944 replies to this topic

[STRFerrari4Ever]

Button4life, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:01, said:

Antonelli, a very promising young driver, was quite a bit slower than Russell. This must mean he’s dragging the car to podiums and Mercedes is slower than Ferrari and Red Bull.

Am I doing it right?

You’re on the right path.

[PayasYouRace]

Button4life, on 23 Mar 2025 - 08:59, said:

His engineer said that at the start of the race. If it indeed slowed Leclerc down, then that means Leclerc was 5-7 tenths faster than Hamilton. Which obviously isn’t the case.

 

 

STRFerrari4Ever, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:00, said:

His engineer came on the radio to tell him when it happened and Lecler said he’ll manage when they suggested pitting to change the wing at the first stop.

Follow up, how many newtons of df is a “point” to Ferrari?

[lewislorenzo]

Button4life, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:01, said:

Antonelli, a very promising young driver, was quite a bit slower than Russell. This must mean he’s dragging the car to podiums and Mercedes is slower than Ferrari and Red Bull.

Am I doing it right?

You missed out the Haas

[TomNokoe]

I have said for many years that three compounds is too many to bring to a grand prix, and again I am proved right. Two compounds, Medium and Soft, is plenty.

[Ben1980]

Good win for Mclaren.

But in reality 40 plus laps and managing is not that fun.

[jonklug]

Button4life, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:01, said:

Antonelli, a very promising young driver, was quite a bit slower than Russell. This must mean he’s dragging the car to podiums and Mercedes is slower than Ferrari and Red Bull.

Am I doing it right?

Notice Antonelli isn't P16 though. And he is an outright rookie. Lawson would also be finishing higher in that Mercedes considering most agree he would be finishing higher in the Racing Bulls.

So yes the RedBull is a mess of a car, flattered by Verstappen. Not sure why this is so upsetting to some. You'd think we're talking up a nobody, not talking up a 4 time WDC who is literally the best driver of his generation.

[PrinceBira]

Marklar, on 23 Mar 2025 - 08:56, said:

20-30 points are about half a second. he was easily quicker than lewis. I doubt he is 7-8 tenths quicker than Lewis, so while maybe that's what the computer says I reckon it had no impact with the flexing effect, as others said maybe it even benefitted him in a bizarre way. It's not the first time a driver is quick with that kind of damage

But it’s also not the first time FW damage increases tire wear which is exactly what seemed to happen to him.

[Muppetmad]

Leclerc has prior form in managing races with damage to the car (e.g. Silverstone 2022). I don't suspect the damage was affecting him too much (although I doubt it helped with tyre management across the stint, which would explain the loss of pace at the end of the race), but it strikes me as convenient to suggest it made Leclerc faster than he would have been. This was Hamilton's first full race in the dry for Ferrari, having not done a race sim in testing, so combined with the setup changes that didn't seem to help Hamilton, it'd be entirely reasonable for Leclerc to have a solid amount of pace in hand today.

[Ruudbackus]

Clrnc, on 23 Mar 2025 - 08:54, said:

The race doesn't finish half distance. He was way faster on low fuel in the 2nd half of the race. Come on you surely knows this?

It's tiresome hearing the same few people constantly saying since last year that whenever Max wins, he wins in a slower car that is at best 4th or 5th fastest and he has no rights to win. It's all down to the driver.

Whenever he don't win, the car is even slower than VCARB and Haas and its all the car's fault. First half of the race we keep hearing that and how Max is such a poor thing driving a tractor. All of a sudden on low fuel he's the fastest man on track and the excuses become "oh Mclaren is managing, Russell is managing, Leclerc burned his tyres, Lewis is old and has no pace"

Get real. 99% of the people knows Max is a generational talent, he's the best out there. But the amount of byllshit from his fans is just ridiculous

It was not just fuel it was also a damaged ferrari with tires that were gone, surely you seen that? Thats not some made up thing. And yes Mclaren was managing the race like Mercedes did in 2014-2016 like Redbull did in 22-23

 

Last year the first half about of the season the Redbull was quickest or 2nd quickest, around the summer brake they dropped to 3rd/4th fastest. HE managed to maintain the gap he ahd and even extend it, both due to his own driving (Brazil) but also strategical errors of Mclaren not backing one driver. You can say what you want but he in 99% of the cases maximizes the result of the car. In the up-front interview Toto expected Antonelli to finish 6th (so ahead of Verstappen). So even the paddock thinks the Redbull is the 4th fastest car.

