’s going to be difficult without mistakes (or even with them) so it might be spicier from where he is.
Great action at the qualifiers today, Let’s see if bottas can hold up max tomorrow.
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It was the closest Ive seen to a Playstation game. Some of the corners they take flat, it reminds me of the Isle of Man TT . Those guys have to “ trust” there is no one on the track, use all the width and as Max was accussed of yesterday, rubbing the Pirelli logos of the outside of the tyres on the walls.
Bloody remarkable, concentration during quali must have been exhausting. Now they have to do it for the entire race. It's like a double speed Monaco. My heart beat was quite high following on board shots.
I that that MV's qualifying lap (or what was left) will prove to be the decisive moment of this WC.
Watch Alonso on Dutch TV:
Best of the year.god that track would shit me up, If someone hits that wall at the start there will be carnage.
Leclerc's post quali interview was a telling one, you just have to have trust in the car, and if you don't, you're in trouble.
Lovely tribute to sir frank williams on sky sports F1 today
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What a crazy race, another red flag
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Max brake tested Lewis, he needs to take a big hit for that.
Max is dangerous cheat, someone’s going to get hurt!
Crazy old race…
Horney and Max need a cold shower.
…and why the hell can’t Jos and Dr Marko wear their f-ing masks over their noses? Too much self importance, it seems.
Data for MV's braking will be interesting, if MV was to take out LH he will win the championship based on the most race wins - interesting to say the least...
Last edited by murkeywaters; 6th December 2021 at 00:25.
I have no doubt he will take Lewis out if he leads the final Grand Prix. I expect a grid penalty for him for the final race, no place in the sport for causing crashes deliberately
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I have no doubt he will take Lewis out if he leads the final Grand Prix. I expect a grid penalty for him for the final race, no place in the sport for causing crashes deliberately
Why I have little/no time for those 'greats' Senna, Prost and Schumacher.
I'm reminded of chopper Harris TRYING to take out George Best one wet, muddy, dark night in the past. Those days are gone; you can't do moves like that anymore. Let's see what the stewards say.
THat slow down from Max was clearly deliberately unsafe. Think he had red mist for being told to let Lewis past. Could have easily done that in a safer manner.
Verstappen has a screw loose - he's dangerous.
Max was just interviewed in the media pen about the incident and said “I was down shifting and braking” The telemetry should back that up and if so he will, quite rightly, be in trouble with the stewards.
He just can’t get away with it all the time and I’m sick of his “come and have a go at me if you dare” driving tactics……but then that’s the win at all costs ethos of RBR and “Mr Angry Small Man” as their Team Principal
Great they were but gone are those days and rightly so.
It’s the equivalent as Neil Ruddock two footing Andy Cole and breaking both his legs.
Max was told to let Lewis passed and so he slowed down. Lewis did not get the message and was confused and ran into Max.................End of.
Not exactly. Why did MV drift to the left rather than stick to the right side of the track which is where he positioned the car after contact was made?
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Nonsense.
The devil is in the detail you’ve chosen to gloss over.
What detail, video shows max downshifting, lewis downshifting, plenty of room and he just drives into the back of Max. Why didnt he just breeze past. As usual it's not Lewis's fault. Brake testing , I dont think so personally
Why didnt lewis get a penalty for that.
I'm sick to death of hearing how Max is always the bad boy and Lewis is the innocent party.
The title is or will be decided by the stewards. Let em race for goodness sake.
Exactly this well said
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Hahaha
It’s called telemetry….that will prove if Max did indeed downshift and brake in the middle of the track. But Michael Masi is culpable too as he should have told the second car/team first (Mercedes/Lewis) that RBR had to cede the first place and not RBR first.
I actually think we will have a clean race next week and the WDC will be decided without any controversy or steward intervention.
Max knows what he's doing,late braking and not making apex's running people wide.Would love to see the telemetry for that section over the race, I reckon no braking ,just slams down the g/box so it doesnt show on brake tele,he got down to 3rd then lewis hits him ,then he accelerates back up to 4th and continues ..he knew what he was doing.....
Lewis's hasn't always been the innocent party but Max's driving "standards" have consistently crossed the line.
Max's actions are the opposite of racing.
Exactly this
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I'm no fan of Max and agree that this driving is frequently questionable, however what's the logic in Max brake testing Lewis? A front wing can be changed in a handful of seconds, a rear wing cannot be changed during the race. Max risked greater consequence of any such manoeuvre. I think Max clumsily tried to force Lewis to overtake before the DRS line such that he could take back the position.
Correct.
“..the key point for the Stewards was that the driver of Car 33 then braked suddenly (69 bar) and significantly, resulting in 2.4g deceleration.…However, the sudden braking by the driver of Car 33 was determined by the Stewards to be erratic and hence the predominant cause of the collision
I don’t suppose it matters whether he used the brakes or gearbox, the result is the same.
Last edited by SlipperySam; 5th December 2021 at 23:56.
So predominantly to blame means not entirely and they were both playing the same game with the DRS line, hence the collision.
Stewards decision has been made and the result stands.
Time to move on to the last deciding race.
It's going to be a classic I think
Of course. Interestingly biased interpretation there…
It it was because of figuring out how to max the DRS zone then in these instances they may need to disable DRS.
Overall while there was plenty of action it's clear the track isn't brilliant. Barriers breaking after the Mick accident, too many blind corners and the closing speed. I have no idea what Max, Horner and Marko think that they're being unfairly punished you've never been able to overtake off track. After Spa with Ham and Kimi, the rule was clarified on overtaking after giving a place back. Horner then saying Whiting 'was missed' in a dig to Masi (weeks after slating Stewards) shows how classless that guy is, Whiting was just as poor.
The next GP is going to be ridiculous and whoever wins the other fan group will be unhappy. I just hope it's won on pure pace and not shenanigans.
In theory, if Max deliberately takes out Lewis so they are both DNF, then Max is World Champion. I hope the stewards address this at the pre-race drivers’ briefing - any such action will be met with a 30 championship point penalty for the offender.
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