837 replies to this topic

[HuddersfieldTerrier1986]

No retirements, no yellow flags, not much at all in the way of action, cars constantly 1-3 seconds behind each other. Disappointingly dull

[STRFerrari4Ever]

The Astemo Chicane*

Shhh.

[STRFerrari4Ever]

Bearman and Antonelli are doing great. Prema was indeed crap last season.

Yep, I never had doubts about Ollie’s speed and credentials, Antonelli there was a bit of a question mark but he’s learning quickly and today was his best showing.

[KWSN - DSM]

I did not find the race boring, the cat and mouse on the front, the absolute precision needed by Verstappen, Norris and Piastri ensuring if one of the 3 slipped just once there were a win to get - Piastri may question lag of action, he himself however had to pull out everything for 53 laps in order to finish where he did, end result disappointing to him, but we saw 2 really, really good and one great driver today plying their trade as well as it can be plied.

[Barty]

Why was there two chequered flags, at different parts of the straight?

[keeppari]

This.

Suzuka is full of tyre-killing corners, yet the hards could easily last the entire distance.

Wasn't the complaint not so far ago that Pirelli is providing tyres that start to fade too quickly and the races were just rubber conservation runs?

[Nemo1965]

The drivers casually reflecting on how boring the race was, lol.

Eh… no, that is not correct. Piastri said: ‘Is that all that happened…for such a tense/terse race?’ (He said terse/tense/tight or something, could not hear it precisely. Why quote selectively?

[KWSN - DSM]

Wasn't the complaint not so far ago that Pirelli is providing tyres that start to fade too quickly and the races were just rubber conservation runs?

 

Yes, but we like to complain about everything here.

[cyclist]

The race up front was quite tense, but yes overall this was a boring race, but this race has been boring for year unless the weather was a factor. It is an amazing track for qualifying, but the layout does not lend itself to great racing with the aero dependent cars. You need an huge speed difference to make a pass or a mistake. At least the three at the front kept eachother honest.

[miso]

Of all the talk about McLaren should have done something different in the pits, my question is had Lando slotted in up Max’ gearbox, well within DRS and with the dirty air for Max of the other drivers in front, would that have been his best chance of making a pass? He threw that opportunity away trying to floor it across the grass, clutching at straws to try and get a penalty when he probably had his chance to fight on track.

 

It certainly would've meant he was closer than he was after going on the grass. 

[F1 Mike]

An example of a race where the tyres are good to go flat out the whole time.

Be careful what you wish for...

[Jops14]

Wasn't the complaint not so far ago that Pirelli is providing tyres that start to fade too quickly and the races were just rubber conservation runs?

I liked the first few Pirelli years

Problem is they have gone from tyres that thermally degrade and bringing super hard compounds, to tyres that dont thermally degrade as much and still bringing hard compounds

[Beri]

Max his finest. Ever. Sorry, still in awe.

[Goron3]

An example of a race where the tyres are good to go flat out the whole time.

Be careful what you wish for...

For what it's worth I don't think anyone has ever asked for the Hard tyre to be this fast and durable.

It's supposed to be the slowest tyre but with the upside of durability. But today after a lap it was incredible.

[Bliman]

Max his finest. Ever. Sorry, still in awe.

Nah that was an easy win for him. He had almost no real pressure.

[FirstnameLastname]

Jacques stopped wearing the baggy clothes these days?

[TomNokoe]

An example of a race where the tyres are good to go flat out the whole time.

Be careful what you wish for...

Flat out is still 5-6 seconds away from pole

[jonklug]

Nah that was an easy win for him. He had almost no real pressure.

Oh come on, both Mclarens were glued to him all race. Surely it was quite a bit of pressure.

[Dmitriy_Guller]

At last, the racing purists' dream realized: no gimmicks, no passes, just raw, glorious procession.

[Goron3]

I liked the first few Pirelli years

Problem is they have gone from tyres that thermally degrade and bringing super hard compounds, to tyres that dont thermally degrade as much and still bringing hard compounds

I know what you mean but technically speaking the hard is too soft. I.e. It comes up to temperature way too quickly and ends up offering incredible speed and durability.