 

Now by no means that's a tractor it still means 6 cars are slower. But is it so hard to give credit when he outperforms the car then? And still the car is 98% of the result, that goes for all drivers, also Schumacher, Hamilton and even Verstappen. Where he stands out to me is that he seems to extract those 2% extra almost at evrey occasion. 2023 I think was the perfect example for that, he really maximized that season in a dominant car, but liek no driver before ever did in likewise dominant cars (i.e Hamilton in Mercedes, Schumacher in Ferrari)

 

Speaking for myself I give credits to others when they outperform as well, and I do critisize Verstappen for his errors like Mexico last year. He is an exceptional driver, and a dork of a human at times. As a person I rather have Hamilton, Norris or Leclerc.

[Clrnc]

Spare a thought for Lawson.

 

He is so awful that nobody even bothers to mention him now. Completely irrelevant. That's the worst thing for a driver, so bad that nobody remembers you anymore

[Marklar]

PrinceBira, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:06, said:

But it’s also not the first time FW damage increases tire wear which is exactly what seemed to happen to him.

this is possible but the sister car looked no different until he pitted but I accept that we didnt got the full picture on that.

also, while Lewis is definitely not that slow, all drivers that joined new teams alongside established team mates have in fact looked slow so far. he looks in fact the best so far (with Hadjar maybe) even if you presume Leclerc was with a big damage faster, so it's hard to say.

Edited by Marklar, 23 March 2025 - 09:12.

[jonklug]

Clrnc, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:08, said:

Spare a thought for Lawson.

He is so awful that nobody even bothers to mention him now. Completely irrelevant. That's the worst thing for a driver, so bad that nobody remembers you anymore

This is going to be Tsunoda from Japan if they make the switch. It's not a nice car to drive at all.

[Ruudbackus]

Button4life, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:01, said:

Antonelli, a very promising young driver, was quite a bit slower than Russell. This must mean he’s dragging the car to podiums and Mercedes is slower than Ferrari and Red Bull.

Am I doing it right?

Cynical mode/ Don't forget that Lawson was way further down the field as the second redbull so clearly the redbull is slower then the mercedes

[keeppari]

Button4life, on 23 Mar 2025 - 08:53, said:

This is a ridiculous opinion.

Unless Oscar has found some extra speed and consistency during the offseason, I don't think so. We've watched them for two full seasons in the same car and Lando has come out on top twice quite comfortably.

Oscar is great but appears to have much lower lows and is faster of the two only occasionally for whatever reason.

[Ruudbackus]

Leclerc confirming they lost downforce, Balance was ok with the broken wing. So without it he probalby could have been were Russell was. And confirmeed that it was traction out of turn 12 wher he lsot out to the mercedes and was better all aroudn the rest of the track

Edited by Ruudbackus, 23 March 2025 - 09:15.

[PrinceBira]

Marklar, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:10, said:

this is possible but the sister car looked no different until he pitted but I accept that we didnt got the full picture on that.

also, while Lewis is definitely not that slow, all drivers that joined new teams alongside established team mates have in fact looked slow so far. he looks in fact the best so far even if you presume Leclerc was with a big damage faster, so it's hard to say.

I think the driver swaps show that even experienced drivers need some time to get 100% comfortable in the new cars, Sainz is looking quite aversge vs Albon so far. Hamilton indeed seems best adapted so far. But it’s very likely all of them will get settled in better and will understand the little details of car set-up, driving style, in car adjustments etc better as the season goes along.

