2030 replies to this topic

[TomNokoe]

Race day in Imola! Race start 2pm BST / 3pm CEST (2 hours 30 minutes from this post)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PayasYouRace]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If there's one "genre" of F1 photos that I love the most, irrespective of era and location, it's the "field heading into turn 1" shot like this one.

 

 

Sadly I'm busy today so I can't watch the race live. I'll have to catch the highlights later on. I won't be around here, trying to avoid spoilers.

[D.M.N.]

https://twitter.com/...732398093787140

#F1 #BBCF1 #IMOLAGP SUN 1140BST: The circuit is currently running a gauntlet of moderate showers passing-by not far to east & west. Whether this fortune remains by race start is an imponderable but for now, FIA official forecast advice to teams is a 60% shower risk into the race.

[Ali_G]

Really hate these 2PM start times. Wish they’d revert to 1 PM again.

[EndlessMotion]

https://twitter.com/...732398093787140

#F1 #BBCF1 #IMOLAGP SUN 1140BST: The circuit is currently running a gauntlet of moderate showers passing-by not far to east & west. Whether this fortune remains by race start is an imponderable but for now, FIA official forecast advice to teams is a 60% shower risk into the race.

 

Rain dance time

[Anja]

A pretty dark sky in the FREC race right now...

Edited by Anja, 18 April 2021 - 10:49.

[MortenF1]

Hmm, I almost refuse to believe there’ll be rain to the tune of it having an effect.

For once Pirelli’s estimates on when the stops will take place might be on point.
If the stay in order I wouldn’t be surprised if Perez takes his softs as far as Hamilton and Verstappen on mediums. If he grabs the lead he’ll have to push like crazy on them hoping to open up a gap.

Gonna be tough to be Hamilton today, against Ver and Per. Keeping my fingers crossed he can do it again.

[JimmyClark]

Really hate these 2PM start times. Wish they’d revert to 1 PM again.

Ditto. Somehow that hour shift now means my entire Sunday day needs to be put aside for f1.

[OvDrone]

Blessed Hamilton supporter club gather, it's time to race with 44 digit grace.

[BRK]

Yawn, Mercedes back to old levels I guess. Only the Red Bulls and rain can save this farce.

[Thursday]

https://trackweather.live/ is showing showers in the area but missing the circuit

[krapmeister]

Really hate these 2PM start times. Wish they’d revert to 1 PM again.

 

Can always watch MotoGP first 

[ANF]

[smr]

C'mon McLaren! 

[Ruusperi]

https://trackweather.live/ is showing showers in the area but missing the circuit

Wow, who would have guessed?

[P123]

Ditto. Somehow that hour shift now means my entire Sunday day needs to be put aside for f1.

 

Yep, not sure what wisdom gave them the idea of planting races bang in the middle of an afternoon.

[ANF]

https://trackweather.live/ is showing showers in the area but missing the circuit

Great service, thanks!

[Nova]

Happy about Gasly. With AT so high up there, it indicates that the Honda engine finally is competitive. More than miffed about Honda pulling out, again, just when it is coming good.

[JeePee]

https://trackweather.live/ is showing showers in the area but missing the circuit

Classic F1.

 

First drops of rain during the podium ceremony.

[ANF]

Pit stop time loss, anyone? 26.5–28.0 seconds?

Edited by ANF, 18 April 2021 - 11:28.

[Fastcake]

Rain would make this race interesting. Otherwise, Imola is not a good racing circuit for modern Formula One cars.

[thegamer23]

I think it's going to be an interesting race even without the rain.
Those three guys in front are going to be close all race.

 

Tsunoda should provide some action from the back, given how strong the Alpha Tauri is compared to the rest of the backmarkers.

 

Also, the 100 m longer DRS zone should make quite a difference. 

 

I also expect an incident or a Safety Car to spice things up! 

Can't wait!     

 

Edited by thegamer23, 18 April 2021 - 11:30.

[JimmyClark]

Rain would make this race interesting. Otherwise, Imola is not a good racing circuit for modern Formula One cars.

I think we potentially have a 2005 on our hands, although DRS might ruin that (if not a last lap ad break).

Edited by JimmyClark, 18 April 2021 - 11:31.

[krapmeister]

Rain would make this race interesting. Otherwise, Imola is not a good racing circuit for modern Formula One cars.

 

Even if there isn't one pass, it's still about 100x better watching them go round Imola than Abu Dhabi

[JimmyClark]

Even if there isn't one pass, it's still about 100x better watching them go round Imola than Abu Dhabi

Yes, after four races in a row and testing in flat car parks, it's lovely to see the cars around Imola.

[krapmeister]

Yes, after four races in a row and testing in flat car parks, it's lovely to see the cars around Imola.

 

Grass! Gravel traps! Trees! History!

 

Be still my beating heart...

[Calum]

Grass and trees. Love it.

Shame it’s only contracted when nobody can go. Would love to visit that historic track to take in a Grand Prix.

[TomNokoe]

If Hamilton beats Perez into T1, I'm expecting a procession. Hamilton can back the field up to blunt Red Bull's two-pronged attack before using his pace once the midfielders start to pit and open up some gaps. It will also help Bottas keep touch with the leading group. If Mercedes do pull this "backing up" strategy, it should also help those outside the top 10 really get in the mix.

