1323 replies to this topic

[Risil]

It's race day (nearly). A standard-issue qualifying session resulted in a standard issue top three, with Hamilton and Bottas locking Max Verstappen out of the front row of the grid. McLaren's Carlos Sainz had a strange spin in Q2, leaving him 15th, and in the ensuing red flag confusion Lance Stroll ended up setting his fastest lap on used tyres and qualified 13th. The Ferraris look bad, the Renaults look better than average, and George Russell managed a P14 start in his Williams. The Haases are right at the back, but touchingly Magnussen and Grosjean qualifed within three-hundredths of a second of each other, so they must be trying very hard in very ordinary cars. Full grid below:

Nice! I think that means we'll have a tolerable race. All hopes pinned on Max Verstappen, as usual, to make things interesting at the front. The top 10 are all starting on medium tyres, but plenty of drivers are claiming to have clever tyre strategies lined up. Or they might be bluffing. The race starts at the usual time of 2.10pm GMT (that's just after 5pm in Bahrain), so please pace yourselves. Remember to check out the F2 thread too as the sprint race will start absurdly early as usual.

 

Enjoy!

[davidlan]

ah! another early morning rise.

When will it ever end?

 

**** I could just record it and sleep late.

 

Night all

 

Dave

[TheFish]

Expecting Lewis to win comfortably, the fun should come behind the top 3. Could be a lot of fun for P4.

[MJB5990]

If they get away in formation I expect a Lewis win.

But if Valtteri gets the jump, all bets are off and Max is definitely in the game.

If Max can split the Mercs, he might be able to stick with Lewis.

[Dhillon]

I know who will win.

[Jovanotti]

If they get away in formation I expect a Lewis win.

But if Valtteri gets the jump, all bets are off and Max is definitely in the game.

If Max can split the Mercs, he might be able to stick with Lewis.

Let's be honest, we say this every week until Bottas ****s up the start or, should he lead after lap 1, suddenly loses pace and Lewis sails past. And if you're expecting Max to be a factor, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

[OvDrone]

I know who will win.

Us. We win.

 

See y'all later.

[messy]

I mean....the weekend so far and the grid order doesn’t scream out ‘classic’ but I’m still looking forward to it. Who knows, maybe it won’t even end up with Hamilton, Bottas and Max as the podium? Who knows? Maybe Albon will blitz the start and find a new level of confidence as he holds back the Mercedes challenge and wins his first Grand Prix? Maybe Daniil Kvyat will go Senna-Mansell style against Lewis after a storming run and take AlphaTauri’s second win of the year? Maybe Fernando Alonso will be helicoptered in at the last minute, barge Lewis out of the way and take an imperious win in his Mercedes as Lewis drags George Russell’s Williams to second? Who knows.

Me, I know. Ham Bot Ver

[Anja]

The midfield battle should be good at least. 

[MinardiCrashDummy]

If they get away in formation I expect a Lewis win.

But if Valtteri gets the jump, all bets are off and Max is definitely in the game.

If Max can split the Mercs, he might be able to stick with Lewis.

 

Even if Bottas gets ahead at the start Hamilton will just pass him on track at some point.

 

It's only interesting if Max gets ahead of Hamilton at the start.

Edited by MinardiCrashDummy, 29 November 2020 - 10:21.

[ARTGP]

Come on Ham. Give us the lap 1 we need   .

Edited by ARTGP, 29 November 2020 - 10:29.

[ToniF1]

Even if Bottas gets ahead at the start Hamilton will just pass him on track at some point.

 

It's only interesting if Max gets ahead of Hamilton at the start.

No it isn't, he would pass Max same as Bottas, maybe even easier if there is power advantage. And Max even if he has race pace doesnt have Albon, and Merc has two cars, one covers and one do the opposite, like in Imola.

[JimmyClark]

My BBC weather app says 80% chance of rain at 5pm in Manama. Surely that's wrong?

[monolulu]

Red Bull have the benefit of 2 sets of hard tyres.

[TheFish]

My BBC weather app says 80% chance of rain at 5pm in Manama. Surely that's wrong?

We’re not that lucky.

[TomNokoe]

Pirelli's strategy prediction is absolutely laughable to the point where I question their competence. Behind spoiler tags because it's so dumb.

Spoiler

Nobody will touch the Softs.

1 stop impossible. 2 stop probable. Might see a 3 stopper somewhere.

The tyres are one step softer versus last year, where the top six ran S-M-M (M-H-H today), apart from Hamilton who ran S-S-M (M-M-H).

Tyres pressures are higher this year (+1 / +2) and the cars are quicker.

S-S-M didn't work for Hamilton last year, he was 2.5s slower at the end of his second stint than at the start, but he rescued it with the undercut, which will easily be worth 3-4s today.

The RB route looks far superior to me, but whether it's enough to win, I don't know.

I wish FOM incorporated tyre info properly into the graphics for quali+race. Usually the commentators don't know why certain strategies are unfolding because they don't have the information, which is incredibly amateur.

Edited by TomNokoe, 29 November 2020 - 11:19.