[F1Lurker]

Ruudbackus, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:12, said:

Leclerc confirming they lost downforce, Balance was ok with the broken wing. So without it he probalby could have been were Russell was

To me this might explain a lot. Hamilton's Ferrari was clearly unbalanced in the first 2 stints. Perhaps without losing his endplate, Leclerc would have had an unbalanced car as well.

[Clrnc]

jonklug, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:10, said:

This is going to be Tsunoda from Japan if they make the switch. It's not a nice car to drive at all.

Tsunoda is a way better driver than Lawson. That bit is obvious. 

 

He won't be finishing last. 

[jonklug]

Also @Button4life I really don't understand this contrarian stance when you in the past have admitted Verstappen is the best driver on the grid. Why is it then such an issue to simply point out that Verstappen is flattering an obviously problematic redbull?

I rate Russell and Leclerc quite highly but I'm sure we agree Verstappen is the better more complete driver.

So yea idk, some non Max fans just get bothered whenever you try to praise Formula 1's leading driver. A bit baffling for me, that's all.

I think at one point last year you even said Max had 0.2 tenths on the grid. Maybe I remember wrong but yea, this is why I don't see my stance as controversial at all.

[F1Lurker]

Like Newey said, the Red Bull was/is fast, but it's difficult to drive. Max knows the car well and can manage it, especially when it seems to come more alive at certain parts of the race. To reiterate, the car is quite good, just sensitive.

[frosty125]

Impressive result from Haas

[jonklug]

Clrnc, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:15, said:

Tsunoda is a way better driver than Lawson. That bit is obvious.

He won't be finishing last.

I hope you are right, but I don't think he'll be able to be a massive improvement off the bat. Lawson wasn't that far off him last year.

[Sammyed]

DOD for Antonelli? Piastri was robbed!

[NateF]

frosty125, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:18, said:

Impressive result from Haas

We all know who Ayao Komatsu is! Great effort

[KWSN - DSM]

Sammyed, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:19, said:

DOD for Antonelli? Piastri was robbed!

 

Ocon was robbed more.

[Button4life]

jonklug, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:17, said:

Also @Button4life I really don't understand this contrarian stance when you in the past have admitted Verstappen is the best driver on the grid. Why is it then such an issue to simply point out that Verstappen is flattering an obviously problematic redbull?

I rate Russell and Leclerc quite highly but I'm sure we agree Verstappen is the better more complete driver.

So yea idk, some non Max fans just get bothered whenever you try to praise Formula 1's leading driver. A bit baffling for me, that's all.

I think at one point last year you even said Max had 0.2 tenths on the grid. Maybe I remember wrong but yea, this is why I don't see my stance as controversial at all.

I do think Max is the best driver on the grid but that doesn’t mean all succes is because of him. Ferrari works better in hot conditions like Friday and the majority of last season. Mercedes and Red Bull work better in cooler conditions. It’s no surprise the cooler it became the better Red Bull was. Today the conditions favoured Mercedes and Red Bull.

Because a car is slower overall doesn’t make it slower at every single track.

Edited by Button4life, 23 March 2025 - 09:32.

[Ruudbackus]

Zak saying he expects ferrari to be the main competitor over the course of the season and thinks Antonelli will win a race this year

[SophieB]

Warnings for Hulk and Yuki for the Practice Start infringements.

[Joseki]

Sammyed, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:19, said:

DOD for Antonelli? Piastri was robbed!

 

FYI: Driver of the Day this year gives 10 extra points for the Formula 1 Fantasy.

 

It will get manipulated every race.

Edited by Joseki, 23 March 2025 - 09:31.

[Button4life]

keeppari, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:12, said:

Unless Oscar has found some extra speed and consistency during the offseason, I don't think so. We've watched them for two full seasons in the same car and Lando has come out on top twice quite comfortably.

Oscar is great but appears to have much lower lows and is faster of the two only occasionally for whatever reason.

This might become similar to Rosberg and Hamilton at Mercedes. Hamilton was clearly better than Rosberg before 2014 but the dominant car made them a match for each other. Same could happen this year with McLaren.