Ideally it would be much, much harder like a traditional Hard tyre. It should be 2s a lap slower than the Medium but offer durability. Instead it's nearly always the best tyre.

[ANF]

At last, the racing purists' dream realized: no gimmicks, no passes, just raw, glorious procession.

DRS is still a gimmick.

[ThrottleBlib]

Max his finest. Ever. Sorry, still in awe.

'21 COTA for me (or France '21)

[Masterfail]

An example of a race where the tyres are good to go flat out the whole time.

Be careful what you wish for...

Flat Out? Completely the opposite. Almost everyone was maintaining a solid gap just to be sure that they could extend and keep the tires alive. Pirelli is just straight crap and has been for years

[Beri]

Nah that was an easy win for him. He had almost no real pressure.

Considering how not in place that Red Bull was all weekend and considering there was, till the pole lap, no indication that Verstappen would even be on a podium spot on merit, I can only credit him for this absolute stellar performance.

[mkad]

I think the top 3 all had a good race.

Results could have changed with different tactics but that was up to the teams. The drivers had a mistake free race.

[Ultravox]

Flat Out? Completely the opposite. Almost everyone was maintaining a solid gap just to be sure that they could extend and keep the tires alive. Pirelli is just straight crap and has been for years

 

Max's onboard in the early laps looked like an out lap. It was pathetic how much he was cruising around. The sport is so stupid.

[messy]

Crofty on the other hand, I don't really pay attention to what he says but the amount of times he confuses drivers shows a serious lack of in-race track position awareness of the the drivers. It's bordering on unprofessional. The co-commentators should be correcting him!

I think the lack of drama today plus the bluntness of Villeneuve alongside really made this the “David Croft Really Does Suck Doesn’t He Grand Prix”

He did my head in too.

[Ruudbackus]

'21 COTA for me (or France '21)

Or spain 16 with Raikonen

[Nemo1965]

Not an exiting race but I enjoyed it. I always watch on delay and I didn't press fast forward one time. Max of course should have been driver of the day or, rather, weekend. Again it is not only the speed but the consistency close to perfection almost every bloody race. If Lewis is (was?) the Roger Federer of F1, Verstappen is Djokovic. 

 

Yuki... if only he would have qualified in the top-10, he would have scored points. Not a real bad showing. I don't think the Red Bull is the second fastest car of the field.

Edited by Nemo1965, 06 April 2025 - 07:22.

[Brawn BGP 001]

Vertsappen finished 16s ahead of Leclerc I think today it was the second fastest car, still an amazing performance, the late braking into Casio yesterday set this up.

[Bliman]

Oh come on, both Mclarens were glued to him all race. Surely it was quite a bit of pressure.

You underestimate what Max considers pressure. This sterile pressure means very little to him imo.

[Hellenic tifosi]

Just looked at the replay of live timing.

 

There was no threat for Norris as Leclerc was 6.2 seconds behind him, so any undercut attempt could be easily neutralised. The decision to pit him on the same lap as Max must be one of the most unbelievably dumb pitwall calls ever.

[beachdrifter]

No retirements, no yellow flags, not much at all in the way of action, cars constantly 1-3 seconds behind each other. Disappointingly dull

Was last year different at this track?

[Eyeshield]

And some people with have you beleive the Red bull is not even in the top 3 lol.
 

[Ruudbackus]

Just looked at the replay of live timing.

 

There was no threat for Norris as Leclerc was 6.2 seconds behind him, so any undercut attempt could be easily neutralised. The decision to pit him on the same lap as Max must be one of the most unbelievably dumb pitwall calls ever.

Well ferrari says hi with some very dubious calls ewspecially in early 22. But agree they should have tried something

[Nemo1965]

And some people with have you beleive the Red bull is not even in the top 3 lol.

 

 

 

Verstappen finished 16s ahead of Leclerc I think today it was the second fastest car, still an amazing performance, the late braking into Casio yesterday set this up.

 

It is hard to assess, isn't it? With Max on board it is the second fastest car... but I can't shake the feeling that if Perez, Lawson, and Tsunoda are or were not consistently able to put it at least in the top-6 in qualifying, it can't be the second fastest car outright. I would say it is equal to the Mercedes with Max onboard. 

