1455 replies to this topic

[TomNokoe]

Race day in Paul Ricard! Race start 2pm BST / 3pm CEST (2 hours from this post)

 

A greasy, green track after an earlier downpour, maybe more rain on the way!

 

 

 

 

*Tsunoda pit lane start

 

 

 

 

 

[ANF]

Scattered thunderstorms? Oh dear.

[TheFish]

Come on rain!

[jjcale]

Am looking forward to this race a lot less than I was 2 days ago ....

[PayasYouRace]

Scattered thunderstorms? Oh dear.

 

Bring it on.

[FLB]

According to Météo France, there is a risk of thudershowers about an hour from now, but it seems to clear up in time for the race itself:

 

METEO LE BEAUSSET par Météo-France - Prévisions Météo gratuites pour aujourd’hui, demain et à 15 jours. (meteofrance.com)

 

METEO LE CASTELLET par Météo-France - Prévisions Météo gratuites pour aujourd’hui, demain et à 15 jours. (meteofrance.com)

[rf90]

potential of a very good race but the first couple of corners worry me, it could go all tits up and make the race a bore.

[ANF]

Pit stop time loss seemed to be 23–26 seconds in 2019. In the dry.

[MJB5990]

Can't help but feel that Max has this covered in all conditions if he can get away in the lead.

The new Honda and skinnier rear wing should keep Lewis behind unless Max completely loses his tyres.

Assuming the top two maintain position, Checo and Valtteri could be crucial in preventing whoever is P2 from taking a second stop.

[Theracer]

Weather update? 

[Anderis]

Can't help but feel that Max has this covered in all conditions if he can get away in the lead.

Nobody ever has a race covered if it rains. It takes so little to be on the wrong tyres at the wrong time or catch a moment of aquaplaning.
 

[FLB]

Weather update? 

F3 race was wet. People I follow and who are at the track are saying it's currently raining.

 

Sky is about to go on the air, so we'll know!

Edited by FLB, 20 June 2021 - 11:31.

[KWSN - DSM]

Can a driver in front keep a DRS attack at bay on the long straights?

[geralt]

Red Bull generally fires up their tyres much quicker than Merc does, so if Max manages to have a good start he could pull away and create a gap in the first couple of laps

[rf90]

F3 race was wet. People I follow and who are at the track are saying it's currentyly raining.

I guess Max will find it tough with less wing than a Merc in a wet race.

[Goron3]

It will likely be dry. But a green track could have a huge impact today. Degradation seems higher than 2019 when some drivers even started on the softs.

Could some drivers go for a two stopper?

[Scotracer]

The best way to check the weather is look at the Synoptic charts.

https://www.metoffic...urface-pressure

There's a warm front coming in from North West, and showing high winds. That gives a big significant chance of rain.

Either way, it'll be a green track.

[Astandahl]

It will likely be dry. But a green track could have a huge impact today. Degradation seems higher than 2019 when some drivers even started on the softs.

Could some drivers go for a two stopper?

Not likely.

[Risil]

Very interesting! Mick did well yesterday, didn't he?

[Astandahl]

The strong wind is going to be another important factor to consider.

[scheivlak]

I guess Max will find it tough with less wing than a Merc in a wet race.

There are more factors relating to downforce than just a wing. Max was fastest yesteday just in the areas where downforce was most important.

 

Traction will be another key factor.

[Burtros]

Rain?

I might just watch this race after all.

[Donkey]

Radar here.

 

https://www.accuweat...l/weather-radar

 

Most of the rain blob seems to be heading slightly to the East of the track. But you never know, another stream of thundery showers might pop up from the Med slightly further West. Doesn't need to be much further West.

Edited by Donkey, 20 June 2021 - 12:10.

[Clrnc]

I can't really remember what happened, but it was very boring the last time we raced here right? Track hard to overtake? 

 

Asking for the sake of my bets 

[MortenF1]

Schumacher’s gearbox survived?

[GlenWatkins]

Very interesting! Mick did well yesterday, didn't he?

 

He put the car into the wall after qualifying P15.

[gillesfan76]

I guess Max will find it tough with less wing than a Merc in a wet race.

 

I think you should have more faith in Max than getting your excuses in early. He’s a proven rain master, everyone recognises that.

[Gary Davies]

Just watched a brief interview with Max Vertappen and Karun Chandhok on Sky. Some good, informed questions from Karun.

 

This observation has been coming for a while. 

 

Max participated in his first Formula One race in 2015, when was 17 years, 166 days. When he won his first Grand Prix, he was just 18 years old. 