[STRFerrari4Ever]

If you’re Tsunoda, what do you do? I know in an interview when asked about being put into Red Bull for Japan he said yes because it’s a faster car but does he know what he will be getting himself into? The alternative is staying at Racing Bulls, performing very well but not having the results to show for it because the team cannot come up with competent strategies and if they’re true to form, they will be out developed by their direct rivals.

I think he should bite the bullet and go to Red Bull if they call on him, aim for the stars, if it works out his life will change.

[Clrnc]

Ruudbackus, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:07, said:

It was not just fuel it was also a damaged ferrari with tires that were gone, surely you seen that? Thats not some made up thing. And yes Mclaren was managing the race like Mercedes did in 2014-2016 like Redbull did in 22-23

 

Last year the first half about of the season the Redbull was quickest or 2nd quickest, around the summer brake they dropped to 3rd/4th fastest. HE managed to maintain the gap he ahd and even extend it, both due to his own driving (Brazil) but also strategical errors of Mclaren not backing one driver. You can say what you want but he in 99% of the cases maximizes the result of the car. In the up-front interview Toto expected Antonelli to finish 6th (so ahead of Verstappen). So even the paddock thinks the Redbull is the 4th fastest car.

 

Now by no means that's a tractor it still means 6 cars are slower. But is it so hard to give credit when he outperforms the car then? And still the car is 98% of the result, that goes for all drivers, also Schumacher, Hamilton and even Verstappen. Where he stands out to me is that he seems to extract those 2% extra almost at evrey occasion. 2023 I think was the perfect example for that, he really maximized that season in a dominant car, but liek no driver before ever did in likewise dominant cars (i.e Hamilton in Mercedes, Schumacher in Ferrari)

 

Speaking for myself I give credits to others when they outperform as well, and I do critisize Verstappen for his errors like Mexico last year. He is an exceptional driver, and a dork of a human at times. As a person I rather have Hamilton, Norris or Leclerc.

Max says he thinks the car was so fast on low fuel because the Red Bull is better on very worn tyres. He says balance of the car remains the same so it's probably not fuel related. 

 

Also says he intentionally managed his pace in the first half of the race as he pushed yesterday and burned his tyres really quickly. 

 

Horner says the hard tyres was very good for the Red Bull and they overly compensated by intentionally going too slow in the first stint, otherwise could have been nearer to the front. 

 

The pace is there in the car. 

[Ruudbackus]

Toto on DOTD "I think it must be his looks"

[DS27]

Topsu, on 23 Mar 2025 - 08:38, said:

How the hell is Antonelli driver of the day????

 

 

40 seconds behind his teammate; i'm surprised Lawson didn't get it  

[Nemo1965]

Regarding manipulating the result: I think that Pirelli gets much too much flak for providing the tires that the FIA mandates to make them (to spice up the show). But I think with the constant raising of the tire-pressure, they really changed the race. There is no logical explanation otherwise for Ferrari to be that fast in the sprint and then are outperformed by McLaren. I will praise Ocon and Bearman for their excellent result, but I don't believe it is all down their own hard work.

 

All the teams totally underestimated how long the hard tires were going to work, and the Red Bulls partly screwed themselves, partly were screwed by the changes in the tire-pressures. In the end: deserved win for Piastri, deserved second place for Russel, excellent race by Russell, superb again for Max... but Ferrari and the Red Bulls have reason to complain.

[Konsta]

A véry good race by Oscar,job well done. Lando drove mature = nursing the ailing car to p2 was valuable. Max patient, George okay okayish. Ferrari a bit odd one - damaged Charles faster than Lewis. A solid race altogether, rookies did quite well.

[jonklug]

Button4life, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:27, said:

I do think Max is the best driver on the grid but that doesn’t mean all succes is because of him. Ferrari works better in hot conditions like Friday and the majority of last season. Mercedes and Red Bull work better in cooler conditions. It’s no surprise the cooler it became the better Red Bull was. Today the conditions favoured Mercedes and Red Bull.

Because a car is slower overall doesn’t make it slower at every single track.

