1392 replies to this topic

[PayasYouRace]

Max hasn't lost a position off the line in about a year, he's not going to suddenly lose 2 or 3 in one go

 

Famous last words.

 

But I must say, having a McLaren 1-2 with Max and Lewis together again after the first lap would be ideal.

[SenorSjon]

If the previous SQ to race is anything to go by, Lewis would probably hit Lando.

[rf90]

Latifi has been just edging out Russell all through practice at zandvoort and monza, and beat him in qualy (why shouldnt it count?)
Im hoping Latifi can outrace George here so I dont have to see George's post race arrogance.
Am I a bitter old man? Maybe but boy I get sick of him talking like hes been in f1 for decades and won a few titles.

Agreed.  I have been thinking lately that GR is likely to be very irritating at Merc next year. He does seem to be the perfect corporate type for Merc and his adoration of Hamilton is cringe-worthy. I fear he may be too 'pc' and obedient and thus waste any opportunities to 'rock the boat', assuming he really does have the talent to do so. Latifi's relative performances against GR at times do raise that question mark.
I think post-Rosberg, Merc (meaning Toto and LH) have made the corporate decision to not want ANY driver rocking the boat whilst LH is driving.

[rf90]

Why does Hamilton think Verstappen is going to have an easy win today? He (Hamilton) is on the second row and with a good start has every chance to use slipstream and be in the lead after the first couple of corners.

[Scaboo22]

The run to T1 is very long and Verstappen won't have a slipstream since he starts first. He can very well end behind the McLarens or even Hamilton.

 

True, and the fairy godmother could also descend upon the track, charm Max and make him drop even behind Bottas into T1. 

[Marklar]

If Max leads after Lap 1 he will have a nice afternoon walk, if not, then not, but it partially depends on where Hamilton is then. Both should be able to clear one or two McLarens over strategy, but unlikely on track.

[TomNokoe]

Anyone knows which fresh tyres Merc, McLaren and Red Bull have available? Don’t think Max has fresh softs?

Classic Mercedes deliberately saving Softs in FP1, Q and Sprint only to likely not use them anyway



Red Bull surely fell for their bluff

Edited by TomNokoe, 12 September 2021 - 10:01.

[Laptom]

Why does Hamilton think Verstappen is going to have an easy win today? He (Hamilton) is on the second row and with a good start has every chance to use slipstream and be in the lead after the first couple of corners.

Yep, he has 3 Merc powered cars behind him. All 3 of them have something to prove. All 3 of them have a lot of power and more straight line speed. This could be a very difficult first couple of laps for Max.

[Gambelli]

Exit of turn 1...

 

Nor, Ver, Ric, Lec, Ham......

 

Finish

 

Ver, Ham, Nor, Ric, Lec

[noikeee]

Bottas didn't have a slipstream and didn't lose the lead yesterday. It's not that huge of a run to turn 1, it's not Sochi.

[tourister46a]

The formula1.com writer seems to think Medium -> Softs could well be the fastest strategy. Those new softs could come in handy for Hamilton later in the race if he is chasing down Verstappen.

 

Max will probably win easily if they all keep their position through lap 1, but if he falls back a little, we could be in for a nice strategy battle.

[WindmillRacer]

Yep, he has 3 Merc powered cars behind him. All 3 of them have something to prove. All 3 of them have a lot of power and more straight line speed. This could be a very difficult first couple of laps for Max.

 

No DRS on first laps, remember?

[Ali623]

Max will be fine unless he gets a horrible start off the line and gets jumped before turn one. Daniel isn't going to fight him aggressively into turn one and then Max will be well over a second clear by the end of the first lap. 

[Broekschaap]

No DRS on first laps, remember?

I don't think drs makes a lot of difference wih the wings they are running. Drs would have worked better if you could add extra wing in some corners.

[robefc]

Max will be fine unless he gets a horrible start off the line and gets jumped before turn one. Daniel isn't going to fight him aggressively into turn one and then Max will be well over a second clear by the end of the first lap.