 

Back then, he came across as a very angry, impulsive and immature kid. As he had every right to be. 

 

Today, he is just 23 years old and he could be excused for still presenting as an immature kid. 

 

But this season especially, he has just emanated a level of maturity and poise that utterly belies his youth. Clearly, a very smart individual as well as a fiercely fast and hungry racer. Highly impressive. The sky's the limit.

 

Methinks - and call me bitter and twisted if you like - he's rapidly outgrowing the squalid, vinegary and uncool state of mind evinced by his current bosses. 

 

A class above them. I wonder where he'll end up.

Edited by Gary Davies, 20 June 2021 - 12:19.

[scheivlak]

He put the car into the wall after qualifying P15.

He qualified 14th in Q1 (ahead of Russell) but his crash meant P15 because he couldn't compete in Q2.

[MortenF1]

If you’ve seen the long interview DC did with Max Verstappen and Jos, Max appears brighter than his dad.

[Risil]

Just watched a brief interview with Max Vertappen and Karun Chandhok on Sky. Some good, informed questions from Karun.

 

This observation has been coming for a while. 

 

Max participated in his first Formula One race in 2015, when was 17 years, 166 days. When he won his first Grand Prix, he was just 18 years old. 

 

Back then, he came across as a very angry, impulsive and immature kid. As he had every right to be. 

 

Today, he is just 23 years old and he could be excused for still presenting as an immature kid. 

 

But this season especially, he has just emanated a level of maturity and poise that utterly belies his youth. Clearly, a very smart individual as well as a fiercely fast and hungry racer. Highly impressive. The sky's the limit.

 

Methinks - and call me bitter and twisted if you like - he's rapidly outgrowing the squalid, vinegary and uncool state of mind evinced by his current bosses. 

 

A class above them. I wonder where he'll end up.

He's been a picture of hard work and professionalism so far and trouble has bounced off him. We'll see what he's made of in the heat of the championship fight later this year, but signs are good.

[MortenF1]

He qualified 14th in Q1 (ahead of Russell) but his crash meant P15 because he couldn't compete in Q2.

I doubt he’d have been 14th had the others got to complete their lap. I think Russell and Räikkönen was on faster laps.

[Ev0d3vil]

First gridwalk since Covid happened?

[MJB5990]

Those were Carlos' start tyres?

[MortenF1]

Those were Carlos' start tyres?

No. They don’t use their start-set on their way to the grid.

[TomNokoe]

@andrewbensonf1

Hamilton asks why he's on softs and "not on the other tyre" for the lap to the grid. He's told: "We need that for race allocation."

 

Mercedes seemingly not certain this is a one-stop and don't want to take anything extra out of their spare set of mediums

[Astandahl]

 

@andrewbensonf1

Hamilton asks why he's on softs and "not on the other tyre" for the lap to the grid. He's told: "We need that for race allocation."

 

Mercedes seemingly not certain this is a one-stop and don't want to take anything extra out of their spare set of mediums

 

The only way to have 2 stops in this race is graining. If the medium tyres start having huge graining after 5-6 laps, then we could have a 2 stop race.

[MortenF1]

Amazed they haven’t spoken about this.

[TomNokoe]

If Leclerc was struggling with understeer yesterday I can only assume it will get worse on a green track. Although he'll still probably find a way to beat Sainz!

[MJB5990]

The gap from P4 to P5 in the race should be enough for a second stop if one of the top runners wants to take a chance.

[SilverArrow31]

No Hamilton doesn't have an extra lap on his mediums, Bottas and Hamilton both went out again and improved in Q2

[pRy]

Brundle after they focussed on a Mercedes laptop: "We don't understand it so it's fine"   yes but someone at Redbull probably does!!   

[pRy]

Amazed they haven’t spoken about this.

 

Or have they? Dun dun dun! We know how much Lewis likes to play radio games.

[EndlessMotion]

Dark clouds looming.....could be on the way

[FLB]

Dark clouds looming.....could be on the way

Horner seemed to think so on the pre-grid walk just now.

[Clatter]

He put the car into the wall after qualifying P15.

 

Put the car into the wall to maintain 15th place you mean.

[Whatisvalis]

Can a driver in front keep a DRS attack at bay on the long straights?

Red Bull did OK in Baku.

[w1Y]

Imagine the lower df setting on the red bull will fustrate the mercs.

[Astandahl]

Can a driver in front keep a DRS attack at bay on the long straights?

It depends on the delta between the two drivers.

[domhnall]

Some very dark clouds on the horizon. Would love a repeat of nurburgring 2007