[Ali623]

I hope Albon can stay in 4th today, there'll be no excuse then, he should be able to vaguely keep up with Merc + Max, atleast enough to disrupt their pit window.

[Clrnc]

I hope Albon can stay in 4th today, there'll be no excuse then, he should be able to vaguely keep up with Merc + Max, atleast enough to disrupt their pit window.

I hope not, desperately want Perez to stay in F1

[Goron3]

If Albon can stay 4th off the line and stay within a decent gap to the leaders, I expect Red Bull to bring him in early for the undercut. The challenge is that when he's qualified well he's had awful first laps.

Tyre management will define the first stint. The starting tyre is the soft from last year which they pretty much avoided. I expect early pit stops.

[monolulu]

Does anyone know the pit stop delta here?

[TomNokoe]

Does anyone know the pit stop delta here?

23-24s

[GlenWatkins]

It will be interesting so see how far up the order Sainz (starting 15th) will get, he's had decent pace all weekend.

[sportyskells]

I will have to turn off the tablet at 2.10pm due to what just happened when I was watching f2 and my brother came in to tell me not to multi task

[Ali623]

I hope not, desperately want Perez to stay in F1

 

I get the impression RB are keeping him regardless now.

[CSF]

Hamilton is going to do what he did in Portugal. 

[MJB5990]

Hamilton is going to do what he did in Portugal.

Lose a place to Sainz on the first lap?

[Anja]

I hope Albon can stay in 4th today, there'll be no excuse then, he should be able to vaguely keep up with Merc + Max, atleast enough to disrupt their pit window.

 

Considering his pace gap to Max is usually even bigger in the race than in the quali, he's more likely to get overtaken by Perez and possibly one of the Renaults at the start and then sink into the midfield for good. 

[MinardiCrashDummy]

Verstappen looks to have the upperhand if the redbull pace is close enough, M-H-H is the best strategy.

[FLB]

Considering his pace gap to Max is usually even bigger in the race than in the quali, he's more likely to get overtaken by Perez and possibly one of the Renaults at the start and then sink into the midfield for good. 

 

 

 

I think Albon's season was done once he lost that duel to Hamilton in Austria. To me, that was the turning point. If he'd had his podium there, the self-confidence would likely have been much higher.

 

Edited by FLB, 29 November 2020 - 12:39.

[KWSN - DSM]

Verstappen have had a number of poor starts this season, we could have Albon as best placed Red Bull at the end of lap 1.

[Goron3]

Verstappen have had a number of poor starts this season, we could have Albon as best placed Red Bull at the end of lap 1.

Albon isn't exactly a first lap specialist. Albon is also starting on the dirty side of the grid.

 

Turns 1-4 should be proper fun today. I didn't realise Max has a slight tyre advantage. With the extra durability a fresh set of tyres provides, I imagine Red Bull might go for an early undercut to start to apply some pressure to Mercedes.

[MJB5990]

Undercut will be huge today. Anything under 5s will leave P1 vulnerable. So whoever is up front will have to.try and break away after the first few laps.

[Whatisvalis]

Hoping Perez can work some tyre magic and get on the podium.

[KWSN - DSM]

Albon isn't exactly a first lap specialist. Albon is also starting on the dirty side of the grid.

 

Turns 1-4 should be proper fun today. I didn't realise Max has a slight tyre advantage. With the extra durability a fresh set of tyres provides, I imagine Red Bull might go for an early undercut to start to apply some pressure to Mercedes.

 

True.

Edited by KWSN - DSM, 29 November 2020 - 13:46.

[KWSN - DSM]

What is the story with Sainz? Seems he starts from his qualified spot, what caused the lockup?

[Anja]

What is the story with Sainz? Seems he starts from his qualified spot, what caused the lockup?

 

It was brake failure I think, so no penalty from that. 

[Ivanhoe]

Yep, broken brake disc.

[TomNokoe]

No news on Sainz's flatspotted mediums so I assume he's on the back foot with only 1 new H, 1 new M and a bunch of Softs.

[Fastcake]

Hard to see Hamilton not winning easily barring him stalling on the grid.

[jcbc3]

That's a lame anthem.

[PayasYouRace]

Always prefer a military band to a sung national anthem. Much classier.

[jcbc3]

Noooooooooooo, I want a fat opera singer BELTING it out.

[jcbc3]

Come on, do a barrel roll!

[PayasYouRace]

Nice cup.

[Fastcake]

That's a lame anthem.

I once suggested they had to find something the night before independence, like picking up flowers from the garage on the day of your anniversary on the way home.

[PayasYouRace]

Dan seems to be enjoying his pre-race beats.

[alframsey]

If Lewis gets off the line and a few corners down the road then it is done and dusted unless there is some kind of issue, Lets hope either Max or Valtteri gets the jump on him so we have a race on our hands.

[Francesc]

If I was starting outside of the top ten, I would start on the soft tyres.

[KWSN - DSM]

Are they allowed to overtake in corner 4?

[KWSN - DSM]

If I was starting outside of the top ten, I would start on the soft tyres.

 

Think I agree, can there be an advantage in hards for the back of the grid drivers?