Not sure about Danny Ric - he didn’t yesterday but he knows Max is focussing on the WDC and the carrot of a win after how his season has been so far must be pretty tempting…

[Ivanhoe]

Bottas didn't have a slipstream and didn't lose the lead yesterday. It's not that huge of a run to turn 1, it's not Sochi.

Since 2014 it happened only 2 times the pole sitter wasn’t leading after Rettifilo, in 2014 and 2016. Both times because Lewis was botching up his start.

[as65p]

Bottas didn't have a slipstream and didn't lose the lead yesterday. It's not that huge of a run to turn 1, it's not Sochi.

Precisely. Bottas showed what's possible with a good start yesterday. I think with equally good starts, the chances of the guy behind getting the guy one place before him on the grid are actually pretty slim. In other series it also didn't appear any problem starting from the "dirty" side.

[Augurk]

Not sure about Danny Ric - he didn’t yesterday but he knows Max is focussing on the WDC and the carrot of a win after how his season has been so far must be pretty tempting…

Of course, but at the same time McLaren shouldn't risk DNF in the face of such a big possible result for the team.

[ANF]

Porsche Supercup formation lap under way.
(The racing was better with the old car, wasn't it?)

[Niceone]

Why does Hamilton think Verstappen is going to have an easy win today? He (Hamilton) is on the second row and with a good start has every chance to use slipstream and be in the lead after the first couple of corners.

..and if  Hamilton gets a bad start he could be behind both Ferrari cars and be half a pit stop away after first lap.

[robefc]

Of course, but at the same time McLaren shouldn't risk DNF in the face of such a big possible result for the team.

Agreed - that’s why I’m not sure!

[Augurk]

Bottas didn't have a slipstream and didn't lose the lead yesterday. It's not that huge of a run to turn 1, it's not Sochi.

But P2 fluffed his start. So that gave him an easier run.

[rf90]

Yep, he has 3 Merc powered cars behind him. All 3 of them have something to prove. All 3 of them have a lot of power and more straight line speed. This could be a very difficult first couple of laps for Max.

Hopefully noone messes up their braking into turn 1 ala Bottas at Hungary.

[FullOppositeLock]

Not sure about Danny Ric - he didn’t yesterday but he knows Max is focussing on the WDC and the carrot of a win after how his season has been so far must be pretty tempting…

The risk of a null score should focus his mind. His race is not with Max today, I think he found that out yesterday. His goal will be to stay in front of Norris and grab a podium.

[milestone 11]

First crown placed yesterday upon the head of the other Dutchman, off to a good start again. Class of the field.

Edited by milestone 11, 12 September 2021 - 10:45.

[Nemo1965]

[quote name="Marklar" post="9599633" timestamp="1631440781"]

If Max leads after Lap 1 he will have a nice afternoon walk, if not, then not, but it partially depends on where Hamilton is then. Both should be able to clear one or two McLarens over strategy, but unlikely on track.[/quote


Perhaps you personally don't mean it his way but this walk in the park talk for Lewis and Max is getting on my nerves. If both of them would have a heart rate of 70 or so during the race, yeah, then... But I doubt it.

Phttps://www.cosinuss...er-formel-eins/

[FullOppositeLock]

First crown placed yesterday upon the head of the other Dutchman, off to a good start again. Class of the field.

2021 could go down as a fantastic year for Dutch motorsports, what with Formula E, Porsche Super Cup, Veekay winning an Indycar race, and Max… No, I shall not jinx it

[as65p]

Bar FL runs (queue Bottas), who will use them? They barely would last 10 laps on full tanks.

The real problem is twofold I think. First, what would be the durability and performance of the hards, if bolted on after a short 12 to 15 lap opening stint on soft? Second, and probably the killer for that strategy, where to find a suitable gap in the field that early?

 

So yeah, I don't believe it's a good idea to start on softs.