Edited by Nemo1965, 06 April 2025 - 07:29.

[Ruudbackus]

And some people with have you beleive the Red bull is not even in the top 3 lol.
 

It was in Australia and China, it wasn't here, here it was 2nd fastest and as epr Verstappen helped by cooler conditions today (which also helpen in the first 2 races). Bahrein I feel they will be back to 3rd or 4th

[chhatra]

And some people with have you beleive the Red bull is not even in the top 3 lol.
 

 

It is absolutely the 2nd or 3rd best car, but only in the hands of Max. 

[Hellenic tifosi]

Well ferrari says hi with some very dubious calls ewspecially in early 22. But agree they should have tried something

 

Well, Ferrari is the gold standard of pitwall errors, although, to be fair, they have improved considerably in that regard.

 

However, in that case, the "box opposite" strategy is such an obvious choice that I really can't understand how Mclaren missed it. What on earth were they thinking?  The only logical explanation is that they feared for another Hungary 2024 scenario where Piastri undercuts Norris and then everything gets really uncomfortable.

 

You can't win a championship against Max like this though.

Edited by Hellenic tifosi, 06 April 2025 - 07:34.

[P123]

Good drives from Verstappen, Leclerc, Antonelli and Hadjar.

 

The race was the definition of the importance of qualifying.  Only 5 cars gained position through the entirety of it, and nobody at the front end ever looked to be in any particular danger.  Tyres that go on forever and no tow whatsoever.  A damning indictment of the failure of the current technical setup with the only saving grace being the budget cap, which helps to keep the field nice and tight.  Unfortunately the current tyre/car combo has all the life of a brick.  But the first three races were dire last season too, so perhaps the last two will be a blip.  

[Ivanhoe]

Good drives from Verstappen, Leclerc, Antonelli and Hadjar.

Shout out for Bearman as well.

[Brawn BGP 001]

Guess goes to show what a joke F2 is, Bearman thankfully had them GPs last year to show his worth in an F1 car.

[DW46]

Made my annual dont buy a day pass for Suzuka decision and am feeling richer than yesterday. As a rule I never buy Imola, Monaco, Japan or Mexico. Always buy Baku, Singapore and Brazil.

[Garagista]

What a boring race, i think it is time to start having an annual topic like Monaco asking what should be done in Suzuka to improve racing. No excitement in the top 10, no real opportunities of overtaking.

Edited by Garagista, 06 April 2025 - 07:52.

[Nemo1965]

Shout out for Joylon Palmer. Best commentator I've ever heard. He sees and remarks stuff before it almost happens. What he is saying always add to the things you are seeing. And he is so quick in his mind. One fine example when the camera last year or the year before (in Miami?) filmed a waterslide next to the track, where three people were just shooting down. It was just a three-second shot, but immediately Joylon said: 'That guy in the middle totally takes the wrong line.'

 

If he had been as quick in a F1-car, wow...

[Brawn BGP 001]

There was only one change in the top 10 and that was P7 and P8.

[FirstnameLastname]

Sky are still going with post-race

Talk about milking it…

[FirstnameLastname]

Shout out for Joylon Palmer. Best commentator I've ever heard. He sees and remarks stuff before it almost happens. What he is saying always add to the things you are seeing. And he is so quick in his mind. One fine example when the camera last year or the year before (in Miami?) filmed a waterslide next to the track, where three people were just shooting down. It was just a three-second shot, but immediately Joylon said: 'That guy in the middle totally takes the wrong line.'

If he had been as quick in a F1-car, wow...

I think he’s great

He’s just ahead of Firman in my league of drivers I desperately wanted to be good but never showed it before their time was up.

[Ivanhoe]

Think the three rookies Bearman, Antonelli and Hadjar are great additions to the grid, fast and all three really likeable chaps 

[ReAlien]

Quite a boring race. Maclaren was one of the contributors because of their dubious pitstop strategy and unwillingness to let Oscar try it out.

 

Tsunoda lacklustre so far, at least he overtook Lawson) 

 

Bearman and Antonelli did really great.

 

Was surprised how agressive Albon was in his communicatiopns with the team. 

Edited by ReAlien, 06 April 2025 - 07:56.