But I didn't say it's slowr at every single track. Of course different conditions will impact performance as the cars are close to each other. But I think it's clear redbull is the hardest of them to dial in. And if Verstappen struggles in it I think it's fair to say the car is quite problematic and likely 4th best. I do think Leclerc is on the podium today without the damage, and Russell would still be ahead of Verstappen.

We will have a clearer picture as the season progresses but without quality upgrades, I am quite confident we won't see Verstappen on many podiums. And then the 4th fastest car statement will seem more and more accurate.

Cannot wait to be proven wrong.

[Ruudbackus]

Clrnc, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:33, said:

 

Max says he thinks the car was so fast on low fuel because the Red Bull is better on very worn tyres. He says balance of the car remains the same so it's probably not fuel related. 

 

Also says he intentionally managed his pace in the first half of the race as he pushed yesterday and burned his tyres really quickly. 

 

Horner says the hard tyres was very good for the Red Bull and they overly compensated by intentionally going too slow in the first stint, otherwise could have been nearer to the front. 

 

The pace is there in the car. 

 

Not disagreeing that there is pace in the car, but there was more pace in the ferrari as well according to Leclerc and Vasseur. Toto said Russell maximized. I think Redbull (The one that Max drives at least,a s Lawson is nowhere) and Mercedes are a coin flip depending on the circuit. Mclaren is clearly ahead, ferrari is slightly ahead (and expected to be the main competitor by Zak). 

 

And credits where credits are due, Russell has been very good so far this season, his second in quali yesterday was also betetr thene xpected and he's been 3rd 3 times now so far in a car that i would put on 3rd or 4th fastest depending on circuit.

[Mc_Silver]

Max and Charles were bottlers of the start today.

[NateF]

Mc_Silver, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:47, said:

Max and Charles were bottlers of the start today.

Charles made up a place?

[Risil]

Nemo1965, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:40, said:

Regarding manipulating the result: I think that Pirelli gets much too much flak for providing the tires that the FIA mandates to make them (to spice up the show)

 

How's that going?

[Ruudbackus]

Hamilton came from 6th to fourth, Leclerc remained fifth and Verstappen went from 4 to 6 at the start

[NateF]

Ruudbackus, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:51, said:

Hamilton came from 6th to fourth, Leclerc remained fifth and Verstappen went from 4 to 6 at the start

Forgot Max dropped two places. But Charles didn’t lose any at least

[Muppetmad]

Leclerc started sixth, Hamilton fifth.

[Mark A]

Clrnc, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:08, said:

Spare a thought for Lawson.

He is so awful that nobody even bothers to mention him now. Completely irrelevant. That's the worst thing for a driver, so bad that nobody remembers you anymore

Interesting conversation with Horner on Sky, he was asked if they would give Lawson time as Lawson has said he’s up against it on time to show his worth.

At no point did Horner say yes, lots of words, none of which hinted at yes.

[KWSN - DSM]

Ruudbackus, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:51, said:

Hamilton came from 6th to fourth, Leclerc remained fifth and Verstappen went from 4 to 6 at the start

 

Not sure that is really how bottling it should be defined, meaning lose spots and you bottled it - If on front row and not 1 or 2 after first corners, yes you bottled it - If you lose some spots over running into each other you really don't, I think the whole field did very well at the start and not barging each other of track - worst was Leclerc cutting his own endplate against Hamilton.

[Nemo1965]

Risil, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:50, said:

How's that going?

Not good eh?

[Clrnc]

Mark A, on 23 Mar 2025 - 09:54, said:

Interesting conversation with Horner on Sky, he was asked if they would give Lawson time as Lawson has said he’s up against it on time to show his worth.

At no point did Horner say yes, lots of words, none of which hinted at yes.

They are probably shocked. Nobody ever started that bad in a Red Bull seat. He didn't even have any honeymoon time

[Mc_Silver]

Oscar, Lando or George deserved driver of the day for me. Where did Antonelli come from? lol

[Darnswim]

Kimi was so surprised when he got DoTD. Even he can't believe it.