[as65p]

Perhaps you personally don't mean it his way but this walk in the park talk for Lewis and Max is getting on my nerves. If both of them would have a heart rate of 70 or so during the race, yeah, then... But I doubt it.

Phttps://www.cosinuss...er-formel-eins/

 

It regularily does look like "a walk in the park" for the guy you don't want to win. My kid (big Max fan) is convinced Hamilton only needs to show up and nothing like a blown tyre or being punted out of the race could ever happen to him.
 

Edited by as65p, 12 September 2021 - 11:00.

[MJB5990]

I'd start Lewis on the softs, give him the best chance on lap 1. Then if it doesn't work, pit him inside 6-8 laps for clean air. Then box with say 10 laps to go for the other set of new softs.

[robefc]

It regularily does look like "a walk in the park" for the guy you don't want to win. My kid (big Max fan) is convinced Hamilton only needs to show up and nothing like a blown tyre or being punted out of the race could ever happen to him.

so true! And works both ways - I come out of a run of 5 or 6 races thinking they’ve been the most topsy-turvey stressful races ever when Lewis has won them all from pole!

[robefc]

I'd start Lewis on the softs, give him the best chance on lap 1. Then if it doesn't work, pit him inside 6-8 laps for clean air. Then box with say 10 laps to go for the other set of new softs.

Would there be any clean air? I’d guess he’d be in traffic straight away?

[Augurk]

It regularily does look like "a walk in the park" for the guy you don't want to win. My kid (big Max fan) is convinced Hamilton only needs to show up and nothing like a blown tyre or being punted out of the race could ever happen to him.
 

Smart kid, sounds like he/she may be onto something 

[MJB5990]

Would there be any clean air? I’d guess he’d be in traffic straight away?

Pit him lap two then 😜

[HP]

I'd start Lewis on the softs, give him the best chance on lap 1. Then if it doesn't work, pit him inside 6-8 laps for clean air. Then box with say 10 laps to go for the other set of new softs.

What about dropping into traffic? Merc has been IMO too reliant on doing what the computer tells them is the theoretically best strategy.

 

The strategy you propose might be the best for them. It has however some variables that need to be taken into account. And if those variables are getting less than ideal data when they matter in the race, then they need a better strategy.

[PayasYouRace]

Why does Hamilton think Verstappen is going to have an easy win today? He (Hamilton) is on the second row and with a good start has every chance to use slipstream and be in the lead after the first couple of corners.

 

It's not that long a run into T1, and it's also quite narrow once you get to where the old banking starts. The best chance to make positions will be at the initial start (cf Alesi 1996) because once you reach the banking, you'll be boxed in.

[milestone 11]

2021 could go down as a fantastic year for Dutch motorsports, what with Formula E, Porsche Super Cup, Veekay winning an Indycar race, and Max… No, I shall not jinx it

Done deal I think.

[Augurk]

2021 could go down as a fantastic year for Dutch motorsports, what with Formula E, Porsche Super Cup, Veekay winning an Indycar race, and Max… No, I shall not jinx it

No matter the outcome of the championship, the amount of wins Max has been racking up is ridiculous. 

[gillesfan76]

It regularily does look like "a walk in the park" for the guy you don't want to win. My kid (big Max fan) is convinced Hamilton only needs to show up and nothing like a blown tyre or being punted out of the race could ever happen to him.
 

 

Poor little apple 

[Goron3]

Ted sounds confident that Mercedes are starting on the softs. I suspect Max will go for the mediums again.

[ANF]

The race thread is here in case you missed it: https://forums.autos...an-gp-race-day/

[gillesfan76]

Famous last words.

 

But I must say, having a McLaren 1-2 with Max and Lewis together again after the first lap would be ideal.

 

You called it! Though not sure if you realised at the time how literally they came together again!

[PayasYouRace]

You called it! Though not sure if you realised at the time how literally they came together again!

I was hoping for an on track battle, rather than an attempt to play leapfrog.