 

Not super excited for a good race tbh

[Ali_G]

Rain would make this race interesting. Otherwise, Imola is not a good racing circuit for modern Formula One cars.

Passing and racing are very different things. Watching 100 DRS passes in the desert is not racing or indeed entertaining in my eyes.

[f1paul]

Really hope Perez leads, then it's definitely game on and it could be a cracker.

 

Thinking there might be a collision today though at the first chicane.

[Lucky13]

Hopefully Tsunoda will provide plenty of entertainment fighting into the midfield battle.

Would love to see Norris get into the mix early with a good start!

[noikeee]

Passing and racing are very different things. Watching 100 DRS passes in the desert is not racing or indeed entertaining in my eyes.

Unpopular opinion: We had a cracking battle in the desert last time, thanks to DRS. Max wouldn't have had a chance to even attempt to pass Lewis without it.

Flybys are boring yeah, but people forget that DRS also opens up a bigger window for these tight battles to happen. Also I'd rather have a race full of boring flybys than no passes, because the uncertainty of drivers being able to switch positions adds to the race, beyond the excitement of the pass itself.

Edited by noikeee, 18 April 2021 - 11:50.

[Singularity]

My heart say "Verstappen" (I don't have anything against Hamilton, but I am since long tired of Mercedes winning) but pole position is gold at Imola. If Perez, with his soft tires, can jump Lewis, maybe Red Bull can outsmart Merc in strategy, but it is usually the other way around. 

Oh well, I vote for Verstappen anyway.

[Anja]

The two Red Bulls will collide on the first lap leaving Hamilton to cruise to an easy win but with an exciting fight for the two other podium spots. You heard it here first 

[Jovanotti]

Rooting for Checo today

[Kleli]

Easy win for the the current wdc, who won here last year and is also starting from pole. He has to be the clear favourite.

[Ali_G]

Unpopular opinion: We had a cracking battle in the desert last time, thanks to DRS. Max wouldn't have had a chance to even attempt to pass Lewis without it.

Flybys are boring yeah, but people forget that DRS also opens up a bigger window for these tight battles to happen. Also I'd rather have a race full of boring flybys than no passes, because the uncertainty of drivers being able to switch positions adds to the race, beyond the excitement of the pass itself.

Let’s just hope that the 2022 aero rules can do away with DRS or at least so on a lot of circuits.

[MortenF1]

It rains.

[Risil]

Thanks Tom! Looking forward to this one.

[johnbarton]

Ditto. Somehow that hour shift now means my entire Sunday day needs to be put aside for f1.

I dont mind them, means I can have a Sunday lie in and still have time to run the supermarket gauntlet before the race starts. 2pm comes, beer gets cracked open, bit of beef in the slow cooker - nothing else needs done 

 

we also have the added joy of the Indycar race later on as well 

Edited by johnbarton, 18 April 2021 - 12:01.

[jpm2019]

So the soft starters will still go one stop? 

[noikeee]

Let’s just hope that the 2022 aero rules can do away with DRS or at least so on a lot of circuits.

Yeah I think we all agree on that, if there's no dirty air there's no need for it.

Another thing that DRS has made better: it allows us to have a decent race at places like Imola, Hungaroring, Barcelona. I'm looking forward to today's race, I know it's gonna be difficult to pass and track position is king, but with DRS they get just a tiny whiff of a pass that's just about possible if they work for it. Pre DRS racing at these tracks was just a procession with barely any chance of anything happening. It's still fun to watch these cars at a nice looking circuit like this yeah, but gets tedious after 70 or 80 mins of no action.

[JimmyClark]

I now can't unsee Ted "busting a move"

[TomNokoe]

So the soft starters will still go one stop?

Yes

McLaren did Soft-Medium last year before the last SC.

In this respect Perez has an extra option as Max and Lewis are not going to run Medium-Soft.

Easy one stop for everyone, just the pit stop timing will be different. Tyre warmup will also be crucial too. Expecting anyone on Hards to struggle for a lap or two, might make things interesting.

[Fastcake]

Even if there isn't one pass, it's still about 100x better watching them go round Imola than Abu Dhabi

Well yeah, a nice looking circuit with poor racing is better than a rubbish looking circuit with terrible racing. Those are not the only two options. We do have much better circuits than both Imola and Abu Dhabi.

Passing and racing are very different things. Watching 100 DRS passes in the desert is not racing or indeed entertaining in my eyes.

Good racing requires the possibility of passing however.

[JimmyClark]

I dont mind them, means I can have a Sunday lie in and still have time to run the supermarket gauntlet before the race starts. 2pm comes, beer gets cracked open, bit of beef in the slow cooker - nothing else needs done

we also have the added joy of the Indycar race later on as well

I'm somehow having to squeeze an early dinner with the inlaws between the F1, Indycar and Line of Duty. After staying in for the last few months and going crazy, now I have invites to do things, I want to just be left alone in front of the TV 😂

Edited by JimmyClark, 18 April 2021 - 12:12.

[Cliff]

It rains.

 

Really hard 

[Fastcake]

Rain! It’s going to be a damp start at the least!

[TomNokoe]

Bloody hell it's stair rods

Edited by TomNokoe, 18 April 2021 - 12:16.

[IrvTheSwerve]

Rain!